| Way too often I hear the sad story of high | | | | ads, postcards, sales letters and more.Creating |
| expense, consternation and confusion from travel | | | | clarity and quality in your marketing |
| professionals desperate to figure out how-to | | | | communications, so that your prospective buyers |
| profitably promote their offerings. It's not unusual | | | | quickly find what they are looking for, is the |
| for them to spend 10's if not 100's of thousands | | | | winning combination to increased sales and |
| on brochures, websites, advertising, trade show | | | | arrivals.Your Marketing Communications Don't |
| booths, E-marketing, etc. trying to increase sales | | | | Automatically = SalesNo matter if you're trying to |
| and arrivals. The worst part is, they often do not | | | | put together a group or promote a tour |
| know if their promotional message or vehicle | | | | company, lodge, destination or even a whole |
| even worked or had positive return on | | | | state, you have got to be able to communicate |
| investment. Or if it did, why?Does this sound at all | | | | your marketing message effectively. |
| familiar? Maybe like you?Good news.This is the | | | | Unfortunately, most tourism professionals don't |
| first of five articles, where you will learn some | | | | know how to write marketing and sales oriented |
| simple, but highly effective marketing strategies | | | | promotional materials. They usually hire graphic |
| that most travel professionals totally overlook. Let | | | | artists or web designers for this.Bad news.Graphic |
| me be your guide into the sometimes "perilous | | | | artists, designers and web technicians are not |
| land of promotions" for destinations, tour | | | | usually sales people either. So your travel |
| packagers, lodge, resorts or anyone in the | | | | marketing and sales investments suffer.Creating |
| tourism industry. On this important journey, you | | | | Marketing Collateral Material That Sell!The tourism |
| will learn how-to break down the critical elements | | | | marketing communications guide I use to create |
| of your marketing communications into bit-sized | | | | copy that sells is: Tourism Marketing Success and |
| pieces that has more then doubled the results of | | | | the Defining/Credibility (D/C) Statement.A good D |
| travel professionals I know.How Effective Is Your | | | | C Statement© will help you qualify your best |
| Marketing?One of the primary ways the majority | | | | prospects FAST and then speak quickly to their |
| of your prospective clients are going to find out | | | | basic motivators; their needs, concerns, desires |
| about your tourism destination or tour is through | | | | and fears.This is a core influence on their |
| the written word (copy) on your web site, | | | | purchasing decisions.The D/C Statement is a |
| brochure, ads, etc. The effectiveness of the copy | | | | four-part marketing communication building block |
| used in your marketing materials has a significant | | | | that quickly:1. Defines your travel offerings2. |
| impact on your bottom line. If you don't grab and | | | | Provides descriptive clarity3. Speaks to your |
| compel a prospect in their first exposure to your | | | | companies level of experience & professionalism4. |
| offerings, especially on your home page, trade | | | | Motivates the reader to want to know more |
| show banner, headlines of ads or flyers, they are | | | | about your business/destination.In part II of my |
| gone - and fast.Don't believe me? Next time you | | | | IV series on tourism marketing communications, I'll |
| have are exhibiting at a travel trade show, count | | | | reveal step #1 - the Credibility Statement©. |
| how many seconds it takes for a prospect, | | | | This is one of the most important parts of your |
| whose bags are stuffed with brochures they may | | | | new promotional strategy you cannot afford to |
| never read, to pass by your booth. Maybe 4 - 6 | | | | miss.Tim Warren is the author of Tourism |
| seconds?How about your website visitor logs. | | | | Marketing Success a simple step by step guide |
| Check them out and you'll find that a HUGE | | | | guaranteed to help you standout from the crowd |
| percentage of your prospects are not staying or | | | | and sell more travel in your trade show booth, |
| are leaving in less than a minute.Guess what. It is | | | | website, advertising, brochure and more. |
| the same with your brochures, print and electronic | | | | |