Customized Management Solutions Blog

Posts Tagged ‘CITC’

8 HOT Highlight Tips for Tourism Pros

Wednesday, June 27th, 2012

Highlight on your Timeline

Have you ever noticed a large, expansive billboard that can’t help but grab your attention?  Highlights are that billboard on Facebook Timeline.

Wouldn’t you love to have your latest photos spread across the entire width of your Facebook page?  Highlights lets you showcase posts, photos and articles. When you ‘Highlight’ a post by clicking on the star it enlarges the post so it spreads across the entire 2-column width of your page.   Talk about attention-grabbing!

How about Highlighting a series of photos that showcase an upcoming tour or your niche market.

Here’s how it looks:

Showcase your niche market or new menu items

Get more ‘likes’ when you highlight a video

Consider highlighting a preferred supplier or a new product.  This is a great way to shine the light on a group departure.

Highlight a supplier or market an upcoming group.

Showcase an event – from NTA’s Facebook page

Here are some examples you’ll want to put to work for you today:

  • •Hotels:  Are you renovating, updating your pool, or rolling out a new lobby look?  Post the photos to a new photo album then write a post about it and highlight it.  Notice the photos look like a film strip?
  • •Tour Operators:  Do you have some great new photos related to your next group tour?
  • •Attractions:  How about giving people a visual tour focusing on a new experience each week.
  • •Restaurants:  Here’s a great way to feature new menu items, updated facilities or new décor.
  • •DMO’s:  Explore ways to highlight different facets of your destination while showing people enjoying unique experiences.
  • •Travel Agents: Showcase a recent fam trip to maximize your credibility.  Shine the light on an upcoming group departure or niche market tour you’re arranging.
  • •Association:  How about using Highlights to showcase a recent conference, meeting or educational tour.  What an amazing way to build membership by showing potential new members the reasons to join.

What will you Highlight on your Facebook page?

Highlights generate inspired, attractive Timeline Facebook pages. Be creative as possible and have fun choosing what you want to Highlight on your Timeline.

For more information on Timeline, click here.  And here! More here!

Connect with me online

Join me socially:  Facebook, Twitter , LinkedIn and Pinterest

When you ‘like’ my Facebook page you’ll have access to Free Resources just for travel pros!

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Posted in Branding, Facebook Marketing, hospitality, hotel industry, marketing, NACTA, National Tour Association, Networking, Niche Marketing, NTA, Pinterest, sales, Social Media Marketing, strategy, tourism industry, Tourism Sales Tips, Travel Consultant, travel industry, Video | 1 Comment »

Must-read Advanced Blog Tactics for Travel & Tourism pros – 16 tips

Thursday, May 31st, 2012

Did you know that 19% of travellers visit a blog site when planning a trip.  Wouldn’t you love for them to be so intrigued with your content and expertise that they book with you?

Content is KING!  Yet sometimes we all find it hard to get creative enough to entertain, educate and engage in each and every post.  To help you break out your creative side here are some killer ideas for you.

Curate content.

  • •Find your ten favorite travel websites.
    • •Publish a post listing these top ten sites and explain why you like them.
    • •Tip:  When selecting these websites, make sure they don’t have links to other agent booking engines or directly to supplier sites.
    • •Highlight your top 10 favorite suppliers/ships/hotels/beaches/resorts/destination…you choose
      • •You may want to write a blog about each category
      • •Enlighten your readers with your experiences enjoying each
      • •Include photos and your own reviews
      • •Capitalize on success
        • •Showcase top travel bloggers.  Check out this list.
        • •You’ll lead your readers to other top quality material and they’ll thank you for the resource
        • •Then make sure you’re on that list next year!
        • •Put together your own Top 10 listof resources
          • •Top travel apps, suitcases, packing tips
          • •Top wineries to visit in California and other destinations you sell
          • •Top restaurants in your top selling destination

Mine Socially

  • •Search your Facebook business page comments
    • •Write about what people are talking about
  • •Search supplier Facebook pages for comments and questions that may be similar to what your clients might ask.  This is like getting a gift for free!
  • •Search Twitterfor comments on your top destinations
    • •This will give you an idea of popular conversations that you can use to inspire your writing.
  • •Listen, really listen, when you phone/email clients upon return.
    • •Expound on their trip highlights.
    • •Put together a list of your favorite travel bloggers and connect with them about guest posting opportunities.
      • •Consider finding people who’s expertise compliments yours
      • •Search blog directories such as Technorati, AllTop to see what’s HOT!

