How Discover Long Island Is Shifting Visitor Travel Experiences With Allison Brown, Director of Marketing at Discover Long Island
Allison Brown is the Director of Marketing at Discover Long Island. She uses her ability to deliver strategic solutions, drive consumer loyalty, and propel brand awareness to produce marketing initiatives that provide economic impact for the Long Island, New York area. Previously, Allison owned AGB Productions, a consulting firm she established that focused on brand optimization and campaign development. She has also served as the Senior Marketing Manager at NYC & Company, where she drove marketing efforts for some of New York's most iconic events.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
Allison Brown details what Long Island has to offer tourists
Who is Discover Long Island’s primary target audience?
How social media is used to show visitors all of the places to go to in Long Island
Allison shares what Discover Long Island’s app can do to help tourists make the most of their visit
Why additional data is accumulated to personalize the app experience
How Discover Long Island is using ChatGPT to differentiate its messaging
The most important thing Allison has tried to accomplish since she started in her position
Allison tells the story of how she learned the difference between a leader and a boss
What you’ll learn in this episode:
If you’re traveling to Long Island for the first time and want to know what kind of dining, shopping, and entertainment opportunities are available near you, there’s an app that can help. Allison Brown’s organization offers visitors a mobile application that possesses geo-targeted location technology that shows you what to do exactly where you are.
Allison says the app provides a localized feel and helps people improve their time on Long Island and experience new things they may not have realized were there. She notes that her organization’s website can be used to plan an itinerary prior to visiting. The only thing that prevents Long Island’s beaches from being put in the same category as those in Florida and California is people have yet to discover them.
On this episode of From Persona to Personal, Roger Hurni sits down with Allison Brown, Director of Marketing at Discover Long Island, for a conversation about how Discover Long Island is impacting tourist travel. They discuss how a mobile app, artificial intelligence, and ChatGPT can be used to enhance a visitor’s experience. Allison also shares why people should want to travel to Long Island and what she would recommend to do there.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
This episode’s sponsor:
Today’s episode is brought to you by Off Madison Ave. At Off Madison Ave, we create meaningful moments of brand trust and influence how people interact and engage with brands.
There is a science behind tapping into your audiences’ desires and motivation. After all, if you’re not changing your audiences’ behaviors, you can’t truly unlock all of your brand’s potential.
The proven models and methods of Behavior Design is the strategic foundation for your brands’ success.
Episode Transcript
Intro 0:02
This is From Persona to Personal podcast. Today's episode is brought to you by Off Madison Ave. Off Madison Ave creates meaningful moments of brand trust and influences how people interact and engage with brands. The science behind their approach taps into your audience's motivations and desires. After all, if you're not changing your audience's behaviors, you can't truly unlock all of your brand's potential. Now, let's get started with the show.
Roger Hurni 0:34
Hello, everyone, I am Roger Hurni, the host of From Persona to Personal, where I get to use my expertise in consumer behavior modification to engage with top marketing leaders propelling their brands forward. Before I get to today's guest, this episode is brought to you by Off Madison Ave, we use behavioral science to create meaningful moments of brand trust with the influences how people interact and engage with companies. Our behavioral approach taps into your audience's motivation and prompts them to shift behavior. And if you're not shifting and changing your audience's behavior, you truly can't unlock all of your brand's potential. These proven behavioral models and methods are the strategic foundation for your brand success. Visit offmadisonave.com to learn more. Without further ado, I have with me today marketing veteran Allison Brown, who was born and raised in Long Island which is great because she happens to be the director of marketing for Discover Long Island. Allison brings to her role her extensive career experience in hospitality, tourism and luxury marketing. She plays an instrumental role in producing marketing initiatives to elevate brand awareness and economic impact for the Long Island region. Allison previously served for years with NYC and company driving marketing efforts are some of New York's most iconic events including New York City's restaurant week off Broadway we and the New York City half marathon. Her career portfolio also includes national marketing campaigns for a slate of noteworthy clients including QC New York, the Borgata Hotel and Casino, the New York Mets, Kaiser Permanente and Victoria's Secret. Allison, welcome to the show.
Allison Brown 2:15
Thank you. It's a pleasure to be here.
