The year 2020 has been rough on the travel industry, with the global pandemic curtailing so many getaway plans and having devastating effects on the sector as a whole.
However, with brighter times now hopefully on the horizon, now is a good time to think about how best to market to wanderlusting travellers in 2021 and beyond.
Although digital marketing now takes up so much focus when it comes to attracting new and repeat customers, that’s no reason to give up on the more traditional, physical methods of advertising. Why? Let’s take a look.
What the studies show
A recent study by PostNord, Ipsos and Neurons Inc sought to delve into how the brain works when viewing different marketing materials, be they digital or physical.
The results make for interesting reading and could inform your marketing efforts as you look to welcome travellers back in 2021.
It was found that physical printed advertising was easier to focus on, meaning that longer and more detailed messaging could be conveyed to the reader, while digital ads generated “more cognitive load, which leads to weaker emotional connection to the brand”.
Of course, a combination of the two will always be the best bet. Grabbing attention with digital ads, and then providing further information and key messaging with physical posters and billboards seems to be a formula that could bring success.
What’s available
Depending on your strategies, there are a great number of printed products that you can use to your advantage.
Large-scale advertisements like banners, posters and billboards are great for grabbing attention, while flyers, postcards and business cards can offer your customers the key information they need when looking to book their 2021 getaways.
What you can do
We can see that there is a clear advantage to adding physical printed marketing material to portfolios, even in this highly digitised age.
But how to go about it?
- Positioning: If you’re going to incorporate larger products into your marketing campaign, put a lot of thought into where they’re going to be stationed. Think about the area local to your physical store, look closely at the passing footfall – is it made up of your likely customer base? If not, find where they are and position your ads accordingly.
- Engaging: What are the key messages you want to convey? Is it to drive physical visits, online hits, or social interaction? Tailor your message to these goals and think about how to sing it out as sharply as possible. Passers-by of a billboard may only have a few seconds to engage with your promotional material, while those picking up a leaflet are more likely to stop and absorb the information in full.
- Loyalty: Whether it’s a promotional offer or another kind of reward scheme, brand loyalty is more important than ever. Delivering great experiences with top-class service will get people coming back to you time and time again for their holidays.
If you are getting back on your feet in 2021 after a rough year for the travel industry, hopefully these tips will help you secure an engaged and loyal customer base to guide you back to happier climes.