The Marketing Team at Your Fingertips

In our industry, we're always "on the move"—to promote our business name and to bring awareness so we have new and returning clients in the pipelines. In this ever-changing time, it's  important to be part of the new social media trends and remain fresh. How do you do this? What do you do to keep your marketing cutting-edge?

Did you know that you have a marketing team right at your fingertips? That's right—and this team is (almost) always within reach. If you own a smartphone, you have a whole world open to you for marketing yourself.

By taking photos (on your mobile device or digital camera), you could show your clients wonderful places you could book for them. When you're on hotel site inspections, take photos with your clients in mind, focusing on the lobby, pool area and rooms. Clients love to see what the properties look like.

Are you going on a cruise? Take photos of the cabins and ports. Are there landmarks that might be of interest to your clients? If you're traveling to Alaska, for example, take nature photos of whales, Denali National Park or totem poles.

How else might you use photos from your smartphone to market yourself? Post photos to Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest—all free social media sites where you can post your photos. It's not recommended for you to "sell yourself," but rather to tell stories that will interest your viewers and invite them to also see these wonderful places.

On my last birthday, the restaurant gave me a creme brûlée for my dessert. I took a photo of it. Now, whenever I have a friend celebrating a birthday, I e-mail them the photo. It tells a story—and since I took the photo, there isn't going to be a copyright issue.

Another use for photos when marketing yourself is to make a slideshow. Whenever I'm visiting a destination, I add photos and music together to make a slideshow and upload it to my YouTube account. After a visit to Alaska, I created a slideshow and posted it to Facebook; I've had clients call me to book vacation packages after seeing it.

So, there you have it! Several easy and free ways to market yourself, right from your own fingertips, with your smartphone.

Written by Lorene Romero, founder of Sharp Tongued Consulting. In addition to uncovering the best prices and making reservations, her approach is primarily focused on expert research and advice. With her home-based business, she is able to dedicate the quality time necessary to ensure that no client ever wastes a penny on a trip they won't completely love. She is an expert on Alaska, Hawaii and European river cruises, but loves crafting the perfect dream vacation for nearly any destination.