You would need over 460 pairs of hands to count the travel agencies in the U.S. alone. That’s over 46,000 travel agencies competing with you every single day. The industry leaders desperately want to maintain their positions while smaller businesses are trying to topple them over. If you’ve been in the travel agency industry for even a week, you’d know that competition always surrounds you. It’s not even limited to just other travel agencies nowadays — you have to compete with online book engines as well. So, how exactly can we get ahead of the game and achieve our dreams? It’s all about the branding. With the power of proper branding, your travel agency has the key to success.
Being More Than Subpar
Floating by and doing the bare minimum is never a good thing — travel agency branding is no exception. In fact, travel consultants are required to prove their value every day by demonstrating that they are thought leaders. Remember that all your content reflects back to your brand. If your content is over promotional and screams commercial, your brand looks desperate.
Content is critical to success, so why not get the most out of content from the start? By consistently providing informative, professional, and problem-solving content — you cement yourself as a thought leader. Be more than a place that people are forced to go. After all, people can book their own flights if they really want to. Whether it’s social media content or blogging, quality content is a MUST if you want to make it big.
The Fundamental Branding Elements That Matter
Branding is such a broad term, and it can be confusing for anyone just starting out. Rather than tackling the hundreds of branding elements out there, let’s look at the crucial ones.
– Website
– Content marketing
– Social media presence
– Email campaigns
Website
A website is the backbone of your entire base of operations. Having a website is no longer a tool to get ahead. It barely puts you at the starting line. The perception of reliability and professionalism that comes with owning your domain is invaluable and necessary. Websites, however, have a direct effect on your branding too. That’s because the first impression is make-or-break for your relationship with leads. Here are some statistics to back up this claim.
– 94% of consumers will leave a website with poor graphic design
– 46% of website visitors associate design with the credibility of the brand
– 05 seconds is all it takes to assess the visual appeal
A professionally designed and modern website conveys to your lead that you take your business seriously — that it’s something you’re passionate about and in which you have expertise. More than someone who takes your client’s money in exchange for a mediocre experience, you care about your clients from beginning to end. Now, an outdated website that looks like it is back in 2010 — screams unprofessional. If you leave a sour taste in a lead’s mouth, the lead will not stick around. They will just go with another travel agency who can impress them from the very start.
Content Marketing
Anyone can create a blog or social media post, but what’s the point if no one’s looking your way? Just like a website, high-quality content is what makes you stand out. Content marketing is your prime opportunity to cement yourself as a thought leader. Portray your brand as someone who genuinely wants to help people solve their problems. The core of your content is to help — not sell. When you focus on providing valuable information, your brand will organically become associated with expertise. People trust experts more than they trust businesses. If you utilize content marketing correctly, your consumers can have the best of both worlds. When considering content marketing, you’ll want to pay special attention to:
– Website information
– Blogs
– Social media posts
– Press releases
– Newsletters
– Emails
If you’re deciding between content marketing and paid advertisements, feel free to read our other article. Here’s just the quick rundown. Content marketing is a better approach than paid advertising because content marketing is more organic and cost-effective in the long run.
Social Media Presence
In this digital age, you can’t compete if you’re not utilizing a social media presence. By offering a more down-to-earth style of engaging, your brand comes off as friendly yet unique. That said, you have to stay true to your established brand message. If you contradict yourself and someone takes notice, it shows a level of incompetence that you definitely don’t need. With over 4.22 billion social media users, it can become tempting to cater to the greatest number of people. A couple of likes is not worth creating a brand discrepancy over. Let’s take a look at an example. If the entire premise of your brand is to cater to high-end clients, then don’t post about a special deal or bargain on social media. While expansion is possible without harming your social media presence, it’s hard to do unless you already have a decently sized following.
Email Campaigns
Email campaigns are classic for strengthening your brand voice. Whether it’s the voice, content, or design of your emails — they can all reflect who you are. Even though it’s a traditional approach, it’s as effective as the other fundamental elements of branding. Of course, respecting leads is essential. People might not want to see your content, and you have to respect that. While spamming your leads will get your brand noticed, that type of attention is not what we’re going for here. Along that same line of respect, don’t put misleading or wrong information in your email campaigns. Your clients will be furious, and they’ll take to social media to address their disdain. Understanding the CAN-SPAM laws can help you know what you can and cannot do regarding email campaigning. It can save you lots of time and energy in the long run.
Educating Your Audience
When you establish your brand and become credible, your consumers will listen to what you have to say. Use this opportunity to break myths and share your side of the story. Let’s just look at an example. People are more reluctant than ever to work with a travel agency because they think it’s more expensive. But that’s not even true! The price remains the same, and your consumers benefit from working with an expert from beginning to end. The value of this was certainly communicated and appreciated during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic when travel agents were able to stay on top of current issues, regulations and procedures for their clients. That’s just one example of how you can educate your audience. Take their uncertainties and educate them towards making a smarter goal. Remember, it’s not about selling but rather helping through education. Resources https://financesonline.com/graphic-design-statistics
Resources
https://financesonline.com/graphic-design-statistics