MP&Co took the time to really understand us, see our strengths and weaknesses and then make intelligent, objective recommendations on how we can develop.
Paul Herbertson, Managing Director, Journeys By Design
Journeys by Design is a bespoke travel company that creates unforgettable African safaris while supporting local conservation efforts. With 20 years of experience, they’re super specialists and work only with the best guides, pilots and hosts to ensure clients get unparalleled trips.
Their profits go back into the local eco-businesses that host their safaris, helping to sustain Africa’s fragile ecosystems. Journeys by Design also creates chances for clients to meet and learn from leading conservationists and policymakers. Their clients are diverse but share a drive to travel more ethically.
Journeys by Design was searching for a new CRM system to ditch their old, clunky platform. They needed something that would make managing their data easier, speed up their sales process and improve how they communicate with clients. Up until then, they hadn’t found an agency that really understood their needs.
Every strategic project we take starts with a Discovery Day to go deeper. The best results come from a genuine connection. We took the time to learn about Journeys by Design’s unique challenges, goals and how they work. More than just effective outcomes, this approach helped us build a strong, trusting partnership.
We delivered a custom CRM system for Journeys by Design that transformed their operational workflow. We:
The impact was clear: less time spent on admin tasks, more accurate data handling and better client service. With everything centralised, the team could focus more on enhancing their bespoke African safari experiences.
Journeys by Design brought us on board for another big project after the success of our CRM system implementation. They wanted to rethink their marketing strategy and needed a solid plan to steer their marketing and business operations towards progress. Our goal was to create a clear and focused strategy that outlined their direction, the reasons behind it and the steps needed to achieve growth.
We focused on improving Journeys by Design’s customer engagement by deeply understanding their market. We developed detailed customer personas that helped them tailor their marketing directly to various client needs.
We laid out a comprehensive customer journey, identifying key touch points essential for keeping a strong connection from the first enquiry to post-trip follow-ups. We also identified fresh opportunities to reach new audiences and expand into exciting markets.
We refined the brand’s image as a specialist adventure designer, emphasising their deep connection to Africa and their delivery of exclusive, life-changing experiences. We developed a tone of voice and messaging that aligns with the target audience’s desire for meaningful travel, enhancing the brand’s appeal.
Our strategy identified growth opportunities and recommended enhancements to their communication tactics. These recommendations aimed to capitalise on the brand’s strong reputation and enhance client engagement, all while reinforcing their commitment to providing unique and impactful travel experiences.
We created campaign strategies for Journeys by Design to demonstrate how dynamic brand collaborations, engaging content series, and immersive events can achieve deep audience engagement and sustained brand loyalty.
Our approach involved the use of interactive elements and serialised content to maintain interest throughout the campaign’s duration. By merging digital and physical experiences, we ensured that each campaign was accessible and inclusive, maximising reach and impact. Our objective was to show that well-executed campaigns can convert audience engagement into lasting relationships and enhance brand awareness.
We developed clear strategies to help Journeys by Design reach more people and connect better with their customers:
Paid Media
We recommended targeted ads on platforms where potential luxury travellers are most active, defining intricate segmentation and content approaches. These ads would be tailored to catch the eye of those specifically interested in high-end travel experiences.
SEO
We showed Journeys By Design how to enhance their website’s visibility on search engines and drive more relevant traffic. This focused on resolving technical issues and optimising the site’s content with targeted keywords that potential clients are likely to search for when planning luxury trips.
Email marketing and automation
To keep potential and past travellers engaged, we defined automated email and direct mail activations that adapt to the interests of different customer segments, nurturing them with bespoke content to enhance their customer experience and deepen their understanding of JBD’s travel experiences.
Strategic partnerships
We showed how partnering with like-minded brands and popular influencers in the travel and luxury sectors could amplify their reach and credibility, recommending potential partners that aligned with their values and commercially viable promotional activities.
Driving customer advocacy
To attract new customers through trusted word-of-mouth, we emphasised encouraging satisfied customers to become brand advocates by sharing their unique travel stories and experiences.
These initiatives aimed to not only draw more traffic to their site but also deepen relationships with clients. This will help maintain steady growth in customer loyalty and an expansion in their market presence.
The implementation of a sophisticated CRM system has transformed Journeys by Design’s customer relationship management. Now, they can use real data to better understand and respond to their clients’ needs. Leading to happier clients and more effective marketing.
We also helped sharpen their brand values, making them more relatable and unique — essential for standing out and cementing customer loyalty for the long haul.
Excited by our fresh campaign ideas, Journeys by Design is launching four themed campaigns, poised to captivate their audience and propel their next growth spurt.
They’ve streamlined their marketing, thanks to our straightforward advice. Quickly leveraging these strategies to great effect. This primes them for continued leadership in ethical and conservation-focused travel.
“We first got in touch with MP&Co team when looking for a new CRM. We spoke to loads of different ‘specialists’, all of whom had many recommendations for what we needed. Few actually spent the time to get to know us before making their recommendation. MP&Co did! This meant, when we decided to go with them, not only was the product a great fit, but the design and implementation was extremely smooth. The follow-up since has been exceptional, and we are extremely pleased with the new CRM.
We were so impressed with Mike and his team that we embarked on a broader strategic review of our marketing, which in the end went much further than marketing. We found the whole process enlightening and very helpful. The whole team really got involved and MP&Co expertly facilitated the sessions. With the information they gleaned from these sessions, they were able to develop a comprehensive plan for us that has really helped define the next few years of our operations. Many agencies would have come in with a very top-down approach – but MP&Co took the time to really understand us, see our strengths and weaknesses and then make intelligent, objective recommendations on how we can develop.
We are also really pleased to be working with an agency that has such strong values and purpose. It’s something that is very important to us, and this alignment really has meant we’ve been able to develop very close working relationships as we share many common views.
We would recommend MP&Co to anyone looking for specific project support in any areas related to marketing and for more in-depth strategic reviews. You won’t regret it!”
Paul Herbertson, Managing Director, Journeys By Design
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