Ok, we all mess up once in awhile, right!

• We miss a deadline.

• We forget to call a client back.

• We overlook an important email.

Each of those things can be corrected pretty quickly with an apology and some hard work.

However, messing up in social marketing can quickly go from bad to worse—to expensive. During the pandemic, many marketers let their advertising take a back seat to simply staying afloat. That’s reality!

Now that travel is ramping up again, here’s 3 social marketing blunders that can be easily avoided. Read the rest of this entry »

Shakedown!
Breakdown!
Takedown!

Remember that old song by Bob Seger from 1987?

When Facebook broke down recently, that’s the song that came into my head. It started playing louder when Frances Haugen testified before Congress!

Facebook has become a huge part of our work and personal lives. Yet, I wonder how many of us thought about the old adage about not putting all our eggs into one basket when this breakdown happened? Or the adage that one shouldn’t build their house on rented land?

Really? What are we as travel industry pros supposed to do… market by carrier pigeon? Pony Express? How about using a town crier?

These days, none of those are viable options; however, we may want pay attention to those old adages as breakdowns and takedowns may become more frequent in the future. Read the rest of this entry »

Listen up! We’ve all heard the phrase “What’s old is new again.”

• Bell bottom = flares
• Midriff tops = crop tops
• Telephone party line = live audio rooms

Live audio is all the rage now. It’s the mash-up of old school and new school. First off the block was Clubhouse, now comes Live Audio Rooms from Facebook.

Tune in for a quick low-down on these 2 popular platforms. Read the rest of this entry »

Remember back in the good old days when banks and savings and loan companies gave away a free toaster for a minimum deposit? Then, if you added a bit more to your deposit, you became the proud owner of a free bakeware set too! I furnished my first apartment kitchen this way!

All the bank had to do to acquire a new customer was give away a freebie: a $20 toaster. Pretty easy.

Fast forward to the age of social marketing, and savvy travel marketers are providing freebies as a way to acquire new prospective clients. I’m not talking about toasters, nor free travel; I’m talking about a lead magnet that’s so valuable people will provide their contact information.

The result of gathering contact information from as many people as possible is that you’ll have a way to grow your email list, target your social ads more effectively, and potentially book tours for these people. Read the rest of this entry »

Do you find that as the recovery of travel ramps up, that some social marketing tactics seem old and out of touch with the times?

Over the last year, so much has changed in the ways that people consume marketing that savvy travel pros are turning to new ways to stand out in the noisy social marketing space.

Let’s explore 3 creative ways to get noticed, so that fans and clients are excited in this new era. We’ll dive into the 3-A’s to amplify your brand: Ads, Audiences, and Audio.

“Facebook, which has said it wants to make audio a “first-class medium” on its platforms, joins Twitter Inc (TWTR.N) and messaging platform Discord which have already launched their own live audio offerings. Spotify debuted its own version, “Greenroom,” last Wednesday. Slack, Microsoft Corp-owned (MSFT.O) LinkedIn and Reddit are also working on similar products.” Source

Read the rest of this entry »

Remember the last time you went to the movie theater and saw teaser trailers of all the upcoming movies? Such a great way to have a sneak peek and then make a date to see the movie.

The beauty of the movie makers’ marketing magic is that you get to see the most intriguing part—the hook. And then, you’re hooked! The movie theater is nearly guaranteed to sell more tickets. What if you could use this same genius marketing theory to attract more video views on your own Facebook business page? You know, create your own intriguing, gripping trailer. News flash: You can do this now! Read the rest of this entry »

Woohoo! Your first post-COVID tour is planned (or nearly planned). Now comes the fun of marketing it.

As things open up again and tours start rolling, getting butts into seats is goal #1. However, if you’re looking to effectively market in this new era, some things have changed since pre-pandemic. What worked in 2019, might not work as well to attract consumers now.

Whether you’re marketing your newest tour, looking to attract potential clients to a consumer night, or hosting a virtual information session; here’s the social marketing essentials you’ll need to be successful. Read the rest of this entry »

Three months and counting… that’s all the time you have left to grab your data from your Facebook Analytics account! Facebook is eliminating this tool!

Yikes! This announcement from Facebook comes as a surprise to most marketers. More surprisingly, there is no solid reasoning or explanation from Facebook. What’s the fix? Tune in to the video for more details and work-arounds. Read the rest of this entry »

The other day I was talking with a tourism pro who asked what they could do with all the photos they’ve taken over the years.

• Photos of stunning destinations.
• Photos of group tours.
• Photos of exotic foods from around the world.

Sounds familiar right? Don’t you just hate knowing these images are sitting on your phone or hard drive. What a wasted opportunity! Read the rest of this entry »

Was one of your goals for 2021 to grow your email list? If you wrote down that goal, you’re one step closer to reaching out to people when the tsunami of travel rolls at us with the full force of pent-up demand.

