Unparalleled Expedition Experiences

THE SITUATION

After two years of operations, Outer Shores Expeditions discovered they were onto something great; their product was selling, their clients were happy, and there was only room to grow. As a small business with limited in-house resources, ship captain, founder and owner Russell Markel turned to Bannikin for guidance on how to usher in Outer Shores’ next phase of growth and increase the sailing operator’s direct-to-consumer sales.

WHAT WE DID

With Bannikin’s comprehensive understanding of the adventure travel industry, as well as this particular niche (expedition cruise travel), we developed an integrative public relations and marketing strategy to help broadcast the brand’s unique selling propositions to both media and consumers, and, ultimately, reach its sales goals. Bannikin’s efforts included:

• Developed an overarching marketing and communications strategic plan, including key message creation
• Produced engaging content for newsletters, including photo features, in season recaps, trip highlights, new trip previews, fast facts, and crew profiles
• Copywriting for brochure content
• Advised on usability and sales enhancements for website
• Managed and increased social media presence, including contest creation
• Developed press communications schedule and wrote and distributed press releases through our networks of travel and mainstream media
• Engaged in continual direct outreach to targeted media
• Produced media kit
• Organized press trips for journalists
• Worked closely with DMOs to co-share costs for press trips
• Hosted press trip with targeted media
• Organized public and media sailings
• Award applications