Top tips for harnessing the power of TV in your marketing

Identifying the opportunity

Standeven encourages agents to watch Jimmy’s Taste Of Florida themselves and ask clients what they like to do in their spare time. “It’s about finding out what makes them tick and making recommendations that help them really imagine themselves in the destination doing the same sorts of things,” she said. 

“Jimmy meets an astronaut at Kennedy [Space Centre], he tries his hand at being a cowboy in Central Florida, he does a bit of sustainable fishing in Anna Maria Island,” Standeven said. “We’re hoping agents can harness that content and talk about it to their prospective customers.” 

Standeven advised agents take what inspires them from the series and turn that into a social post or a newsletter, telling TTG that many tour operators are seeing traction from this. 

The series is now available on ITVx, and will soon be available on Visit Florida’s YouTube channel, so clients and agents can “get excited and go back and watch it”, and also share links and embed them into their communications. Agents can contact Standeven directly for assets. 

“Open dialogue with your customers that you’ve enjoyed watching and follow it up with offers for the places he visited or packages with similar types of experiences,” she said. 

“Who is the client travelling with? Does everyone like the same things?,” said Standeven, adding there may be up-selling opportunities too. 

She used the example of asking a customer what type of car they drive at home. If they drive an SUV, then don’t put them in a group A car for their holiday, upgrade them to a similar model whilst out in the States. 

Agents should also look out for trends or events in their local area that might tie in. For example, could agents talk about Docherty’s experience at the ranch as a country show? “Unashamedly use hooks to your advantage,” she said. 

Client types

Couples may particularly enjoy the romantic Anna Maria Island on the Gulf Coast, famous for its sunsets and laid back beach restaurant vibe. “It’s one of the loveliest places,” said Standeven, advising travellers spend a minimum of four nights.

Families may particularly enjoy St Petersburg and Tampa, where there is much to do in the city as well as family friendly beach areas with gentle currents. There are, of course, the theme parks too, and Docherty visits a donut shop in Panama City Beach. 

“For groups, you can’t beat the thrill of the theme parks with your friends and the entertainment districts in the Orlando area mean you are spoilt for choice,” added Standeven. 

While solo travellers only represent 5% of UK customers to Florida, there are plenty of suggestions, including New Smyrna Beach, which “has a great vibe and is very local and buzzy without being intimidating in any way”.

“It’s like a little Key West but only an hour from Orlando,” said Standeven. Docherty does a surfing lesson and visits a rum distillery here.
 
There are plenty of options for luxury travellers, with 19 Michelin-starred restaurants across Orlando, Miami and Tampa, and “pockets of luxury all across the state”. “With brands like Soho House and Bulgari opening on Miami Beach, that would be the obvious choice,” said Standeven. “But there are some incredible independent luxury hotels in Florida too – somewhere like the Henderson [Beach Resort], in Destin in the north west is one of my personal favourites, or the Art Ovation Hotel in Sarasota.”
 
Standeven advised that of the locations Docherty visits, LGBTQ travellers may particularly enjoy Miami. “It’s so rich with diversity and culture and has amazing nightlife,” she said. “The food tour that Jimmy did through Little Havana was amazing.”

Standeven assured Barber that Florida is very accessible for all travellers and “it’s something we’re really proud to promote”. She pointed agents to the accessibility hub on the Visit Florida website for suggestions of restaurants, hotels and attractions that cater particularly well for travellers with additional needs. 

When to strike 

Standeven said TV can be communicated at all stages of the sale. At the inspiration stage there may be clients that wouldn’t necessarily think about Florida because they think it’s just for families or all about theme parks. “Tell them to watch ‘episode x’ and change their perceptions, show them parts of Florida they’ve never seen before like the rich music culture in Pensacola,” she said. “Do they realise they can visit a stud ranch and watch a real live rodeo only an hour’s drive from Orlando?”

Standeven added TV could even be used to close the sale. “If they’re on the fence, show them some content that will really inspire them to get them over that final hurdle,” she said.