Roger Hurni 2:19
It fell in New Yorker. So I feel like I met. So if the F bomb comes out, that's just me being from New York. So I'm like, Oh, that's okay.
Allison Brown 2:27
You know, we always that talk over here. We say how you doing?
Roger Hurni 2:34
I know how you do it. Joey I'm friends got that down still? Well, anyway, maybe I go into a rabbit hole. Let's start by giving listeners a little bit of background about Long Island. And what it has to offer visitors because I know New York gets its lion's share. But Island is to this gym. That has been on the Hamptons, as I know growing up there, but let's let the listeners hear from you.
Allison Brown 3:05
So Long Island is a 118 long Mile Island, giving its name Long Island and it is the home to 8 million residents. And that actually puts us in a bigger population than half of the states in America. And we have some of the best beaches, white sand beaches, Montauk, Sandpoint that the famed Hamptons and it has great surfing, we have Gold Coast mansions, we have revolutionary history. We have the some of the best cultural, in art institutions in the world. And not to mention, a great team called the you know, New York, the Long Island Islanders, the great hockey team, and also our wonderful Long Island wine country, which is celebrating our 50th anniversary this year. So it's got a little bit of everything for everyone.
Roger Hurni 4:09
So I know growing up there, we would go to Long Island all the time. Although I'm a Rangers fan, but I am a Mets fan. So who are you are you're really your core visitors. I mean, is it is it mostly New Yorkers or, you know, who are you really attracting? And I'm going to ask a second part to this. Who are your wishlist visitors who should know about Long Island that that doesn't.
Allison Brown 4:36
So our main core demographic is actually New York City. We have a lot of daytrippers and weekenders that come out to enjoy getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city and immersing themselves in one country or farmland or the beaches and just seeing the breathtaking ocean from the rocky north shores to the pristine You know, white sand on the south shore. And after that it's really a lot of Northeast Corridor, you know, Boston DC, in that kind of retrospect, where it's very convenient to get to either by plane, by train, or by car where you can spend a couple of hours get here, spend a week and, you know, see everything and then go back home. And I think that's mainly our main constituent, as well as also our 8 million residents that we also tout to, and let them know on a daily basis, all the great stuff that they have in their own backyard. I think when it comes to our wish list, we're we're looking to broaden our horizons in some of the west coast areas that we haven't really been able to attract yet, as well as the south coast. So Dallas, is on our radar as they when they come, they spend the most money. So we really want to be able to saturate that market. And another market that we've actually been trying to penetrate over the last two years is Arizona, in Scottsdale. ironi, isn't it?
Roger Hurni 6:16
Well, one of my clients is the Arizona Austin tourism. So you know, I can see a colab happening here.
Allison Brown 6:23
Yes, so Well, we have Montauk, we have Bernice Montauk. And they opened up and place in Arizona. And so we just kind of said, You know what, this is a great area. And we learned during the pandemic, that one of the big key areas that wants to come visit us is California. But our budget was very limited. So we weren't really able to penetrate that market and really make the biggest bang for our buck. So we started doing some really intricate data analyzation, we found a lot of young people and couples and families were moving from California, to Arizona. And so we were basically able to then tap into a market which was a little easier for us to get into, but get the same type of people where they're now going back and telling their friends and family back in California. So it's kind of this slow trending, and it's working. Because while you're in the heat of the summer, you come here, and we have the beautiful breezy oceans, that she can just walk along. And it's, it's definitely become one of our really important and favorite markets to work with. So yeah, sky's the limit with us?
Roger Hurni 7:41
Well, I think that's great. I know that there's there's, as you already said, there's a lot to Long Island I I honestly think of people just all they do is think of the Hamptons with when you're not in the New York or the tri state area. You know, it's like a long ride. Oh, yeah, that's what the Hamptons are. For those in the know the mom took is like, the thing, right? It is far more than that. So I'm kind of curious is, do you have a sense of like overtourism in those two areas where you need to move people around to other parts of the island at all, to get them to enjoy it?
