PARKERSBURG, WV -- The Greater Parkersburg Convention & Visitors Bureau has a new marketing tool. An interactive CD Rom, featuring area attractions, history, events, and other points of interest, will be used as a direct mailer to visitors, meeting planners and group tour leaders looking to plan a trip to area.
"The CD Rom will be used in a number of ways," Greater Parkersburg CVB President Steve Nicely said. "It will actually prepare a foundation for additional marketing efforts by the bureau in the coming year. Not only will the CD Rom be used for direct mail campaigns to both leisure and group travel markets and the fulfillment of individual inquires…it is also the first step in linking our web site to a future system of information kiosks spread throughout the region."
The CD Rom begins with an introduction that automatically launches upon placement in a PC computer’s CD drive and is accessible to MAC systems as well. The introduction plays full screen and, once complete, automatically transitions to a home page where the user may select any of the nine sections or four sponsor sections. Live links to the bureau’s new web site (GreaterParkersburg.com) appear on each screen. In addition, the piece includes a pause, return to home, and exit links – to allow easy navigation for users.
The CD Rom consists of nine sections: history & heritage, attractions, events, shopping, dining, lodging, recreation, directions/maps, and contact us/links. The content of each section includes a presentation consisting of audio narratives and images, lasting 30-60 seconds. Four individual sponsor sections are also featured lasting 60 seconds each.
Primary sponsor for the CD Rom is Simonton Windows. Secondary sponsors include the Blennerhassett Hotel, Fenton Art Glass and the Blennerhassett Historical Foundation. Funding for the project was also provided through two Local Economic Development Assistance Grants secured by Senators Donna Boley and Frank Deem and administered through the City of Parkersburg and Wood County.
"We worked with Stonewall Marketing and our partners to create a professionally produced marketing piece that beautifully displays this region’s finest offerings by way of activities, sites, food, shopping and accommodations," Nicely said. "This very visual and highly interactive production will serve as a very effective outreach tool in the months and years ahead. The CD Rom may also be used for local businesses as part of their recruitment packets, for meetings and much more."
The CVB anticipates producing 500 copies this Fall and will continue to update the piece each year. To request copies, contact the CVB office at 304-428-1130.
The Greater Parkersburg Convention and Visitors Bureau was organized in 1985 and is an independent, nonprofit corporation dedicated to strengthening the area's economy by marketing Greater Parkersburg as a destination for leisure travel, group tours, meetings and conventions. The bureau is devoted to providing appropriate services for visitors and its partners.
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Posted on: July 24, 2007
