Getting the word out
After you’ve selected your tour, it’s time to start generating interest. One of the best ways to get travelers excited about your trip is to hold a parent meeting. We know your day-to-day is busy. That’s why our goal is to help you promote and run one big meeting so you can build your group in one fell swoop. How should you get started? By spreading the word.
Once you develop a game plan with your Tour Consultant, they will help you get a running start. The goal is to try to bring as many potential travelers and parents to your first meeting as possible. Some promotion materials and tips that other Group Leaders have found success with include:
Reach out to your colleagues and ask them to recommend students to help get the word out about your tour. (See “Appoint a Student Travel Ambassador” below.) Not only does this practice help you identify potential travelers you may have missed, but it also allows your colleagues to provide their thoughts on students who would be a good fit. And if a teacher (or two) turns out to be helpful, perhaps they would make an ideal chaperone.
Appoint a Student Travel Ambassador
Consider asking a responsible, outgoing student to serve as a Student Travel Ambassador who can spread the word among their peers. Student Travel Ambassadors may want to put the experience they gain on a college application.
Once you’ve held your meeting, share the link to your Tour Enrollment Page (efexploreamerica.com/<tournumber>) with travelers online via Facebook, Twitter, Evite, email, your school’s website and even your class blog.
Your online tools
Log in to your account at efexploreamerica.com choose your tour and explore some of the tools that EF provides to manage your tour. Visit the “Interested” list on your Group tab and enter the contact information you gathered for the students who attended your parent meeting. Once you’ve connected with your Tour Consultant, it’s easy to email these potential travelers right from the page.
Support that EF Provides
Your dedicated Tour Consultant
Every EF Group Leader has a Tour Consultant dedicated specifically to their tour—someone who is an expert at tour planning and promotion. We understand that each school is different, which is why we don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach to enrolling students. In partnership with your Tour Consultant, you will create a promotion plan that is right for you and helps more potential travelers learn about the opportunity to travel with your group.
Once you develop a game plan with your Tour Consultant, they will help you get a running start. The goal is to try to bring as many potential travelers and parents to your first meeting as possible. Some promotion materials and tips that other Group Leaders have found success with include:
- Handing out invitations to interested students
- Speaking directly to students you think might be interested in traveling with you
- Sending an e-mail or letter to parents inviting them to attend your meeting
- Hanging up tour posters around school
Other ways to spread the word
Enlist the help of other teachersReach out to your colleagues and ask them to recommend students to help get the word out about your tour. (See “Appoint a Student Travel Ambassador” below.) Not only does this practice help you identify potential travelers you may have missed, but it also allows your colleagues to provide their thoughts on students who would be a good fit. And if a teacher (or two) turns out to be helpful, perhaps they would make an ideal chaperone.
Appoint a Student Travel Ambassador
Consider asking a responsible, outgoing student to serve as a Student Travel Ambassador who can spread the word among their peers. Student Travel Ambassadors may want to put the experience they gain on a college application.
Keep the momentum going
Tour Enrollment PageOnce you’ve held your meeting, share the link to your Tour Enrollment Page (efexploreamerica.com/<tournumber>) with travelers online via Facebook, Twitter, Evite, email, your school’s website and even your class blog.
Your online tools
Log in to your account at efexploreamerica.com choose your tour and explore some of the tools that EF provides to manage your tour. Visit the “Interested” list on your Group tab and enter the contact information you gathered for the students who attended your parent meeting. Once you’ve connected with your Tour Consultant, it’s easy to email these potential travelers right from the page.