Allison Brown 8:17
Where will we basically we have something for everyone at every point on the islands. So we, we promote Long Island kind of as a whole. But then we silo out and say if you're interested in water activities, here's what you can do. If you're interested in history, here's what you can do. You're into arts and cultural, here's what you can do, you're bringing the family, here's what you can do. So there's a little bit of something for everyone here. And that's what we do is we try and promote Long Island as basically a one stop shop that really, a lot of people still don't know about us. And that is one of the things we're working on is the awareness. We just went to the Aspen food and wine classic for the first time. And last month, and we brought with us the Long Island wine country, we brought the best of the best. And we served that out and the thing that we kept hearing all the time was Where are you from? Long Island. Where's that? Oh, the Hamptons, I know that you have ye who knew. So I think that, you know, as we are going through the next evolution in our, you know, marketing campaigns, it's going to be a lot of awareness of what we have to offer because we definitely can, you know, we can we can offer a little bit to everyone and we can compete with the, you know, FLORIDA BEACHES and the California beaches and it's really just about the awareness once they figure out the awareness. I'm telling you, I kept hearing nonstop who knew this is so great. I've got to look you guys up. So that's kind of where we're going with the next evolution of our marketing campaign.
Roger Hurni 9:59
We have Yuri, Hamptons is our Grand Canyon gear. We've had people be like, because the Colorado river goes through, it's like, oh, the Grand Canyon is in Colorado, Colorado River, which makes me very sad for how people teach geography in grade school, but that we have wine. And like nobody knows about it. So we've had overcome those same, the same kinds of issues. If, if let's just pretend you're, you're, you've gotten magic powers. And if you could snap your fingers, make any of your visitors that come to Long Island, enjoying it doing something they're not currently doing, what would you have them do?
Allison Brown 10:32
I would say, explore. You know, we did a great article recently. And it was the bucket list for the things to do this summer. And there were things in there that I hadn't even known about. And I think one of the most important things is to utilize our website, as a tool to really create your own itinerary. There is some hidden things that I didn't even know about, for example, in Fire Island, they have different types of ferries that go over there, different types of groups to go over there. If you're the adventurous if you're looking for family fun, there's something for everyone. And there's also the ability in Fire Island, there's a hidden Trailway that had this like through wooded nodded pines that I didn't even know. And I've lived here most of my life. And I said, wow, there's something new every single moment on this island. And I think that's what the enthusiasm about Long Island is, is that we are always evolving and always coming up with something new and staying on the forefront of you know what's happening. People don't realize that Bethpage Black is one of the greatest golf courses in the world. And the Ryder Cup is coming to us in 2025. So I think these are the things that, you know, people may just think we're just a beach, but we're so much more than a beach. And there's just really a lot. You could come here and spend a week and you still don't see everything that there is to see.
Roger Hurni 12:03
You mentioned that the website as a place to go to. And that's discovery. Bear with me for a minute exists is gonna lead to a question. I know with the extensive experience that I have, but like you do in travel and tourism, you plan the trip. And that's a whole set of communications. You You're on the trip. And there's planning that happens while you're actually visiting. And then there's that whole post part where you talking about the trip, and you're sharing your your details on the trip. Some of that happens on trips on what happens after the trip. If people are coming to the website. They're planning and everything. I know that you have a mobile app, and that's where this is going. That seems like an opportunity to I know it is an opportunity to to change behavior while people are visiting to get them to explore some areas that they are not. Yeah, I know. Like, we had an app with Arizona for a while. And we we had moved people to three times as many locations and had them say an extra day or two just to like app usage. What are you doing with Discover log islands app? And where are you hoping to take that lotto?
