The Importance of First Impressions
five questions that challenge towns along a trail to welcome visitors
First impressions at a front door set expectations for what lies inside. Realtors highlight the importance of street appeal to sellers and buyers. A savvy merchant highlights the uniqueness of the store in their front window. The first impression of an applicant during a job interview factors heavily in the applicant’s fate.
These examples highlight the importance of good first impressions. The following five questions challenge towns along a trail to make the best first impression. Good impressions lead to increased tourism, economic growth, and memorable moments.
First impressions matter. Experts say we size up new people in somewhere between 30 seconds and two minutes. Elliott Abrams
How do visitors tell your story?
Visitors make many choices on their trail visit. Thirst, hunger, and shelter are the top reasons. A town’s challenge is to be one of the choices. Every town has a story to be told and captured in a photo. Railroad artifacts, factories, grain silos, and small downtown America find their way on visitors’ social media.
The challenge is telling the story to visitors. Trailside art and murals are prime stop-and-take photo examples. Storyboards telling the story of the town and industry past and present bring the buildings to life. These are a few ways visitors share the image of your town on social media.
What story does your town tell?
Towns have a claim to fame, the thing that instills pride in their community. The best stories are of famous and unique people who called this home. Some of these people rose to fame beyond the town. The town’s source of pride is often found on the town’s welcome sign.
People and events that shaped the town need to be on display. Visitors come in all flavors. History buffs, railroad fans, casual trekkers, and explorers are just a few of those flavors. Tell visitors the stories that you want to share, and that visitors want to read. Stories can be told on webpages, newsletters, and brochures, and told in person by community members.
What does your welcome mat say?
Visitors pass through your front door before they enter your town. They decide whether to stop or move on based on your welcome mat. A trailhead should convey a welcoming message to entice visitors into town. An attractive trailhead with desirable amenities says come in and sit a spell.
A well-maintained trailhead clear of litter with benches, bike racks, a bicycle repair station, a water fountain, clean restrooms, and attractive landscaping says welcome. Missing some of these? Direct visitors to where they can find these amenities. Be creative in saying welcome at your front door.
What says welcome beyond your front door?
Once visitors stop, the task is drawing them into town. Welcome signs, road sharrows, maps, and directions are excellent ways to make your town shine. Visitors look for places to eat, drink, and shop, bike shops, museums, and libraries. Free Wi-Fi and air conditioning clinch the deal.
The town, businesses, and residents need to embrace a culture of welcoming visitors. This culture needs to be planted and cultivated. It comes to fruition when everyone understands the value that a trail brings to town. Everyone needs to live in a culture of welcoming and outwardly sharing that message.
“Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell.” –Seth Godin, Bestselling Author, and Blogger
How are you selling your town?
Good impressions are key to selling anything. Amazon and Google reviews sway potential buyers. Influencers, the hottest salespeople today, are the major players on social media. These influencers have changed how things are marketed and sold.
Spend some time observing influencers on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Note the tactics used that can be a pattern for your town’s social media strategy. Give the people tools and encourage them to be influencers for your town.
Tom’s bonus thoughts
I am a believer in storytelling. Stories make interactions real and personal. Everyone in your town can be a storyteller. The town coffee shop or diner, the park district, your trail organization, and the visitors’ bureau are some of the best that can tell the story of what’s happening here. The more people you engage, the stronger your message will be. Storytelling costs little but returns a big bang in its results.
Everyone in your town can be a storyteller.
Here are some things you might find interesting.
Amy Camp writes the
Deciding on Trails: 7 Practices of Healthy Trail Towns is a must-read.
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Happy Trails!
Tom (on the trails)
This is great, Tom! I love the question, "How do visitors tell your story?" I'm looking forward to seeing future posts.
Thanks for sharing my book and newsletter as resources!