Jamie Biesiada
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away ...
No, we won't be talking about "Star Wars" here. Not much, anyway. But that line does begin some of the most iconic films ever made, and it encapsulates what I am going to talk about: The importance of storytelling.
In the "Star Wars" films, the opening crawl is used to great effect. It gives viewers just enough information to understand what's going on and acts as the perfect entry point into complex stories about galactic politics and the fight between good and evil. After reading it, viewers are ready to be dropped into the action.
Storytelling is as old as humankind. Using words, images and actions to connect with one another is a universal practice that transcends things like language and borders. It's also tremendously important to travel and tourism.
This fall, I participated as a judge for the International Committee of Tourism Film Festivals, which each year awards the best tourism ads. I watched and rated dozens of videos over the course of a few weeks, and my biggest takeaway was how important storytelling is to crafting a memorable, entertaining and engaging ad.
The best, in my opinion, were the ads that didn't just feature beautiful destination footage. They wove in a story, as well, like a family in search of a lost toy or an actor prolonging a promotional shoot to spend more time in a country. They featured beautiful destination footage, of course, but it wasn't in your face. It enhanced the story that was being told. It was the story that hooked and engaged the viewer.
We'll see if my fellow judges agreed with me when the winners are announced, but good storytelling usually resonates.
Storytelling is an important part of what travel advisors do. You're not just selling a destination -- you're selling an experience. A feeling.
It can be used throughout the sales process; indeed, storytelling should play an important role throughout your (hopefully lifetime) relationships with your clients. But one of my biggest takeaways while watching so many videos designed to attract tourists was that advisors can use the same practices to their advantage when looking to win clients outside of referrals.
I'll use Facebook as an example.
When I'm scrolling through my feed and come across an advisor advertising some kind of travel deal -- whether they're posting about it on their own account, a business account or in a group -- I keep scrolling. Even if the pictures are pretty, that doesn't catch my attention. I can research pricing and see pretty pictures anywhere.
But what does catch my attention is a post that tells a story.
Maybe it's a photo of a note from a friendly flight crew with some added explanation. Maybe it's a post about a destination, but it includes exactly what that travel advisor was doing -- I've followed along many itineraries that way. Maybe it explains which room category is right for which traveler, couched in an advisor's personal experience.
It's about putting yourself and your lived experience into a post and sharing that with your followers. It's a soft-sell approach, but one that, like the videos I judged, captures the attention and engagement of viewers.
Because when it comes to cutting through the noise online, promotions alone will never match the Force of a good story.