Allison Brown 13:20
Yeah, well, so our app is brand new. And it became again, an evolution of our website and our social media, we have over 10 channels. And we reach over 10 million people through those channels. And we give them visual and audio sensory of what you can really do and immerse yourself in Long Island. So when you make your trip and you get here, you know about a few things, okay, I want to go and see Sag Harbor, and the history that you know, is in this in the area. But once you're there, then you say to yourself, well now what now where do I go to go shopping? Where do I go to grab a bite to eat. And our app was designed with that in mind. And it's geo targeted location, technology where wherever you are on the island, it's going to show you what to do exactly where you are. So if I'm sitting in my office, it's going to show me the best restaurants, the best parks to go to the best entertainment, the best events that are happening. But if I go home, it's going to change that dynamic to where I'm located at that given moment. So it gives a little bit more of that localized feel, helping out the mom and pop shops and really helping to show that you know Long Island isn't just the place to come. It's a place to experience and with this app, we're able to really help people broaden their time on Long Island and experience new things that they may not have even realized was there. We're seeing that with. There's right now there's a venn go experience. And it's really, you know, amazing. So we put it on our, you know, calendar of events. And we've been, you know, promoting it within the app. And all of a sudden, people are saying, Wow, this is amazing. And I'll drive to that, I'll go out of my way to even, you know, go to that, not knowing that things are always changing. And so our app reads from our website. So instead of just being a skin of our website, which is, is just basically more of the itinerary planning, this is going to give you the live action, real time things to do where you exactly are at that given moment. So when we do have things like the Ryder Cup, and you end up at the Bethpage black, and you're not aware of what's around you, or you're going to the Long Island Railroad to go back, you can use the app and say, Where do I go for dinner? Where can I find a great hotel? Where is a great place to get a cocktail? You know? Are there other historical, you know, places to go? Or are there museums in the area? So it really kind of caters and breaks it down based upon what you are literally looking for at that given moment.
Roger Hurni 16:23
So is there is that content that has to be queried that served up? Is that queried by the user? Or are you using an API or something to do that proactively?
Allison Brown 16:35
Absolutely. So we're using an API a company called get new local, and they have been an absolute dream to work with, they have gone in and created the API, the API to link with our back end, simple view, mainframe. So all of our partners go in and load all of their information into the back end of the simple view, our designers and marketing team, make sure that we drive that content on the website for what makes the most visually and most impactful, overall arching idea. But then that then feeds into the app itself. And the app itself is only going to show you what is really around you at that given moment. So it's not Oh, well, I can go to this event two weeks from now, or I could go to this restaurant, but it's a three hour drive, it's going to give you that more detail oriented, find me something great to do right. Now, let's let's explore, right?
Roger Hurni 17:37
So it's doing that based solely on geography. In the end the query, it's not examining different behaviors, like an ontology based AI and saying, if you've gone to these other places, because it's following you through those geo fences, therefore, I'm gonna recommend and it determines that you like Italian food is gonna recommend the Italian restaurant stop the Is it is it? Is it an ontology based satires, or just machine based learning where it's, if this happens,
Allison Brown 18:09
it's machine based right now, but it is, but we're looking to get more towards once we get more data in the back end of how people are using it. That's really going to help us figure this out. So we can see what people are clicking on. If they've gone through to that website, we can track them and see what's really making the most impact. So whether it be we go in and manually say that this is one of the top pieces or top events to go see, or we changed the algorithm down the road. But we literally had just launched this that it's so new that many people don't know about it yet. We have a national campaign coming out the end of the summer to really promote what to do and what to see. So when you're at the Fire Island Ferry, what do you do when you get off that far Island Ferry and you're done? Well, we can tell you all of the downtown's and all the great places to go.
Roger Hurni 19:02
I this with my work and consumer behavior it has tied in very naturally to AI. And so I'm gonna have to do a follow up conversation. I'd like to hear how the app is going in and what you're doing in that area. Because I find that to be really fascinating. Above the fact that you're not using the app from a utilitarian perspective. It's just it's very proactive. And I think that's I think that's wicked smart. And I think that that's a great that's a great lesson for other people to do who are moving toward that.
Allison Brown 19:34
I think one of the great things about the app also is it's based on membership with Discover Long Island so when you buy into the membership becomes automatically with it so you're not buying into a separate program. You literally are getting this as being a partner of discover Long Island and our job at discover Long Island is to make sure that we promote Long Island and promote all these Is wonderful businesses in the greatest light that we can. So it's really kind of a win win for the businesses as well as us, because they're getting additional exposure and market and advertising that they didn't even have the ability to have before. So just another outlet that we can we can share.
Roger Hurni 20:18
I have one other AI question, because I'm starting to see this a lot. Where organizations are starting to game, large language models like chat GPT, because people are starting to do more travel planning within the context of an lm n. Are you doing anything around that initiative yet? Or is that a wish list kind of thing.
