10 IMPORTANT SUGGESTIONS
WE WANT YOUR ALERTS TO WORK FOR YOU… EVEN MORE THAN YOU DO!

1. IMPORTANT: Alert Submissions are due the Wednesday of the week before each Alert.
   You will find the Due Dates in the annual Alerts Schedule. Jennifer Zacks, our ALERTS Editor, also emails due date reminders weekly. You cannot bank your Alert announcements… if you don’t use them, you lose them.
2. You’ll get MANY more planners seeing you if you submit a new announcement(s) every month.
   RULE OF THUMB: More planners reading about you (and what you offer) will result in more bookings. It may take a while for the comfort level to rise enough for them to act, but experiences tells us this is true. 
3. When marketing for groups, every click comes with a name.
   And every name comes with a group! It’s quality, not quantity that counts. Since each planner represents  a school, class, retirement group or organization with dozens or even hundreds of youth or adults, write your announcement with a personal touch… in group sales and marketing it’s all about the relationship. Remember, each planner can become your best salesperson!
4. Content is King – be specific. Different announcements get more readers…
   Specific announcements about individual programs, little known information, new programs (like camps or virtual classes or tours), or even quotes by satisfied customers can increase clicks.
5. Assuming the reader already knows about you is a FATAL mistake!
   Not making announcements is like asking planners to read your mind… besides, we get new subscribers every day – do they know you? They will if you tell them who you are and what you offer!
6. AVOID using the same content or photos repeatedly.
   This approach won’t get you the results you want. Promote a specific program or event, and  “bait the hook” by offering specific, interesting, pertinent and timely tidbits. Don’t try to “close the sale” with your announcement; you want them to click your link, watch your video, read more… and contact you!
7. Use different photos for every announcement.
   Please, for the sake of your success! If they see a photo they recognize, the planner may just skip reading your announcement…. even if the content is different.
8. Group activities can require weeks to months to plan (depending on the type of group).
   Group planners don’t buy on impulse (like individual consumers). Give planners time to plan their field trip, itinerary or corporate event. They research, book their group events, promote them! There are even tour operators who take up to 5 years to plan a tour they will be able to sell… over and over again.
9. PDF’s don’t work in the Alerts.
   Only jpeg images work in the Alerts. If you have a PDF brochure you want to make available, we can make it available to download in your Partner webpage.
10. CREATE YOUR CONTENT WITH CLICKS, PAGEVIEWS and READS in mind!
    Clicks, pageviews and reads are the precursors to bookings! Remember that every announcement you submit is also moved to our website homepage posts, and blog posts – plus our pages on 3 social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram & Twitter! With links back to you all around!