Is Your Marketing Too Hokey?

A better question to ask is: "Does it work?"

I got to thinking about this in the wake of an email I sent to my opt-in list to clear out some slightly dinged copies of my home study course that have been lying around. It prompted a snide comment from one recipient who apparently thought my approach was "corny."

It bothered me for awhile until I realized that the email was working just fine, thank you very much. My backlog of merchandise is shrinking even as I type this. Should I throw out a highly effective appeal because one person didn't like it?

I wonder if home-based travel agents sometimes shy away from doing things that could get them more clients or build value in the clientele they already have because they think it's too "obvious" or "hokey" or even "embarrassing."

For instance, if you were promoting a Hawaiian cruise, would you dress up in a loud Hawaiian shirt with a lei and a broad-brimmed straw hat (or a hula skirt if you're a gal) and pipe Don Ho onto your backyard patio for a cruise night at your house? Or would you be afraid your friends and neighbors would think you'd taken leave of your senses?

My guess is that an approach like that would work pretty well. Travel is about fun so what's wrong with having a little fun while you're selling it?

Let's all make a New Year's resolution. Let's promise to do one thing that "pushes the envelope" of our comfort zone when it comes to marketing.

I'm not sure what that might be. Maybe it's just sending out a "mass" email using mail merge, that is one that you haven't personally written to each separate recipient but that looks personalized. Or maybe, if you specialize in dive travel, it might mean showing up at a Chamber of Commerce meeting in wet suit. The trade press is full of stories about travel agents who have done something unusual or even downright kooky to publicize their business. Look there for inspiration. The point is to test yourself. To try something that might be "uncomfortable."

The important thing is to notice what works and what doesn't. If it doesn't work, fine. You've learned something. But if it works like gangbusters, you may have found a marketing strategy or tactic that will keep paying dividends for years to come.