Here our friends at TPS Consultants blog about ‘The Power of Refreshing Your Travel Plan Engagement Campaign and Unlocking New Opportunities.’
Authors:
- STARS Residential Executive and TPS Consultants Director, John Hacker
- Marketing and Communications Manager, TPS Consultants, Heidi Pearson
Maintaining a strong connection with your target audience is vital for the success of Travel Plan engagement. Refreshing your engagement and communications strategy to achieve this, should be considered and not feared. By breathing new life into your campaign, there can be further opportunities to unlock the benefits of your Travel Plan programme.
Thorpe Park Leeds is a major mixed-use business-led development. TPS has acted as Travel Plan Coordinator since the early 2000s. The Travel Plan has become well established throughout this period, with many measures delivered. This has included a proactive communications and engagement strategy.
Under the wider ‘ParkLife’ brand, a suite of Travel Plan marketing and information materials were available. A bespoke website complemented these and a monthly email newsletter campaign which reached over 3,000 people working across the site. Supporting this, relationships with many of the business occupiers were strong, helping to facilitate good communications and interaction as part of the Travel Plan programme.
So, why refresh things?
1. Renewed Interest and Excitement
Refreshing an engagement campaign such as ParkLife can inject a sense of novelty and excitement. By introducing new elements, such as updated content, interactive features, or innovative approaches, you can capture the attention of your audience. This renewal of interest can lead to increased participation, more engagement, and a wider reach.
Since the ParkLife brand refresh, the mailing list has seen a growth of over 30%. Additionally, the website traffic has also grown by 20%.
2. Enhanced Audience Relevance
Over time, audience preferences and trends evolve. The commute has changed since the pandemic with the travel needs and preferences of many changing. By refreshing your Travel Plan engagement campaign, you can adapt to these changes and ensure your brand remains relevant. Understanding what your audience is looking for allows you to create meaningful, informative, and useful content and interactions. This in turn fosters loyalty and advocacy.
Through ParkLife, there has been a growing emphasis on cost savings, active travel opportunities and carbon reductions. With people commuting less, and with lower pressure on parking availability within some businesses, many of the challenges associated with the commute have shifted.
3. Expanded Reach and Exposure
A refreshed engagement campaign provides an opportunity to reach a wider audience. By addressing new topics, exploring contacts, or experimenting with different communication channels, you can expand your brand’s reach and exposure. This can in turn catch the attention of those who may not have previously engaged with the work being delivered.
Links made between the commute and Net Zero objectives within the refreshed ParkLife materials have driven increased engagement across Thorpe Park Leeds. Many new contacts have been getting involved to discuss the Travel Plan strategy. There is also interest in how we can support the achievement of Net Zero targets and wider sustainability strategies.
4. Data-Driven Insights
Refreshing a campaign is an excellent opportunity to gather valuable data. This provides insights into your audience’s behaviour, preferences, and responses. Analysing this data enables you to make informed decisions, refine targeting, and optimise future ideas. By tracking metrics such as click-through rates, conversion rates, and social media engagement, you can gain a deeper understanding of your audience’s needs and preferences. This allows you to fine-tune your Travel Plan engagement strategies for maximum impact.
Refreshing ParkLife has allowed us to modernise the visual elements of the brand. Consequently, we have created a strong identity and reinvigorate the audience’s interest. It has also allowed us to reinforce our messaging around sustainable transport options and we have taken this proactive step to ensure long-term continued success.
If your Travel Plan programme is feeling a little stagnant, perhaps it’s time to take a step back and reassess. Could it benefit from a rebrand to reignite some excitement?
