Travel agents and tour operators: 10 green social media tips

Some tips to help you combine the social media revolution with its natural ally: green tourism
 

1 Find out what they want
First of all, it is always pretty worthwhile to ask your own customers (the ones you have now) what they want in terms of green. A few personal telephone conversations, maybe an online focus group, a couple of personal meetings should give you a good idea. So you could start off with this in hand.

2 Join the gang
Secondly, it’s not much fun being a green Social Media Maven (not the most beautiful of terms admittedly) all by yourself. It’s usually a good idea to join the gang and come out! There are many green information-sharing opportunities on the web. Join them. A good start is CSR chicks and CSR blokes (groups at yahoo.com)

3 Get an intern
So now you know a little, you can manage someone running a tiny programme to find out what it’s like and do a bit more research. Get an intern, they’ll learn and so will you. At minimal cost. Work out a programme.

4 Join the networks
There are green travel networks everywhere, and it’s pretty impossible to be social networking without being networked. So join and get started.

5 Make green alliances
Choose who you can benefit and who can benefit you and remember, your choices will affect what your market thinks about you and your service. Quality is everything in this era of greenwash suspicions.

6 Offer tips
By now you should know something about green tourism. Share what you know. Even preparing to share it will help you understand better.

7 It’s research and understanding not selling
Remember, too, that it’s not about selling. And in any case, the very first stage of selling is listening. So listen before you speak. Social media is much more about research and understanding market needs before you fulfil them, rather than getting out and selling the. So listen well, it will help you to hone a product that is almost success-assured.

8 Who are you?
The market will define you as you enter into conversations, so it is as ell to understand your personality before you start. Worthwhile defining who you are so everybody (including you!) knows?

9 Have a look at these sites
Apart from the usual – facebook etc, look at the following green sites: greeningtourism.ning.com/ treehugger.com  care2.com www.worldcoolers.org/ www.2people.org/ www.zerofootprint.net/
For another 25go to:webecoist.com/2008/09/17/25-environmental-forums-and-social-media-sites-get-connected-with-the-guide-to-green-online-communities/
 

10 Tell the truth as you see it
And be brave. As a ‘Greenie’ you are one of the ‘Avante Garde’ people will not believe you and evangelists (you need them) will not join you if your message is weak or compromised.

Valere Tjolle

Valere Tjolle

Valere Tjolle is editor of the Sustainable Tourism Report Suitewww.travelmole.com/stories/1143624.php