10 Tips: Collaboration Marketing to Boost Your Bookings

What is collaboration or collaborative marketing?

Collaboration or collaborative marketing is an approach to marketing that involves two or more companies working together to create a joint product or service.

Reaching target audiences is the key objective of any business, but it can be difficult when you are competing with other resorts for attention and bookings. The best way to overcome this challenge is by collaborating with influencers who share your vision and values. This will help you reach out to new customers while increasing brand awareness at the same time.

collaboration marketing with influencers

The Benefits of Collaborative Marketing

With collaborative marketing, you are able to reach out and connect with your customers on their level. You can also build trust in your brand by creating products and services that meet customer needs. This will help increase brand loyalty and sales for both parties involved.

Collaboration allows for low-cost marketing

When compared to traditional advertising methods such as TV ads, radio spots, billboards, etc., collaboration marketing offers lower costs because there’s no need to spend money on production, distribution, and promotion. Instead, all these expenses go towards paying influencers to promote your resort.

You don’t have to pay upfront.

Collaboration marketing can even be cheaper than doing rapid digital ads on Facebook or Instagram. Every collaboration is different. Do what makes sense for you and for your collaborators. For example, if one influencer converts, then they get paid commission after every booking made through them.

Another benefit of collaboration marketing is that you do not have to invest much capital into promoting your beach resort.

Collaboration brings new knowledge to the table

 Influencers come from all walks of life They may work in finance, technology, education, media, fashion, food, travel, health, sports, entertainment, arts, politics, religion, charity, social causes, etc. Influencers bring unique perspectives to the table which helps you understand how people think and behave.

This means that you can learn about your audience better and make decisions based on real data instead of assumptions.

Collaboration is fast

You wouldn’t need months of planning and endless meetings to start your collaboration. It’s easy to set up collaborations within minutes. All you need is a list of potential partners and a plan of action.

It takes less effort to collaborate than to advertise alone.

If you want to boost your beach resort bookings, consider starting a collaboration campaign today! 

Tips in Creating a Fruitful Collaboration

Clearly define your objectives

Make a list of your goals before collaborating with any influencer. If you’re unsure where to begin, ask yourself questions like “What am I trying to achieve?” and “How will my business grow?”. Once you know exactly why you want to collaborate, you’ll be more focused when choosing your influencer. Set clear expectations.

Before embarking on a collaboration, clearly state your expectations. This way, both parties will know what to expect from each other. You might also include terms and conditions in your agreement. These should cover topics such as payment, deadlines, exclusivity, etc.

Be transparent.

Don’t hide anything from your collaborator. Be open-minded and honest at all times. Let your influencer see everything about your brand and your resort.

Select the Right Influencer

With so many influencers and possible collaborators, it’s crucial to find the right one for your beach resort.

Choose influencers wisely.

There are thousands of influencers online but only a few of them actually deliver results. Make sure that you choose influencers who share similar values and interests with yours.

Here are some considerations on whether an influencer would fit well with your beach resort:

1) Does he/she align with your company culture?

2) Is his/her content relevant to your industry?

3) Are you looking for someone who has authority over your niche market?

4) How does he/she communicate?

5) What type of followers does he/she have?

6) Will he/she convert?

7) Can you afford him/her?

Consider yourself a customer

Viewing the campaign through the lens of a customer gives you insights into what works best for your beach resort. For example, if you notice that most customers prefer videos over images, then you’d probably ask your collaborators to create video posts.

What kind of content would most appeal to your target audience? Use these findings to drive these current and future campaigns. Your collaborations must add real value to your guests’ experience. Create something unique and memorable by combining different types of media.

Find out what motivates your influencer.

Ask your influencer what drives her or him to post content every day. Find out what makes him or her tick. Ask questions like “Why do you write?”, “Who inspires you?”, “What keeps you motivated?”, “What gets you excited?” and “What do you love doing?”.

When your customers can relate to your partner influencer, they are more likely to book with you.

collaboration meeting

Maintain your brand’s integrity

Stay true to your brand values while working together. Don’t compromise your identity just because you need to make money.

Make sure to choose campaigns and partners that align with your values and goals. The collaborators would carry your brand name and could impact if customers would see you positively or negatively.

Consider ‘mutual benefit’ rather than ‘payment’

If you’re not comfortable paying upfront, consider giving your influencer a discount on services rendered. In return, she’ll be happy to promote your business.

You don’t always have to give something away to get something back. Sometimes, you can offer incentives to your influencer without compromising your brand image.

For instance, you could reward your influencer by offering free accommodation during their stay. Or perhaps you could provide discounts on food or drinks.

Make sure there is no conflict of interest between you and your influencer. If you want to collaborate with a blogger, make sure that he doesn’t work for any competitor brands. Likewise, avoid collaborating with anyone whose products or services compete with those offered by your own resort.

Include clear guidelines.

Utilize the technology available to you

Social media is now a staple rather than an option. Use social media to further your collaboration efforts. You can use it as another channel to reach potential clients. It also helps build trust among them.

Ask your influencers to use tools such as Facebook Live, Instagram Stories, Snapchat, etc., to engage directly with their fans. This will help boost your own brand’s engagement rates.

Make a communication schedule that you can stick to

Set aside time each week to meet up with your collaborator. Schedule meetings at least once per month to discuss how the campaign is doing. Use this time to ask about his/her progress and challenges.

Keep track of all interactions.

Use Google Analytics to monitor your influencer’s performance. Make note of which posts generate the highest traffic and conversions. These should become part of your regular routine.

Don’t forget to thank your influencer when things go well. A simple email thanking them for sharing your story goes a long way.

It may seem obvious but sometimes we overlook small details. When you send a follow-up message after receiving feedback from

Keep a record of important procedures

Create a checklist so that you won’t miss anything. For example, create a list of tasks that must be completed before launching a new product or service.

Have a backup plan. Identify who else might be interested in partnering with you. Consider asking other bloggers to join forces with you. They too can share your stories and experiences.

Be flexible. Your influencer may experience unexpected delays. Be prepared to adapt quickly.

The best collaborations happen when both parties understand one another.

Engage in Conversation

When working together, keep conversations lighthearted. Avoid getting into arguments over petty issues. Instead, focus on what matters most: building relationships.

This means being open-minded and willing to listen. Don’t assume that you know everything just because you’ve been around longer. Ask questions if you need clarification.

Remember that people like to talk about themselves. So, try to learn more about your collaborators’ interests.

Measure your Collaboration KPI

Keep your eye on how well your collaborators are performing in the context of promoting your beach resort. The key here is to measure results.

Some key performance indicators to look out for are shares, conversions, comments, likes, followers, page views, etc.

If you find out that your influencer isn’t meeting expectations, don’t hesitate to let him/her know, then consider changing strategies. But don’t get discouraged. There’s always room for improvement. But remember not to criticize unless you’re certain that you can improve upon the situation.

collaborative results

Conclusion

Your collaboration effort could pay off big time. If done right, it can lead to increased sales and better ROI.

But there are some factors that you have to take care of first. First, make sure that you collaborate with someone whom you respect. Second, ensure that you work closely with your partner. Third, set clear goals and expectations. And lastly, stay positive throughout the process.

You’ll only benefit from collaborating if you put in enough effort.

If you need help in marketing your beach resort, message us at contact@beachresortmarketing.com or get in touch with us for your consultation here.