Unlocking the power of strategic communication: a deep dive into industrial tourism and engaging company openings

Purpose of the paper: this paper aims to explore the potential of strategic communication in the context of industrial tourism open-door events, investigating how effective storytelling by companies can positively influence visitors' perceptions, subsequently impacting their intentions to purchase, recommend, engage, and their overall satisfaction. Methodology: we employed a mixed-method approach to investigate the impact of storytelling ability (SA) on visitors' perceptions during Open Factory 2022 by conducting qualitative interviews with company representatives and administering structured questionnaires to 233 event attendees. Findings: the analysis suggests that open-door events serve as a valuable platform for companies to communicate their brand stories and enhance internal communication processes. Moreover, we argue that visitors who perceive companies positively during the openings are more likely to make purchases and recommend products. Research limits: as the research primarily focuses on B2B companies, the homogeneity of the sample might impact the generalizability of the findings to a broader market context, particularly in understanding consumer behavior typical of business-to-consumer (B2C) interactions. Practical implications: our study highlights that companies can enhance their communication strategies during industrial tourism open-door events by employing compelling storytelling, emphasising product history, quality, and local ties to boost visitor engagement, reputation, and actions. Originality of the paper: this research contributes to the literature by exploring the intersection of strategic communication and industrial tourism, revealing how effective storytelling during open-door events positively influences visitor perceptions, engagement, and actions, shedding light on innovative communication approaches within this underexplored context.