Allison Brown 20:41
Um, we're just starting to work with that. It has been very helpful right now as far as coming up with new unique ways of writing content, to share itineraries and new things to do on Long Island. So instead of just having our writers write in the typical theme, we could say, writing in the, you know, story of a beach goer. And you can change up how things are written, and give it a little bit of a new perspective. So we're definitely starting to use that. And we have ideas on how to use the AI. On our website, we're trying to figure out the way right now makes the most sense of, if we, if you were to go to the website, and there would be put in three things that you like to do. Tell me what time of year you want to go. And tell me what your favorite type of food is, and have that give you an a story on based on exactly what you just said and saying, Okay, well, we just created a specific itinerary just for you. So that's where we're trying to go with this. And we think that there's a lot of, there's a lot of use for the Chachi TP and it's just a matter of finding the right tool on our website, that would make the most sense for for our visitors. But we're kind of thinking along that line. And we think that would just be another interesting thing. We're always looking to be on the forefront. You know, when Wordle came out a couple of years ago and had its big highlight, we created Long Island doodle, and it still runs on our website. And we had when we change over from our old WordPress to the new CMS, he was down for a few minutes. And people were calling the off to say where is the Long Island don't. So it's amazing how you can take something that is a trend and really, you know, bring it into your own personal space and make your own. So I think that's where you know, the chat TTP is just beginning. I think that it's got a lot of, you know, possibilities for us.
Roger Hurni 22:56
Where you said something there that was very smart. I'm gonna I'm gonna get to this quick step back to the well pointed out for listeners of the show. When you said as the beachgoer in one of the things most companies don't understand, quite frankly, you're the first person who's even brought this up is the level of prompt engineering that has to go into copy is very, very different than just writing copy for SEO purposes or general itineraries. And that's where I think the success from a travel planning perspective is is going to be is to break down everybody who comes into very specific behavioral archetypes, and then create those kinds of itineraries from a prompt engineering standpoint, as if you were that person, but you have to tell the LLM to do that. You can't just be like, what are three great things to do on the beach. If you give it context of that visitor, then you get a rich richer outcome. And it feels like that's where you're going right?
Allison Brown 23:56
Yes, it's almost an extension of our are. Long Island is where you belong campaign. And it's very thematic. So in behind me, you you would see right now there's a print ad and it's two people in the vineyard. And it's really giving me that idea of okay, not only do they have vineyards, but you are actually able to walk in there. So now we are targeting the market that wants to go and enjoy that we mark it be inspired, and we're talking about you know, going to the mansions we're talking about be adventurous and we talked to the surfers. So we're really trying to figure out that and we're and we're, I think succeeding in the fact that we're using our where you belong campaign as a thematic understanding of you're going to have a different perspective of Long Island than I will. You know, I'm going to look for certain attributes whether it be pampered or at a you know, a spa or going to the beach. Someone else might want to come here and see all the historical site So I think the most important thing is to really not make Long Island. So broad in one campaign of okay, these are all the images that you, you know, that showcase Long Island. That's great. But that's a lot of that's a lot of, you know, things happening all at once that it doesn't really resonate with people, when you start to narrow it down and you start speaking to your consumer base. When you start speaking, we have golf to golfers when we have adventure to, you know, the traveler that wants excitement when you start talking to food enthusiasts. That's where you start to get their real attention. And then we can start building more itineraries of, again, going on the app and saying, Okay, well, I've already gone to this great thing. What else can I do while I'm here?
Roger Hurni 25:50
Yeah, that's wicked, smart, very smart. Things seem to be going really well. You're taking really great approaches. So I'm kind of curious what's keeping you up at night? The, the challenges you're facing right now, what's the what's the pain point?
