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Don’t have much of a budget? We asked 3 agents how they’re marketing right now TORONTO — When Kim Paquette first acquired her Sandals-wrapped RV, she did not expect all the “neck-wrenching.” Of course, anyone who drives a “moving billboard” can expect a few gawks on the highway. But Paquette, an Ottawa-based Incentive & Group Travel Specialist and a member of Travel Professionals International (TPI), wasn’t prepared for how amusing all the attention would be. “I watched my husband pull onto the road when a female driver completely turned her head as she drove by him,” she tells Travelweek. “It was quite comical and obvious. The compliments have been constant, too.” The 37-foot, Sandals-branded RV, the first of its kind in Canada, was a carefully thought-out investment, adds Paquette. Believing that opportunity is hidden in every crisis, she took this time of pause in the industry to zero in on her strengths and goals, and set up a strategic business plan moving forward. Sandals’ free Car Wrap program fit in perfectly with that plan. “I made the decision to make Sandals my exclusive AI product and I felt comfortable entering into an agreement with them,” she says. “I chose the photos that connect me to my target market, and the RV was completed late August. Trips have been localized to eastern Ontario but we have plans to also head to Northern Ontario and maybe the East coast. I have already received bookings into my February cruise group because of the RV.” Paquette’s plan certainly isn’t for everyone but it does speak to the value of marketing, especially during this time of crisis in the travel industry. Though bookings may have dwindled and marketing budgets have been slashed, staying visible, relevant and within reach of clients will help agents fast-track their recovery. “Even if agents don’t have the monetary means to invest in their business, they should be investing their time. Nurturing clients is free,” says Paquette. We asked Paquette and two other experienced travel advisors how they’re handling marketing during this time. Here’s what they had to say:
On the cover: Martha Brae River, Jamaica
By Cindy Sosroutomo
Kim Paquette and her Sandals-wrapped RV
“We’re connecting with our valued clients more than we ever have” Laurie Keith, President of Boutique Travel Services in Hamilton, ON, tells Travelweek that the global pandemic has drastically impacted the way her agency markets. Before COVID-19, she budgeted around $100,000 in marketing each year, which included attending bridal shows across Canada and hosting a consumer event called The Romance Travel Show in various Canadian cities. But now? Her budget has essentially vanished.
“Even if agents don’t have the monetary means to invest in their business, they should be investing their time. Nurturing clients is free.” “Dropping the marketing budget was a necessity, not only to be fiscally responsible but also because I found that not many Canadians were receptive to the idea of travel during the peak of the pandemic, especially with travel advisories, the Quarantine Act, government travel-shaming ad campaigns, cancelled flights, the mandatory hotel
quarantine and testing regulations in place,” says Keith. But this didn’t mean marketing fell off the radar completely. The pandemic simply forced Keith and her team to pivot their strategy and find new ways to engage with existing clients as well as find new ones. “We started complimentary Zoom presentations in the spring of 2022 and invited our key supplier partners to co-present with us,” she says. “It began with trying to rebuild consumer confidence with the new health and safety protocols, and has now evolved to include live interviews with our travelling team members in destination speaking to wedding coordinators at the resorts, and tourism, tour operator, cruise and resort partners.” In addition, her agency converted its annual print brochure to a digital format, cleaned, updated and segmented its database, and is currently enhancing its existing CRM system by creating automatic drip campaigns, monthly newsletters, lead magnets like landing pages and more. “Retargeting existing customers is truly the least expensive marketing strategy that can yield the best results,” says Keith. “We’re connecting with our valued clients more than we ever have in the past. This, combined with launching our live events and social media marketing again in 2022, will ensure a well-rounded marketing strategy.” October 7, 2021 | TRAVELWEEK | 3