But what will a stronger, longer email list mean as the tides change in travel. The benefits are endless, so let’s start with these: Read the rest of this entry »

Back when I first started shooting video, I used to stare at the keyboard (procrastinating). I’d then search online for what other people were doing (time-suck). And then, I left my desk to get glammed up thinking inspiration would come to me from my make-up bag! (NOT!)

After 40 minutes, I still had nothing anywhere close to video content. Nada! Zilch!

Does that sound familiar?

The other day a travel pro asked me, “Why even bother shooting video… it takes so much time! Who’s watching travel & tourism videos now anyway?”

That got me into research mode, and here’s what I found. In their 2020 report, Wyzowl found: Read the rest of this entry »

Good-bye 2020!Good Riddance!

2020 was a _________ year.How would you fill that one in?

For our industry, 2020 was an exercise in resilience and hope for the future. I keep thinking about how we can prepare and move forward as our industry recovers. And guess what, I’m feeling excited because of all the changes that have happened in social marketing in spite of (or maybe because of) the pandemic.

Many of us also feel 2020 is a year to look for as many ‘rays of sunshine’ and ‘bits of silver lining’ as possible. Here’s a couple of things that fit into that category and really matter for our industry moving forward. Read the rest of this entry »

Are you ready to give up on social ads?

Maybe you don’t feel like your ads are generating any interest. Well, you’re not alone; 62 Percent of Small Business Owners Say Facebook Ads Miss Their Targets.

Stop wasting your time and effort creating ads that fail!

But wait… why even look at this if social ads fail so often? Here’s the deal: out of all of the B2C companies using social media, 97% of them use Facebook! It matters! It works! Let’s explore 3 steps to get you on the road to fail-proof ads today. Read the rest of this entry »

Do your marketing plans from 2019 seem totally out of touch now?

Did your marketing projections for 2020 fly out the window in March?

Even as we stare out the window wishing for the good old days, there are 3 things we can tweak now so that our social marketing is fresh and dialed-in when the uptick in travel demand hits. Read the rest of this entry »

Are you on the fence about blogging? Tourism colleagues tell you that a blog is essential. ‘Experts’ say you have to blog if you want to grow your brand.

Yet, deep down, you don’t really want to blog and you’re not sure the ‘experts’ understand your brand. In fact, you probably have a long list of reasons you don’t want or need to blog, right?

Let’s just add these 7 reasons to your list! And you’re done!

Is that little voice saying…but, but, but…

Even if you’re a definite undecided, on-the-fence blogger, here’s 7 reasons you can forget about blogging! That’s right, just don’t write a blog! These 7 reasons are solid! Read the rest of this entry »

Are you still wearing your hair the way you did after high school?

Do you eat the same thing for breakfast every single day?

While there’s comfort in sticking to habits and styles that work, the thing I’ve found in this pandemic is that trying something new and different works NOW.

Who would have thought that our industry would be turned upside down? Read the rest of this entry »

Are you getting to hate the word ‘pivot’? Months ago, it sure seemed like the perfect COVID word. Now, it just seems overused! The bottom line is that the word is perfect, yet it’s messaging effect is getting overlooked. What can we do now to “pivot” without calling it pivoting? Read the rest of this entry »

What if you had a crystal ball to tell what was in store for the future of travel? Our ‘Next Normal’ is sure to be a big departure from our ‘Past Normal’, but the reality is this: There is no crystal ball.

However, there are leading experts who are watching and analyzing industry trends and sentiment. These industry thinkers and futurists have shared their perspectives over the last couple of weeks. So, let’s piggy-back on their insights for travel trends and pull together some key initiatives you can put in place in your own sector of our industry. Read the rest of this entry »

Fast forward 10 years… It’s now 2030. Let’s just imagine what we’ll be saying as we look back on 2020.

How would you complete this sentence: “Back in 2020, I accomplished ____________ .” Right now, you have the power to position yourself for the future and to influence how you finish this sentence.

While we all remember other game-changers in our industry and the legacies they’ve left on our industry, let’s think about what legacy you’ll be creating for your business. Here’s a blue-print to consider as we move into the ‘next normal’. Read the rest of this entry »

Do you ever wish your videos looked a bit more polished?

Do you wish your fans would share and comment more often on your videos?

Why even bother with video now in these crazy times? Here’s why: Read the rest of this entry »

Chaos. Uncertainty. Fear. It’s everywhere! TV, newspapers, social feeds!

Our industry is suffering. Yet, you have the power to change the tone for your social fans. Help them cut thru the chaos and find a bit of sanity and serenity.

Why?

We all know our industry has survived many downturns. We’re resilient! We’re tough! As we start thinking about how to inspire our fans, we’ll prove that resilience once again. Read the rest of this entry »