Marketing: Turning Consumers into Clients

Have You Tried Push or Pull Marketing Yet?

Review. Revise. Rewrite. Your marketing plan should always be in flux, adapting for changes in travel trends, economic conditions, technology, specialists/personnel, etc. Are you reaching current and potential clients most effectively? We recently featured the 7 Ps of Marketing – Product, Price, Promotion, Place, People, Process, and Physical Evidence. These can be further captured in employing a pull and/or push marketing strategy.

Pull marketing is designed to generate interest from clients toward your product or service, who may be “shopping around” or new to engaging a travel agency.

• Create demand – Establish eight to 12 touchpoints with the customer, such as posting and commenting on social media posts/pins, encouraging word-of-mouth, or creating destination tour videos, that result in a potential traveler seeking out your services. For example, an agent may conduct a presentation at the local library, church, summer event, community, or senior center to showcase the benefits of using your agency. 
• Build Awareness – Collaborating with a business, or social media influencer, to showcase a specific destination can generate interest from travelers who otherwise may not have considered or been aware of your services. It is key to gain the trust of potential clients by ensuring your website/social media pages are current: posting testimonials, establishing ties with aligned businesses or organizations, or offering referral incentives to existing clientele. 
• Establish Client Loyalty – Because a client is pulled toward your agency, establishing a long-term relationship is vital—through select incentive programs, frequent buyer rewards, or subtle reminders, such as agency calendars or personalized luggage tags. Sending a “welcome home” email after travelers’ return also reminds them of your relationship. Establishing a dedicated social media page/site/hashtag for existing clients where they can interact with each other and with your agency also encourages loyalty to your services.

Push marketing is aimed toward a quick turnaround from promotion to purchase.

• Invest in Advertising – Promotions through online advertising, direct mail, and flyers targeted to select groups that align with your agency’s niche. Take advantage of purchase mindsets: when are travelers researching and investing in summer travel? Be creative in your community, such as hosting a travel night at a local restaurant (with a limited-time discount offered to those that attend), or advertising family vacation packages on pizza boxes delivered during the Super Bowl.
• Time-Sensitive Specials – Promotions meant to encourage seasonal purchases or to stimulate interest during a slow period. For example, by posting flyers in December with Spring Break cruise specials at the local pool/gym, your agency is encouraging inquiries and purchases.
• Agent Incentives – An agency owner also may want to incentivize their own agents by having them contact past travelers or connections, for example, in return for an enticing benefit.

Indications are that travelers in 2025 are seeking complex itineraries, off-the-beaten-path experiences, and more family-oriented vacations and they may be fatigued from do-it-yourself travel planning. It is an ideal time to review, revise, and rewrite your marketing plan. Use a combination of online and offline channels to convert consumers into your clients.

It’s said: If the plan doesn’t work, change the plan, never the goal. 

Thank you, Sandra, for generously sharing these insightful and practical tips with current and future travel professionals!