Do you want to jump start bookings for your next tour?
Is your email list a bit skinny and you need a plan to beef it up?
Are your social sites in need of some new fans and followers?
No matter your goal, having a strategic plan in place can make your next project launch a whole lot easier. You won’t be scrambling to find the right images or words to make your marketing pop!
We all know the fundamentals of marketing, but in a busy and chaotic world a roadmap helps us market like a pro. In today’s world we rely on GPS to get us to our destination. In the world of marketing I find a roadmap helps guide the way.
Social Marketing Roadmap
This plan can be used in so many marketing projects.
- Marketing your next group tour
- Updating your social marketing plan
- Increasing the effectiveness of your social ads
- Planning your foray into another marketing channel
- Beefing up your email list
- Reaching out to new and existing clients
- Planning your upcoming consumer night
- Launching a new attraction or feature in your destination
- Showcasing a special hotel benefit
While we all like to keep things EASY, just follow these steps!
#1 — Edit
This may be the hardest step of all! Once you’ve got this one checked off, you’ve got the foundation for your strategic marketing plan.
Editing your collection of photos, graphics, videos, articles and blogs can be tough. As you sort thru your collections choose only those assets that showcase your style, brand and message. If you’re like me, I have photos from years ago that I just love, but they don’t work on social sites as they’re too grainy.
- Seek out and save images that are clear, crisp and colorful.
- Save graphics and articles that speak to your audience and reflect your brand tone, style and voice.
- Select only assets that tell your unique story.
- Here’s some graphic image examples that you’re free to use.
Edit videos to be less than 1 minute. Here’s some easy editing tools that I love.
#2 — Embrace
Embrace the foundation of your business and your team. Remember the book “Good to Great” by Jim C. Collins? He talked about having people on the bus and in the right seats. It’s the same for your team and your clientele!
- Does your team embrace their roles and goals?
- Are they sharing your company social posts to their personal social profiles?
- Do they take photos and videos on fam trips and add them to your company library?
- Are they inviting their clients to like your business page?
- Do they use your social photos and videos as sales tools?
- Do they send blog and image links to clients to reinforce the sales message?
- Are they writing blog posts after each fam?
- If they’re escorting a group, do they invite participants to like, comment and share company posts?
- What social sites do your clients embrace? Which do you embrace?
- Pro tip: If you’re not certain where your clients hang out in the world of social media, how about surveying or polling them. It’s easy to create a poll on Facebook or a quick survey using a tool like Survey Monkey.
- Once you know where your clients hang out in social media, you’ll want to join them on those platforms. Then study your social analytics to better understand your clients and how they digest social information.
- Do they love videos? If so, get really good at creating your own unique videos.
- Does your blog get shared or picked up by other publications? If so, remember to share it socially to gain even more readers.
- Do your social ads bring new fans and business to you? If so, how about creating look alike audiences or marketing to ‘friends of fans’ to broaden your reach? Here’s more about target audiences.
- Are you using the Facebook pixel to retarget and reach out to your active users?
- Do you get a high rate of comments and reactions from graphic quotes? (download some of our freebies here. )
These answers will guide your path to a strategic social marketing plan that reaches the right audience and maximizes your talent.
What will you do differently to create a more solid foundation for your social campaigns?
Related Articles
Pass or Fail? How to Test Your Social Ads
2 Easy Foundations of a Solid Social Campaign
Social Marketing Strategies for Travel and Tourism
About Catherine Heeg
Catherine Heeg is a recognized social media trail blazer passionate about social media and marketing in the tourism and hospitality industry.
She creates and delivers meaningful, dynamic workshops that meet your unique needs in the Travel, Tourism & Hospitality Industry. She and her team help travel, tourism and hospitality pros design and implement social media marketing strategies and tactics that drive traffic to their social and web sites. Learn more…
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