How can transit agencies improve their marketing strategy to reach a wider audience?
It is well known, that transit systems are believers in walking the walk. They work non-stop to provide services and cater to the needs of mobility challenged. In that effort they seldom find time to market their efforts and their services. Yet. the pillar of every successful transit business is their ability to outreach the demographic groups they provide service to. Their marketing departments are either non-existent or comprise of one (often shared) mobility manager. In today’s world, we live in an information hungry society and there lies in a latent need for an ongoing narrative between brands and consumers. This narrative is fulfilled by marketing which allows us to understand consumer behavior which in turn allows us to create better strategies and tactics to promote a service. Having a carefully crafted marketing strategy is one of top priorities when you are running a transit operation, having said that, it ranks low in the list of priorities of a transit operation. So how do we bridge the gap?
There are a wide variety of riders who would avail public transit for their individual reason. In order to increase awareness among them, public transport advertising needs to cater to their individual needs and aspirations through various marketing channels.
The Importance of Public Transport Advertising.
Public Transport advertising plays a huge role in shaping rider perspectives and generating a greater awareness in several communities. The underlying reasons why people avail various forms of public transportation are different. From urban professionals to senior citizens, environmentalists to cost savers, everyone has a unique reason to travel. Identifying their need and channeling the advertising to capture their attention and increase their trust in the transit service.
Aside from this, every marketing strategy should also spread the value public transportation provides in terms of mobility, affordability, social responsibility and convenience.
How to Improve your marketing strategy?
There is no shortage for transit advertising agencies but the fundamental tactics everyone should adopt in their strategy are tone of communication, digital presence and community outreach. Every public transportation agency should leverage these tactics to improve their awareness amongst the riders.
Transit agencies need to level up their game in terms of staying relevant to the times by incorporating good transportation scheduling software which simplify and streamline the entire operations and help them provide excellent customer service.
Digital Presence:
We live in a digital world and it’s the age of information too, so creating a space in this world is of utmost importance for every business, not just transit. Most of us are hooked on to devices throughout the day while working and we are constantly bombarded with ads based on our interests.
- Website: Having an aesthetically pleasing super simple in functionality website is the best investment you can have for a transit agency. It makes room for more customer satisfaction due to awareness. Your website is your visiting card and it goes a long way. Every information, booking, scheduling, everything a rider needs will be present on your website along with the agency’s mission and vision of how they can mould their perspectives of the community.
- Social Media: Time and again Social media has proved to be a powerhouse in benefits for brands to communicate with the users. Social media allows them to be part of the user’s journey by giving them a place where they can follow, get reviews, latest news and create more trust in the brand. Social media also ensures easy and quick communication with riders and transit agencies. However there is also the risk of getting negative feedback from users in a public forum. So, many brands refuse to improve their presence fearing backlash in case something goes wrong. This doesn’t negate the positive benefits of social media in any way.
Community Outreach:
Public Transportation agencies offer affordable, dependable means of transportation to several communities of people. By hosting and participating in events and campaign drives, transit agencies are able to reach the riders and showcase their dedication to the community thus enhancing their brand image.
Over the years, there has been a lot of advancement in the world of public transportation leading to a better rider experience in terms of comfort and convenience. By adapting these strategies and benefits of each platform, transit agencies should communicate the value they can provide. We are also in an advertising revolution and to keep up with the crowd, we need to enforce the latest trends while planning.
