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By Tine Thygesen, CEO Everplaces. This post was also published as a popular guest post on travel tech site news site Tnooz.
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In the recent month Everplaces went to a two traditional consumer travel shows, Herning Travel Show and ITB in Berlin, to see how travel companies promote their destinations. The shows were massive and included all the major destinations, airlines and travel companies in Northern Europe.
Many had used small fortunes on their stands, which did look impressive. But when it came to thinking creatively about marketing, we were disappointed, there was practically no digital touch to any of the marketing materials.
The goal for having a stand is to meet people, look them in the eyes, build a connection and get them to select you when they finally book their next travel in some months time. A highly competitive situation, so it I was surprised everyone opted for same traditional paper brochures, since they are notoriously ineffective for long term effect.
That fact is that 34% of people now book travel from their mobile, and 40% use their mobiles to find information*. This is a major opportunity for marketeers. * IBT World Travel Monitor
All exhibitors had a wealth of physical brochures, all beautiful colorful materials which would be a great marketing if it wasn’t because most people throw them away before they ever read them.
A big advantage to digital marketing over physical marketing is longevity.
Once a potential costumer has downloaded information about you and your offerings onto their phone they can find you again. This small detail is crucial because:
Digital marketing trumps when it comes to flexibility and cost savings.
Instead of producing expensive brochures that become outdated, or fail to hit the sweet spot, an app is flexible. (ok, perhaps not all apps, but an app made with Everplaces is). The app can be updated with new content to keep it up to date, or have the contents replaced if the existing content isn’t effective. This allows the marketing manager to test different material and different segments. Long term it offers serious financial savings for printing, because an app can be distributed over and over again.
As an alternative to big catalogues (which people are loath to carry around) I’d suggest a tiny little brochure in the shape of an app which encourages people to download the app in their own time. You’re much more likely they will take this tiny brochure than a big catalogue, yet it allows you to present as much information.
Once you have an app on people’s phone, you have the first foot in the door to start building a connection. That’s a whole other story which we’ll cover in another blog post.
Looking at the piles of paper brochures at the trade show I couldn’t help think how much rainforest we could have saved, and how much better results the travel companies would have got if they’d promoted downloads of branded apps with information and offers instead. After all our apps only cost $7500. You don’t get many brochures for that!
Tine Thygesen
CEO, Everplaces.
See more on everplaces.com/business
Everplaces are super stoked to announce the launch of a new series of city guides in partnership with global tour company Urban Adventures.
The city guides feature the favourite local spots and insider know-how from the Urban Adventures team, who are located in the cities covered. The guides are built on Everplaces self-publishing app technology.
City guides to Amsterdam, Toronto, Berlin & Melbourne are already available to download in the App Store & more will follow soon. The series is planned to include at least 15 destinations.
Using branded apps to connect with customers
Urban Adventures is a global day tour company with a liking for digital technology. When they wanted to create something special to give to their customers, traditional printed material just didn’t cut it.
Using the Everplaces platform, Urban Adventures started creating city guides so their customers could have local advice with them throughout their trip, also after the official tour was over.
“Most of our customers stay on in their chosen city for an extra 2-4 days so we wanted to find an interesting & innovative way to help guide them through the rest of their stay. Everplaces helped us to create a series of stunning travel apps that our customers love.”
Tony Carne, General Manager, www.urbanadventures.com
The app also makes for a memento of the trip afterwards, and makes it easy to connect with Urban Adventures again when you visit one of their other 82 destinations.
Urban Adventures chose to curate their own content, having local staff in all the cities. With Everplaces’ platform the content can be easily updated and adjusted going forward.
To download the free guides search “Urban Everplaces” in iTunes.
Urban Adventures is a global day tour company offering small group day tours in over 80 locations in six continents. It’s a part of Intrepid Travel.
Everplaces for Business is a new app building service for hotels and companies in travel. It allows brands to build beautiful mobile brochures and city guides in a matter of hours. For further information visit Everplaces Business new mini-site or get in touch.
Visiting New York this spring? Everplaces guest blogger and NYC resident Nimurak gives us the low-down with her personalized 24 hour guide to New York.
24 hours in NYC is almost an oxymoron. It’s impossible to see all of Manhattan, let alone New York City in limited time. There are tons of guides that point out the major landmarks. However, it’s the numerous shops, restaurants, great spaces and people that make New York City the incredible city that it is.
To make the most of your 24 hours, wake up early, grab a cup of coffee and head down to the South Street Seaport to walk along the cobblestone streets and catch the best view of the Brooklyn Bridge and Brooklyn. I recommend grabbing breakfast at my Sunday morning favorite, Made Fresh Daily. The intimate eatery provides magazines and books to read in your leisure, as you eat or sip on an endless cup of coffee.
Next, you can cab or walk over easily to Chinatown, one of the most culturally distinct neighborhoods in NYC. While tourists typically visit this area to purchase faux designer goods, the true experience lies in the side streets. If you want to blend in, order a Bubble Tea or grab a cone from Chinatown Ice Cream Factory.
If you’re traveling with any female friends/family, it’s necessary to do a bit of shopping in Soho. Spend a couple hours exploring Soho, ensuring to explore the little boutiques. One of my favorite stores is called Kiosk that curates unique items from around the world. It’s one of those stores that you won’t find anywhere else. For lunch, I recommend Balthazar, a NYC classic. Felix is another great option (that will be kinder to your wallet), and a popular spot to people watch.
After refueling, it’s time to do a bit more walking around, so head over to the Highline. The park is fairly new (open to the public in 2009) and therefore, often disregarded in most guides. The Highline preserves New York history through old railroad track structures from decades past. Sit among the green plants above the rushing streams of traffic and enjoy the peaceful, yet ironic experience.
If you’re like most visitors, you’ll want to walk through Central Park. Head uptown and explore the different trails, and paths. At some point, you’ll begin to wonder what’s for dinner. (Don’t all trips revolve around when and where to eat?) Stop at the Museum of Modern Art to dine at The Modern. The NYT recently gave the restaurant 3 stars (as of March 2013). Plus, if you have time to walk through the museum before dinner, experience some of the best modern art collections. There are millions of other great restaurants, so feel free to browse through my other Everplaces collections, if you’re looking for something else.
Boys and girls, 24 hours in NYC hasn’t ended yet. I meant the full 24 hours because nightlife is a vibrant part of this city. For drinks and nightlife, it really depends on what you’re looking for. For the best bespoke cocktail, I recommend going to Little Italy and checking out the Mulberry Project. Or you can snag a cannoli and sit at a café. If you’re looking for a lively night, head to the meatpacking area to the Standard Biergarten for a beer. Once you’re in this area, there are plenty of clubs nearby. Or if you’re looking for something a bit more low-key, cab down to the Lower East Side, abundant with bars. Either way, it will be very easy to extend your 24 hours into the early morning.
Nicole Murakami is a digital strategist & Everplaces guest blogger living in New York. She loves social media, discovering new places and grilled cheese.
Collections are a great way to share your favourite places on Everplaces, or create mini-guides for visiting friends & family. Got a collection that you’d like to share with us? Send a mail to tom[at]everplaces.com.
Photo credit: nebulux76