If you’re anything like Sheldon Cooper of “The Big Bang Theory,” you probably think you know everything there is to know about...well, everything. But there are a few lessons Sheldon could stand to learn when it comes to resort marketing.
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LESSON ONE: Connecting with people is more effective than bombarding them with info.
Gone are the days of effective outbound marketing. Because we’ve become so inundated with television, print, radio, SMS, and email ads, consumers tend to run away from marketing efforts that bombard them. People are tired of constantly being “sold.” You can’t even get on Facebook without being overwhelmed with ad after ad!
Instead of going the interruptive route described above, focus on the inbound method, which involves getting information to people that they actually find useful. This method is beneficial in resort marketing since finding a place to stay for say, your honeymoon, is a personal process. There are certain features consumers search for to make their stay perfect for THEM. The requirements are different for each person. This is where inbound marketing rises to the challenge.
Sheldon may know about string theory, but connecting with people is definitely NOT his forte. So how can he learn to meet people’s needs without engaging his fear of touch? Through scientific method.
LESSON TWO: There’s a scientific method behind inbound marketing.
To Sheldon’s undoubted delight, inbound marketing involves a four-step process that, while personal, doesn’t include actual physical contact. In fact, you don’t even have to see your customers. (Whew!) To ramp up your resort marketing efforts, utilize the following system:
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Image by Flickr user VoiceWaves ATTRACT - The first step in the inbound marketing method is to attract visitors to your website. Getting visitors there is the first thing that has to happen in order to grow your customer base. Here are some effective ways to attract your ideal buyers:
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Blogging: By creating useful blog posts that your target audience will want to read, you potentially create new leads. Consider your buyer persona and create content that answers their questions.
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Keywords: When coming up with blog posts or other web content, it’s important to incorporate keywords so that users can find the information you’ve worked so hard to get out there. Think about the words and phrases your audience would use to search for information and turn those terms into keywords.
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Social Media: In the world of inbound marketing, social media is key. It’s crucial to be present on the same social media sites as your audience. Doing so puts a face to your company and allows you to easily interact with customers.
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Image by Flickr user Garfield Anderssen CONVERT - Now that you’ve mastered the process of getting visitors to your site, it’s time to convert those visitors into leads. Don’t worry all you Sheldonites out there; this isn’t the type of conversion your religious Texan mother speaks of when the subject of the unsaved comes up. Instead, to convert website visitors into leads you need to obtain contact information from said visitors. You can do this by including a call-to-action on your website, which will lead users to a landing page that includes a form for them to fill out with their contact info. Keep the form short and sweet so as not to deter a potential lead; if it’s too in-depth users will most likely move on to something else.
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CLOSE - Even though many things have changed about marketing through the years, one thing remains the same. Closing the sale is still the hardest part. It doesn’t take a genius, though (sorry, Sheldon). So what’s the best way to make it happen? Use lead scoring to determine where in the buying process each lead is, and then create an email campaign that nurtures your leads. As long as the emails provide useful information (DON’T SPAM), then you’ll build trust with users and they’ll be more inclined to complete the buying process. -
DELIGHT - The process isn’t over once you’ve closed the sale; brand loyalty is crucial. How do you create the type of brand loyalty that will have customers singing your praises on every social media outlet there is? Continue nurturing the relationship with emails, but cater these messages to what your customers need now. In addition, stay connected through social media to keep in touch with customers.
LESSON THREE: Not all relationships are scary. Take it to the next level.
The good news for Sheldon Cooper is that lasting customer relationships are built mostly online these days. In this case, taking the relationship to the next level doesn’t involve unnecessary touching, making small talk, or bending to “social conventions.” But it does involve catapulting your resort business to victory. All it takes is a simple inbound method and you’ve got the coolest resort marketing scheme in Pasadena.
