CASE STUDY

Luxury Adventure

Tett Safaris

MARKETING STRATEGY, EMAIL MARKETING, AUTOMATION, SOCIAL MEDIA

THE PROJECT

Launch a luxury brand safari travel company amidst the travel restrictions resulting from a global pandemic.

THE CHALLENGE

Founded in 2020, Tett Safaris entered the market amidst the complexities of a worldwide travel shutdown. With the closure of international borders and a customer base uncertain about the future, active selling wasn’t possible, but brand awareness and audience engagement was critical to future success.

THE RESULT

A robust email communications program and social media presence leveraged thought leadership to build awareness and brand loyalty. With striking visual communications, Tett Safaris’ message of a custom safari drove demand and desire to travel, resulting in a total number of bookings that exceeded projections.

Turning Thought Leadership into Market Leadership

Founded by Carolyn Tett, an expert in African safari travel with more than two decades of experience, Tett Safaris is a niche-based travel company providing the highest quality, curated safari experiences. Carolyn is extremely passionate and well-educated in African culture, wildlife and, of course, luxury travel. Her passion in providing personalized travel experiences is the driving force behind the launch of her company.

A savvy business professional, Carolyn understood the power of email marketing and that it was the most vital channel to reach her prospective customers, many of whom have a business background and communicate consistently by email. She also recognized that social media was important to leverage, especially as the pandemic had shut off many of the other common methods of personalized marketing. As a female founder, Carolyn appreciated working with another woman-owned business and sought the dynamic of working with a primarily all-female team to bring her brand to market.

Inciting Demand

Without a doubt, the pandemic was devastating for the entire travel industry. But Carolyn Tett recognized the long-term opportunity, as travelers seeking their “bucket list” adventure would still be interested in options when restrictions were lifted and borders opened once again.

We built an email marketing plan based on the principles of exclusivity and personalization to entice and educate her prospective travelers, fostering the idea of a one-to-one relationship with the company owner. Leveraging email for engagement and social media for visibility, we showcased dramatic nature photography, engaging stories of past safaris and custom-designed safari options, encouraging the audience to start planning the adventure of their dreams. This strategy was successful in not only launching her brand but keeping it top of mind until borders reopened and she was able to start actively promoting and booking safari travel.

Even in subsequent years, the strategy has continued to build momentum for the company. After the initial pent-up demand and desire to travel had booked the first year of safaris, we continued to provide innovative strategies to surprise, delight and engage customers and prospects. These strategies have propelled Tett Safaris to the leading edge of the luxury African safari travel market and continue to drive sales and referrals, growing her reach and database through a very careful and highly targeted approach that matches her very niche demographic. Not only are new prospects attracted to taking one of Carolyn’s custom safaris, but she also books numerous repeat travelers, successfully debunking the idea of safaris being a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience.