Tourism = shoestring budget. Anyone shocked? I didn’t think so. If you’ve ever played a role in promoting travel and tourism, you know that money is always in short supply. Once the staff is paid, utilities are paid (and on and on), there’s not much left. Even some of the big guys might have smaller budgets than you think.
So how do you set big tourism marketing goals on a small budget? There are a few secrets to getting the word out while still making ends meet.
Make the Most of What Is Working
First things first. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Instead, find out what is already working for you and build on your success!
Create a simple survey asking how your audience found you. Was it
Email?
Social media?
Billboards?
Word of mouth?
Freebies and promotions?
Use a free site like Survey Monkey to create a digital survey. You can share it in person or via email.
Collect Your Data
Collect your data to determine which strategy is already working. Pump a little money into improving that campaign in some way.
For example, if you posted on your company's Facebook page and got some traction, consider boosting your post to get even more. It only costs about $1 a day - not a huge financial commitment but with the potential to increase sales.
Re-think Print
We are creatures of habit. As such, we find nice, cozy spots in our comfort zones and stay there. Print is one of those comfy places.
Print still has a space in marketing, but maybe not as big a space as it once had. Ads can be very expensive, difficult to monitor (you don’t know who sees it), and hard to track results.
Try something new! Something with a better ROI and more visibility.
Go Digital
Digital marketing eliminates blanket advertising. It allows you to connect with the right audience at the right time. Think email, video, blog, and of course, social media. Digital promotion is budget-friendly and conducive to data collection.
Spy on the competition
As you begin going digital, start with your competition. Look for comparable organizations in your area and find out how they communicate with customers. What keywords (words people use when searching for something) are they using in their marketing?
Use a free program like Google’s Keyword Planner to see which words are getting them results, then find comparable words to create your own campaign. It doesn’t cost you anything but time!
Try email marketing
Email marketing lets you relate to your audience in meaningful ways. You can offer them useful and interesting content via clickable links or video.
For example, rather than a flyer promoting your newest attraction, your email might highlight the area in which you'll find it. Or it might share a behind-the-scenes look at how it is produced.
You’ll build a rapport with your audience that goes beyond sales. They’ll feel like part of the family and you’ll grow your base of support!
#Make the most of hashtags
As we’ve already mentioned, social media is a cost-effective way to extend your marketing reach. 244 million Americans use social media to communicate. That’s a lot of potential sales!
Harness the power of social promotion with a simple hashtag. Create a hashtag that sticks for your company. Use it on Insta or Twitter when hyping your latest event, attraction, or partner, or share it after a personal interaction. It’s a simple and inexpensive way to get people talking! It also builds the relationship with your customer base.
If hashtags are new to you, try a free site like tagsfinder to get your creative juices flowing.
Check! Check!
Make sure you spot check your strategies for success. Your limited budget doesn’t allow for big flops, so monitor your data regularly (another benefit of digital marketing!). If something isn’t working, you’ll see it pretty quickly in the numbers. Drop it and move on.
On the flip side, if you see an increase in the number of unique visitors to your website, Facebook followers, or interactions/likes on social media, then you are probably doing something right. If you convert visitors and likes into sales, then you are DEFINITELY doing something right! 👍
If you have big tourism marketing goals on a small budget, try these simple techniques to stretch it even further. Focus your precious dollars on what works, break free of a total print campaign, and embrace social media. After all, the wanderlust must continue (even if it’s on a shoestring budget)!
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