Let’s face it. Tourism is a competitive landscape.
But you can cut through the noise and help encourage bookings by crafting regular email content that captivates and converts more of your wonderful visitors.
Read on to understand how to create emails that your subscribers love to read and take action on.
Don’t write a word before getting to know your audience
Are they adventure seekers, luxury travellers, or family groups? The more you know about your best visitors and guests, the better you can tailor your content to their interests and preferences.
And it’s not only relevant for the topics you include in your email – the type of audience you’re writing for also needs to guide the tone of voice you use. Consider your audience with every word you write, from the opening email subject line to the last PS.
Spend time crafting the best subject line you can
Your subject line is your first impression. Think of it as the gatekeeper of your email – make it compelling and relevant, and you’ll have plenty of interested readers. However, if you settle for a mediocre subject line, you can expect your open rate to be just as mediocre.
Choose a subject line that sparks curiosity and encourages subscribers to open the email without resorting to ‘clickbait’ tactics. And keep it short, ideally no more than 50 characters, to ensure it displays in full on any device.
Here are some examples:
Unlock exclusive travel deals this month just for you
Experience [your local region/town/state] like never before
Don’t miss out: [7] top reasons to visit [this destination]
Build stronger connections by addressing subscribers by name
Personalising your emails can significantly boost both your open rate and reader engagement. Try including your subscriber’s name in the subject line occasionally. Just don’t overdo it, or it could look spammy.
One thing you can, and probably should, always do is to address your subscriber by name in your email welcome. Take it one step further by referencing their past interactions or preferences if they’re subscribers who’ve booked with you previously.
For example: “Hi [Name], ready for another adventure in [Destination]?”
Tell a story to keep them reading, but don’t make it a novel
Storytelling is a powerful tool in marketing, especially email marketing. Share exciting travel stories, visitor reviews, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of your business. This approach humanises your brand and makes your emails more relatable and fun to read. Though it’s easy to get carried away.
While storytelling is important, clarity is key. Carefully edit your drafts to keep emails concise and focused. Lists, bullet points, and short paragraphs are a great way to keep the content moving along and also easy to read.
Don’t assume your reader knows what to do next – tell them
Every email you send has a clear purpose, right? After all, that’s the whole concept of email marketing. The purpose of the email guides the call to action (CTA) you finish with. What do you want your reader to do next?
The best CTAs use action-oriented language, like “Book Now” or “Explore More.” And make sure your CTAs stand out visually, perhaps as buttons, and dot them strategically through your email.
Pro tip: Always test, analyse, and tweak
The task of crafting great email content doesn’t end when you press ‘send’. You’ll get the best results if you continuously test different elements of your emails, such as the subject lines, CTAs, and content layouts.
Use A/B testing to figure out what resonates the most with your audience. Monitor key metrics like open rates and click-through rates to refine and improve your content over time.
The final word
Crafting interesting emails for your tourism business is not just about sending information – it’s about fostering connections with your past and potential visitors and sparking action.
Start weaving these techniques into your email content to strengthen your marketing efforts and drive more bookings for your business.
If you want to make the task even easier, why not subscribe to our weekly email templates?
