Kick up some new excitement and interest about your travel company. All companies need to promote to grow at some point and the travel business is no different if you’re trying to kick up some sales! Many travel companies and travel agents started off small then jumped into that bigger fishbowl (competing with much bigger fish) once they figure out a “money-making” niche which is absolutely necessary given today’s ease of booking nearly everything online. “Adding Value” to your customers is a must! So, no need to be “hum drum” about your promotional efforts. Think “out of the box” and show what makes you and your company unique and worthy of potential traveler’s hard-earned dollars. With that said, crank things up a notch or three with these easily affordable concepts:
Create a Travel Directory
Create a travel directory site or travel tips guide and provide it to your potential customers as a download or bookmark location. Print a brief or elaborate (depending on your focus and areas of expertise) travel guide and provide it on your site for download as needed. The information can be free or eBook and can consist of travel suggestions, Things To Do List for Vacation Planners, How Far Ahead Should You Book on Vacation?, How to Pack for a Long Vacation, How to Spot a Winning Vacation Destination, 5 Vacation Tips to Save You Time and Money, Best Vacation Spots for Seniors: Grand Canyon, Branson and Destin and all other types of eye-catching and valuable travel info.
Make sure your website is mobile responsive and can be viewed and printed in various formats. Print hard copies detailing what sets your company apart from the rest. These will be quite useful for corporate functions, (old-fashioned) marketing mailings, and events where you have the ability to promote. Mail print variations out to non-tech-friendly prospects who require more information. Follow up with those who ask to be E-mailed more information that is “printer-friendly” for home use. Let people have something physical to hold and to keep handy to remind them of your travel-related business.
Bundle Your Promo Items to Increase Reach & Save Money
Bundle your travel information and company talking points with other travel goodies and use them as giveaways. These can make for an impactful impression point at charity events, trade shows, and other promotional opportunities. Develop a series of other travel directory sites or travel suggestion guides on different themes (begin a special in-depth series on your area of expertise), fun travel presents that fit into your budget plan. Now is a great time to hire a graphic artist or buy an online program to create a logo so that you can fully brand your company.
Depending on your set budget, take your newly branded company to the next level with promotional items like t-shirts, caps, pens, fixed, postcards, water bottles, key chains, scratch pads, medication carrying containers, candies, mints, gum, checkbook covers, travel vouchers, high lighters, fanny packs, small first aid kits, snack packs, and other fun travel devices that will remind the consumer of your company first when it comes to making travel arrangements.
For additional information on finding a supplier of awesome promo goodies for your travel company, look up “marketing items” on the web or in your regional Yellow Pages under marketing subject headings. It is nearly impossible to not know of someone simply by “word of mouth” to find dealers who have catalogs full of “gadgets and gizmos” for your promos.
Bundle something “value-added” from another travel-related business. It behooves all parties to work out an offer with fellow business owners/operators in synergistic fields. Possibly you could package your order in a true “win-win” fashion and purchase in bulk quantities. Take advantage of “bracket pricing” provided by many manufacturers and invite another vendor who wants to promote with a similar product and everybody wins! So put some prime-time show effort and thought into your promos. Kick up some excitement, coupled with brand new leads and (hopefully) sales!
Create A Virtual Travel Tips Tour Guide
Create a travel tip guide and provide it to your prospects as a download, print guide, and/or offer it on your website. Your guide can consist of travel suggestions, the finest places to take a trip with families, the best locations to take a trip with family pets, cruise ships destinations to pick from, hot getaway holiday areas for songs and all other types of travel information. You get the idea, right?
Package your travel with other travel “trinkets and trash” goodies and utilize the bundle as giveaways at fundraisers and for other appropriate promo opportunities. Ideas on exactly what to package with it are: other travel directory sites or take a trip suggestion guides on various styles (begin a series), enjoyable travel gifts that fit into your spending plan and are even branded with your business details like pens, fixed, postcards, water bottles, scratch pads, medicine bring containers, candies, mints, gum, checkbook covers, travel vouchers, high lighters, fanny packs, travel size first aid kits, snack packs, and other useful items.
Social Media
Any article on affordable ways to grow your travel (or any other type) business would be totally remiss to not include Social Media. No, Social Media isn’t just for the kids with their heads buried deep into their smartphones! Used properly, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and others can give your company a serious boost of business. Set out to show the entire social media world why your travel company is different. It is very easy to upload photos of trips, travel blog-type posts, and even have satisfied customers post their feedback about your level of service(s).
Now, Start Promoting and Grow Your Travel Business!
These are just a few ideas to get the creative juices flowing when it comes to setting sights on moving your company from economy to first-class! Stay tuned for a future Skycap News article on ways to utilize video (more expensive but, worth it) to take your company even higher altitude and faster speeds. Good Selling!