Allison Brown 26:07
Well, up until now, it's been a lot of, you know, trying to adapt to change. So when I've only been actually with the company since October, but I feel like I'm a ghetto tenured veteran at this point. But I say that the most important thing that we've been trying to do is to educate the residents, as well as the visitors of all the things that we can do, and that, in order to do that, we need to change and grow with the times. So we had just recently passed a increase in motel hotel tax, that will not only increase our budget, but will now help to, it gives us the flexibility now to get the funding that we've been so desiring to get a actual convention center belt on Long Island. So this meetings and groups is one challenge that we just have not been able to overcome, because we don't have the room space, we don't have the event space. And this is now going to actually give us that space. And it's going to connect the Long Island Railroad with MacArthur Islip airport. And so it's going to make traveling into the middle of the island much easier, much more effective, it's going to bring in, you know, the tourism dollars during the week when we need it the most. And it's really going to help put us on the map in such a different way where we could not compete before. So that's a very exciting time for us right now, you know, we we've just been basically given the keys to the castle in many ways, and now we're trying to figure out how to market that and how to get it out. And that I think, is the part that's keeping me up a bit at night. How am I going to do this, um, you know, the brain, the wheels are always moving. And it's just a matter of figuring out what's the best course of action. But we, I have an amazing team here. We are pretty much like a family. And everyone here is absolutely invested in discover Long Island and Long Island itself. So we definitely will figure out the best way to do that. And our communications team will get that out there. And our social team will get that out there. And I'll figure out the marketing aspect of that. But at the end of the day, we want to help the economic impact and make the the you know, the the lives of our residents even better, because the more we bring in, in economic impacts, the less their taxes are. So it's a win win for everybody. And I think that's where we're our new evolution is going is that we've been just given the keys to the castle. And now we have to figure out what to do with the castle and how to decorate it.
Roger Hurni 28:59
I'm sure I'm sure you will find a way I have no doubt. I have no doubt yet. I just have one last question. And you can answer this personally or professionally. I love the fact that people will try to give you advice all the time, and not all of his good. So I'm kind of curious, what was the what was the worst advice you've ever gotten that you went?
Allison Brown 29:24
Oh, yes, it's the worst advice I've ever gotten. Early in my career, I was working for a company and had been promoted twice within the company. So I'm thinking I'm doing a great job and all of a sudden the team comes to me and says my my directs you know, subordinate came to me and says, it looks like layoffs are happening. Just wanted to give you the 411. So if you want to start looking like we understand we're all kind of in this moment. But on the same aspect I was told, Well, maybe advertising and marketing isn't for you and maybe you should take some time to reevaluate if this is really where you feel that your strengths are. And it really played with me for a while. But as years went on, I just realized, I, you know, I stuck with it, because I love it. And as I continue to stick with it, I grew within the industry. And now I am helping the next generation, you know, become leaders, because I am only as good as my team underneath me. And I learned early on that I had a boss, I didn't have a leader, that leader is somebody that says, here's where the growth potentials are. And let me help you get there, not change your course of life and doubt everything that you've done. So I think that, you know, it's most important that when you take advice, you have to look inside your soul and say, Does this make sense for me never second, guessed yourself, or do something because someone tells you that that's the way to go. Because you're the one in the driver's seat, and you're the one that has the opportunity, and you're the one that can make it happen. And if I had listened to that person, I wouldn't be here speaking with you today. So, I think that, you know, it's really just follow your heart and follow your gut.
Roger Hurni 31:21
Nice. I love how you turn that into worst advice and tips and best advice.
Allison Brown 31:27
I've taken a lot of the bad stuff and I it's helped me, you know, streamline my career and help, you know, my team because I'm only as strong as my team. So if they're not doing their job, I'm not doing mine.
Roger Hurni 31:43
Very true. Very true. Well, I appreciate all of your time today. Thank you very much for being on the show. Allison, director of marketing for Discover Long Island, please tell me and everybody where people can learn more about you and Discover Long Island?
Allison Brown 31:59
Absolutely. Um, first and foremost, discoverlongisland.com That is the best place to start. Within there, you can see all of our social channels, our YouTube page, our podcasts, our Insider's Guide, which gives you all of the latest hip scoop. So I think going on discoverlongisland.com and playing around to find what you feel is the best way is really going to help and our social channels are just top notch. I think if you follow those you will be visually pleased every single day.
Roger Hurni 32:37
Excellent, excellent. I am Roger Hurni. This is From Persona to Personal and we will catch you next time.
Outro 32:46
Thanks for listening to From Persona to Personal, the podcast that takes a closer look into how organizations personalize their marketing. We'll see you again next time and be sure to click Subscribe to get future episodes.
