Pre-season marketing checklist

As the leaves start to appear on trees, more visitors will be arriving. Is your marketing ready to make the best of the year ahead?

Once busy with visitors, marketing gets harder to fit in so here’s a pre-season marketing checklist to feel a little more prepared.

Let’s focus on just a few elements for now:

Anticipation

[ ] Ideas for social media posts asking what visitors are most looking forward to, ways to get them to talk about forthcoming trips

[ ] Messages (e.g. by email or text) for guests who’ve already booked - what advance information will help to enhance their visit/stay? What kind of information will encourage them to share their happy anticipation on social media?

[ ] What information/ideas could help to increase stay and spend?

Image bank

[ ] Identify the gaps - what photos do you need? e.g. when the sun’s shining and your garden looks good. Make a list, keep it somewhere prominent and on your phone, put times in diary

[ ] Label and organise photos so it’s easy to grab them for social media, website, mailings etc

[ ] Videos - which moments do you need to capture? What would be most popular/attention-grabbing?

Social media - for when you’re busy operationally

[ ] Content bank - scribble ideas for posts now so you can use them when you get busy

[ ] What are the key messages you need to use now to attract visitors, and later when you’re busy with visitors?

[ ] Which other social media accounts do you want to collaborate with? What do you need to do now to build relationships with them?

[ ] Can you join forces with other local businesses for more joint impact?

[ ] What do you need to learn now so you can be more effective later? Maybe this?

Mailings

[ ] Opt-in ready on website, social media and on email signature file

[ ] Dates for future mailings in diary

[ ] Topics and draft content ready to just ‘drop in’ when you’re busy

Reviews and recommendations

[ ] Where/how can you ask for reviews?

[ ] What ‘talk triggers’ do you have ready to prompt more word of mouth recommendations?