Travel Marketing: By Permission Only

It’s time for my late spring fishing trip to Cape Cod. The stripers are in, and I’m off to catch big fish from a small boat. I’ve been fishing the cape for over 20 years, and while I’m not a real ‘Cape Coddah,’ I’m not exactly a traditional tourist either. I guess you could call me a Cape insider.

The difference between tourists and insiders

Because I’ve been all over Cape Cod, I’m a pretty independent traveler. I don’t need tourism websites or trip planners, lodging guides or online booking – I know what I’ll be doing (usually holding a fishing rod). But the one thing I need to make my trip a success is information – up to date, local and reliable – insider information. I need to know what’s going on now, so I can refine my travel plans and get the most out of my limited vacation time. So, where can I get this level of detail?

Permission Marketing keeps me in touch 

Over the years, I’ve found several local sources of information: the best online fishing reports, tide charts, weather sites and events listings. The same ones used by Cape Cod residents. And I keep up  to date with permission marketing. I sign up for email lists, subscribe to blogs, get RSS feeds. I get insider information at my finger tips (or my email inbox). Good information usually means good fishing.

And the winner is....

The businesses and organizations that offer these useful information sharing services are the ones that get MY business. Whether it’s a resort, magazine publisher, bait shop, restaurant or nightclub, my information sources are often my first choices when it’s time to spend my travel dollar on the road. Clearly, I benefit from having the latest information from a reliable source. The businesses benefit from having my preference and loyalty. We both win.

And this helps you how?

So, you’re thinking, “Is this just an excuse to show another fishing picture?” Well, sure, but my point is really that destinations, resorts and attractions can expand their marketing beyond the stereotypical “tourist” and attract insiders like me, even locals, by providing valuable information and a steady stream of contact. Permission marketing keeps your brand in the traveler’s awareness and can prompt them to bite – even when they weren’t planning to go fishing. 

So ask yourself: Are you leveraging email and permission marketing to its full potential?