INDUSTRY
Travel; Professional Services
CLIENT
Roths Around the World
TIME
2022 – Present
SERVICES TYPE
Startup Marketing Package
Unbridled Adventure
If ever you needed a living, breathing example of the phrase “the world is my playground,” Cheryl Roth is it. A former math teacher and former Navy spouse, Cheryl has made global travel a part of her lifestyle. For her, traveling to new places isn’t about consumptive tourism; it’s about cultural immersion. When she and her husband grew their family, they didn’t stop traveling; they only found new ways to adventure around the globe.
For twenty years, Cheryl racked up impressive travel statistics. She lived abroad, visited over 40 countries and three dozen states, explored countless National Parks, and picked up a foreign language. She experienced unusual things, like sleeping in an igloo, traversing the Icelandic countryside, mushing in Finland, and exploring the aftermath of ancient volcanic eruptions. And, for over a decade, she documented her experiences in a travel blog.
As you might expect, Cheryl’s family and friends often tapped her for advice on places to visit, accommodations to reserve, and experiences to try. And that sparked a new idea.
Taking the Leap
Cheryl could see that her knowledge was more than helpful to friends and family – it gave them the peace of mind, confidence, and an insider’s scoop to make the most of their experiences. Travelers want more than just advice and an itinerary, she thought; they want to trust in the places they go. And trust can come only from someone who’s walked the walk.
An Irresistable Opportunity
Like any adventurous spirit, Cheryl was inclined to spot opportunity when it presented itself. In 2022, she considered an important possibility: leveraging her experience into a travel advisory business.
It seemed like a viable opportunity. But, traveling and blogging about it had just been part of her lifestyle. More than a hobby, perhaps, but less than a full-fledged enterprise. Could it translate into a business?
The possibility was too exciting to reject. No matter how many times she felt doubtful, she came full circle to feeling ambitious. And the question that nagged her was: how do I get started?
Startup Marketing
Building a business is, of course, a lot like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. The big idea is murky at first, there are lot of pieces to assemble, and progress will be tough without a strategy (that’s why we all start with the edges!). Cheryl had that first part covered; her big idea was clear. To turn it into a reality, she reached out to the team at Spicy Lemon Marketing to help her build a framework with a robust startup marketing plan.
Creating a Strategy for Startup Marketing
Especially proud of her ability to make big travel plans fun for kids and adults, Cheryl was very clear that she wanted to launch a startup that offered travel planning services to families. She would customize travel itineraries that balanced family-friendly activity with rejuvenation, leaving families feeling like they made the most out of their trip. She wanted remove the stress and anxiety, and replace it with enjoyment and treasured memories. The important thing was to emphasize her personal experience doing exactly what she advised to clients, and so Roths Around the World was born.
We approached Cheryl’s project as a professional services startup. To assist Cheryl with her launch, we recommended the following key startup marketing strategies:
- Digital Marketing Plan
- Branding Development
- Website Launch
- Social Media Advertising
Digital Marketing Plan
In short, a Digital Marketing Plan is a valuable, deeply researched report that outlines a business’s marketing objectives and the steps to achieve them. We prepared a DMP for Roths Around the World to clearly present:
- Market Analysis
- Competitor Analysis
- Audience Analysis
- SEO Analysis
- Marketing Goals
- Content Plan
This 40+ paged report uncovered multiple opportunities for Roths Around the World. Plus, it offered guidance to position itself amidst competitive threats and despite weaknesses common for a brand new business. The DMP guided all marketing efforts afterward, including website content, social media marketing, content marketing, and – to begin – branding development.
Branding Development
After we completed the DMP, we worked with Cheryl to develop her business’ official brand. Cheryl completed a lengthy questionnaire, which took a “deep dive” into her vision, goals, and preferences.
Ultimately, the brand of Roths Around the World was designed to convey:
- Freedom
- Adventure
- Family
- Calm
Key elements, combined with specific stylistic choices, created a brand identity that targeted families who are moved to adventure around the world – without the stress.
Website Launch
We used WordPress, the gold-standard for web development, to build the website for Roths Around the World. With professional graphic design and original copywriting, we built a standard 5-page website that is:
- Optimized
- On Brand
Scalable
Built for SEO, we installed premium plugins to ensure functionality. Plus, strong keywords and optimized visuals strengthen the site’s discoverability without weighing it down. To drive traffic and grow leads, we worked with Cheryl to develop two downloadable lead generation resources.
Altogether, Cheryl’s robust, on brand website is a strong anchor for her digital marketing strategies, helping her:
Build Brand Awareness
Generate New Leads
Establish Credibility
Engage Potential Customers
Social Media Advertising
To help launch Roths Around the World, we developed a social media ad to drive new followers to her Instagram page. Captivating visuals and simple but powerful content effectively conveyed the business’ brand, tapping into audience’s desire for adventuring without limitations.
Startup Marketing and Launch: Results
After Roths Around the World was officially launched, Cheryl saw immediate gains, as new users began exploring her helpful blog and reaching out to invest in her services. A remarkable outcome of Cheryl’s startup marketing project came when Cheryl was referred to a travel advisory agency, Firefly Travels, and joined their team as an expert in European travel. Her extensive blog and professional website established Cheryl as a credible source, and she has become one of the leading travel planners in her region.
Client Testimonial
"I’m so blown away by every step of this process and you both were so wonderful to work with. I truly appreciate all of your expertise, knowledge, creativity, and everything! Great job... you guys have an amazing business and I’m in awe of what you can do! Also, I’ve gotten such positive feedback about the website!"
Cheryl Roth
Owner, Roths Around the World