How To Make a Big Bang with a Small Budget

You can make your limited marketing dollars work like a million bucks.
With just a few simple and well thought out strategies, any travel agency can make a big impact with a small marketing budget, according to Mark McMullen, CTC, executive vice president of The Integer Group, a marketing consultant company.

McMullen outlined several practical marketing tips during an educational session at the American Society of Travel Agents’ THETRADESHOW in Orlando last week:

• Think small when it comes to print ads: Few agencies have the marketing dollars to take out a full-page ad in a daily newspaper, but that doesn’t mean you should eliminate print advertising from your marketing plan; there are many available alternatives.

Church and synagogue bulletins and newsletters generally offer advertising space to interested local businesses, at a great price. These print vehicles are particularly effective for advertising group cruises or themed tours that would be of interest to the congregants.

Newsletters from organizations, neighborhood subdivisions and alumni groups also provide low-cost options for print advertising. And like all newspapers today, weekly newspapers are hurting for money. Weekly newspapers are another relatively low-cost vehicle you can use to communicate with potential clients, particularly if you are targeting an older demographic.

• Market what you do best: Promoting your expertise differentiates you from the pack and can result in free advertising.

Agents should notify their local newspapers, radio stations and public TV stations whenever they complete an educational course on a destination or travel specialization. The newspaper may decide to run an article on your area of expertise, and the radio or TV station may feature you as a guest. Even if you don’t get immediate publicity, these media outlets will know they can rely on you as a specialized source in the future. If you do appear as a guest on a radio or TV show, make sure to get a recording of your appearance and put it up on your Web site.

• Get help from your partners: Preferred suppliers want travel sellers to actively market and sell their product, and they all offer various types of support to help agents do just that. From co-op dollars to collateral material and idea generation, using what suppliers offer will help agents come up with creative marketing ideas and defray costs.

McMullen suggests that travel sellers sit down with a select number of supplier partners and ask for their assistance with marketing plan development. Supplier’s business development managers (BDMs) are experts in marketing; you can leverage their expertise to generate effective marketing strategies for your agency. Remember, most companies have to pay for marketing consultations with experts, but travel agents can get the same level of support for free from their supplier partners.

Creating and printing post cards, flyers and shells is expensive. Why do it yourself when most suppliers offer downloadable — and often customizable — marketing materials. Ask your suppliers for help with the mailing costs as well, and invite them to attend any local events you sponsor.

• Pick up the phone: Although it’s the most basic form of marketing and communication, it’s a well known fact within the industry that most travel sellers do not like to pick up the phone to make outbound calls. According to McMullen, just 30 minutes a day of calling lapsed customers can bring in lots of bookings. Making cold calls to local businesses, organizations, universities and schools to ask if your agency can be of service to them can also result in new business.

• Keep communicating: No matter what marketing vehicle or vehicles you decide to use in your program, make sure they are reaching clients (lapsed, current and potential) on a consistent and regular basis. McMullen recommends travel agents should be communicating with every client in some form or another every four to six weeks.

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