As 2015 quickly approaches, travel companies are busy sorting out their budgets for the coming year. There is no denying the immeasurable power of top tier media exposure in national and regional publications and outlets, and as the fastest growing travel companies well know, PR is an essential component of a successful marketing strategy.
With over thirty years of experience, our travel PR agency understands the importance of customizing public relations campaigns that make the most of clients’ budgets – big and small. As you look to plan your public relations strategy for next year, keep these five tips in mind for how to maximize your PR dollar for the biggest return.
- Understand Your Target Market – Both demographically and geographically, understanding who your target market is and how they are consuming information is key to garnering attention for your brand. Determine what media outlets — print, online and broadcast — capture your audience’s attention and systematically devise a public relations strategy to infiltrate those channels.
- Up Your Social Media Game – With billions of people globally now on social networks from Facebook and Twitter to Instagram and Pinterest, social media is the most cost effective way to directly interact with your target consumer. Invest a portion of your budget and your agency’s time in developing your brand’s social media identity and building a community of loyal followers.
- Highlight the Hard News – In 2015, focus on ways to make your property, company or destination newsworthy. Your agency’s time and a good portion of your public relations retainer should be put towards targeted media pitching to your top target outlets. Avoid putting out press releases just to put out releases. A press release should always announce hard news and sending journalists newsworthy releases will strengthen your relationship with the press and keep your brand top of mind for feature coverage.
- Make Time for Face Time – Central to successful media relations is fostering relationships with journalists and editors through face time. Make time to have your brand ambassador come to New York for deskside meetings with key press and take advantage of the face time you have with them. Fostering personal relationships and having the opportunity to meet in person allows you to capture the press’ attention in a way that phone and email do not. Journalists are much more likely to focus and remember your brand following an in-person meeting – keeping your company top of mind for upcoming coverage.
- Invest in Press Trips – If your budget allows, be sure to incorporate group press familiarization trips into your travel PR campaign. Providing press with the opportunity to experience your property or product firsthand offers you the greatest opportunity to secure multi-page feature spreads. These influential and visually compelling features resonate with readers in a way that advertisements and advertorials do not – providing an authentic and honest voice that readers trust.
What are your PR goals for 2015?