By Andy Ogg
Here is how I discovered the power of Pinterest. About a year ago, I took some time and educated myself on Pinterest. Being most definitely “out of the loop” on some of these new social outlets, my fiancé had been using and enjoying Pinterest for years, I had to learn why and what was so attractive about it. Needless to say, it was a learning curve of not only education but possible applications that made me step back in awe of Pinterest’s power.
Pinterest is a social media based site that is unique in several ways. Pinterest isn’t necessarily concerned with what you are doing today or what you had for lunch. Pinterest accommodates the ability to gather digital content from all over the web to one place called a Board. A Board is very easy to create and it can pertain to home projects, art, clothing, and of course travel.
Last April, we were able to celebrate our daughters first birthday. We had an appointment with a friend, who is a professional photographer, to shoot some images of our family and our daughter to celebrate the big milestone. Bram Norman is a fantastic photographer and not only has he photographed our maternity photoshoot but worked closely with me to capture the moment when I proposed to my fi. Bram is awesome to say the least. Leading up to the big photoshoot, my wife and Bram connected on Pinterest to share ideas, photographs that were desired as well as create unique ideas for our shoot.
My fiance created a Board on Pinterest and searched to the end of the internet “pinning” ideas and photographs that she wished to re-create or use for motivation. Her board contained over 200 “pins” by the end of her quest at which point she shared the board with Bram. Bram reviewed these and at the day of the shoot, knew exactly what we were looking for and nailed every shot and moment perfectly.
This leads me to believe that Pinterest may be one of the most powerful tools for a Travel Agent in today’s technology based environment and I would like to examine a few cases in which Pinterest can not only help you interact with your clients but acquire new ones, as well.
Let’s imagine that Mr. and Mrs. Smith, along with their one child, approach you for a vacation to somewhere tropical. In this circumstance, let’s assume that Mr. and Mrs. Smith aren’t too picky on their goals but have the basic premise of warm water, sandy beaches, cold drinks and an inviting environment for their child.
As their new Travel Agent, you could create a Board on Pinterest and begin “pinning” images that you think may fit their needs. Maybe a picture of a pool in Cabo San Lucus or the beautiful beaches in Belize. Maybe you find a room that has it’s own veranda overlooking the ocean with a room for their child to sleep peacefully while the Smith’s enjoy a dessert drink on the balcony. The possibilities are endless but once you have “pinned” several locations, properties, and attractions, you can then share the board with the Smiths to gauge their interest and further help clarify their hopes for the perfect vacation.
The power is both ways. Imagine if in another circumstance the Smith family approaches you with a Pinterest Board they created. Images of restaurants, beaches and resorts are among the pins and your job of putting their dream into reality is the task. Wasn’t that an easy vacation to book?
Pinterest has some amazing utility and although these examples can be on a one on one basis, for a niche specialist, your Boards could not only help customers decide on their next trip but attract new ones via Pinterest. For example, If you are a river cruise expert, I would have a Pinterest account with multiple Boards, each board for a different vessel and destination, this would allow potential clients to view what is possible without having to make the commitment to inquire, as well as pin images of their desire to revisit when it’s time to book.
Although this is not your typical marketing strategy, we all know that in a world of ever changing technology and increasing modes of communication, every new way to market and promote your business is key. Pinterest may be your best new promotional tool. See you on the Boards!