Travel Agents Say ‘I Do’ To A Lifelong Customer Base

Photo: wazimu0

Innovation and money-making ideas often don’t require a big budget. In fact, this new monthly column will explore “Big Ideas” that can cost less than your daily cup of Starbucks coffee.  

Social Media plays an important role for many travel sellers. Engagement is key, and no-cost or low-cost promotions can help you attract new clients, upsell existing ones, and significantly increase your opt-in email database and response rate. This column will offer practical tips, ideas and best practices for leveraging creative and affordable digital, mobile and social activities to promote your brand and improve your bottom line. 

Each month, you will discover “news you can use”—strategies and tactics you can implement immediately. The first step is to develop a roadmap that outlines where and how you plan to grow. Once you’ve plotted your course, this column will provide real-world suggestions to try out on your business development journey.  

Please always feel free to riff on these ideas. There is no one-size-fits-all. Tweak or adapt them as you will, and use them to spark other ideas you can call your own.  
 
Let’s kick off with a money-making strategy for the honeymoon and destination wedding market: Partnering with three or four key suppliers to provide a “Honeymoon to Babymoon” vacation of a lifetime. ? 

Any couple booking a honeymoon or destination wedding with you is entered to win—all they have to do is “like” your Facebook page, include you on their Pinterest honeymoon or destination wedding boards, and send you at least one photo from their destination wedding or honeymoon, with permission to share it on your social media sites. Don’t forget to ask if they would like to receive email offers from you—particularly around “red letter” days, such as birthdays and anniversaries. This is a great way to grow your opt-in newsletter database.  
 
Your key suppliers will play their part by providing you with three or four mini-trips. Ask for inventory during shoulder season from your co-op budget, since you are publicizing their brands in the promotion. Entries may be activated when a couple notifies you of exciting news of the upcoming new family arrival by email or by posting #fromhoneymoontobabymoon on any social site and tagging you. They will then be entered to win one of the quarterly land-only or cruise-only “babymoons.” You might also post “before and after” photos –from honeymoon to babymoon, together with the hash tag.  

Young couples love to share on social media, and what better photos to share than honeymoon and babymoon photos?  

Too soon after the wedding to plan that “babymoon?” No worries. You can also promote a #neverendinghoneymoon contest. Couples who book their honeymoon or destination wedding with you are automatically entered to win an anniversary trip if they mention you in any of their social media postings on Pinterest, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. For example: “Our honeymoon at Moon Palace Jamaica Grande is amazing! Thanks to our travel agent, @JaneDoe, for recommending such a fantastic resort. #neverendinghoneymoon.” 

Finally, mail any couple booking a honeymoon or destination wedding with you a $100 “welcome home” letter, together with the hash tag #neverendinghoneymoon posted on their social media sites. Upon their return, they will receive your letter, along with the $100 coupon, thanking them for booking with you and inviting them to book their anniversary with you and your select partners. Each time the $100 coupon is redeemed, your supplier partners will reimburse you! Of course, the couple’s anniversary photos and postings will also promote you and your partners with the hash tag #neverendinghoneymoon. Now that’s a win-win-win affordable promotion!   

So…what else can you bring to the table to help make your honeymoon couple a customer for life? What programs and promotions can you design, so that you continue to surprise and delight them, enticing them to book all of their “milestone” travel and celebrations with you?  

Susan Black is an accomplished eCommerce and digital strategist, with a distinguished career successfully launching businesses and reinvigorating established brands within the travel industry. Susan assesses and advises host agencies, consortia, travel agencies and tour operators on their social, mobile and online strategies, to enable them to better compete in the ever-changing digital travel landscape. Her 60+ global clients include major brands in travel distribution, tour operation, airlines, hotels and resorts, travel tech companies, travel agencies, and digital marketing agencies. Additionally, Susan delivers her high-energy, information-packed presentations, as a frequent speaker for travel, tourism and hospitality private groups and organizations.