You are now part of something bigger in the Pikes Peak Region tourism community.
Congratulations on becoming a member of Visit Colorado Springs. You are now a part of the Pikes Peak Region’s tourism community and we’re glad to welcome you.
Not only are you connecting with visitors and customers, but you’re also linking with fellow business owners and continuing to strengthen our region. As the third-largest industry in Colorado Springs, tourism has truly become a community value.
Now that you are an official Visit Colorado Springs Marketing Partner, there are a few things we’ll need from you to get your business set up on our website and ensure you’re included in all the right Visit COS promotional programs.
Tell your story in your own words
Your partnership includes a listing in the directory section of the annual Official Vacation Planner (OVP). Please send us a short description (maximum 100 characters including spaces) of your business. Please note that your business address, website address, and phone number need to be included in this character count.
Example:
Visit COS 515 S Cascade Ave (DCS) - Visitor Information Center & gift shop. 719-635-7506, VisitCOS.com
Website listings come with a 45-word description for each category your business is listed. If you are interested in upgrading your listing to an enhanced detail page (for an additional cost), which includes a 300-word description and up to 11 images, a YouTube video link and two uploaded pdfs, please reach out to Partnership@VisitCOS.com for more information.
Send us your big, beautiful photos
Send us two high-res photos to use for your website listings. Photos must be at least 800 x 600 px and no larger than 5 MB. Upgrading your listing to an enhanced detail page will add nine additional photos. Reach out to Partnership@VisitCOS.com to get your enhancement started!
Give a full-picture of what you offer
Fill out the checklist of services that fit your business and include any that help your potential customers know what you have to offer. This information will show on your website listing’s detail page. You can add items to the list by accessing your account information through the partner portal. Click HERE to access the step-by-step instructions. You will need your account login information, including a username and password. If you don't know your username, reach out to the partnership team and they will assist you.
YOU LIKE US, AND WE LIKE YOU, TOO!
Follow @VisitCOS on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and TikTok! We love engaging with our partners’ posts and are happy to share and help promote your content. Make sure you tag us @VisitCOS so we can see your posts!
YOU WORKED HARD ON YOUR COLLATERAL. LET’S SHOW THEM OFF!
If you have printed brochures or rack cards to help promote your business, drop some off at our Visitor Information Center in Downtown Colorado Springs (515 S. Cascade Ave). Our hard-working volunteers answer guests’ questions and provide recommendations of things to do and see around the region, often giving visitors a handful of brochures to take with them. If you need some ideas on what works well in our brochure distribution, stop in and grab a few samples to use as a reference. While you’re at our Visitor Information Center, we also recommend taking a few minutes to chat with our volunteers. They love getting to know VCOS partners and spreading the word about them! Our volunteers are your best advocates and ambassadors when it comes to the front line.
WE BELIEVE IN “RETURN ON INVESTMENT,” AND “RETURN ON INVOLVEMENT”
Most of our communications is relayed through emails and phone calls. Some emails come directly from us and others come from various online platforms. It is essential to have at least one person from your organization set up to receive our emails, including monthly partner newsletters, event invitations, emergency alerts and notifications about special promotional opportunities. We will provide you with several domains and email addresses to whitelist at both your computer and server level. Reading our partner emails is one of the best ways to stay involved and ensure you’re making the most of your VCOS partnership.
Get additional exposure on our most popular pages
The Coupons & Deals page on our website receives a ton of traffic and the “Deal” opportunities are a free benefit of your partnership. You can create and display up to three Deals on our website to help promote your business throughout the year. The process is easy and involves going into your account information through the partner portal. Step-by-step instructions to access your account are included HERE.
Some of our most-visited pages on our website are the Holidays and Events pages. Here visitors can find information about annual community events, as well as holiday celebrations and activities. Do you have a special event happening during a national holiday? If so, send us the information to Social@VisitCOS.com with the information you’d like to include, and we will add it to our Events/Holidays pages.
Come network with your peers!
Helping our partners network and develop relationships with other businesses in our region is an important ongoing goal for us. We host at least one event each month and many of them are available at no charge or a nominal fee. Our event schedule includes quarterly after-hours mixers, educational presentations, partner orientations, virtual Q&A sessions with our President and CEO, Doug Price, an Annual Business Meeting and Tourism Awards Celebration. Event sponsorships are available and are a great way to brand your business. For information reach out to Kim Griffis, Kim@VisitCOS.com.
