About Visitor Elves
Background
Visitor Elves is a marketing service and consultancy, supporting leisure and tourism businesses, founded by me, Kelly Ballard.
I have many successful years of helping businesses increase visitors, bookings, ticket sales and footfall.
I focus on marketing strategy and planning, pulling in experienced specialists, depending upon the needs of the project. We are not an agency which helps us keep our overheads low.
I have been creating and delivering successful marketing strategies for the visitor economy in the West of England for over 20 years.
Through that time, I have put destinations back on the map, driven footfall to lesser known places, helped launch many new experiences and initiatives, and created effective marketing plans for attractions, hospitality businesses, events, local authorities, Business Improvement Districts (BID’s) and many others in between. See the portfolio for experiences and testimonials from some clients I have worked with.
Becoming Visitor Elves
In 2022, coming out of the pandemic, I launched a podcast ‘Elves of the Visitor Economy’ featuring my conversations with people doing interesting and inspiring things in the visitor economy of the West of England. Our chats gave others connection and insight in that disconnected, post-pandemic world and thousands of people listened in across the globe.
In 2023, after 8 years working as a consultant and marketing freelancer, I’ve brought together the podcast and my consultancy business under one brand: ‘Visitor Elves’.
Visitor Elves is an expansion of the services I offer, working in collaboration with my network of talented specialists, to support multiple/larger projects and, provide more cost-effective services to businesses that need strategic marketing support and mentoring for lone junior marketers.
Loving my Life
I’m always learning and absolutely love tech and digital marketing. I’m often found reading and listening to podcasts about marketing, psychology and human behaviour, which helps both my work and my personal life. Despite a degree and various Chartered Marketing studies, my style is very instinctive.
In 2020, I earned a Distinction in Squared Online Google Digital Strategy and I stay current with the ever-evolving digital landscape through regular CPD training with organisations such as TechPixies, an incredible community for women in social media.
I live in Bristol, where, for better or worse, I married a Bristol Rovers fan. I have two active tweenagers and two cats.
When I’m not working, or with my family, you will find me running, playing tennis and I’ve recently taken up mountain biking – yep, the last one is definitely a mid-life crisis.
“Kelly is a great strategic marketing thinker and has an in-depth knowledge of the Visitor Economy. I enjoyed greatly working with her in my role as a Board Director for Visit Dean Wye (DMO for the Forest of Dean & Wye Valley).
She helped the marketing team clarify the strategic direction and key target audiences for the brand and worked with us to develop a solid and refreshed proposition.”
Sarah Orchard ~ former Board Director, ‘Visit Dean Wye’
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