| FYI News and Insight
Your
Best Way to Reach Groups (March 2004)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ in
this issue
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
* More Good News - Growth in
the Group Travel Market
* TRAVEL Tips Sets Record for Advertiser Leads Processed
*
Reach over 4,000 Groups in Going Places E-newsletter
* What does it take to
write a better proposal? A combination of common sense and good advice. <br>By
Tom Sant
* Youth Travel Sections Coming to Leisure Group Travel
* They Love
Us...They Really Love Us!
More Good News - Growth in the Group Travel
Market
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We reported back in February on industry
studies
that indicated a strong year ahead for the group travel
industry.
Both the National Tour Association and
readers of TRAVEL Tips report better
than average
results heading into 2004, and American Bus
Association officials
report robust advance sales for
members.
We just finished up a survey
of 300 Leisure Group
Travel readers, 56% forecast an increase in business
this year, 41% expect similar results as 2003 and just
3% predict lower
sales in 2004. Great news for those
of you who are already marketing your
products and
services to readers of our publications...some
consolation
to those of you who aren't - our next issue
doesn't close for another two
weeks. TRAVEL Tips Sets Record for Advertiser Leads Processed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The
premier publication serving the Western group
travel market set a new all-time
record with 1,005
advertiser requests in the magazine's January 2004
edition.
We track leads from reader service card
requests found both inside the magazine
and on the
magazine's web site. The growth in advertiser requests
is a
positive sign for strong industry growth out west,
as more group travel planners
are considering western
U.S. and Canadian destinations. There's been
a noticeable migration towards on-line
requests via the magazine's on-line
Advertiser Request
form found on www.traveltipsmagazine.com (there's a
similar
form on www.leisuregrouptravel.com as well).
More and more readers are learning
about destinations
in the magazine, then going on-line to request more
information
about them. The nice part about this is
that leads are disbursed automatically
to advertisers,
so the follow-up process can begin immediately. PTM
publications lead the industry in producing
qualified group leads to advertisers,
outpacing our
nearest competitor by 345%. The magazines are also
unique
in that every lead is targeted to a specific
supplier, not bundled by region
of the country or
category of supplier as other magazines are prone to
do.
So not only do we produce more leads than any
competitor, we also produce
more targeted leads. Reach over 4,000 Groups in Going Places E-newsletter
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We've
responded to the needs of suppliers seeking to
reach more groups on-line -
first with the relaunch of
our cutting-edge leisuretraveldirectory.com web
site
last fall, and now with an advertising component in
Going Places,
the e-newsletter for readers of Leisure
Group Travel and TRAVEL Tips that
reaches over 4,100
group travel planners each month. You can take a
sponsorship banner, post special
offers or a destination feature on your area
with rates
from just $175. What does it take to write a better proposal?
A combination of common sense and good advice.
By Tom Sant
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here
are 10 tips based on my experiences writing
proposals for the past 20 years.
Lets see...that's one
tip every two years? Hmmm...guess I was a slow
learner.
All the same, they should give you a jump start
on doing a great job with
each of your proposals. 1. Never title your proposal "Proposal".
2. Focus on your client's business needs or mission
objectives first.
3. Avoid lengthy corporate histories.
4. Keep your proposal as short as
possible.
5. Eliminate jargon.
6. Highlight your key points.
7. Prioritize
your differentiators or competitive
advantages.
8. Ghost the competition.
9. Quantify your benefits and payback.
10. Ask for the business. Read
the full article... >> /fyi/sant.html Youth
Travel Sections Coming to Leisure Group Travel
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Leisure
Group Travel will feature two (June &
December) young adult and student
travel sections
aimed at this fast growing, eclectic market segment.
We
are taking a whole market approach to the young
adult group travel industry,
covering class trips,
performance groups, religious youth trips and sports
&
recreation. In addition to the 15,500 distribution to our readership,
we have a planned 15,000 drop to schools with
additional distribution
pegged for band and choir trade
shows and conferences. A four color brochure
and rate
card is now available. Rates
start at just $790... Click
to see our 2004 editorial calendar They Love Us...They Really
Love Us!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Check out these reader comments from
the February
edition of Leisure Group Travel. "You are my reference
library. I save all my
magazines and use them as reference because of so
many
great articles and suggestions."
Jackie Stempfer, Murrysville, PA "The
features of new and upcoming events; this is
all the best."
Ed Kramer,
Portage, WI "I look forward to each issue. Thank you for
producing
such a valuable magazine."
Jade Smith, Shell, WY "A great publication!"
Susan
Norton, Elizabeth City, NC "I read every issue and find it has very
useful
information."
Jane Pugh, Yankton, ND "Very good
magazine."
Melvin Ladson, Spearfish, SD "I have received many
ideas from your magazine.
We are now planning a 22 night trip out west."
Jeanne
Gutheil, South Glens Falls, NY "Your magazine is very informative and
gives some
very sound practical advice for tour planners."
Sol Zellar,
Monsey, NY "Outstanding magazine and service."
Ron Pilz, Cape
Girardeau, MO "Thanks for a wonderful & insightful magazine."
Gaile
McLamb, Dunn, NC Request
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