Marketers in the travel industry — whether transportation, lodging, or destinations — should consider leaning into customer advocacy. By involving loyal customers in promotions, brands can capitalize on the authenticity of word-of-mouth marketing. If you’re looking for ways to involve your loyal customers in your advocate marketing program, check out this list of ideas you can use as challenges in the Zuberance platform. What are challenges? These are tasks that your advocates can participate in in exchange for rewards points that they can use for gift cards and more.
Watching a reservation platform tutorial
Travel brands with a robust reservation platform can ask their advocates to watch a video tutorial on using it in exchange for reward points. The video can demonstrate the navigation, ease of use, and features of your platform.
You can also take it a step further by asking customers to make videos to share how to make reservations with their friends, family and followers. In addition, your advocates can discuss the potential benefits, like getting the lowest prices available, choosing seats or rooms, and avoiding fees when making changes.
Sharing trip highlights
Ask customers to highlight their own experiences via UGC — complete with photos or video — and post them on social media. Zuberance makes it easy for advocates to share on social media by simple clicking on the icons for each platform. You can ask advocates to use a branded hashtag along with #sponsored post to comply with FTC guidelines and then upload a screenshot of their post to earn the points.
Offer unique destination discount codes or links
For many travelers on a budget, discount codes are like money in the hand. Provide your advocates with their own unique promo code or trackable link to share with audiences in search of a good deal. Be sure to have them discuss what the discount covers, how many times it can be used, when it expires, and where to enter the code on the website before checkout.
Watch or share a hotel amenities video
Everyone likes free Wi-Fi at a hotel, but not all amenities are equally popular with guests. Ask your customer advocates to create video content on their favorite amenities.
Answer questions to provide feedback
Many brands that use Zuberance create challenges aimed at gathering feedback. You could ask questions to gauge how advocates feel about amenities, policies, options and more. For example, a hotel might ask how often they use the gym during their stay or how visitors feel about the parking options. Your brand can use these answers to improve services in the future.
Read or answer FAQs
Answering FAQs can be an invaluable tool for prospective travelers who may have concerns about a particular mode of transportation, destination, or experience. Start by evaluating the questions your customer service team members get the most, then quiz your advocates on them. Be sure to provide the correct answers so that your advocates can learn while participating in a challenge that earns them rewards.
Let’s say you’ve been tasked with marketing long-distance train expeditions to consumers who may have interest, but not knowledge, of what this type of adventure entails. Your FAQs might include:
- What should I pack for a weeklong trip?
- What kind of food is served onboard?
- Are there activities for children?
- What’s the difference between coach and business class?
- What sightseeing activities are available on my route?
- What’s included in a first-class private sleeping room?
- Can you accommodate special dietary needs?
- Are there packages for seniors?
- Are the train and sightseeing stops wheelchair accessible?
- Are there pet-friendly options?
Post 5-star reviews on third-party travel sites
Hotel brands can leverage the power of Zuberance to amplify their reputation by posting 5-star reviews on third-party travel sites. By doing so, they can showcase positive guest experiences and attract potential customers. These authentic, user-generated reviews can significantly impact the decision-making process of potential guests. In a competitive market where travelers heavily rely on reviews, having a plethora of 5-star ratings can give a hotel brand a significant edge and drive bookings.
Refer friends to your company
Harness the power of Zuberance to grow your travel company by encouraging satisfied customers to refer their friends and family. Word-of-mouth marketing, especially from trusted sources like friends and family, is incredibly impactful. Zuberance makes it easy for your brand advocates to share their positive experiences and refer your travel services to their network. This not only helps in expanding your customer base but also strengthens your brand’s credibility and trustworthiness. After all, a recommendation from a friend or family member is more likely to result in a booking than any other form of advertising.
In one example, a well-known Las Vegas hotel built an army of over 10,000 guest advocates. These advocates posted thousands of positive reviews and other pieces of UGC on travel sites, the brand’s website, and social media, boosting the hotel’s rankings and ratings plus massively amplifying positive word of mouth.
Zuberance’s all-in-one customer advocacy platform can help you reach new markets and demographics simply by leveraging word-of-mouth from satisfied guests. Rewarding real customers who tout the highlights of their experience can help elevate a brand’s reach, reputation, and trustworthiness. To learn more about how Zuberance can help travel industry brands tap into customer advocacy with its unique platform, reach out for a demo.
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Businesses leverage Zuberance to fuel their advocacy programs, integrating them into their overall marketing programs. The outcome? Lowered marketing expenses, enhanced customer engagement, improved retention rates, and most importantly, positive ROI.
