Updated November 29, 2023
You've got about a million tasks on your plate. You're working with clients, putting out fires, rebooking canceled flights (again!), and all the other things that go into the day-to-day of your travel business.
Editing photos and videos, scheduling social media posts, and managing an email list can seem daunting on top of all the other things you need to get done.
But the right tools can help take the "ugh!" out of travel agent marketing.
What if I told you there are tools out there (free ones, FYI) that can make your travel agency marketing efforts more manageable, effective, and even enjoyable.
Sounds promising! So buckle up because here are the travel agency marketing tools you need!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.
Canva - Your graphic design powerhouse
Bring out your inner Picasso with Canva, a free graphic design and digital marketing tool to help you with everything from finding photos for your website and social media to creating the most beautiful itineraries your clients could hope for.
If you're a graphic design beginner, don't fret!
You can say goodbye to the days of pixelated website photos and unimpressive social media posts.
With Canva, you can easily unleash your inner design genius. From Facebook and Instagram graphics to blog post banners and promotional content, Canva has a treasure trove of templates and customization options.
Creating designs on Canva is intentionally simple. Find a template you like, drag and drop elements to suit your needs, and change colors and fonts to match your travel brand. Voila, you have a masterpiece!
Canva's free subscription gives you access to many things, but if you want access to everything they have, you can upgrade to a paid subscription.
One thing I love about the paid subscription is the brand kits. You can add your colors, logo, fonts, etc., to your brand kit. Then, when customizing a template, you don't have to search for the right font or color. Just select it from your brand kit, and it automatically updates.
Brand kits simplify branding and aesthetics, giving your travel agency a polished and professional look.
ConvertKit - Master email marketing
Email marketing - Yeah, I heard that collective groan. But hear me out.
Emails allow you to personally connect with clients and potential customers by reaching them directly in their inboxes.
ConvertKit simplifies email marketing through simple, intuitive, mobile-friendly landing pages, signup forms, and email campaigns. They make starting and growing your email list easy, even if you've never had one.
Plus, if you don't currently have a website, you can use ConvertKit to set up a free landing page while you build your full site (or have it built).
Wouldn't you love to have a growing tribe of travel enthusiasts who are eager to open an email from you each week? And not just any travel enthusiasts. A potential client who has chosen to hear from you and wants to open your emails and read your blog posts.
You can have that with ConvertKit. And it's super simple.
Create your account and set up your first landing page or form. The forms can be embedded on many websites, including Wix and Squarespace, making it easy to add a signup form wherever needed.
Once you've built your list, you can send personalized email marketing campaigns to your target audience.
Gone are the days of copying and pasting email addresses into the BCC line of an email. Instead, you'll send laser-focused messages to specific audience segments, ensuring that each person receives only the communications they want.
Plus, you can start using ConvertKit for free if you have fewer than 1,000 people on your list. If you want access to premium features, like automated email sequences, you'll need to upgrade to a paid plan. Plans are based on the number of subscribers you have so that ConvertKit can grow with you.
Later - Social media scheduling for the win
Being constantly active on social media can be exhausting. We all know that it's more than just cute cat videos and mouth watering food snaps (but we do enjoy those!). Enter Later, the travel agent's social media best friend.
Gone are the days of scrambling to post in real-time or trying to remember if you shared that breathtaking sunset photo on Instagram. This savvy tool allows you to schedule posts in advance on your favorite social media platform, including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.
You can create customized posts for each platform or copy one post across multiple platforms. Then sit back and sip your coffee while Later keeps your social media accounts up to date.
Later also has a handy link in bio tool, making your Instagram bio a powerful marketing tool. Each post can link directly to a different website page, blog post, or any other link you want.
From the jet-setting millennials to the adventure-seeking retirees, Later can help you reach and engage with travelers from every corner of the globe.
One thing I love about Later is the ability to preview your Instagram feed before things post. We all know those first six to nine photos someone sees on our Instagram profile can determine whether or not they become followers.
With Later, you can ensure your Instagram feed always looks exactly how you want it. No more posting a photo and realizing it clashes with the one you posted last week that now falls right underneath your new image!
Later's free plan starts with five posts per platform per month, so if you've struggled with posting consistently, it's a great way to start posting at least once weekly. You can upgrade to a paid plan anytime for more posts or to access more advanced scheduling features.
BONUS: Lightroom - Stunning visuals
Lightroom doesn't have a free version, although you can do a 7-day free trial if you want to check it out. But the paid version is completely worth the $10 per month.
High-quality photos and engaging content are essential to a social media marketing strategy, especially in the travel industry. There's no better way to turn a good photo into a great one than Lightroom. Plus, it's simple to use even if you don't have photo editing experience.
Edits are all done with sliders, so even if you don't know what changing the highlights or shadows in your photo will do, you can slide them back and forth to find out!
If you've looked at someone's Instagram feed and thought, "Wow, those photos all go together," I can guarantee a Lightroom preset is involved. Presets make it so you can do a bunch of edits with one button, creating a consistent look across multiple photos or videos.
You can use Lightroom's built-in presets, create your own, or you can purchase Lightroom presets and install them to use.
The bottom line - The travel agency marketing tools you need
With these tools, you can make your travel agent marketing manageable and successful. Get creative, experiment, and infuse your unique personality into every aspect of your travel marketing.
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