Email newsletters are still as effective as ever.
When we think about email marketing today it seems like it’s the old man in the Internet world. Today we have social media marketing and different mobile marketing. But email marketing continues to have a major role in how people use the Internet.
There is something like a 90% rate of Internet users that regularly check email. And in one recent study, 60% of business executives said they turn to email newsletters first for news.
That’s true for business execs and for most people. The inbox is something we cherish. We carefully mind the content that arrives in the inbox.
With that in mind, if you can get permission to communicate with people via email it’s very worthwhile.
And travel businesses are in a unique position. For those traveling for pleasure, it’s wonderful to think about where you’ve been and where you’re going.
So a travel email newsletter is a great way to connect with people.
Here are some of the best ways to fill out a regular email newsletter for your travel organization.
1. State Of Your Organization
I get a local newsletter here that is actually a physical newsletter that comes in the mail. It’s from a local farm where we’ve purchased eggs and meat in the past. I love that newsletter. It comes every month and it has a few things including a little overview of what’s been going on at the farm.
Some families do this every year to let family know what is happening with their branch of the family tree. It’s a little brush up on what’s been happening and what has been going on with the major players of the organization.
So for your organization it might be talking about changes, experiences and the big things that have been happening. They might seem like uninteresting to other people, but it’s something people want to know and that they do find interesting.
2. State Of Your Industry
You can expand on the “State Of” idea by moving into the industry. You’re plugged in to your industry and you’re an expert. You can share your observations and knowledge and experience with your subscribers.
It’s a way to build your authority in the industry and also another way to provide something valuable in the form of information for your subscribers.
Marketers often talk about “valuable content” and that is one example. Something people can use to benefit themselves.
3. Visitor Stories
Visitor stories are wonderful for many reasons. They provide feedback for you. They allow the visitor to relive their experience with you, which is good if they had a good experience.
But for others it’s good to see how others have experience your travel business. Everybody has unique experiences and seeing what others have done can lead to that urge to go back or to experience something for the first time.
And it’s okay for stories to be detailed and unique. Stories are interesting and the way we look at stories. We see what the main characters are doing, but we also inject ourselves into their position and change the story to fit us.
4. Visitor Feedback
If you ask for customer feedback it’s good to show that you’re taking action on at least some of the suggestions. You don’t need to take action on everything, but when you do go ahead and acknowledge that someone made the suggestion.
This gives your customers proof that you’re doing what’s in their best interest. That you’re looking to improve for their benefit and that you’ll listen to their feedback when you ask or when they provide it.
5. Calendar Of Events
People also like to see what’s coming up. Travel businesses often have a calendar of events with special things coming up on the calendar that people can plan for.
Include this calendar and update it each time you send out your email newsletter. Highlight the big ones or call out the big event that is coming up or the closest one.
Sometimes people need multiple reminders of something before they finally take action and take action.
6. Behind The Scenes
People like getting a look behind the scenes and that includes the workings of your travel business.
For example, let’s say you’re a tour guide on a river somewhere beautiful in the US. You take people on canoe tours.
Tell the story of how you scout the routes. Talk about how you go out on your own with a kayak and look for interesting things to show people. Talk about your thought process and all the things that go into making the final product as good as possible for customers.
7. Photo Galleries
Travel businesses are right at the point where photos are a must. The world has become so visual and people can glean so much information from a single photograph.
Take photos yourself or have a professional photographer take regular photos of your business and product. Get unique perspectives and continually add new photos and put them in your email newsletter. You’ll give people something they can really become engaged with that can make them more interested in choosing you for their next trip.
8. Partnerships
Partnership announcements are great to let people know about how you’re improving their experience, but it’s also good from an exposure standpoint.
Mention your partners and complementary businesses in your email newsletters. You’re giving them promotion and they’ll likely do the same and mention you in their newsletters, which will help you get access and exposure to their audience.
9. Classic Photos And Stories
Building on the idea of photos is kind of taking a vintage approach to it. See if you have classic photos from the early days of the business. Look for things that have interest and uniqueness that will make people laugh or shake their heads.
And you can do the same with stories. Talk about how a recent even sparked a classic memory of something that happened. People love hearing those old stories and you’ll grab their attention if you do this once in a while.
10. Call-To-Action
Finally, end the email newsletter with a single call-to-action. You always want people moving forward. You don’t want to overdo this with multiple calls-to-action so identify the most important action you want people to take and end your email newsletter with that to keep people moving forward.
Final Thought
Don’t overlook email newsletters in today’s world of social media and online advertising and apps and all those things. The inbox is still a place where people spend much of their time and perhaps even more time than ever. Get permission to communicate with your customers in their inbox and use the tips above to give them valuable content that will keep them engaged with your brand.
Image: Joshua Tree National Park
