By Stephanie Gries, Senior Education Manager, Travefy, and member of The Travel Institute Professional Educators Program (PEP).
In today’s digital world, having a robust online presence is crucial for travel advisors looking to establish and grow their business. Here are five ways you can stick out and entice new clients to work with you and keep current clients coming back for more.
1. Create a Cohesive Brand Identity
Think of your online branding as your digital handshake. From your logo, branding colors, and voice, this is where prospective clients will get their first impression of you.
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Logo and Branding Consistency: Make sure your logo and naming are on social media and clear that it’s the same company/person.
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Website Link Visibility: Keep your website visible and available for someone to get more information and connect further.
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Email Address/Contact Information: If you don’t have a website link yet, you can include your email address or a contact form available. You want to make sure someone can quickly and easily connect with you without having to search and dig for contact information.
2. Optimize Your Website
Think of your website as your digital storefront for your travel business. To make your website the best it can be, focus on the following:
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User-Friendly Design: Keep your website simple and easy to read and view. No need to overthink your website either! Make sure to have a clear overview of your business, what you specialize in, and how you can be reached.
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Clear Call to Actions (CTAs): Is your call to action on your website going to be a form someone fills out to start planning their trip, to schedule a consultation call, or will you have your email or a contact form to reach out? Make sure whichever one you choose is clear and easily visible. You can add it as a button on the top navigation or in an area at the bottom of your website.
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Offer Content: Show off your expertise by sharing content, such as blog posts, free resources, downloads, and more. You can also use your content as a “lead magnet” to get their email address!
Pro Tip: Use a simple website and landing page builder like Travefy to quickly select a theme, tailor the look of your website and add content, forms, and more!
3. Leverage the Power of Social Media
The best part of social media, it’s completely free! Here are some ways to make sure you get the most out of it:
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Choose the Right Platforms: Make sure you’re on the social media channels where your core audience is the most!
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Post Consistently: Don’t let your socials go quiet; be sure to post consistently and lean on a scheduling platform to help or use Meta Business Suite for Facebook and Instagram.
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Engage, Engage, Engage: Be sure to actually “socialize” on these platforms! Always add your clients to your channels and reply to comments and chime in on other social posts as well!
4. Showcase Client Testimonials and Reviews
You know the saying “the proof is in the pudding”? Well, that’s true for your business too!
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Request Reviews: Don’t forget to ask for a review after your clients’ trips! Add this to your workflow and create a form or ask in an email.
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Highlight Testimonials: Once you have a review, go ahead and brag about yourself! Use testimonials as social media posts, in your emails and/or add it to your email signature.
5. High-Quality Photos and Videos
One of the many perks of being in the business of booking and selling travel is that it’s easy to highlight and market the beautiful places to visit in the world. So use this to your advantage!
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Hire a Photographer on Your Next Trip: There’s no better way to get professional photos done than while traveling! Hire a photographer on your next trip from a company like Flytographer!
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Create Engaging Videos: Don’t forget to whip out your camera or phone on your next trip and capture the beauty of a location! There are so many free tools and apps available to easily edit and create amazing videos and photos. Use these in social media to show off your expertise and travels!
Pro Tip: Still new to travel and don’t have a ton of content yet? No problem! Use a site like Canva to create graphics and videos. You can also use free stock photo websites like Unsplash and Pixabay.
