Think6 Marketing Solutions

It has been a great pleasure to work with Cancer Focus NI since the start of 2024, in their project of building a cancer support centre in Enniskillen. This has been an exceptionally fulfilling project thus far and we are excitedly awaiting its opening in early 2025.  At the start of September, we helped the team host business information seminar which brought together business people and community members, to learn of the significance of the support centre and how people can get involved.  It is hugely significant given that this is the first Cancer Support Centre of its type Northern Ireland and it will be coming to the West. We have worked the charity in all aspects of publicity to promote the commencement of work including the production of a promotional video, photography, whilst publishing good news stories in local and national press.  We are excited to work with Cancer Focus NI as they continue this project and encourage businesses and people to get involved with fundraising and supporting.  

Earlier this year, we were only too delighted when we were approached to plan and organise a business conference for Trace First who brought their USA based team to meet their Irish based colleagues. The brief was specific: above all else, "ensure our team gets the opportunity to network and build connections."  The conference took place in early September over 3 days where meetings, strategic planning and team building culminated in a company celebration involving very competitive games of darts and an opportunity to pull your own pint!  (A pub setting is a great place to build teams, and with some many rural pubs struggling to stay open, corporate business is a super way to incorporate new revenue streams.)     On departure, our client said, "a huge thank you. The meticulous planning, creative thought and original approach to what might have otherwise been just another company meeting, achieved more than we hoped. As our business has multiple locations across the United States and Ireland, we believe this event built new, and strengthened existing, connections which we know will have a positive impact on the business and help us on our mission to provide outstanding service to our customers."  Of course this wasn't a project we delivered single handedly.  In the spirit of teamwork, a thank you to those who helped make this conference a success: Farnham Estate, Peoples Restaurant, The Keepers Arms, Floods Coaches and McGovern Transport. 

Since September 2023 we have been involved with Fermanagh & Omagh District Council in facilitating a number of their cluster group meetings.  The goal of the cluster groups within the council area, is to forge stronger relationships amongst tourism providers and other businesses, fostering closer working relationships with the ultimate aim of enhancing the visitor experience whilst engaging in sustainable best practices.   In the last week of September, we – alongside Liesa Johnston and @michellelestasmba hosted a regional cluster group networking event.   Hosted at Mahon’s Hotel, this provided the perfect backdrop for our event.  Mahons are super ambassadors for community tourism a factor of sustainable tourism that often gets forgotten.  We were delighted to have Mary Mulvey (Sustainable Tourism Expert) and Carina Conyngham (Rock Farm Eco Tourism) speak on sustainable tourism, where this is going and the future for greenwashing.  How we can take the lead on building a sustainable offering and how many tourism businesses working together can build a better future for the area. It definitely left a mark, that cluster groups like these, have the capability to build a sustainable offerings making a collective positive impact on our region.  A special word of thanks to John McClaughry, Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council for leading proceedings.  

This week started with a super charge on the networking front. I made a last minute decision to attend the AwakenHub - SheVentures Island Edition Conference at @lustybegisland Am I glad I decided to go even if it was last minute? emmm yes! With an amazing range of speakers and insights from networking expert @Kelly Hoey, understanding the "Wander,Watch,Whittle,Wow&Whoa" Model from @Monica Parker, a frank and no frills chat from Glamour Editor and shape shifter @Samantha Barry followed by an "un-Cork-ed" interview with Lynette Fay and Susan HayesCulleton CFA, "The Positive Economist". The day was packed with really valuable business insight, Joe Kennedy even dropped in for a chat. I returned home (after my regular bedtime of 10pm which if you know me you will know that I'm not an night owl), I lay awake until the wee small hours, churning over in my head those many conversations and insights into how others are doing business, their journey in business and their life outside business - for instance......... 🤔 the mum of 5 under 12, a shout out for your sanity or insanity.................. the lady, whose mothers dog had just passed away a few minutes before we met and she was fighting back the tears and the lady who was distracted by her Angel pitch on Friday, just turns out I was talking to that Angel and introduced them! 🤔 It always amazes me when you get a group of people, total strangers into a space, that gives us the space to Network, a magic can happen. 🤔Lets see how things unfold for think6 as a result of this epic networking event. 🤔A shout out to all the Fermanagh ladies in attendance, it is always always good to see a familiar face in room full of strangers. #fermanaghomaghdc #networking #awakenhub #investnorthernireland #sharedisland #atlanticfutures #universityofulster #ulsterbank #giyst #aimapit #westerndevelopmentcommission

