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Since March, like many businesses, we've ridden the corona-coaster of fluctuating fees, resources, and emotions - and the ride isn't over yet as the latest lockdown in England clearly shows. We've been fortunate to be able to expand our lifestyle client base across the property, sports and drinks sectors, reducing short term our dependency on core travel and destinations that have been impacted so significantly. All the while keeping our active and non-active clients front of mind, updating them on relevant issues and having regular conversations - so we remain aligned when the market returns. As it surely will. No one in the travel, leisure and lifestyle industries has been left unaffected and we'd like to thank all the Tigers and all our clients for their support and loyalty during this uncertain time.
Despite the challenges of Covid-19, PR has driven some outstanding results. Over the last 8+ months, we've secured numerous national media opportunities including extensive broadcast coverage and a total of 1000+ hits for a single client - Pitchup.com. At a time when some accommodation providers are managing huge losses, we maximised PR presence for Pitchup.com to generate both awareness and extra revenue - ending the year 15% UP despite a 12 week hiatus during the first lockdown. More on this work below.
Our international clients have also benefited from continued support, both with their strategy for any lockdowns and reopening, as well as sharing regular news updates and research insights. We've had open and honest conversations throughout to ensure that we continue to stay connected to help each other through the crisis. While recovery is still some way off, there is growing positive sentiment at the prospect of a vaccination programme in 2021 and a return to a new normal travel and leisure market in the second half of 2021.
One thing is for sure, more than ever you need a PR partner who brings insight and opinion, acts as an important sounding board for your ideas, brings opportunities to the table that will benefit your business and can respond quickly in these unprecedented times. White Tiger has shown able to do this in spades.
So if you'd like to receive a copy of our latest Covid-19 report outlining key impacts and considerations for 2021 PR strategy or have a no-strings conversation about your situation and how we can help, please email: tigers@whitetigerpr.com or call Cass Helstrip on 07968 255 464.
POSITIVE TIGER NEWS
While it's clearly a very difficult time for many, it's also created an opportunity for new businesses and in recent months we have worked with a new client, Gyre & Gimble, to launch a new, innovative spirits brand. The brand is borne out of the highly unusual circumstances of the past months and we have been working to establish the brand and share their story to generate awareness and online sales. Watch this space!
UNCERTAIN TIMES DEMAND CERTAIN COMMUNICATIONS
It's imperative during times of uncertainty for businesses to communicate and to communicate clearly and often both internally and externally.
Particularly when there might be bad news - trips, weddings, or flights may have been moved more than once, plans disrupted and lives impacted in a negative way - in these circumstances good communication can provide a lifeline for commercial relationships, creating a sense of reassurance and trust.
That in turn enables organisations to stay resilient and productive during these times of uncertainty. Through careful planning and preparation, early communication (notwithstanding multiple changes in regulations and guidelines) enables businesses to gain credibility. The businesses that keep their customers firmly in the loop in an open and honest way will be those most able to successfully navigate these tricky times, to grow brand trust and loyalty from customers, putting them in a prime position for future business as and when markets return.
It's imperative to reach out to both existing and previous customers - and continue to do so on a regular basis with help and useful information. This is the new normal and people, especially those in self-isolation, will be dreaming of resuming a degree of normality and travelling as soon as they can. They need escapism! For most potential customers TV, radio, and online media will form an even-more vital part of their daily routine. You need to maximise that opportunity
Be flexible in any and all ways possible especially as we start to look forward to 2021 so you are seen by customers to be adjusting your practices to fit the current environment - much in the same way as individuals have had to adjust their lives to fit the COVID-19 environment at home and abroad.
Managing disappointment is now a primary function of travel and leisure PR. Let’s face it - the reality of travel this year meant factoring potential disappointment into communication strategies. Lots of our clients have asked how they can best manage this and our advice is always to be open, honest, and transparent and, above all, be human and empathetic and, most importantly, consistent in your messages.
Show your customers through your actions as well as your words that you are determined to put people first - whether that’s by waiving rebooking fees or finding ways for customers to use existing deposits to keep holiday dreams alive.
Consumers will undoubtedly remember those brands that went the extra mile - in new and intuitive ways - at a difficult time and when the recovery comes, as it surely will, that’s when you will really reap the benefits of customer loyalty.
MAXIMISE YOUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT
People are consuming more digital technology across all platforms than ever before with the average adult accessing 5x more information than 50 years ago*. This creates a huge opportunity for businesses to grow their brand trust with consumers in new and different ways. More than anything, strong strategic PR and marketing campaigns can be supercharged by effective online influencer and digital strategies.
Creating a digital strategy allows companies to deliver against specific objectives, measure strict KPI's, and analyse results thoroughly. Having an in-depth understanding of target audiences and respective responses allows businesses to adjust and create on-point messages, powerful calls to actions, and select appropriate platforms to best communicate your proposition to the different existing and emerging audiences.
White Tiger has always led the way in delivering integrated marketing campaigns for clients creating a holistic communications strategy that interweaves seamless communications online and off. We continue to do so at a time when it's never been more important.
Customer segmentation has always shown that different messaging is often needed for different socio-economic groups. It is now needed to account for the different ways people are responding to the current health crisis - overlaying these sentiments onto the standard socio-economic profile generates some interesting outcomes for many brands.
Motivations to purchase have changed purchasing priorities, permanently in many cases, in a short period of time and new considerations and impact scenarios are required when planning future strategy.
One clear dichotomy is based on personal financial situations. Those who have been financially impacted by the C-19 crisis will be price-led and cautious about making any investment where there isn't 100% confidence in recovering funds. On the other hand, the less financially-impacted luxury market is keenly investigating savvy ways to get to their destinations. As a prime example, enquiries into private jet and villa packages in Anguilla have gone through the roof, especially now the island is opening up to long-term visitors with a COVID-19 visa passport.
So our message is, if you're not maximising your digital footprint in new and engaging ways, ensuring that it is working effectively to boost your PR messaging and reach new audiences, speak to White Tiger for an alternative view of how you can make your imprint permanent.
*source Forbes
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WORK WE ARE PROUD OF
White Tiger PR in the News
"Talking to customers, being open, informed, and innovative is key for businesses during the pandemic."
Earlier this year White Tiger Managing Director, Cass Helstrip, was asked by Travel Weekly to
give her thoughts on how best to communicate with customers in a crisis. Read the full article HERE
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Remember, this current hiatus will pass - and when it does there is the potential for a significant and extremely fast bounceback, even if the timeframe for this remains unclear.
Flexibility will be vital as will the incentive of original new experiences that many have only dreamed off for many months.
Start ongoing conversations now with those most likely to be your future loyal customers - this will pay dividends and prove rewarding, laying the foundations for future recovery in 2021.
And be brave and true to your brand, finding new and innovative media and messages to communicate with your different audiences.
We have worked tirelessly during COVID times to ensure our clients have continued to understand the evolving communications issues and are in a position to maximise on any and all opportunities. Although we are always concentrating on what comes next for our clients, some of our coverage - online, broadcast, and in print - deserves attention.
If you're not sure where to start, or how to take your communications strategy forward in this new world, get in touch with White Tiger today for an informal conversation.
If you'd like to receive a copy of our latest Covid-19 report outlining key impacts and considerations for 2021 PR strategy or have a no-strings conversation about your situation and how we can help, please email: tigers@whitetigerpr.com or call Cass Helstrip on 07968 255 464.