Visitor surveys have been carried out over a number of years at Beaulieu to identify significant trends in the profile of its customers. Some of the key factors to emerge in recent years indicate the following:
| Origin of Visitors | Day Visitors | Holidaymakers | Percentage of holiday makers from overseas |
|||
| 1991 | 28% | 72% | 16.70% | |||
| 1995 | 24% | 76% | 19.00% | |||
| 1996 | 27% | 73% | 16.40% | |||
| 2000 | 24% | 76% | 10.00% | |||
| 2003 | 28% | 72% | 10.00% |
| Age group of Visitors |
16 - 24 | 25 - 44 | 45 - 64 | 65 plus | ||||
| 1991 | 15.2% | 62.1% | 17.8% | 4.9% | ||||
| 1995 | 7.8% | 53.5% | 31.3% | 7.4% | ||||
| 1996 | 8.0% | 53.7% | 30.4% | 7.9% | ||||
| 2000 | 7.0% | 46% | 33% | 14% | ||||
| 2003 | 5.9% | 38.4% | 38.2% | 17.6% |
It should be noted that exit surveys are only conducted with visitors over the age of 16 and hence the appearance of no visitors below that age.
| Sex | Female | Male | ||
| 1991 | 49.7% | 50.3% | ||
| 1995 | 56.3% | 43.7% | ||
| 1996 | 52.7% | 47.3% | ||
| 2003 | 45.5% | 54.5% |
| Interest in Cars | 1991 | 1995 | 1996 | 2000 | 2001 | 2003 |
| Enthusiast | 13.9% | 19.3% | 20.5% | 16% | 22% | 24% |
| Especially | 14.3% | 13.5% | 14.1% | 13% | 16% | 14% |
| interested | ||||||
| Above average | 19.7% | 24.2% | 19.7% | 27% | 29% | 27% |
| interest | ||||||
| Average | 42.7% | 35.2% | 38% | 37% | 28% | 28% |
| interest | ||||||
| Less than average | 5.1% | 4.6% | 4.8% | 4% | 4% | 4% |
| interest | ||||||
| Very little interest | 2.8% | 2.6% | 1.7% | 2% | 1% | 2% |
| No interest | 1.5% | 0.6% | 1.2% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Group Composition | Adults only | Adults and children | ||
| 1991 | 51.1% | 49.9% | ||
| 1995 | 56.9% | 43.1% | ||
| 1996 | 63.0% | 37.0% | ||
| 2000 | 66.0% | 34.0% | ||
| 2003 | 59% | 41% |
It has been further found, over a number of years, that the average stay at Beaulieu is four hours.
Armed with this, and other information, the annual Beaulieu Visitor Survey helps identify, to the organisation, the profile of the visitor that is best satisfied by the Beaulieu product offering. It can use this information to help tailor its marketing message, through appropriate channels, in order that it might continue to attract visitors.
As well as the annual Beaulieu visitor survey, Awareness surveys are carried out in major conurbations within the southern region to gather key marketing data, covering a range of key marketing questions. These surveys explore such topics as - awareness of Beaulieu, recognition of Beaulieu promotional material in key media, likes and dislikes of the Beaulieu product and other pertinent facts. From this Beaulieu is able to adapt and segment its markets and marketing mix to ensure maximum return on the allocation of the marketing budget.
The Marketing of Beaulieu
The Marketing and Public Relations department of Montagu Ventures Limited is responsible for all marketing of the visitor facilities, special events and corporate and conference facilities at Beaulieu and its sister attraction, Buckler’s Hard.
This task has expanded in importance over the years as competition has grown, in the form of new and revitalised attractions, at local, regional and national levels. Added to this direct competition is the increased competition from indirect competitors such as Sunday retailing and, as such, the marketing tasks facing the organisation cannot be underestimated.
Specifically the marketing functions role with the organisation is:
- to target markets on a local, regional, national and international basis with effective promotional material on the attraction/s.
- to sell the attraction as a differentiated product to key market segments.
- to help achieve a quality positioning of the product, allowing premium pricing to be achieved.
- to ensure Beaulieu is a “must see” attraction for people who are visiting the area.
- to work with all departments to ensure that all the attraction’s literature, both internal and external, achieve high standards of quality, consistency and appeal.
Key Market Segments
There are three key broad segments towards which Beaulieu aims its various offerings; the individual visitor, the group market and the corporate market. These broad segments can be further refined until a comprehensive ‘tree’ of viable sub sectors is established as shown in appendix A. This, in turn, could be further refined if so required.
This breakdown of sub sectors helps establish different target audiences and hence the susceptibility to different media. However, whilst the corporate and group markets are important to Beaulieu, the individual remains the core market sector that must be addressed.
Promotional Mix
Public Relations
Public Relations play a key part in keeping Beaulieu and Buckler’s Hard in the forefront of people’s awareness of the attractions and the many activities and events that take place here. This covers all types of media, from specialised press, such as motoring and yachting journals, to local, regional and national press, TV and radio.
To help the organisation in this task, it has a database of more than 1100 known media contacts. In a typical year the organisation will issue over 150 separate proactive news stories and react to anything up to 200 requests from journalists who are putting together articles that include references to Beaulieu.
From this activity it would be expected to generate in excess of 30,000 column centimetres of coverage per year, plus numerous mentions on TV and radio.
Advertising
The selection of media use by the organisation - press, regional television, radio, journals, poster sites, bus sides and, most importantly, publicity leaflets, is carefully planned and weighted to match the identified target market segments most cost effectively.
The success, or otherwise, of each media used is carefully monitored through the various research work that is carried out by Beaulieu and adjustments made to media types and spend within specific areas when required.
Whilst for some sectors, such as corporate hospitality, it is possible to create a cost effective image to appeal to that particular market segment, for the general visitor it is a difficult task to create one that will present such a diverse ‘product’ that is Beaulieu. This is because the product appeals to such a varied cross section of the community in terms of age, socio-economic groupings and social / cultural interests. However, historically, it has been found that key elements of nostalgia, interesting experience and full day out, appeal across the majority of groups.
Like many attractions Beaulieu has created its own website at www.beaulieu.co.uk which it is constantly appraising as the technology and understanding of how the site is used by individuals is developed.
As a world recognised attraction, particularly amongst car enthusiasts, Beaulieu’s promotional activities cover not only UK activities but also ones on the continent. However the majority of promotional spend is within the UK.
Relationships with Other Organisations
The organisation maintains close working relationships with its major local competitors, as well as its local regional tourist board (Tourism South East), the New Forest District Council, Destination Southampton and New Forest Tourism. It recognises that, by working in close co-operation with such bodies, where appropriate, it can achieve greater impact than if it tried to carry out activities by itself. An example of this close working relationship with local competitors and hoteliers is in attracting key members of the national press into the area on familiarisation trips, thereby gaining positive PR for the area in general, which will lead to a greater number of visits to the region, with resulting spin off business for the attractions.
In addition, Beaulieu is a member of two key marketing consortia; The Treasure Houses of England and the Great British Motor Museums. Through these consortia, Beaulieu is again able to investigate, and participate in, marketing activities which either would not be cost effective to pursue by itself, or opportunities to which it would tend to be denied as a single operator, such as promotions with national newspapers.
Possible Question Areas
With the apparent decline in the proportion of family groups coming to Beaulieu over the last few years, what activities, if any, should Beaulieu be introducing to rectify the situation?
If you had £200,000 to spend in either providing additional facilities within the Beaulieu complex, or refurbishing existing ones, what activities would you undertake and why ?