Are you a Zoho whizz? see below, send me a dm if you have the know-how. thank you

Back in the day, in a previous life, I worked at what was formerly known as the Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark now Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark. It was my initiation into environmental tourism, promoting environmentally sustainable practices in tourism and promoting the protection and conservation of the environment.  20 years on and it seems the sustainable tourism/travel message is only really starting to take hold.   A lifetime ago, initiatives like the Green Box, were fore runners in sustainable tourism but I’m not sure the Green Box team were ever truly given credit for their work. These Thought leaders, such as Mary Mulvey (who if you don’t know Mary and want your business or organisation to get a proper grip on sustainable practices, then I cannot recommend her highly enough) were pushing water up hill to bring the tourism industry into the sustainability fold. Boy did the rest of us get it wrong! We should have been listening and we should have been taking responsibility much much sooner than now.   That environmental sustainability conversation is now on the tip of everyone’s tongue.  At think6, we are doing what we can to make our contribution to sustainability, zoom, paperless, rather than drive, promoting local businesses and working with local communities.  The latter is all about helping to make a contribution to a circular economy, a local economy and ecomony that can be sustained through tourism.   In essence are talking about regenerative tourism, that buzz phrase that everyone seems to interested in.  Have a look at our recent blog, and why not have a go at answering the 6 questions, if you want to make a conscious effort to build a sustainable tourism offering (or any business, organisation or group in general).  #regenerativetourism #sustainabletourism #tourismmarketing #tourismireland #tourismnorthernireland

Regenerative Tourism - is it really a new concept? Or, is it just something that businesses, organisations and groups like to talk about. Think6 have always been involved in tourism experience development, tourism marketing and this is the new-ish way to elevate and market tourism. It is not just a tourism marketing strategy, it is a whole switch in the way we view our tourism industry and it is essential to get on board.  Lots of words, and lots of inaction won't cut it any more. It is now imperative for people to embrace regeneration and for us especially, the regeneration of rural communities. Have a look at our recent blog, and why not have a go at answering the 6 questions. If you want to make a conscious effort to build a sustainable and regenerative tourism offering (or any business, organisation or group in general).   #regenerativetourism  #communitydevelopment  #communitytourism  #ruraltourism  #sustainabletourism

Did you happen to catch Teresa O'Loughlin on BBC Ulster's 'Your Place or Mine' at the weekend? If you are interested in community tourism, and would like to know more about how your local area can utilise their authentic stories as part of a way to enhance the tourism offering, then have a listen to this. You can always contact us to learn more about how we can help through consultancy as a starting place, and/or if you have a project you would like us to facilitate or work on. On our website you will find our blog page which showcases some of the community heritage projects we have worked on.  #communitytourism  #heritagemarketing  #communityheritage  #tourismmarketing

Attending the Inspiring Sustainable Tourism Conference today in Galway - super presentations and plenty to think about especially on the application of creative thinking and sustainability. Great to chat Martina Canty from Failte Ireland. #sustainabletourismnetwork #failteireland #communitydevelopment #thinkcommunitytourism

The Network For Enterprising women is my go to place for support, conversation, contact, insights, knowledge and general chat.  It is a place where like minded women can come together in a safe space to do all of the above.  I suppose over the years, the network has developed into a pet project.  There are lots of networks out there, and they all have their place but there isn’t another network quite like the Network for Enterprising Women.  This is simply because it is a women’s network for self employed women, free lancers, entrepreneurs, female business owners,  we talk about the very ordinary things, from professional indemnity insurance to pricing, from tendering to branding.  And depending on each members specialism, the conversation can talk some interesting turns, Anita Kirkpatrick is a superb photographer and over her years as a member has provided some excellent training, Nicola is a graphic designer and brand advocate, Claire is setting out on her journey as a business owner,  it takes all sorts to make the world go round, it take all sorts to make our network work but what it also takes is good conversations, a willingness to share and an abundance of support,  you’ll be hard pressed to find a network quite like the Network for Enterprising Women In our latest blog, we took a question which was posed back at the last year at the Network of Enterprising Women as to what country is the most progressive in terms of female entrepreneurship.  Obviously, this a topic close to our hearts given that think6 was female-founded and is still female-run. Take a look at the blog and don’t make yourself too mad if you are female (especially one with young children).  You might be surprised! Don’t forget the NEW meet on the last Thursday of each month and much like us preaching about the benefits of tourism clusters etc, this is just an informal setting, in which to offer support to other businesses/business people. #femaleempowerment #femalebusinessowner #femaleentrepreneur