Words Mean Everything in Marketing

Hello! Welcome to Behind the Strategies! Chatting here today is Meghan, Stack Strategies' content writer (among other things). From my perspective on marketing, I wanted to dedicate a post to what I love most in life -- writing!

Writing in a marketing sphere may seem worlds away from creative writing, but I’ve found being able to do one massively helps with the other. After writing for several months for Stack Strategies, I’ve picked up a lot on what it takes to successfully market another person’s brand, especially travel agents' brands. For this blog post, I’m laying out some pointers to keep in mind while writing with a marketing mindset for travel.

One thing I have definitely mastered is how to cater my words to fit each individual aesthetic. By that I mean, painting a picture with my words. When it comes to marketing, words mean everything. Each word has its own connotation, and ‘feel’ to it, and adds so much depending on what you use. For example, the word “hot” feels much different from “sweltering,” and “tropical climate” sounds a lot more appealing than both.

Even though it all means the same thing, for the most part, they’ll get a much different response depending on how it’s phrased. A sentence could be:

• “Think of your next vacation, sitting next to a pool in the heat and drinking a cocktail.”

Compared to:

• “Imagine the adventure of your dreams come to life, lounging poolside with sun-kissed skin and a refreshing tropical blend in hand.”

Both sentences mean the same, but one really comes to life. Switching out words is a quick way to turn a bland sentence into a positive, emotion-provoking experience. It’s one of my favorite ways to incorporate my love of language into marketing writing. The same principle applies to this as it does to something more artistic, like poetry.

Another important point when it comes to marketing writing for travel agents, in particular, is to make sure to focus on certain things when talking about experiences and destinations. For example, if a business is all about cruising, I would choose to focus a description of Alaska on its water features. We’re talking “drifting past glaciers,” whale watching, state-of-the-art ships made to withstand the elements, and so on.

However, for a client who wants a website to reflect their love of adventure travel, my description of Alaska would feature all the adventurous fun to be had, such as hiking in the mountains, skiing, four-wheeling, and hardcore camping.

Lastly, the audience matters above all. Marketing content should be written with the audience in mind at all times to make sure these lovely descriptions are hitting the right notes.

For example, with family vacationers, I’d be sure to say something like: “Cruises are the ultimate multi-generational way to travel - fitted for picky eaters, an endless array of activities for all age groups, and babysitting services for the youngest of voyagers.”

For agents looking to appeal to a client base of a different variety of vacationers -- let's say, spring-breakers -- I’d go more along the lines of: “On a cruise, the party never ends with bottomless drink packages, room service for long nights, 24-hour food options, and onboard clubs to keep your whole group cheers-ing until you watch the sunrise over the ocean horizon.”

Very different approaches for very different clients, each looking to get a much different experience from their vacation. This is why it helps to know in advance who a business is hoping to attract client-wise. Catering the words on a website to this specific cast of potential clients is how I hope to help hook them in on my end. When people can really “see” themselves there, that’s when I know I’ve done my job.

No matter the topic, when it comes to marketing writing, it’s all about perspective. Flowery, poetic language is -- no surprise -- my favorite. However, I do try to trim it down and keep it to the point for clients based on who they are. Incorporating the business owner's specific phrases and trying to capture their individual “vibe” is an important skill that I continue to work on each time I write for a new person.

Check out the different "vibes" in these websites we did for some travel agent clients and friends:

When it comes to descriptions, what features to focus on, and how much to say, the answer lies in who I’m writing for. At the end of the day, each client has an audience that I’m writing to cater to while maintaining their personality. It can be a tough game of give and take, but just like poetry, it’s art when it all comes together!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s blog post from Behind the Strategies! Be sure to join our mailing list and never miss an update to keep up with the latest in marketing tips. Until then, thanks for stopping by!

--Meghan