How the top travel companies are staying front of mind amidst a global pandemic
Anyone else daydreaming themselves off to somewhere with blue skies and clear seas? That holiday that was cancelled last Easter, and the one cancelled last October, this Easter is looking sketchy too. I know this is not priority, but a bit of escapism helps and here's to hoping and planning the next one anyhow
…and we're not the only ones, holiday searches are through the roof!
It’s a minefield for tour operators navigating the mess of 2020/2021, keeping up with constant changes at home and abroad, but it's most certainly about staying front of mind with potential customers, addressing their pain points, and building trust.
In an ideal world the best ads strategy for this will have an integrated approach. For example, a typical customer journey could be something like this;
🔸You just want to travel...it's been a while, no harm in a quick Google to see what family holiday deals you can find for the summer...
🔸You Google 'Family holidays' and have a browse
🔸Get targeted by an ad from one of the companies showing the resort that you looked at... yep that was a good one
🔸Forget about ad for a couple of days
🔸See another ad, this one focused on reassurance - cancellation policy and refund availability, safety measures in places at resort (peace of mind and building trust)
🔸Google company for reviews
🔸Google resort for reviews (and notice that the company you saw it with comes up first)
🔸Check out their socials and/or ask friends opinion ⭐️x5 (starting to think hmmm maybe this could work)
🔸Revisit the site and click through to get a quote
🔸Receive an email from them asking if you have any questions or would like to book
🔸Revisit the site again (ooh it looks so good!)
🔸See another ad for it popping up while you are just scrolling on Insta
🔸Get an email with testimonials about the company 🤩
🔸Direct mail with a time sensitive discount (urgency & scarcity are always a winner)
🔸Book the holiday 😎
🔸 No harm in a quick Google on swimwear...
True story and a great example of a joined up multi-channel approached that really worked! ...And the customer service was just as impressive.
GoogleAds for discovery, Facebook & Instagram ads for interest targeting and a retargeting funnel, email nurture sequence, addressing pain points, social proofing, active social channels, chat box, direct mail, discount and that urgency and scarcity to get the booking over the line!
It’s different for every company, but hopefully this case study shows that the buying process is rarely as straightforward as we hope and how a nimble, holistic approach can help reinforce your company’s offer to potential clients- particularly during these tough times. Staying front of mind and building trust is key to securing bookings, seizing the opportunity with those who will book now and building affinity with those who will look to book later.
Crafting campaigns to work at optimum for our clients is what we are passionate about, and it’s different for every business. If you’d like to have a chat about how we see social advertising working for your business, drop us a line.