USING THE SHARED STORY
The idea of the Shared Story is to raise the Lake District’s profile as a place for great cultural experiences. It means everyone involved can sing from the same songsheet – not necessarily the same note, but singing in harmony.
Here are some ways you could use it:
- You could use words and phrases from the Story in your own marketingeg:
- when you tweet
- in your social media profiles – e.g. on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, your blog
- in the information you give to the media or travel trade
- on your website – either woven into your existing content, or use it to create a new page that’s about Lakes Culture
- If you use a designer, copywriter or photographer for your website and other promotional material, then send them a link to the Toolkit and suggest they use some of the copy, images and ideas.
- You could use the Story themes to inspire your blogposts – so, for example, your next post could take the theme “Festivals”
- Share the Story with your team, and brainstorm ideas for how to align what you offer with the ‘promise’ it makes to visitors.
- Use one of the Story’s themes to develop a promotional package, a tour, or an event – maybe working with other businesses in your area.
You can use the Story just as it is at whatever length you like – headlines, sentence, a paragraph or more. And you will no doubt be able to think of other ways that you might use the words and phrases from the Story in your marketing. But for illustration and inspiration here are some examples. You’ll also find the top experiences and itineraries useful in giving you – and your customers - ideas.
Example Tweets
Feeling inspired by Theatre by the Lake’s programme for April & May so we’re offering special breaks
Fancy seeing international film half way up a mountain? Come stay this Nov during Kendal Mountain Festival - adventures for body & soul
The latest exhibition at Abbot Hall, Kendal opens in a couple of weeks – its only 5 mins walk from us
The Lake District Summer Music Festival is on for the next 2 weeks -outstanding culture in inspiring settings
Treat yourself and see life afresh, through a different lens – we’ve got some special deals on cultural breaks
Next weekend is the start of our local art trail around artist’s studios - inspired by our landscape
Fancy following in the footsteps of #Wordsworth, #Beatrix Potter and Turner this weekend? Lakes are looking fantastic
Adventures for the body and mind in the Lakes – how about a long walk + Comedy Festival + a great place to stay?
Remember to include the @ twitter address or # for any of the events, cultural organisations, tourism businesses etc. that you refer to, or join in relevant conversations that are trending on social media using the correct #
Here’s a couple to remember:#LakesCulture / @LakesCulture and #theplacetobe (by @GoLakes – Cumbria Tourism)
Example Paragraphs on Websites or in Print
B&B – Prosperous Planners
As well as running a B&B in the middle of the Lake District, we have a small studio and gallery where you can see contemporary ceramics being made and exhibited. We’ll also happily direct you to other artist-makers within a few short miles who are part of the rich creative life inspired by our exceptional heritage. There are also a couple of trails and itineraries you can download to guide your way around our inspiring landscape.
Guest house –Cultural Boomers
It’s not just England’s best-known, best-loved landscape. The Lake District has a creative spirit that puts it in a class of its own … with an abundance of cultural experiences to rival many cities. So instead of that European city break discover what’s inspiring our artists and producers today. The artworks in mountains and forests … the scores of galleries and artists’ studios … the packed programme of festivals – not just music and comedy but wool, print, ceramics ... the intimate venues and outdoor stages in stunning settings.
We are the perfect base to explore the Lake District’s extraordinary cultural landscape.
Self-Catering Cottage –Exploring Families
…and so the kids can exercise their minds as well as their bodies, we’ve put together some information giving you our top experiences for the best child-friendly exhibitions on during the summer, the theatre workshops, the festivals and the live performances. Plenty for them to learn, create and be entertained. Useful too, when the weather that shapes our inspiring landscape is less than fair.
Guest House –Indie Gen-Xers
We’re in Kendal – creative heart of the Lake District providing adventures for the body and soul, the mind and spirit. We have festivals aplenty – Comedy and Comic Art as well as the more obvious Mountain one. We’ve got the Brewery Arts Centre with live performance and, as its name suggests, some very fine brews.
Hotel – Prosperous Planners & Cultural Boomers
And nearby you’ll find there are plenty of reasons to stay longer and come back again. There are exhibitions in historic houses such as Blackwell, the arts & crafts gem and Brantwood, the home of John Ruskin. There are artworks in mountains (Andy Goldsworthy’s Sheepfolds) and forests (Grizedale) and scores of galleries and artists’ studios. If you are interested in culture and creativity you’ll find the Lake District is a very inspiring place!
Attraction or Accommodation – Exploring Families
We are at the very centre of things here, so after visiting us you can experience more of our cultural heritage and see why the Lake District is bidding for World Heritage Site status. You can take a cycle ride through Grizedale Forest (and see amazing sculptures), take a ferry to visit Beatrix Potter’s house Hill Top or even scribble on the walls of Wordsworth’s old house Allan Bank (yes, really).
Example Email Shots/E-newsletters
Hotel– Prosperous Planners
Special Early Year Offers at Lakeview Hotel
For more than 200 years, tourists have been coming to the Lakes. They come for a new perspective … to see life afresh, through a different lens. To celebrate the arrival of the new year we have lots of inspiring offers so you can immerse yourself in our stunning cultural landscape, including 3 nights for the price of 2 and tickets to see the latest [exhibition/ performance at …].
Self-catering – Cultural Boomers
Cultural Short Breaks in England’s best-known and best-loved landscape
This October and November (excluding half-term) we’re offering special 3 day cultural short breaks. As well as great accommodation we’re providing you with ideas and inspiration so you can immerse yourself in our cultural landscape - … a perfect arts & crafts house beside the country’s longest lake, the home of John Ruskin, an amazing collection of paintings in the Georgian Abbot Hall Gallery in Kendal (Turner, Cezanne, Picasso …) and scores of individual galleries and artists’ studios showing we remain a hotbed of creativity.
Guest House – Indie Gen-Xers
Kendal Calling!
Talk about familiar things made extraordinary by the landscape! Kendal Calling is a rock festival in a deer park with a backdrop of the fells of the Lake District. Winner of the best small festival, you are never going to find anything quite like it anywhere else. And if you don’t fancy camping, we’ve got rooms and a minibus at your disposal at special rates. So you’d better book now while you can, it sells out fast.
Guest House– Prosperous Planners
So you think you know the Lake District?
Get a new insight into this inspiring landscape of ours by visiting Potfest this July – a ceramics festival which attracts over a hundred makers from all over the word.
Self-catering – Exploring Families
Making Memories Together
This half- term we’ve teamed up with some of our creative colleagues who are inspired by the amazing landscape of the Lake District to give you and your family adventures for the body and soul, the mind and spirit. Outdoors - we’ve got walks planned to Castlerigg stone circle and the Sheepfolds produced by landscape artist Andy Goldsworthy. Indoors - we’ve got pot throwing, photography or painting.
A truly memorable experience in England’s best know, best loved landscape.