My trusty backpack from my 2015 travels – I did stay at nice hotels though.
Today I am with a new client that I am excited about. They are Marketing & Promoting their services to backpackers that visit Australia and I think it’s going to be a fun and wonderful session today on many levels.
Going back a very long time, I believe it or not and went backpacking for 30 days across Vietnam. I went from the packed urban centre of Hanoi (in the North) and made my way down with these two great vagabonds I met on the way.
‘Backpacking’, ‘Backpackers’ and hence marketing to them is a very interesting move based on the way these people think and the type of life they lead on many levels. In one sense you have an element of doing things on ‘the cheap’ and in another sense, they will spend their last penny on great experiences that they know they are going to enjoy again.
You also too get wealthy backpackers. They are people actually who lets say are successful professionals or entrepreneurs who love this type of lifestyle.
That thinking above is very important in firstly understanding how they think – it’s important your product is pitched towards them accordingly (and of course it’s the right type of product). In terms of actually getting your message to them, there are top strategies that many have my clients have used to achieve this:
Online Marketing:
Website: This is the first place we always go with many clients and in particular this place. Besides the usual of high conversion, great mobile optimisation and the like – it’s really important to have graphics, even a page on there that talks straight to backpackers. That way they will see your brand and know you do that and they can trust you. This is where I would always start someone first.
Facebook Advertising: Backpackers in Australia love Facebook. Besides all of us doing, how on earth are they going to stay connected with friends and family as well as share their experiences? Facebook is great, but of course you need a good website to send the traffic too (as they will check you out first).
Blogging / Website / SEO: Blogs are great to share through Facebook and also to get picked up in Google / SEO. You would write powerful blogs just talking exactly to backpackers to make the connection so you can get found.
SEO Building: Blogging is a great SEO strategy and you may even do targeted SEO to really nail this niche / area.
Online Directories: A great one with even www.gumtree.com.au being a top solution to use here (remembering the more you are listed online, the more likely you are to get picked up).
Backpacking Company Email Blasts: With companies that target backpackers you may be able to speak with them and get a tile on their email newsletter. As this goes out, it’s a powerful way of connecting with people on a deeper and more powerful level.
Possibly Google Adwords: This *can work* but one must be careful, cost per click can be too high based on the nature of the product / service.
Real World Marketing:
Physical Retail Presence: A simple walk down a busy street in some parts of town will bring up a backpackers hub. Rest assured you will see premium internet cafes and also backpacker travel businesses, even cheap van / car rental. Powerful for these people!
Hostels: This is where the backpackers live, work and operate and marketing in there can be extremely effective. Hostels are usually quite independently owned (compared to say Hotels which can be the massive chains). You can go direct and you also have Tourism Marketing publications one can get into (in Sydney you can speak to Destination NSW, they know how this plays out – google your own local Government Body).
Pamphlets & Sales Materials: This is a great way of getting your brand in front of the potential backpacker – left in the right places it can he powerful.
Physical Advertising: Getting onto maps, travel books and the like is powerful – from a small square to a decent advertisement, it all works.
My advice and thinking?
There are many more strategies available to the marketer and business with these being the top ones. In building your plan it’s critical to consider only the best ones that suit you that you know have the best probabilities of delivering leads at the best possible price.
Like all things marketing, make sure you then have the conversion process in places to turn that lead into a happy customer.
Love your work, happy marketing and here is to the Backpackers!
P.S. Thank you wonderful client, looking forward to seeing you today.
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