It’s vital for homeworkers to connect with their clients on social channels. Adam Shaw explores how to use them to build your business
When it comes to building up your profile and boosting sales, it’s impossible to ignore the power of social media – and that’s all the more true for travel agents who work from home.
Whether you’re talking with clients over Facebook Messenger, creating an eye-catching post from a recent fam trip or using a brand ambassador to highlight a special deal, when used well, social media can be a highly useful tool.
“Social media is now, arguably, the most important marketing channel for the travel industry, including for homeworking agents,” says Lauren Tobin, marketing manager at Blue Bay Travel.
“It provides a space in which agents and businesses are able to connect with customers and utilise the advanced tracking and reporting capabilities to ensure they are getting the most out of their money – something that is absent from many other marketing channels.”
Low-cost tool
Tobin says social media is an inexpensive, straightforward and effective way to engage with clients, allowing you to connect with thousands of people from the comfort of your own home.
Her colleague, Abbie Heaton, sales manager for Personal Travel Consultants, agrees that this connectivity is key, both in terms of working with clients and internally.
She says: “Homeworking companies utilise social media to communicate with their homeworkers informally, and it encourages a sense of community that has a quicker and more maintainable approach than any ‘traditional’ channels of communication.”
Choosing your platform
Tobin says Facebook remains the main tool when it comes to dealing with clients. At the same time, other channels such as Instagram are also useful for highlighting products and destinations quickly, and in a visually appealing manner.
And with trends shifting towards short-form videos – spearheaded by the rise of TikTok, the most-downloaded app in the world over the past three years – it’s important to learn how to use these as well.
With short-form videos becoming ever‑more popular, Instagram has in recent months placed more emphasis on reels – videos up to 90 seconds long that stay on your profile. These kinds of posts are likely to appeal to a younger demographic, with Facebook more popular among older clients.
Dave Callan, customer director at Travel Counsellors, advises agents that they should consider using as many platforms as possible.
He says: “We are now seeing that consumers from all backgrounds with very different needs are selecting products and travel brands based on the content they see on social media. Be authentic, be disciplined and consistent with
your content, engage with your audience and embrace new channels.”
Making an impact
Tricia Handley-Hughes, UK director at InteleTravel, says social media can be “very effective when used correctly”. This includes using polls or questions to engage with customers, and she recommends offering prizes or incentives.
Several companies offer their homeworkers plenty of support when it comes to improving their social media skills.
Agents at Personal Travel Consultants can request one-to-one sessions and the company funds marketing initiatives to help them with the cost of developing business pages. One recent development was to show agents how to attach QR codes to their advertising, enabling clients to find all the information they need in one place.
However, Handley-Hughes also notes that it’s important to be careful to follow best practice when using social media.
“Partners are protective about brands and logos, so advisors need to ensure any collateral does not misrepresent that supplier or the agency,” she adds, explaining that homeworking agents at InteleTravel receive regular training on using social media, and guidance on remaining compliant.
Above all, social media is often the first place customers will turn to, to see what you provide or how you can support them with any issues.
With a little luck and the right hashtags, and by continuing to explore all it has to offer, you might just send booking numbers in the right direction.
Top tips
Experiment
Be prepared to try out various social media platforms to engage with different types of customers and show off your personality.
Be compliant
Keep regulations in mind – if offering an inclusive price, be clear on exactly what is and isn’t included to avoid problems further down the line.
Don’t cut and paste
Stay authentic and original – don’t just copy and paste from other accounts or spam clients with repetitive information.
Keep it concise
Use hashtags, but be selective. Clients might be put off engaging with your posts if they look too long or distracting due to excessive hashtagging.
Mix it up
Keep your content varied – destination profiles and quality pictures can work well alongside static posts.
Stay engaged
Post regularly, respond to queries in a timely manner and always have a call to action (phone, email, website) so people can easily get in touch.