Hi — it’s Kylie, CEO of Acanela Expeditions, here! In the past several years, I’ve hosted many trips and have learned several strategies that do and don’t work when it comes to promoting, sharing, and booking people on a workshop experience. And I’m more than happy to share my marketing tips with you!

Believe it or not, getting people to join you on a trip experience is more than possible, and I want to make it as easy for you as I can. Here are eight marketing tips for successfully selling your trip or workshop.

1. Set your launch date and build anticipation for the launch.  

A week or two before you launch, start dropping hints that something great is happening or that you have a big announcement on the way. When the big launch day comes, you will be ready.

Something else to think about: I always recommend launching on the day and time when you get the best engagement across your marketing channels.

2. Plan a multi-day launch — don’t just limit your launch to one day.

In fact, I recommend planning a launch of 3+ days.  The first two weeks are the most important in generating interest around your workshop, so this is the time when you should be putting the most effort into building excitement, sharing details, and getting people to book. You need to direct travelers to the landing page — if you involve Acanela in your launch efforts, we’ll take it from there!

3. Consider using a discount code to create a sense of urgency and deadline.

It’s a great idea to offer a discount to the first four to six people who book (e.g. you could offer $200 off to the first six people who sign up). This is something that we can strategically bake into the price of the trip, as long as we do it in advance.

4. Consistently promote your trip or workshop every week for at least the first month…

… and at least every two to three weeks following that, depending on the response that you are getting.

5. Diversify the ways that you promote your trip or workshop.

Social media is great, but you can do so much more to spread the word. Sharing with your email list, cross-promoting across your other social channels (Facebook, YouTube, Twitter…), and hosting in-person meet-ups or virtual meet-ups (live streams) allow you to connect with your audience through an omni-channel marketing strategy.

I have actually found that emails and live meet-ups have been extremely effective as I am promoting and hosting my workshops and trips.

6. Be involved with Acanela as much as possible.

Here are some ways Acanela can help:

• Instagram takeover collaboration

• Blog article collaboration (which we will almost always share with our email list of over one million travelers)

• Instagram / Facebook Live collaboration (to answer people’s Q&As about the trip and share the trip experience with two audiences at once)

• Podcast feature (Acanela just launched a podcast called 35,000 Feet), which will be hosted on our website and reach many travelers)

• Acanela giveaways (this is more focused on building your audience, rather than promoting your workshop)

7. Consider partnering with other influencers.

Have them share information about your workshop, and introduce it to their audience as well.

8. Don’t be afraid to talk with your friends and acquaintances that you have built a personal relationship with.

I find that nearly half of the people who travel with me are people that I have spent time building a relationship with (either in person or online).  Don’t overlook the power of building friendships first!

And there you have it — eight marketing tips for influencers and entrepreneurs who want to host their own trips and workshops. Traveling with your followers, friends, and family is an incredible experience, so let’s get started — please reach out to Kylie Chenn (@kytrisha) or Acanela Expeditions for more information.