An Overview of Tactics for Achieving Your Goals
Let’s begin to pull everything we have discussed to this point into a strategy and consider the tactics we will use to achieve the goals we have set out for our business. In each instance, we want to be certain our mission statement remains our touch-point. This will keep us consistent and properly focused. Likewise, each tactic should be designed to contribute to our marketing funnels, continually drawing both existing clients and potential clients closer to us, engaging with us and becoming evangelists for our travel practice.
There are an endless variety of possible tactics you can employ. Some of these are listed below. Pick those with which you are most comfortable and in which you can have some confidence. For example, if you are a good writer, then certainly blogging and other publishing undertakings should be a part of your strategy. If you don’t like public speaking, then in the short term you may want to leave aside any public speaking opportunities. Follow the bend of your own nature to do what you can do well, but strive to continually push just a bit beyond your comfort zone.
Below are a few of the more common strategies and a brief explanation. In later chapters we will bear down more fully on each.
- Advertising – well placed advertising can provide you with a new audience. Done well, advertising can intrigue clients with the many possibilities of working with you. Done poorly, however, it can be a dark hole for your precious capital!
- Banner Ads
- Paid Advertising
- Paid articles (native ads)
- Publishing – Like to write?
- Newsletters
- Blogging
- Guest articles
- Cross Marketing – working with other businesses in town to market to each other’s list. Here are a few examples of successful cross marketing ventures with have seen other travel consultants do:
- Photographers
- Wedding planners
- Clothing store
- Yoga Studios
- Networking – The more people who know you are “out there” the wider your sphere of influence.
- Clubs and Associations
- Volunteer work
- Community Involvement
- Schools and Churches
- Social Organizations
- Public Relations – Forming relationships with the press, sponsoring events and organizations and attending trade shows projects the personality of your agency in a very strong, dynamic manner.
- Media
- Sponsorships
- Press releases
- Tradeshows
- Public Speaking – not everyone is confident speaking in front of a crowd. However, the moment you stand behind a podium, you are presumed an expert. Speaking about travel is one of the best possible ways of being identified as a “local expert”
- Group Leader Programs - Why do all the work yourself? A few group leaders will allow you to leverage the passion of others in your community who love to travel and who have networks of friends and relatives.
- Word of Mouth – when you are recommended by a friend of a friend, you have the added power of a testimonial behind you, and the power of a third-party endorsement is hard to over-estimate!
- Testimonials
- Referrals
- Social Media and Digital Marketing – we will discuss this tactic in depth in the Travmarket Digital Marketing course.