The most common complaint in the travel industry is pricing. Currently there is a huge debate in the news around the website “Skiplagged.” Founder Aktarer Zaman uses a “Hidden City” strategy to provide travellers cheaper airfaires. Aktarer is only 22 and the service is completely complimentary, offered as a service to travellers. Its success has drawn the eye of litigators for United Airlines and Orbitz who are now suing Zaman for his effort’s impact.

To counter travel assist sites like Skiplagged it is critical for Airlines and destinations to offer then clearly  communicate their value proposition to consumers. Typically travellers are looking for better pricing. Most don’t expect better service. Therefore, you must make sure your service is worthy (value for them equals value for us).

Offering incentives and insights are also key for attracting your target audience. Perhaps when signing up for your mobile app or newsletter, consumers are offered some type of discount or deal for signing up for a hashtag program or a prepaid card. But make sure you’re not only selling deals. Sell your expertise and craft your message around this.

The design of your site (responsive online, tablet and mobile versions) should be easy to use. But with so many free apps out there and less storage space, consumers will only keep whatever apps they find most useful. Therefore, it is important to offer regular tips, personalized information and valuable content to make sure consumers keep your app front and centre.

A positive and trusted reputation is also critical. Press coverage, LinkedIn endorsements and user reviews are ways to help build a trusted brand. Social media engagement is also a great tool. Social media should be less about selling and more about engaging your followers with helpful tips and knowledge.

The post FIGHT FOR FLIGHT: ENGAGING TRAVEL CONSUMERS appeared first on CASACOM.

However, because anyone can edit or contribute to any Wikipedia page in real time, articles may contain inaccuracies, biases or irrelevant information until another editor finds the errors. However, Wikipedia rules and regulations prevent someone with a bias, like being employed at the company, from editing pages.

This presents a major dilemma for public relations professionals who frequently fell helpless in managing their company’s image on one of the world’s largest websites. While it may be tempting to make changes to a page, this subjects them to a possible lawsuit and violates Wikipedia guidelines.

So how can businesses get around this? We talked with our Worldcom PR Group partners and compiled the following recommendations in order to manage and maintain an up-to-date, accurate Wikipedia page.

Using the “Talk” Section

The only way for a business to edit its own page, in accordance with guidelines, is to make suggestions to the “Talk” portion of a page. This option gives Wikipedia editors the chance to review changes. There are no guarantees that they will be incorporated, and it can take time to see any changes reflected, but it is currently the best option for companies.

When using the “Talk” section, be sure to announce your role, affiliation or bias as a “Talk” page contributor. Be sure to use your real name as well. Clearly outline the proposed changes and the reasons for the suggested edits. It is important to be as unbiased and factual as possible to increase the likelihood of a Wikipedia editor accepting and making the edits.

Sourcing is key

Backing statements up by reliable sources such as books, articles, online newspapers always adds to accuracy. Constant review, monitoring and editing is needed for a Wikipedia page.

What if an editor disagrees with you?

If a Wikipedia editor disagrees with you, it is advised that you decide whether you are “right” and whether it is worth escalating the matter. You may find that it will be more constructive to modify your suggestion. If you believe you are right, however, Wikipedia does have forums to deal with such issues, including “Requests for comment” and “Third opinion”.

We hope you find these recommendations valuable. Please do not hesitate to share your experience with Wikipedia.

The post Wikipedia: Best Practices to change your company’s page appeared first on CASACOM.

While there were many highlights and lessons learned on my trip, the following five stand out:

• Trekking the Inca Trail in Peru: Undertaking a four-day trek along the Inca Trail, I pushed myself like I never have before. It was by far the most physically challenging experience I have ever endured, but the reward couldn’t have been greater. I was able to achieve a lifelong dream and see Machu Picchu. You never know what you’re capable of if you don’t challenge yourself. Always trust and believe.

• Hang-gliding in Rio: What better way to experience Rio than run and jump off a cliff? For me this experience mirrors situations that come up in our everyday life. We only have so much time and you never know what will happen. So, make sure with whatever time you have, you follow your heart, no matter the challenge. Run and jump off the cliff. Once you take the big leap, the reward will be worth it. Embrace it with a big smile.

• Seeing a World Cup game live: The idea behind this trip came from my ambition to see a World Cup game in a country where football is a religion. Seeing a game was the classic tale of a childhood dream coming true. It took many years, dedication and perseverance, but I did it. Don’t just talk the talk, walk the walk.

• Dancing the nights away in Brazil: I grew up dancing and competed for many years. However, over the past few years, dance is something I’ve neglected due to a busy schedule. When you truly love something, never quit. Make it work. I’m so grateful I had this time to reconnect with my biggest passion and am now finding new ways to enjoy it at home.

• Trying new foods: Throughout our trip, we came across many new foods. We tried as much as possible, including anticuchos (cow heart) which turned out to be delicious. Push your limits and step outside of your comfort zone.

Throughout the trip, many more lessons were learned and ideas provoked.You will constantly change as a person and this is a good thing; great actually. Embrace it. Take risks and don’t be afraid to explore.

