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<br />THE CHALLENGES <br /> <br />Several challenges arose during the creation/launching of the cell phone audio tour: <br /> <br />· The aluminum signs marl<ing the tour stops proved to be a challenge. When we <br />went to place the order for them in early June, the sign company told us they <br />would be substantially more money than the price previously quoted to us. Thus <br />we decided to create very-Iow-cost, temporary signs until we could locate a <br />company who could create the signs within our budget. We printed our signs on a <br />color printer in our office, laminated them and stapled them to wooden stal<es. <br />Eventually the original sign company contacted us and told us a staff member had <br />made an error and the original quoted price was, in fact, correct. We ordered the <br />signs but did not get them until mid-August. The majority of the summer, we used <br />the temporary signs which were not as tall - and as a result, not quite as visible - <br />as the permanent signs. <br />· The pop-up banners we had created to announce the cell phone audio tour at the <br />entrances to the Interpretive Area and Conservation Gardens could not withstand <br />the wind and rain. As a result, we ended up with no large signs to inform visitors <br />about the cell phone audio tour. The cell phone audio tour brochures were visible, <br />and each of the audio prompt signs contained the phone number for the phone <br />tour, but larger signs regarding the feature would have been helpful. <br />· As previously mentioned, the data from Guide by Cell reveal a lot of visitors <br />begin the tour in the Interpretive Area but do not continue all the way through the <br />end of the Conservation Gardens portion. Weare discussing ways to try to <br />increase the number of visitors who participate in the entire tour. Undoubtedly, <br />some people do not have the time/interest in listening to the whole thing. But the <br />public information department generated some ideas for enticing people to tal<e <br />the whole tour, i.e. including a brief teaser at the end of each prompt about <br />something they'll learn at the next stop. <br /> <br />CONCLUSIONS <br /> <br />Generally, we believe our first summer of the cell phone audio tour of the back yard was <br />a success. While there are areas that we would like to improve as mentioned above - i.e. <br />signage and increased attention for stops later in the tour - we are very pleased that more <br />than 400 people participated in the tour. We plan to continue our subscription to Guide by <br />Cell and l<eep the tour active. <br /> <br />News stories about the cell phone audio tour appeared in the Loveland Daily Reporter- <br />Herald, Fort Collins Coloradoan and Old Berthoud Recorder this summer. We plan to <br />send another press release in early spring 2008 as newspapers prepare for their home- <br />and-garden special sections. <br />