On a recent trip south on I-95, I came upon those familiar billboards that begin in North Carolina. You know the ones I mean…the sombreros, Pedro and the excitement they build as you get closer and closer to South of the Border in South Carolina. Many are the same signs I remember as a child as the family headed down to Florida in the station wagon.
South of the Border has been beckoning tourists in the same manner for 6 decades. You won’t find them on Twitter. You won’t see Pedro offering his forecast of “Cold Today, Hot Tamale” in any vacation guides. They don’t have a Facebook page. Their website is more about information than a sales pitch to come visit.
South of the Border has been sticking with what works for them for over 60 years. But, does it really work? The place is a tired looking side show with cheesy t-shirt shops and empty buildings. Yes, I did I personal visit to see what has changed…and what has not.
Seems someone at SOTB is trying to modernize. There’s IS a website. They even have a blog (though there are very few entries and it hasn’t been updated in over a month). But, what if they REALLY modernized?
- SOTB has a Foundation that directly supports the local community. Did you know that? Probably not and you won’t see it on any of their billboards either (WHY?)
- SOTB advertises their Motor Inn featuring jacuzzi’s in the rooms. Seriously? The image that puts in my head is not a comfortable, quality night of sleep. It’s time to contract that puppy out to Marriott and let consumers book their rooms online!
- SOTB has been a mainstay along 301 (and I-95) for over half a century. The history of the place is actually, quite interesting. Where is the museum to share this with the world?
- Engage the car traffic with those billboards! ”Text “PEDRO” to “quatro, uno, tres” for a special offer”
- Get a Facebook page! After all, it’s FREE! Consumers have already created a Facebook group – they want to engage with SOTB and you should listen to them!
Tried and true marketing efforts can still work; but must be modernized to avoid becoming tired marketing efforts.
Would you plan a party and not invite anyone? Of course not! The same holds true for open houses. Having an open house without planning and advertising is a waste of time. Here are 15 websites where you can advertise your open house effectively and for FREE!
I’ll admit it, I’ve always been an office junkie. I’d enjoy going into the office to work. I liked the brick and mortar and carpet. I liked the discipline it provided to me and the idea that office=work, home=no work.
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