Question

- Saga Holidays

You will need to present the following information as part of a 15 minute group presentation.

1. Background information on the company you chose as it relates to their marketing strategy

2. The three personas you have created

3. What evidence you have to support your decision regarding these personas

4. How would you advise that your company target these personas?

Each section should refer to relevant academic theory and models that apply to your situation.

Answer 1

Company’s Background

Saga Holidays Ltd was founded in 1987. The company's line of business includes providing services and resources for traveling. Saga is a British company focused on serving the needs of those aged 50 and over. It has 2.7 million customers. The company operates from several sites on the Kent and Sussex coast. Different traveler’s personas are an important tool for travel companies using content to attract, engage and convert customers.

Traveler’s personas are important. Traveler’s personas help company to create content with purpose that speaks directly to the needs of specific segments of their audience. Personas help guide the tone and substance of content. Personas help us to identify audience needs, wants and pain points. We can use personas for:

• Point to content opportunities on specific topics.
• Inform the most effective content promotion on various channels and networks.
• Guide content formatting and placement for maximum engagement and reach.

The three personas you have created:

We should use these starter personas to help inform travel and tourism content planning:

1. Traveler Persona #1: Escapists:

We should connect with Escapists and appeal to them on an emotional level and play to their psychological need to avoid missing out on an incredible experience. We should use content to tell a story so vivid prospect can envision their vacation in that very destination.

Escapists may not have a particular destination in mind and could be open to our expert suggestion.

Evidence with content types to engage Escapists:

• List posts highlighting the best destinations for adventure, eg.: 'Top Kiteboarding Destinations'
• Features on unusual destinations, eg.: Quark Expeditions' 'Spotlight on Deception Island'
• Photo essays showcasing physical activities and adventure options

1. Traveler Persona #2: Learners

Learners value cultural and historically significant experiences and tend to ingest a massive amount of information in advance of their trip. They want to fully understand the experiences they're having and view knowledge as critical to a personally enriching travel experience. That experience starts not when they board a ship or plane - and not even when they book - but as they seek out and discover new travel content online. Learners are evaluating your ability to educate and inform the minute they discover your website or social media channel.

Evidence with content types to engage Learners:

• Profiles of historical figures, culturally significant landmarks, geographic features, etc. in the target destination, eg.: HotelClub's 'Five Famous Explorers Who Didn't Come Back'
• Stories from locals, insider advice on what to pack and where to visit, and other in-depth, unique content
• Features on events in a specific region to show Learners exactly what to expect, eg.: Visit Napa Valley's 'Festival Del Sole is a Feast for All the Senses'

1. Traveler Persona #3: Planners

Planners are thirsty for knowledge and need to be prepared for the things they'll see, the people they'll meet, and the activities they'll take part in. Their travel experience begins online, as they shop around for package options, deals, and undiscovered destinations. They may create entire itineraries and scrap them if they don't seem quite right. Once the purchase decision is made, this traveler will continue planning their trip out start to finish; their expectations are high as a result.

Evidence with content types to engage Planners:

• Checklists to help them prepare for a specific trip, eg.: Eagle Creek's 'How to Pack for Argentina Travel'
• Head-to-head comparisons of two destinations, activities, adventure options, etc.
• Lists of things to do, places to eat, etc., eg.: Eurocheapo's '5 Free Cultural Attractions in Vienna'

1. Traveler Persona #4: Dreamers

The Dreamer may not be headed anywhere quite yet, but it would be a mistake to ignore this powerful travel persona. Dreamers in travel and tourism love the idea of travel and can be both great advocates and prolific sharers of content. They choose to spend their spare time reading travel magazines and blogs, browsing cool destinations on Pinterest, and sharing their travel dreams with friends and family.

Evidence with content types to engage Dreamers:

• In-depth, descriptive features with insider or lesser-known information about destinations, eg.: Quark Expeditions' 'South Orkney & South Shetland Islands: Vibrant Scenery, Stunning Wildlife'
• Industry involvement posts, eg.: FlipKey's 'Top 25 Adventure Travel Bloggers to Follow in 2014'
• Roundup posts that inspire discovery of new destinations, brands and activities

Our Advise for Company to target these personas

A targeted campaign certainly isn’t a new concept, but it’s one we often forget during the holiday season, as some companies feel that casting a wide net is the best tactic for maximizing holiday revenues. We like to tell our clients that they just might have more luck gaining business from a few people than a little business from lots of people.

Target Customer Emotions

Christmas and creative storytelling go hand in hand, and if there’s one time of year when your customers are most susceptible to an emotional campaign, it’s the holidays. Why else do people sit in front of the television watching all those Hallmark holiday movies for the entire month of December?

This isn’t a plea to get sappy or cheesy (though those tactics can work!) -- it’s a suggestion to channel your inner Santa! Just like Saint Nick and his Naughty and Nice Lists, the personas and customer segmentation data our clients use gives them insights into what really appeals to their customers so they can craft the perfect holiday story (or stories!).

Target Your Biggest Fans

Holiday shoppers want to find the best gift for the people on their holiday lists, so we help our clients understand that this could be a great opportunity to engage in gift-giving as a way to show their appreciation for their biggest fans.

It was a pretty simple setup:

• Devise a creative hashtag that couldn’t be co-opted by another brand.

• Ask your customers and fans to tweet directly to the company with that hashtag.

• Sit back and watch as people share your brand with their friends and followers for an entire month.

It’s a win-win scenario for everyone. Several lucky fans receive a gift from a company they love, the brand gets shared with all the followers of the people tweeting about them, and holiday cheer is spread.

Target Niche Interests

As we’ve discussed, the holidays are a prime time to focus on your most loyal customers. They are fans because you meet the needs of their favorite niche hobby or interest.

For example, REI announced in 2015 that the doors of its retail locations, headquarters and distribution centers wouldn’t open on Black Friday. In direct response to the over-hyped deals advertised by other retailers, REI invited everyone -- employees, friends, fans and shoppers alike -- to take Black Friday off from work and from shopping to do what they love most: being outside.

Does that campaign appeal to everyone? Nope. It’s not supposed to. REI wants to target its core fans -- people who love the outdoors and prefer to spend time in the outdoors instead of shopping. But by helping your clients create a campaign specifically targeted toward a niche, customers might be more likely to spend their holiday shopping dollars with a company that shares their values.

The point of helping our clients employ customer personas during a heavy shopping season like the holidays is because it’s very difficult for them to be something for everyone. Sure, they might want to appeal to the widest possible customer base in hopes of increasing revenue, but in our media-saturated age, they are better off reaching people who feel a strong and dedicated connection to the company and its brand identity.