Inspiration

  • •Write a review. Think about a product/supplier/destination that you like, and are happy to endorse, and write a review about it. No need to get too creative, just explain what you like about it, and why.
  • •Use a current movie as inspiration. Just think, your research could be a trip to the theater
    • •The Artist or Midnight in Paris and write about Paris.
    • •The Help, focus on the old-South and current events, museums that will add perspective to the movie.
  • •TV Shows as inspiration.
    • •SMASH or Glee, write about new Broadway plays.
    • •Cooking shows (Cupcake Wars, Chopped) and write about unique cooking schools in destinations you currently sell or have group departures.
  • •Best selling books as inspiration
    • •Snowflower and the Secret Fan—blog about modern day China and the chance to learn more about their history.
    • •Corelli’s Mandolin.  Write about Italy and all it has to offer currently
  • •Review your favorite Travel guide books for your top destinations
    • •Highlight your top 5 or 10 guide books and review the ease of use, inclusions, size, etc.
  • Review your favorite ethnic cookbook
    • •Weave in travel, culinary, wine and cooking school options.
    • •Include a call to action to book with you


22 Ways to Create Compelling Content - Infographic
Like this infographic? Get more content marketing tips from Copyblogger.

This infographic can be found here.  For additional social media related infographics, please check out my Pinterest boards.

Which of these content opportunities will you use first?

Connect with me online

Join me socially:  Facebook, Twitter , LinkedIn and Pinterest

When you ‘like’ my Facebook page you’ll have access to Free Resources just for travel pros!

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Posted in blogging, Branding, Facebook Marketing, hotel industry, marketing, NACTA, National Tour Association, Niche Marketing, NTA, sales, Social Media Marketing, strategy, tourism industry, Tourism Sales Tips, Travel Consultant, travel industry | 2 Comments »

5 Tips to Keep your Summer Productive

Friday, July 23rd, 2010

Are your clients heading out on their summer vacations? Is the heat of the summer keeping your phones quiet? Have you noticed more of your colleagues taking vacation this month?

Think about the gains you can make while things are a bit quieter. Remember back to the time when you could leave early during the summer and realize that once fall hit, things would be back to normal. In this day and age, the new normal is nothing like that.

Summertime now can be a time to revitalize your marketing plan, learn a new skill or spend time with clients learning their needs. Don’t let the time get away from you.

Revitalize your marketing plan.
Summer is the perfect time to take a look at your marketing plan and analyze what worked well for you in the past, as well as what could use a bit of tweaking. Maybe you want to learn a bit more about social media marketing or invest time analyzing which trade shows are bringing you the best ROI.

A good place to start may be to read some blogs and listen to some audio podcasts. Here are a couple of my favorites.  Small Business Trends, Mashable, Social Media Examiner.

Learn a new skill.
Our industry is providing a wealth of new knowledge via webinar, live chat and social media. During the busy months I bet you may have been too busy to take advantage of these opportunities. Now that the ‘livin is easy’ how about searching out webinars that stretch your destination knowledge, provide you with some new marketing ideas or provide new business development knowledge.

You may want to check the websites of the associations you belong to and investigate their on-line archived offerings. Here’s a couple to get you going.   NTA, CITC, NACTA.

In addition, my website offers a number of complimentary audio podcasts for our industry.

Spend time with your clients.
Have you noticed that people are more relaxed in the warmer weather. It’s a great time to have a coffee with your best clients, take a new client to lunch or invite a preferred supplier for an iced-tea. You’ll have a chance to pick their brains to learn what services and benefits your clients are looking for. How about asking that new client why they selected you and then capitalize on that information to woo potential clients. Your suppliers can be a wealth of product and marketing knowledge and would love to hear from you.

Now that you have a couple of new ideas for summer, go out and enjoy that patio of your favorite coffee shop while building your business.

How are you making the most of your summertime? What goals have you set for yourself?

Keep the conversation relevant.  Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

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Posted in hospitality, hotel industry, marketing, National Tour Association, Networking, NTA, sales, Social Media Marketing, Travel Consultant, travel industry | No Comments »

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