Most businesses don't struggle with sending messages. They struggle with knowing what to send.
If your email and SMS tools are set up but planning content that actually connects feels like a part-time job on top of your actual job, this one's for you. Coming up with campaign themes that genuinely resonate is hard, especially when you're still learning what lands with your audience.
We get it. Truly. So the team at Wherewolf put together a practical guide to the email and SMS campaign types tour operators can run throughout the year. Consider it a ready-made stream of ideas you can feed straight into Wherewolfs Marketing Campaigns, to boost engagement, sharpen your strategy, and turn your direct marketing into something that works for you.
Birthday Campaigns Best for: Email or SMS
Who doesn't love a message on their birthday? Birthday campaigns consistently perform well because they feel personal, not promotional. It's a simple way to show your audience you remember them, without a hard sell in sight.
Better yet, they're the kind of campaign you set up once and let run quietly in the background.
Why it works: A personal moment always beats a promotional blast, even when it's quietly doing a bit of both.
Monthly Newsletters Best for: Email
This sounds scarier than it is. A monthly newsletter is one of the best ways to balance promotional content with something your audience genuinely looks forward to reading. Think local recommendations, seasonal ideas, and insider tips that only someone in your position could share.
Why it works: It gives your audience a peek behind the curtain — turning your brand into something they feel part of, not just sold to.
Customer Review Features Best for: Email
You've worked hard to earn your reviews. Let them do more than sit on a review site. Featuring a real guest experience builds trust, adds social proof, and paints a vivid picture of what it's actually like to book with you.
Why it works: People trust people more than they trust marketing copy — so let your happiest customers do the talking.
Added Availability and Sale Campaigns Best for: SMS
Whether you've opened last-minute tours, extended your season, or are running a time-sensitive offer, SMS is your go-to channel for updates that need fast attention.
Why it works: SMS is most powerful when it's timely and intentional. The right message, at the right moment, through the right channel.
Other Campaign Ideas Worth Testing
Once you've got the basics running, these are worth adding to the mix:
- A brand story email sharing how and why you got started
- An educational or local content series highlighting your area or expertise
- Conservation or sustainability updates, if relevant to your operation
- Seasonal content that reflects how your business changes throughout the year
You don't need to run all of these. Start with what feels natural and build from there.
Putting It Into Action
Now that you've got a bank of ideas, take a moment to think about what you actually want to achieve and set a few simple goals. Then head to the Marketing tab in your Wherewolf dashboard, select your campaign type, and feed AMI a prompt.
Within a few clicks, you could have a campaign in your audience's inbox — and real data coming back to shape everything you send next.
You're not doing this alone. Wherewolf has your back.
Want to learn more about Wherewolf marketing?
See how Wherewolf helps tour operators connect with their audience using built-in marketing tools through your waiver.