Public Relations - Writing for Travel Professionals
With the accessibility of today’s electronic media we are all suddenly publishers, editors and writers. Most travel professionals have lots of available “content” stored in their heads. A life-time of cruises, tours, fam trips and property inspections provides an undeniable expertise that is valuable to the public. The ability to write a good article is important for a travel professional. Most travelers recognize the need for knowledge and for tapping into the expertise of other travelers. A solid reference library of articles will be an important resource for consumers, one that they will return to again and again. Identifying yourself and your travel practice as a source for valuable travel information will establish an important connection with your agency in the minds of clients when they think about traveling. However, getting those stories poured onto paper on a computer screen can sometimes present an almost overwhelming challenge.
I consider myself a fledgling writer. Therefore, I read as many other writers’ work as possible. If you have an ambition to write, the first requirement is to read. With that in mind, I will offer up a couple of articles I have written as examples to illustrate these points. Let’s look at an article titled "The Camp Elephant" I wrote several years ago and recently republished. I could have given a very factual report on the the safari camp I visited. Instead, I chose to interject my personal experience in more of a story format. That article won an award from the North American Travel Journalists Association. For a destination piece where I used a similar technique, look at this article on Iceland. I began with a description of a single moment and used that experience as a way of organizing the story. For some of my industry blogging, you can see examples from my Voyager Websites blog. |
My partner in crime, Anita Pagliasso is not only a blogger but has written two books!
I understand many readers will see the paragraph above and argue "It's all fine and good for Richard to go on about writing, but I'm not a writer!"
Here's a secret: I wasn't always a writer either. I want to suggest to you the idea of "talent" is vastly overrated. Somewhere in life we all learn how to fence ourselves and our abilities into a very small playground. If you know you can write, I want to convince you of the importance of writing to your travel career. If you don't think you can write, I'm going to suggest you at least give it a try and develop some chops.
Finally, if I cannot persuade you that you, too, can be a travel writer, then at least consider working with someone in your community to do some "ghost writing" for you! The effort will pay off in spades. When you write on a topic, people gravitate to you as an expert. People will seek out your advice. Writing will assist you in your public relations efforts and in your digital marketing. Learning to write about travel will enhance every aspect of your career as a travel professional.
Writing for Travel Agents – The Power of a Title
Most often, it is the title of the article that first draws the reader into the story. Here’s a little experiment you might want to try. On your next visit to a bookstore or the grocery store, visit the magazine rack. Go to the more popular magazines and look at the article titles on the cover. How many of those articles use an action verb? How many have a number in them? How many start with the words “How to”? How many have the word “tips” in them. My guess is that many, if not most, of the covers will have article titles that have some or all of these mechanisms for drawing you into the magazine. We may be onto something.
Let’s start with the power of a Title:
Who wouldn’t read these articles? People love lists, especially when there is a definitive number attached to the list. The number promises a finite quantity of knowledge that, once learned, will be invaluable. The quantity sounds easily assimilated, or sounds like a comprehensive reference. Numbers draw people into an article.
Likewise, notice the number of action verbs (Choosing, Save, Avoid) and the number of strong adjectives (Extreme, Best, Amazing). These words grab the reader’s attention. Note also how some of the articles stress the reader’s desire to avoid danger (Scams, Mistakes, Save). These articles all promise important knowledge that your readers will want to possess. Your word choices in a title should be concise and packed with meaning.
Spend some time crafting just the right title, one that you would want to read if you saw it on the cover of a magazine. Chances are, your clients will want to read it too.
Writing for Travel Agents – The Power of Voice
Chances are very good that you are an authority on some topic. Experienced travel professionals are often true authorities on travel: how to get the best values, what to avoid, how to get there and what to do once you are there. But even if you are a novice travel agent, your life experiences have no doubt provided you with a topic on which you can write with authority. Therein is the beginning to what writers call a “voice” – the characteristic tone and style you use to convey your ideas. Some writers have a humorous voice, others instructive. Some choose a voice that is objective and neutral. Whatever voice a writer selects, it is important that it be authentic and consistent. Here are a few ways to discover and develop your own writing voice.
Each writer makes stylistic choices when they write and the sum of those choices equals voice. The writer’s word choice, the degree of detail, the images chosen combine to create a particular tone that has an impact on the reader. In making these choices, the writer injects his or her personality into the article. If the topic is of interest to the reader, but the voice fails to resonate, the article will likely go unread. Inappropriate word choices, dry prose or a lack of personality can kill even the most interesting topics. Choice of voice, therefore, is key to the success of your writing efforts.
Good writers care about their topics, and their enthusiasm shows. A good writer has an authentic voice and speaks from experience. The reader inherently trusts the reader’s honesty and integrity on the chosen topic. The reader may disagree with the writer’s conclusions, but the writer’s passion will seldom leave any doubt. When you write about a topic, an excellent technique is to demonstrate that you care about your topic by having a distinct point of view, an angle on the topic that is personal to you. Your destination report might read like a sightseeing list unless you begin with a reflection on some personal aspect of your experience in the destination.
Full consideration of your audience will assist selecting appropriate content and tone of voice. Your voice will be more authentic when it speaks directly and is recognizable and sympathetic to your readers. A reader may encounter your article in their email inbox or some equally private space where only recognized friends are truly welcome. With that in mind, the importance of knowing and empathizing with your target audience is evident. Because your initial readers will come from your existing client list, work back and forth between your branding message and the demographic characteristics of your existing readership to determine what content and tone of voice is most likely to be welcomed.
