Branding for Travel Writers Presenter Emily Grosvenor www

Branding for Travel Writers Presenter: Emily Grosvenor www. emilygrosvenor. com @emilygrosvenor

Why brand? 1. Get more clients 2. Get better assignments 3. Develop better relationships with readers and editors 4. Take more joy in our work 5. Tell the story of our professionalism 6. Provide a direction for our careers

Brands evolve over time You’re going to do this by always delivering work that is your best quality. You’re going to do that by branding yourself and constantly tweaking that brand over time.

Branding = Communication • It’s the emotional velcro that ties readers to you. • It’s a signifier of quality work. • It distinguishes you from the rest of the pack.

The problem for travel writers The Solution: Expertise – Promise – Belief – Voice

Crafting Your Writer Message Self-assessment sheet • • The type of writing you do The subjects you write about The kinds of stories you want to tell The themes your work tackles The ways you serve your readers in everything you write The clients or customers you want to attract The books (perhaps even series of books) you want to write Your passions, interests, values and purposes

Your Brand: Your website • • • Appeal emotional or intellectual? What is the competition doing? What is your corporate personality? What colors can you associate with your brand? Is there an image or an object?

Examples The Art of Simple http: //theartofsimpletravel. net/ Have Baby Will Travel http: //havebabywilltravel. com/ Nomadic Matt http: //www. nomadicmatt. com/ Time Travel Turtle http: //www. timetravelturtle. com/

Author photo: A Selling Tool • Makes you, the author, look like someone the reader wants to spend the next several hours with. • Reinforces the tone and style of fiction you write. • Makes the book/magazine look better. • Helps provide recognition on the next project. • Looks like you. • Represents your public persona • NOT overly theatrical or too clever

Examples

Tag Lines • Choose something that looks good visually • Make sure it is easy to say and remember • Speak in a tone and language your customers understand • Simpler is better • Make sure it promises something you can deliver • Have it show some action Activity: Write Down Five Possible taglines for your work that explain to your intended audience what it is that your DO.

Travel Writer Taglines • • • • Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site: Life untethered. Wanderlust & Lipstick: Your destination for women’s travel. Almost Fearless: Travel, mishap and adventure in a beautiful and bizarre world. Wandering Earl: A new breed of explorer. Hole in the Donut: Discovering the world, one culture at a time. Amateur Traveler: Travel for the love of it. Wild Junket: A rollercoaster ride of adventures around the world. Fox Nomad: Travel Smarter. Ott’s World: Travel and life experiences of a corporate American runaway. Solo Friendly: All you need to travel is you! My Itchy Travel Feet: The Baby Boomer’s guide to travel. The Road Forks: Where food and travel intersect. Backpacking Matt: Life’s a journey. Land Lopers: Experiencing the world on a budget. Todd’s Wanderings: Travel, adventure and advice from 10 years on the road—and counting!

Brainstorm Tag Lines • • Choose something that looks good visually Make sure it is easy to say and remember Speak in a tone and language your customers understand Simpler is better Make sure it promises something you can deliver Have it evoke some specific emotion in the reader Have it show some action Activity: Write Down Five Possible taglines for your work that explain to your intended audience what it is that your DO.

The Stories Your Business Needs to Tell 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Your passion story Your business story Your customer story Your pitch story Your product story Your media story

Your Passion Story Example: Beth Howard, The World Needs More Pie

Your business story • How has your business developed over time. • Can make chronological sense, but must seem organic, to show you are growing and learning, specializing and getting better at what you do. • A chronology to show your longevity in the field

Your Customer Story Who are your customers? Editors or readers? • Blog readers • Book reviews • Editor testimonials • Linked. In endorsements • Responses to your stories in magazines • Any kind of feedback

Your pitch story Hi, my name is _____. I’m a travel writer who specializes in ______ for ______. I’m writing regularly for _____ about ______. Right now, I’m working on _______. • Show there’s a market for your work • Showing that your idea can solve a widespread problem • Identify empathy with your customer – give people what they need • Constantly refine how you are telling your story

Your product story Linking to your writing on your website Sharing your products on social media Developing relationships with other writers who will tweet out your stories for you

Your media story What are people saying about you? - Quotes from your clients - Reviews of your books - Coverage of you in other media - Media releases - Blog hopping

What have you created?

Well-branded travel writer websites Ralf Potts Liz Crain Don George Sam Monicom My Little Nomads

Your Writing Voice as Brand • Who are the writers whose voices are so distinct that no one else could have written those words • Who are the writers whose work you will read no matter what the subject is? • How do we develop our voice in order to become a writer who people want to read no matter where we go or what we do?

Your Voice As Brand • How you look at the world • Your distinct sensibility • How you speak and communicate like no one else • Whether or not you are writing first-person, your voice is yourself in the story • Take your joy in the writing, even if you are Debbie Downer, enjoy being her

Activity: What is your two word description? • • Anthony Bourdain David Sedaris Anne Lamott Nora Ephron Natalie Goldberg Meghan Daum Joah Didion Paul Theroux

Choose assignments to develop voice • Take first-person stories in which you are the story or the way in • Get yourself a column or a blog that is firstperson and brand it with your sensibility • Be THAT GUY, and take joy in every second of it • Figure out your two-word subtitle • Pitch the story of your journey, not the destination

Short assignment: • Tell me a story of travel that changed you. • A story of travel you didn’t want to go on. • A story where you were the absolute worst person for this type of travel. • A story where what you got was not what you expected. • A story of failure that had you winning in the end.