Destination Branding for Small Cities

It is easy to recommend Bill Baker's book; his global experience is impressive. It outlines the practical thought process that any city leader can understand. It is very insightful and has a lot of successful case studies. Most importantly, this book details how to avoid wasting money on superficial advertising and promotion campaigns and focus on substance. It should be required reading for every city council, council member or county commissioner. Duane Knapp, author-The BrandPromise®

Bill Baker has produced a tool that every destination marketer should have on their desk and share with stakeholders. Written as a workbook for newcomers, it serves equally well as a resource for veterans. Ultimately, this book will guide you to giving your brand "life" by delivering on your destination promise. Brian Harney, Director of Marketing, Washington County Visitors Association, Oregon

Destination Branding has reached that tipping point at which everyone is talking about it...but so few are doing it well. Bill Baker has authored what I believe to be the finest treatise on the topic to date. Filled with several case studies of both the good and the bad, "Destination Branding for Small Cities" defines what destination brands are and aren't...and outlines a clear path for those that want to do branding right.

Bill Baker's book is a must-read for anyone who wants to get destination branding right. It is a clear and compelling narrative of what a destination branding process has to entail. This book offers excellent guidance on the right way to do destination branding and points out the common pitfalls you need to avoid. The book is also a great way to build consensus among your stakeholders group on how to proceed in the destination branding process.

This is an outstanding book, for large and small cities. I think Mr. Baker titled it for small cities so no one would fear it would be unrealistic at one level or another. This book is an invaluable resource that provides a customizable, easy to follow roadmap of the "place" branding process. It is also an excellent tool for a city, town or county ready to assess, rearticulate or freshen an existing brand. It book will be a shock for people who think a brand is a logo or tagline or something you buy from an advertising or public relations agency although such experts can play a role in the process or in deploying the brand later on if the community's destination marketing organization doesn't have that capability. Branding cities and towns has come a long way from the days when two or three people (usually white guys) came up with a brand over a couple of martinis and then announced it to a community. And Baker's roadmap provides lots of ways to customize an approach to a community's personality. It definitely isn't one size fits all. This is a huge contribution that if used will empower any community of any size to distill a brand that works. I only wish I had had such a tool when I began branding places as a profession more than 30 years ago.