Advantage is offering its members a free window dressing service to entice customers into their agencies.
Since the launch of the scheme at the end of January five agencies have signed up to have their window displays spruced up by the consortium’s marketing team.
These include Stowaway Travel in Cheshunt and Traveltime World in Berkhamsted, both in Hertfordshire and Air Viceroy in West Wickham, Kent.
Stowaway Travel director Paul Stowe said the window dressing service has been working well for his agency.
“The windows now show the sort of products we want to sell and promote to our customers. It is very upmarket.”
Advantage said it wants to ensure members are making the most of marketing material produced by head office and they are promoting a “clean, fresh and professional image” to customers rather than cluttering the window with a lot of offers.
Window displays for members include ‘Hot Offers’ posters, which feature targeted price-led deals from selected operators, as well as monthly Window to the World hanging banners featuring offers, images and regional departures.
In addition, Advantage members receive generic ‘Experience’ banners each month featuring worldwide destinations. They are jointly branded with the Advantage and relevant tourist board logos.
The makeover service runs alongside Advantage’s efforts to encourage members to adopt its triangle logo on their shop signage. The consortium hopes its members will have adopted the new look by the end of 2008. Advantage will pay 50% of the cost of changing signage.
Chief executive John McEwan said: “Members say they want Advantage to have a higher profile among the public, and having a consistent brand across our network of 400 stores is a vital part of that. The best way to demonstrate our strength is rule out confusion over our brand.”
- To sign up to the Advantage scheme call 020 7324 3934