We have a mountain home 90 minutes outside of DC in Etlan, VA - roughly 5 miles from the Shenandoah National Park border. The Shenandoah Mountains hold a spritual allure for me. The timeless beauty, fishing for native brook trout and seeing wildlife up close and personal make the Shenandoah Mountains my favorite place on the planet. The picture of the bear above was taken last week 10 feet outside our front door. There's nothing like seeing a bear at close range to make you feel alive.
Even when I'm not there, the Park's Facebook Page makes me feel like I am. Here's their Facebook profile text:
Gazing across the horizon from the peaks of Shenandoah National Park, it's hard to believe you are just 75 miles from the bustle of our nation's capital. 500 miles of trails lead hikers to waterfalls, vistas, and the quiet of the woods.
Sound good? In the past week, they've shared posts with images and descriptive information on:
If you've been there and enjoyed yourself, their Facebook posts will make you want to go back. They always leave me wanting more.
Arizona-Sonora Desert MuseumI had one of those good news-bad news situations a few years ago. The bad news was that my dive buddy, motorcycle partner and best friend moved to Tucson, AZ. The good news was that now I get to visit him in Tucson. Every time we go, we always go to the Sonoran Desert Museum. The term museum is a bit of a misnomer; it's part zoo, part desert garden and part history museum. If you want to see what the Sonoran Desert is all about, this is the place to go. Mountain lions, bighorn sheep, rattlesnakes, Gila monsters and Saguaro cacti are all on offer. It's really an amazing place.
Like the Shenandoah National Park, they have active presence on Facebook. Some of their recent Facebook activity included:
Like the Shenandoah's, their Facebook page makes you want to go back and let's you take a mini-vacation in your mind.
These 2 vacation destinations use social media best practices that you can use in your business social media marketing. Here are a few.
Both of these destinations have two primary audiences: vacationers who either want to visit or visit again and locals who visit on a regular basis. They focus their efforts on social media networks that their fans frequent. They are Facebook marketers; they don't waste their time on LinkedIn. Their posts mix entertainment and education - what more could any Mom want for her kids?
Both destinations consistently post to their Facebook accounts; their fans won't go for weeks without seeing a post. They make sure that each post is interesting to at least a segment of their fan base.
Both destinations have stunning visual content at their fingertips and they take advantage of it. I always look forward to the photos and videos of the amazingly beautiful flora and fauna from the desert and eastern woodlands. It's not just looking at pictures, they always include educational information with their posts. I don't just see the pictures of the mountain lion cub, I learn how mountain lions reproduce in nature.
Each of these destinations understands that communication is a two-way street. Here are 3 ways the Sonoran Desert Museum gave their fans a chance to participate in the last month:
They both draw you in and welcome you to their community.
I was inspired to write this post because it's summertime and I'm feeling that sense of exploration that comes to me every summer. For these two places, it doesn't matter that it's summer. Their social media marketing lets me experience them all year round. I highly encourage you to check out their Facebook pages and think about how you can incorporate some of their tactics into your social media marketing. Your business might not have a mountain lion cub to brag about, but you have customers that you can delight. Be helpful and be remarkable and your business will prosper. Lastly, get out and see America this summer - we have the most beautiful, amazing country in the world. Make an effort to see it with your friends and family.