Decide on the appropriate tone for your purpose and audience, as well as for the particular article, and write authentically for the reader. Find your voice by injecting your personality into your topic. Infuse the article with your beliefs, your point of view. Be consistent and strong in your delivery and, with practice, you will have found your voice.
Writing for Travel Agents – Choosing Topics
One of the great things about the travel industry is there is literally a world of destinations and topics about which to write. People love to travel, they love to talk about travel, and a good travel article will almost always find an audience. Deciding on topics for your blog or newsletter is a small exercise in marketing. The mission is to determine what subject will grab and hold the attention of the reader, and them coming back for more.
I understand many readers will see the paragraph above and argue "It's all fine and good for Richard to go on about writing, but I'm not a writer!"
Here's a secret: I wasn't always a writer either. I want to suggest to you the idea of "talent" is vastly overrated. Somewhere in life we all learn how to fence ourselves and our abilities into a very small playground. If you know you can write, I want to convince you of the importance of writing to your travel career. If you don't think you can write, I'm going to suggest you at least give it a try and develop some chops.
Finally, if I cannot persuade you that you, too, can be a travel writer, then at least consider working with someone in your community to do some "ghost writing" for you! The effort will pay off in spades. When you write on a topic, people gravitate to you as an expert. People will seek out your advice. Writing will assist you in your public relations efforts and in your digital marketing. Learning to write about travel will enhance every aspect of your career as a travel professional.
Writing for Travel Agents – The Power of a Title
Most often, it is the title of the article that first draws the reader into the story. Here’s a little experiment you might want to try. On your next visit to a bookstore or the grocery store, visit the magazine rack. Go to the more popular magazines and look at the article titles on the cover. How many of those articles use an action verb? How many have a number in them? How many start with the words “How to”? How many have the word “tips” in them. My guess is that many, if not most, of the covers will have article titles that have some or all of these mechanisms for drawing you into the magazine. We may be onto something.
Let’s start with the power of a Title:
- “3 Tips for Choosing a Cruise Vacation”
- “5 Ways to Save Money on your Next Vacation”
- “Mistakes Not to Make Booking a Tour”
- “10 Travel Scams and How to Avoid Them”
- “25 Best New Trips”
- “125 Amazing Destinations Rated”
- “Extreme Iceland“
Who wouldn’t read these articles? People love lists, especially when there is a definitive number attached to the list. The number promises a finite quantity of knowledge that, once learned, will be invaluable. The quantity sounds easily assimilated, or sounds like a comprehensive reference. Numbers draw people into an article.
Likewise, notice the number of action verbs (Choosing, Save, Avoid) and the number of strong adjectives (Extreme, Best, Amazing). These words grab the reader’s attention. Note also how some of the articles stress the reader’s desire to avoid danger (Scams, Mistakes, Save). These articles all promise important knowledge that your readers will want to possess. Your word choices in a title should be concise and packed with meaning.
Spend some time crafting just the right title, one that you would want to read if you saw it on the cover of a magazine. Chances are, your clients will want to read it too.
Writing for Travel Agents – The Power of Voice
Chances are very good that you are an authority on some topic. Experienced travel professionals are often true authorities on travel: how to get the best values, what to avoid, how to get there and what to do once you are there. But even if you are a novice travel agent, your life experiences have no doubt provided you with a topic on which you can write with authority. Therein is the beginning to what writers call a “voice” – the characteristic tone and style you use to convey your ideas. Some writers have a humorous voice, others instructive. Some choose a voice that is objective and neutral. Whatever voice a writer selects, it is important that it be authentic and consistent. Here are a few ways to discover and develop your own writing voice.
Each writer makes stylistic choices when they write and the sum of those choices equals voice. The writer’s word choice, the degree of detail, the images chosen combine to create a particular tone that has an impact on the reader. In making these choices, the writer injects his or her personality into the article. If the topic is of interest to the reader, but the voice fails to resonate, the article will likely go unread. Inappropriate word choices, dry prose or a lack of personality can kill even the most interesting topics. Choice of voice, therefore, is key to the success of your writing efforts.
Good writers care about their topics, and their enthusiasm shows. A good writer has an authentic voice and speaks from experience. The reader inherently trusts the reader’s honesty and integrity on the chosen topic. The reader may disagree with the writer’s conclusions, but the writer’s passion will seldom leave any doubt. When you write about a topic, an excellent technique is to demonstrate that you care about your topic by having a distinct point of view, an angle on the topic that is personal to you. Your destination report might read like a sightseeing list unless you begin with a reflection on some personal aspect of your experience in the destination.
Full consideration of your audience will assist selecting appropriate content and tone of voice. Your voice will be more authentic when it speaks directly and is recognizable and sympathetic to your readers. A reader may encounter your article in their email inbox or some equally private space where only recognized friends are truly welcome. With that in mind, the importance of knowing and empathizing with your target audience is evident. Because your initial readers will come from your existing client list, work back and forth between your branding message and the demographic characteristics of your existing readership to determine what content and tone of voice is most likely to be welcomed.
Decide on the appropriate tone for your purpose and audience, as well as for the particular article, and write authentically for the reader. Find your voice by injecting your personality into your topic. Infuse the article with your beliefs, your point of view. Be consistent and strong in your delivery and, with practice, you will have found your voice.
Writing for Travel Agents – Choosing Topics
One of the great things about the travel industry is there is literally a world of destinations and topics about which to write. People love to travel, they love to talk about travel, and a good travel article will almost always find an audience. Deciding on topics for your blog or newsletter is a small exercise in marketing. The mission is to determine what subject will grab and hold the attention of the reader, and them coming back for more.