Where oh where did 2017 go? Well, for me, it went into experimenting with new marketing strategies, tweaking what’s worked in the past, and growing Bon Vivant Copy into a sustainable business I had only dreamt of a few short years ago.
It’s been a pretty good year!
Before 2017 becomes too distant of a memory, I wanted to take a step back and analyze what’s worked well marketing-wise for BVC this past year (plus what didn’t more … on that in a sec).
Take a peek into my biz with my 3 biggest marketing wins:
BVC’s 3 Biggest Marketing Wins of 2017:
1. Guest Blogging: This has been on my marketing to-do list for ages … and I finally dove in during the past few months. I’ve published a couple of guest posts with The Travel Institute, and so far I’m very happy with the ROI. By sharing my copy insights with a new audience, I’ve gotten 30+ new subscribers — and a new client!
2. Guest Webinars: I kicked off my copywriting business in earnest at the end of last year by being a guest on a webinar hosted by the Global Institute of Travel Entrepreneurs (GIFTE). This year, I was welcomed back for another webinar by GIFTE — and these two webinars alone have done the most to build my audience. In fact, if you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you got on my list by attending one of GIFTE’s webinars!
3. My Weekly E-Newsletter: Through rain, hail, sleet, and snow I’ve faithfully sent out my Weekly tip e-newsletter jusstttt about every week 🙂 And I think this is my single greatest marketing success this year. Can I trace new business back to my e-newsletter? Not directly, but I know that landing in your inbox each week has kept me top of mind with you, and hopefully has inspired you to try new ways of marketing your own travel business. Plus, nothing feels better than getting an email response from one of my subscribers saying that this week’s tip really resonated with them.
So there you have it, my top three marketing #wins this year. Looking back, it’s clear that growing my list was a huge priority — and then I aimed to nurture my list through my weekly e-newsletter.
(BTW while there’s no guarantee that what’s worked for me will work for you, if list building is something you want to focus on in 2018, start with my list of list-building tactics).
BUT — it hasn’t been all sunshine and roses.
In the spirit of full disclosure — and to show that every small business struggles — I want to share the bumps in the road I encountered in 2017.
Yes, it was a bit of a bummer coming up with this list — but I think it’s really important to pinpoint what’s not working for you, so you can re-channel your energies into what you know works.
So, without further ado, I lay myself bare before you and present my 3 biggest marketing flops of 2017:
BVC’s 3 Biggest Marketing Fails of 2017:
1. So Over Social Media: Bon Vivant Copy’s Facebook and Instagram presences have been steadily growing over the past half year. So why am I going to take a step back from them in 2018? Because social media views haven’t turned into conversions. Social media has never been my cup of tea, so that’s not surprising. Instead of obsessing over views and likes (definitely not a healthy obsession!), I’m going to scale back on my posting schedule to at least maintain a brand presence. But I’ll focus on conversions elsewhere, like guest posting on other platforms.
2. Finicky Facebook Ads: FB ads are a tough cookie to crack, aren’t they? And I couldn’t quite figure out the secret to cracking them in 2017. That’s hundreds of dollars down the drain … oops. The money — and more importantly, the time — I poured into FB Ads could’ve been better spent elsewhere. I’ve realized that my strengths and interests just don’t lie in figuring out FB targeting, especially with how frequently FB updates its algorithms. In terms of paid advertising, I’ll be trying different tactics this year, including advertising within Facebook groups that are already full of my ideal audience — passionate travel pros.
3. Less-than-Outstanding Opt-In Offers: If there’s one thing I was really proud of accomplishing in 2017, it was putting together my free 10-Day Blog Challenge for travel pros. I heard from a lot of you that the prompts were really useful, and, for some, they sparked inspiration in you like never before (if you haven’t gone through the challenge yet, you can sign up for free right here). Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about some of my other opt-in offers — while I think the opt-in offers themselves are solid, I don’t think I did a good enough job nurturing new subscribers in the emails that follow. And as I’ve mentioned before, the key is in the follow up! So I’ll be spending my 2018 really sharpening my opt-in offer email campaigns to ensure they are bursting with value.
Phew, glad we got the flops out of the way 🙂
Now, what’s new for 2018? Here’s what I plan to tackle with gusto this year:
BVC’s Marketing Goals for 2018:
1. Facebook Live: Okay, so I’m not ready to give up on Facebook quite yet! I do love how FB Live can connect you to your audience in a really authentic way, so I’m planning on doing more short FB Live videos this year. I think this is especially important because not everyone learns best the same way — while some subscribers love reading my Weekly Tip emails, I know others would digest the info better if they could hear it. Enter: FB Live.
2. Self-Hosted Webinars: Like FB Live, webinars are an amazing way to connect with others, even over a computer screen — that’s why they’re on my slate for 2018. Plus, it’ll allow me to explore a topic in a lot more depth with you all (P.S. If there’s a topic you’d like to really dive deep into, please let me know!). Sometimes I have trouble keeping my Weekly Tip emails to a reasonable length, so it seems like trying out the webinar format is the next logical step. BTW, speaking of webinars — if you’re a member of the Global Institute for Travel Entrepreneurs (GIFTE) community, don’t miss their January Marketing Expert Call — it’ll feature yours truly!
3. A Copywriting Course: I’ll admit, this is just the seed of an idea right now … but I’ve been toying with creating a step-by-step course for writing your own travel agent website copy. Your website is THE foundation of your marketing, so you have to get it right! However, I know not everyone has the funds to work with me one-on-one to write their web copy. So, look out for more info about this in the second half of the year — I’ll be sending out surveys and looking for demo participants to ensure this course is something travel pros can actually benefit from.
So, that’s what’s on my list for 2018.
Now, I want to hear from YOU.
What are you giving yourself permission to let go of in the New Year? What new thing will you be pursuing with all your heart?
Share in the comments below so I can cheer you on!
This year I will be focusing on videos on you tube, facebook and Pinterest. I would like at some stage to learn about webinars. I am definitely going to use the tips and hints to revamp my blogs, ezines and IFOs
Thank You!
Good luck with your videos, Rowena! That’s on my plate for this year too 🙂