For a travel association in the UK, creating a magazine with good content mixed with specials offers was the perfect marketing tool needed to increase travel bookings for its members. They focused on producing quality articles with useful information making the magazine more informative than offer-driven. The marketing strategy included targeting current customers as well as new prospects, and creating materials that catered to different audiences. 

Marketing magic: Advantage talks the benefits of direct mail

by Abra Dunsby – TTG Media

In today’s social-media obsessed, digital-focused world, it’s easy to forget that more traditional marketing methods are still alive and kicking.

If used wisely, direct mail can be a hugely powerful marketing device – as Advantage Travel Partnership’s Carolyn Hardy is well aware. The marketing manager helped craft the concept for the consortia’s January peaks and June lates campaigns.

“For our January campaign, we tested a 24-page magazine, featuring lots of editorial content, with offers fitted around it,” explains Hardy. “We wanted it to be more editorial-led rather than offer-led, and we included lots of useful, inspiring content and images.”

“For example we produced a page about making family getaways unforgettable, including holiday ideas, advice, plus family-orientated offers,” says Hardy.

She adds that the magazine showcased the USPs of using an agent to customers, focusing on agents’ knowledge, expertise and understanding of customers’ needs.

“People like to read and do their own research when planning holidays, so it works perfectly for our members and their target audience,” she says.

The results have been excellent, too. “The mini magazine mailing generated an 8.2% booking response rate, which is the highest rate from a peak season campaign ever,” says Hardy. She puts the increase largely down to the change in format of the magazine, and also attributes it to Advantage’s smart targeting and segmentation of customers.