Reputation is everything in the travel trade. Knowing how to enhance your standing with customers, and minimise the negatives when things go wrong, is essential for your business.
This is where the art of public relations comes in.
As demonstrated by the inclusion of two seminars at World Travel Market 2008, PR as a tool to promote your business – and as a means of managing a crisis – is increasingly important even for the smaller agency and sole trader. So what’s the difference between PR and marketing your business?
The Chartered Institute of Public Relations deputy director-general Ann Mealor said: “PR is what you do, say and what others say about you.
“Good PR is about managing your reputation and building long-term relationships – that’s probably the biggest difference between PR and marketing.”
Large-scale PR doesn’t come cheap, but there are obvious ways smaller companies can employ the tricks of the trade for their own ends at minimal cost.
“Working with the media can be very beneficial – it helps promote your business and services and the particular benefits of using your company,” said Mealor.
Writing your own press releases when you have good news – such as an award, a new branch or a promotion – and approaching the local media as a travel trade commentator can help to raise your profile.
As business expands, you can bring in a professional on a short-term or ad hoc basis. “Specify what you want and agree with the consultancy or independent how many days a month you need,” said Mealor. “Set your objectives and agree how you will evaluate them and what your expectations are.”
When the news is good, the do-it-yourself approach is fine – it’s when things go wrong that an effective PR response can be a little trickier.
“Travel companies have crises to deal with on occasions – when something goes wrong with a customer and things flare up,” said Mealor. “You can be caught on the hop if you’ve never dealt with the media before – when the news is good you go to the journalist, but when the news is bad they will often come straight to you. There may be a perfectly good explanation why something has gone wrong, but you might find it hard to get that message out – especially if you are panicked.
“Smaller companies just have to make sure they take their time when dealing with [something] negative – ask what the journalist wants, write down the questions and say you’ll get back to them. Get the correct answers and make sure your staff know what you’re saying so they say the same thing, and update your website,” said Mealor.
She points out that PR is not just about press releases and responses in a crisis – it’s essential to make it part of your core business strategy. With the internet and blogging, a bad holiday experience can spread like wildfire, so it’s essential to make sure you have a response.
“Things can go wrong very quickly so remember customer service is all about communication – look after your customers from the start, communicate with them and make sure your front-line staff are customer service trained and that your website is kept up to date.”
In the current economic climate when many businesses will be looking to shave costs, remember that when times are tough, customers turn to companies they trust and with which they have had good relations in the past. A well thought-out PR strategy will reap rewards. “It gives you a competitive edge in the marketplace and will ultimately boost your bottom line,” said Mealor.
Tips for an effective PR strategy
- When hiring a PR consultant, use a reputable company that is a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations – they must adhere to a professional code of conduct and standards.
- Another good way to hire a PR consultant is by personal recommendation.
- Give the consultant a clear brief and make sure they know about your business and its competitors.
- Depending on the size of your business, when the time is right you could bring someone in house and make them a member of your team.
- Remember the travel industry is people-focused and, with the web, the news that a customer has been treated badly can quickly spread around the globe via the internet.
- Be aware and respond quickly if you want to avoid bad PR.