There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing a big splash of coverage for a client in a top tier publication. This year, journalists have been jumping at the chance for press trips to our client destinations across the hospitality and leisure industries.
Our Account Manager, Carol Middleton, gives the lowdown on why these are such a key part of a PR strategy.
Press trips are not just complimentary getaways. They are a powerful storytelling tool that turns experiences into lasting brand impact. Trips are designed to immerse journalists and influencers in a destination or experience with the goal of generating authentic, engaging content that reaches target audiences.
According to the latest data from YouGov Global Profiles, nearly half of people worldwide are influenced by newspaper and magazine articles when making travel decisions, and in the most recent YouGov Surveys: Serviced poll 60 percent of those responding find social media influencers useful for information on travel. With both these figures in mind, this underscores the importance of securing media coverage via press trips.
By hosting media representatives who align with a brand’s target audience, a company can:
- Secure in-depth coverage. Media who experience a brand first-hand can write thorough and more compelling features that spotlight unique aspects of a brand and are more likely to produce authentic, persuasive content that resonates with their readers.
- Increase brand visibility. Press trip coverage can often be syndicated across multiple platforms, as well as publications under the same media group. When including a link to a brand website, articles can also boost website traffic and generate subsequent sales conversions.
- Enhance reputation through a trusted, third-party voice. Readers are more likely to trust recommendations that come from direct experience, and especially from a respected media publication.
- Build positive media relationships. Hosting journalists and influencers can help foster meaningful, long-term connections by laying the foundation for ongoing media interest.
Despite these benefits, hosting media can prove to be a challenging task. Here are a few top tips on planning and executing successful press trips.
- Set clear objectives for the trip. Think about the story to be told – what is the news hook? Who are the target audience that need to be reached? What the type of coverage is expected, for example a feature or social media content? What media have access to audiences that align with brand goals?
- Create tailored invitations. Reach out to target media with a compelling invite and highlight story angles to spark interest. In doing so, it’s key to plan ahead and reach out to contacts months in advance because it’s a competitive space and journalists can only accommodate a certain number of trips per year. Plus, if brands want press reviews published at key points in the year, such as at the start of peak booking period, the approach to journalists should happen up to six months in advance.
- Plan a detailed press trip package or itinerary. Provide package that showcases the best of the brand’s offering while allowing flexibility.
- Provide a brief about forthcoming trips to all those involved with on-the-ground execution. Make sure all parties involved in hosting a journalist or influencer are briefed ahead of a visit to ensure an exceptional experience is delivered. Attention to detail, first-class service, and personal touches are key to ensuring the best write-up possible.
- Follow-up, monitor, and evaluate results. Post-trip it’s important to maintain communications with those media who have visited, providing any additional information, tariffs, and assets required to support them in writing an in-depth article. Monitoring for resulting coverage is important to evaluate success. Success can be evaluated by the quality and reach of media coverage, the quantity and quality of links to a brand’s website, the number of key messages included, spikes in website traffic or bookings that can be attributed to the press trip coverage, and interest in future trips from the visiting media.
Planning and executing successful press trips are about thoughtful planning, an exceptional experience, and relationship building that extends well beyond the trip itself.
The team at Liz Lean PR work with an array of hospitality and leisure clients, from hotels and restaurants to tourist attractions and destination initiatives, achieving a plethora of thorough and compelling feature articles.
Daish’s Holidays, a family-owned coach holiday group with 12 UK hotels, is just one example of a long-standing LLPR client for whom we’ve secured exceptional press trip coverage – 69 full page travel features published already this year… and we’re still counting!
