Have you checked your inbox yet today? You can bet that your clients have, too! There’s a reason that e-mail has stayed relevant to this day – it works. Make sure you stay on clients’ minds with these attention-grabbing social media opportunities!
#1 E-Mail Signature
I would venture to guess that most of you include your social links in your e-mail signature. Awesome! Now, let’s take that up a notch and entice your readers with a benefit to following you socially. How about adding a benefit statement that lets readers know the fabulous information they’ll have access to when they follow you socially.
For example, “Like XYZ Travel on Facebook to learn the inside scoop on _________” Then fill in your specialty and bury the hyperlink to your Facebook business page within this statement.
Bonus tip #1: Do you have a new app/tab on your Facebook page? Maybe you’ve just included a tag to your blog or your Pinterest page. Include the link to that new app using the tactic above.
Bonus tip #2: Many travel pros miss the opportunity to leverage new Facebook photo albums in their e-mail signature. Use a benefit statement and link to your newest photo album on your Facebook page.
Taking this one step further, how about creating a benefit statement and a hyperlink for each of your social sites; Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, YouTube, Instagram. You can adjust your e-mail signature regularly when you have brilliant new social content.
#2 E-Blasts
Many travel pros send a variety of marketing pieces using the e-blast services of their agency consortia or host. Maximize your new fan growth and include the links to your social sites as well as a share button in your e-blast.
If you’re using a 3rd party e-blast service like Constant Contact, Vertical Response or Mail Chimp, you’ll have the opportunity to share your e-blast directly onto your social sites. While this may be an easy solution to spread the word, make sure you test it out. Some travel pros don’t like the way the e-blast post appears on their social sites.
Advanced tip—E-blast apps: Break through the barriers and include a tab/app on your Facebook business page that lets your fans sign up for your e-blast newsletter right from your Facebook page. Most e-blast services (Constant Contact and Vertical Response) have a simple way to include this front and center on your business page. Leverage this two-way marketing opportunity by including a benefit statement and a link to your social sites in each e-blast. Maximize your marketing efforts and offer your existing social fans an entree to your relevant and timely e-blasts.
Here’s an example, note the tab named Free Travel Tips:
Bonus tip – Customize tab names: Use all the assets of Facebook and customize the name of each tab on your page. Here’s how:
Click the down arrow next to your tabs (see Green arrow). Then hover over the tab you’d like to customize and you’ll see a pencil icon (see yellow circle), click it to update the text under this tab:
When you click the pencil, choose ‘Edit Settings’ and complete the box labelled Custom Tab Name. Save your work and then click OK. You’ll see the new name appear below your tab. You can adjust the names of most of the tabs on your business page.
What successes have you had with e-mail marketing tactics? Share in the comments below.
Related Articles:
How to use Social Icons as Marketing Tools
How to Integrate social and traditional media to market your events
3 Tips and 3 Tactics for Video E-mail
Join me socially: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, and Pinterest.
When you ‘like’ my Facebook page you’ll have access to Free Resources just for travel pros!
About the author, Catherine J Heeg.
Catherine Heeg is a travel, hospitality and tourism industry thought leader. As President of Customized Management Solutions and an international speaker and trainer she delivers customized interactive social media, marketing and communication workshops and webinars. Customized social marketing strategy design and coaching keep her driving results for the tourism, travel and hospitality industry.