Passport Tour

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This promotion is being planned by a group of wineries in Iowa. They in turn borrowed the idea from winery tours in other parts of the country. Do a Google search for passport wine tours to see how popular these are.

The details vary, but here is the basic concept: A customer can purchase a "Passport" at any of the member businesses on the trail or route. The passport contains a map of how to get to each of the business on the tour, as well as a place for the passport to be "stamped" (remember Phileas Fogg and Passepartout in Around the World in 80 Days?)

Once the customer has their passport stamped at all the stops, they get a "free" gift (the cost of the passport typically pays for the gift). The other option is to make the passports free, with each business on the tour agreeing to donate a certain amount for each person that visits each stop.

The Passport Tour may have an overall theme. Each business on the tour might have some special gift, promotion, etc. that would tie into the overall Passport Tour theme.

How to use this idea in your business...

While the passport tour is most know for wineries, the same idea can be use for other businesses.

The promotion can be done two ways: 1) only needlework stores on the tour, or 2) various types of businesses on the tour.

All needlework stores. Let's face it, stitchers love to visit needlework stores when they travel. This promotion just gives them an excuse. For this to work, the needlework stores in your area have to understand that the real competition is not other needlework stores, but other non-needlework activities. Because of the distances involved, this type of event may last multiple weekends.

A variety of stores. This is probably easier to put together and can have a shorter period, maybe just one day. The shorter period makes it possible to have the event coordinated with a holiday or event. The target market of the various stores should be the same.