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By: Carolyn Sekerak, Director of Marketing Strategy and Community Engagement 

It’s back to school season! It feels like summer break just started, but it’s already time to dust off the supplies and get back to learning. The fall season is when routines and schedules resume. Why not coordinate your marketing to help travelers pencil in their next vacation?

Watch the video below or keep reading for five back to school marketing ideas to get you started.

Plan Around Break Schedules

Break schedules are out. Plan your marketing efforts and social media posts around your district’s schedules. Use scheduled posts or a third party app to do the work ahead of time. Here are a few tips on timing.

• For winter breaks, the time to book is now through October.
• The ideal time to promote spring break travel is October and November. Last-minute Spring Break deals should be promoted about two months before your district’s break (probably around January).
• March is the month to start promoting summer travel such as Disney trips and all-inclusive resorts. If you want to market cruises, Wave Season is earlier than that. So if you sell cruises, make sure you are ready for January!

Sponsor a School Group

From the choir to the football team to the drama club, school clubs are always looking for corporate partners to help fund their activities. You can also check out what print advertising and sponsorship opportunities exist that will be seen by the whole school, such as yearbook ads or newsletters.

Are you a member of the PTA? Host a cruise night or theme park night for parents and get them thinking ahead to plan their spring/summer or winter break trips!

Support School Fundraisers

Private schools and public schools alike are always fundraising. Can you donate a raffle basket to your school’s annual fundraiser? Make it Disney-themed or beach-themed and add a Carnival or Disney gift card along with your business card.

Can you host a table or booth at an outdoor event? A small investment in an attractive display and small giveaways such as business card magnets or hand sanitizer can go a long way to get your name in front of busy parents who are looking for the help of a travel advisor to plan their next getaway.

Even just serving on a planning committee or volunteering at an event can get your name out in the community.

Advertise in the Carpool Lane

Vehicle magnets (or even a car wrap) are great ideas if you are the parent who frequently drives your children to school. Make sure to always have business cards or flyers in your vehicle so when you strike up conversations while you are waiting or out running errands, you’re always ready to market your home-based travel agency.

Post in Community Facebook Groups

Many communities have groups for their residents or school groups for parents. These pages often have people looking for a recommendation about a travel agent or vacation destination. Be sure to read the groups’ rules thoroughly before posting to make sure you are allowed to promote your services or your business, but these are great places to make a connection.

Feeling inspired to try out these back to school marketing techniques? Give our Membership Team a call at 888.611.1220 to learn how our marketing resources and support can help you become a home-based travel agent and have a career you love.