How To Make the most of PR
author: Charlotte Cullinan PR may sound like an expensive venture for an independent travel retailer, but with
the right stories and the right agency, the return to the business can be invaluable
Hit the headlines A
s a small travel agency you might think you can’t afford to use a PR company. But I would argue that
you can’t afford not to. PR used wisely and cost effectively is the single most powerful business opportunity.” So says Spear Travels managing director
Peter Cookson, who has seen PR play a huge role in the development of his network of 11 shops. Like many agents, Cookson admits PR wasn’t a priority for the agency historically, as the team didn’t have the in-house skills. However, since 2013 he has worked with marketing and PR specialists 3For, and says: “All the PR activity has raised our profile considerably both in the industry, with the public and within the local community. There is no doubt it has had the desired effect, having won several national and local awards.” Cookson says one of the benefits of
employing a PR over attempting it in-house is their ability to create the right PR message around an idea, and pitch it to the media creatively. “They have the time and the dynamism to take these ideas to fruition, where we have always failed in the past.”
Pitch perfect The media pitch is all important –The Sunday Timestravel section’s deputy editor Martin Hemming says the PRs that impress him most are those that act as a helpful interface between journalists and travel companies, and know which ideas are relevant for the title. “You can tell they read all the travel press and our section, so have a good idea of what information we use,” he says.
Hemming adds that he receives 60-70 press releases each day, but hardly any are
5 tips for: using PR creatively
Fresh ideas Agencies can assist with ideas beyond PR. Douglas asks Seriously PR for help with flyers, creating competitions and finding firms to collaborate with.
Don’t be afraid PR isn’t just for large travel firms, as journalists need new stories, unique angles and expert advice – which small specialists can offer.
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TTGLUXURY.COM SUMMER 2016 BUSINESS OF TRAVEL
What to expect For clients, Grifco coordinates press trips, drafts press releases, amplifies messages across social media and generates creative concepts.
Team work All Spear Travels’ staff are encouraged to suggest ideas for stories, which 3For develop. Branches help craft angles for their local area.
Showcase coverage When Full Circle relaunches its website this year it will include a section highlighting press coverage, which Douglas hopes will “add real credibility”.
from independent agents. For luxury agents keen to start gaining coverage, he suggests offering their services as expert commentators on topical stories. “We react to what is going on, and agents are a good bellwether for people’s attitudes. We’d welcome hearing about trends, as we often send reporters
out to ask people on the high street about destinations. It’s a way of getting your name in print, and shows you are an expert.” Niall Douglas, managing director of
Oxfordshire’s Full Circle Travel, agrees that a mention in a prestigious title is of huge value. He has worked with local travel and tourism specialist agency Seriously PR for the past two years, and his packed media cuttings file includes clippings from
Harper’s Bazaar, Telegraph Luxury, The Guardian and Wedding Ideas. He says: “We do get enquiries following media coverage, but it’s all about brand awareness. Plus, if we get a web link from Harper’s Bazaar it’s worth its weight in gold.” Seriously PR also manages all of Full
Circle’s social media activity, and Douglas spends around £2,000 a month on their services, which he believes is money well invested. “I could spend that on just one quarter-page advert in a national magazine. I
feel having a PR is worth it, and there are real long-term benefits,” he says. When choosing an agency to work with,
Claire Griffin, managing director of luxury travel specialist Grifco PR, advises: “The acid test of a good PR agency is their fundamental ability to secure excellent top-tier coverage in a client’s key media outlets. It is worth looking not only at the agency’s client list but also researching how extensive their impact has been.” For those unsure about their agency’s
newsworthy credentials, Griffin encourages them to have confidence: “Travel agents always have so much news – selling new countries and new hotels, and the prices and offers they have are something that can be promoted as well.”
Pictured 1. Full Circle’s coverage in The Business Travel Magazine... 2. ... and Wedding Ideas
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