ACCOUNT REVIEWS ARE OUR LOVE LANGUAGE
We encourage our partners to schedule an account review at least once a year for several reasons, the main one being that it allows us to maintain a mutually beneficial partnership. It’s important for us to know how your business is doing, update you on our latest marketing programs and other VCOS happenings, and ensure we’re promoting your business as best as possible. Account reviews also provide an opportunity to review your VisitCOS.com listings and make sure everything is up to date. To schedule an account review, please get in touch with the partnership team.
LEADS COMING IN HOT
Group leads & referrals are available to VCOS partners that provide group and meeting services and are one of the most significant benefits of their partnership. Communication regarding these opportunities occurs primarily via emails from our Group Sales & Services team, and it is of the utmost importance that partners promptly respond to these prospects. Email leads will come from lead.administrator@iDSS.com, and we recommend that partners safelist this email address so leads don’t get mistaken as spam. A quick response to the meeting planner listed in the lead will help you to make a good impression and could lead to you capturing that all-important and lucrative group business.
Looking for more? We have your back!
Consider additional opportunities for paid advertising.
There are plenty of other ways you can get the most "bang for your buck" with your partnership by taking advantage of these additional services and offers.
Social Media Support
Our social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest and YouTube, are dedicated to promoting our region and all the exciting events and attractions within it. We are always looking for new ways to feature partners – including special event promotions and spotlights. Have something to share? Send it to us at Social@VisitCOS.com.
We also regularly showcase partners through our various social media campaigns (included in your partnership!) such as Tourism Takeover Tuesdays, Foodie Fridays, VCOS blog posts and podcasts. Our marketing and communications team also interacts with professional travel writers and bloggers on a regular basis. Let us know if you would like to be included in any of these opportunities. For more information, you can reach out to Social@VisitCOS.com.
Official Vacation Planner
Every year, in partnership with Pikes Peak Regional Attractions, we publish and distribute 400,000 copies of our Official Vacation Planner. Our OVP includes articles, advertisements and business listings for VCOS partners. Available in physical and digital form, copies are distributed to hotel guests, Information Center visitors, large groups coming into town and anyone who requests a copy. Several options for paid advertisements, like enhanced directory listings, display ads and coupons, are available at different price points, and OVP ads have an incredible shelf life of one year. For more information, email Amy@VisitCOS.com.
Dining, Shopping & Entertainment Guide
This publication is a pocket-sized directory, designed for distribution to meeting and conference attendees. Free listings are included, and paid advertising is available for any VCOS partner that provides dining, shopping or live entertainment experiences to visitors and groups. Please contact Melissa@VisitCOS.com for more information.
Peak Into COS Podcast Sponsorships
We launched Peak Into COS in February 2022 and had over 1,800 listens on our first episode. Our evergreen podcast episodes average hundreds of downloads each, and we offer advertising opportunities throughout the episodes. Podcast sponsorships are an excellent opportunity to reach locals and visitors for only $75 per episode! Reach out to Sheridan@VisitCOS.com to get started!
Senior Director of Partnerships
719-685-7627
Kim@VisitCOS.com
Kim is a native of Colorado Springs with a passion for nature and all that Colorado has to offer. She has a background in fine art and advanced degrees in non-profit management and counseling, which she uses daily. She loves hiking around North Cheyenne Cañon and is most likely to find the bright side in all things. You can ask Kim about how important tourism is for the region!
Partner Relations Manager
719-685-7621
Lindsey@VisitCOS.com
Originally from a very small town in West Texas, Colorado Springs was the "great outdoors" she always longed for. Being that Texas girl at heart, hospitality and events came naturally to her as taking care of people is what she does best. She loves to spend her time hiking, cooking, and playing with her pets. One of her favorite spots in COS is Phantom Canyon Brewing and is most likely to bake you some delicious cookies. Ask Lindsey about the benefits of partnering with Visit COS.
A partnership with us means that we’ll work together to enhance your current marketing and business plan. Beginning any new partnership can be daunting, so it’s our job to make sure you have all the information you’ll need to get the most out of this one. Follow the steps included here and you’ll be on your way to a great start with your Visit Colorado Springs marketing partnership!
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