I believe that travel is easily the best form of education out there. Take advantage of it. Before travelling, I urge you to think about and answer the following questions. These same questions guided my trip and allowed me to have the greatest learning experience of my life:

– Do you vow to embrace this journey with an open-mind?
– Will you immerse yourself in the culture?
– Will you push your limits?
– Will you open your thought process?

I hope the answer is yes to all of the above. Be ready to gain perspective and learn more about yourself.

As Clifton Fadiman once said, “When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable.”

Don’t expect familiarity. Embrace the new. Seek adventures. Overcome challenges. Push yourself. Lose yourself. Find yourself. Open your senses. And always smile, for that is universal.

The post Making Dreams Come True: A Traveller’s Reflection appeared first on CASACOM.

For me, travel is a passion. So what is it about the idea of travelling that is so compelling to me? It only seems natural to want to explore as much of the world as I can.

My most memorable experience
Why do I travel? This question can best be answered by telling the tale of my most memorable day travelling thus far. My friends and I were in Luang Prabang, Laos visiting Kuangsi Waterfall along with many other tourists. On our way back, our tuk tuk driver (South East Asian version of a cab) asked if we wanted to stop in a village to meet some locals. We of course jumped at the opportunity. What we figured would be a 15 minute stop turned into a daylong visit. We spent the day playing with the children and soaked in their positive energy. We didn’t have anything to give them, but they were so grateful we took the time to play with them. These kids will forever have a special place in my heart. They taught me you don’t need a lot to be happy; the right attitude and a big smile will get you pretty far.

Travel with a purpose
The next time you jet off to a destination, think about it. What do you want from your travels? Are you looking to vacation or are you looking to travel? For me, these terms are not interchangeable and offer an important distinction. Travelling is an experience. You’re there to learn with an open-mind and to subsequently better yourself. A vacation allows you to relax; it’s about the “self” and closing yourself off from the rest of the world. That’s not to say you can’t do both.

Vacation or travel?
In 2012, my travels shifted from that of a “vacation” to true “travelling”. I embraced an open-mind and immersed myself in different cultures. I pushed my limits, gained perspective on life and opened my thought process. I was given more than I could have ever asked for. And I’m not done yet.

Travelling has changed my life. It has taught me so many life lessons that I will forever be grateful for. Travelling has taught me to be patient. It has changed my attitude towards life. It has taught me to respect others. It has made me more confident, easy-going and more flexible.

I hope you’re inspired to open your mind and really think about your next trip. What does it mean to you? The more open-minded you are, the more you’ll allow yourself to experience. On your next trip, I dare you to travel. Explore. Try. Challenge. Change. Learn. Ask. Meet. Conquer. Give. Share. Live your life. I promise you won’t regret it.

The post Choose to Travel. Choose to Live. appeared first on CASACOM.

Below are my top takeaways from the sessions that I attended:

• Strategic value of PR: The key point was to invest in internal communications. Employees have to know what they’re selling and believe in it – whether they are accountants, drivers, or if they work in PR. Selling internally depends on simplicity; therefore your mom should be able to understand your message.

• The importance of building positive client relationships: Be upfront. Always talk about money beforehand and clear any confusion at the time of the brief. If you make a mistake, don’t make excuses. Be honest and be open to learning from past mistakes. Focus on how you can resolve the issues in the future and act immediately.

• Building your personal brand through social media:  Here, the panel members discussed just how much personal information they like to reveal on their social accounts. This made me reflect on how I use my Twitter account, wondering if I too should share more personal tweets as I tend to focus on corporate topics.

• Jeremy Gutsche’s luncheon keynote stressed the importance of selling an experience (not just a product) and connecting with your audience. The example that stuck with me is the “Keep America Beautiful” campaign to stop people from littering. At first, the campaign used Iron Eyes Cody, an Italian actor who was crying as he pleaded with the audience to stop littering. This wasn’t a success as those who litter most are young teen boys.  When the much more aggressive “Don’t Mess with Texas” campaign came out, it was so successful that it reduced litter by 72%. This just goes to show how important it is to target a campaign that is relevant to your audience.

• The social media blogger panel included four of Canada’s top bloggers and was extremely valuable. Blogger relations are essential in PR and this panel gave tips on how we can improve and sustain our relationships. As Lena Almeida (@Listen2Lena) put it, bloggers aren’t looking for a one-night stand. They want you to actually try to develop a relationship with them and ideally work on long-term projects with them. It is also essential to read their blogs and understand what interests them and their readers so you can tailor your pitches.

• Relationship expert Dr. Karyn’s afternoon keynote focused on how to thrive in today’s multi-generational workplace. It was really interesting since I’ve never thought about how different generations might assume different norms in the workplace. My takeaway from this was to make sure I seek to understand differences in the workplace before getting frustrated. Remember that the “right” way to get things done will depend on our upbringing and generational values. (For more on this, see Carolyn Ray’s post: Being at your best in a multi-generational workforce: how do recognition, work-life balance and flexibility co-exist?).

Overall it was a great day and I’m really proud that CASACOM was part of the organizing committee for the event.  Looking forward to next year’s event already!

The post Learning the ropes at CCPRF’s PR Boot Camp appeared first on CASACOM.