Bonjour Magazine - Living the French Experience

In this article we look at one company that has become a leading light in the way France is 'marketed': The Where On Earth Group™.

The "British" self-employed economy in France revolves around the tourist industry. Whether you are selling properties, restoring houses, installing swimming pools, gardening, cleaning, running a shop or restaurant, selling insurance or newspapers, the chances are that your business is reliant somewhere on the tourist business being buoyant. It is one of the most important and biggest money-earning industries that the ex-patriot market is involved in. It is also the most disorganised, directionless and fragmented business imaginable. It is for these reasons that the cost of advertising is so disproportionate to the returns.

No other industry offers it's clientele as much choice and few provide such a desirable product. However, company egos and brand image get in the way of effective marketing. If a company wants more people to travel on its ferries or planes shouldn't it be giving people a reason to do this and not just a benefit? We see these companies advertising - promoting themselves without selling the pleasures of France. This may gain them a larger slice of an existing market but it does nothing to widen it. So shouldn't all marketing answer the simple question of "Why come to France?" We are seeing greater co-operation amongst property owners, with companies such as France One Call, yet others who have a mutual interest and no conflict view each other with distrust.

Compare this to dentists who are organised under one professional body and until recently were not allowed to advertise. Everyone dreads going to their dentist. You lie back in a chair with your mouth forced open as wide as you can, you have wadding stuffed up inside your lips, and a syphon sucking the moisture from your mouth. The dentist then gives you an injection with a
syringe that would make a horse bolt which leaves you numb and dribbling for the rest of the day. He or she then drills the hell out of your teeth whilst your toes curl and your knuckles turn white from gripping the arms of the chair. Then when you telephone for another appointment, you're told you can't be seen for three months because there's a waiting list. Now that's marketing! Toothpaste and toothbrush manufacturers add credence to their products by telling us that dentists recommend them. At the same time dentists are being marketed as the necessary service to ensure we have healthy teeth. Let's call it advertorial co-operation, and in recent years we've begun to see more of it with washing machine manufacturers endorsing detergents and tyre companies and car manufacturers doing the same. That's marketing! The Where On Earth Group are rapidly changing the way companies involved in travel to France (and tourism in general) think. They started with France One Call, who have shown property owners that it is far more profitable to work together than to try and work alone and have taken the concept much further.

The Where On Earth group have expanded through merger, acquisition and association and in just six short years, grown to be one of the largest and most influential Internet and publishing groups involved in French tourism. Recognising that information is the most valuable commodity on this planet, the company has invested heavily in technology that enables participating companies to share common databases that make life simple for the holidaymaker and property owner alike. They have applied this principal to travel, letting and their French estate agency network in both their publishing and Internet divisions. They now boast Eurotunnel, P&O Ferries and Condor Ferries amongst their publishing partners which enables advertisers to reach a range of publications distributed through numerous and varied channels. They have also applied this principal to their numerous Internet sites that are growing at an unprecedented rate. This allows property owners to advertise across a range of Internet sites, reaching all the major markets interested in travel to France but only have to deal with one point of contact. Holidaymakers can access all this information no matter which Internet site they visit. Availability for all the brochures and Internet sites is run through one centralised availability call centre meaning that a property owner - who may be advertising on twenty Internet sites - only has to update one system. Availability information is therefore far more accurate and can be accessed through all participating web sites. Where On Earth have just acquired two French Internet companies - www.vacancesenfrance.fr and www.maisonsdevacances.fr - and are about to close deals with a number of Dutch, Belgian and German companies. This will widen their Internet presence even further, providing property owners with a far wider audience and holidaymakers with much greater choice. Now that's marketing!

Property owners can therefore expand their markets without significantly increasing their advertising budgets.

Applying this principle to buying and selling properties means that estate agents' properties can be accessed through a growing number of Internet sites. Buyers can view an increasing number of properties for sale stored on one central database but accessed through scores of Internet sites. They can also view suitable temporary accommodation in their chosen area. The added benefit to the group is that they know in advance who is planning on buying to let and so get first bite of the cherry.

The company is now talking to all the major travel providers with a view to providing them with free access to these systems. As holidaymakers generally book their accommodation before arranging their travel, visitors to their sites would have access to the largest range of accommodation, with up-to-date, accurate availability information. Where On Earth have shown that this increases the numbers of people booking direct with the ferry companies. It also provides the advertiser with even more advertising options. Non-participating companies could find their market share dwindling as property owners will undoubtedly choose to advertise across a range of sites rather than have to apply for individual inclusion on others.

New technology about to be launched will enable holidaymakers to book a property online. The introducing Internet site provider's travel desk will automatically be advised of this booking and be able to quote or direct the holidaymaker to their travel pages, thus taking the lottery out of who arranges the travel.