Tory Ellers
5-star services that feel like traveling with a friend.
Case Study Overview
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The Client
Tory Ellers is a Luxury Travel Club for the storytellers of the world.
Pamela Garza knew from day one: she had a knack for experiencing a destination. Not only was she gifted at discovering off-the-beaten-path experiences, she could instantly identify what kinds of experiences satisfied the emotional needs of different travelers, even if they hadn't spoken them out loud.
She could tell whose life would be changed by seeing the sun rise over the African savanna, and who would appreciate a private chef being sent to their chateau.
When she founded Tory Ellers, she had already cultivated an extensive network of relationships at dream destinations around the globe.
(Think: the Four Seasons, the Ritz-Carlton, and the Waldorf-Astoria.)
She uses those relationships to create deeply personal travel itineraries for their club members. With their creativity, empathy, and love for people, Tory Ellers makes once-in-a-lifetime experiences every day of the week.
The Industry
A reputation for being aloof.
In an effort to convey exclusivity, they are extremely selective with the kinds of people they cater to. They trade heavily in influencer marketing and tend to lean into scarcity. This culture can make first-time members feel out of their depths and (literally) out of the club.
The Differentiator
Grounded in empathy.
Tory Ellers takes the time to get to know both their members and their destinations in a deep, meaningful way. This allows them to create itineraries that are personally significant and exactly tailored to each of their travelers -- right down to the type of pillow they sleep on at night.
The Customer
Ready to ditch TripAdvisor. For good.
A natural storyteller traveling for all the right reasons.
During the pandemic, Tory Ellers' ideal client realized one essential fact: everything is easier when you can just talk to a real person. However, they're often turned off by the impersonal experience provided in most Travel Clubs.
Instead, they're looking for a real person that they can talk to about even their wildest travel goals. They also prefer to travel with a safety net - being able to reach out at the drop of hat when something goes wrong makes them happy and content.
Their travel is motivated by their desire for connection. Connection with their families, themselves, and the world around them.
simple
simple
Saying less with more allows space for the travelers to be the storytellers.
When it comes to traveling, Tory Ellers believes that there's only room for two: the destination and the traveler.
So, in their copy, we chose short sentences and evocative but straightforward language. We also invited former travelers into the narrative whenever possible.
Keeping things simple allows Tory Ellers' brand voice to facilitate magical experiences without being the star of the show.
Not unlike a really, really good concierge.
simple
funny,
sometimes informal
funny,
sometimes informal
Traveling can be stressful but should always be fun.
Tory Ellers isn't afraid to tease, joke, and gently poke fun at otherwise stressful situations.
Tory Ellers' brand voice uses a lot of abbreviations, short sentences, and a few subtle pop culture references - something you don't normally associate with the very formal world of luxury.
We didn't shy away from talking about the unpleasant parts of traveling, but always made sure to keep these light.
In the end, site visitors feel like they're having a casual conversation with a peer about a trip they can't wait to go on.
funny,
sometimes informal
trustworthy
& transparent
trustworthy
& transparent
Trust is the bedrock on which Tory Ellers is formed, and that comes from transparency.
Tory Ellers clients expect them to be completely upfront about what to expect, what it's worth, and how much it costs.
The travel industry is full of hidden fees, click-bait deals, and fine print. Not only does this put distance between the client and the business, it's at odds with a luxury experience.
We surfaced limitations and caveats in their copy, making sure they were almost as prominent as the features and benefits.
We displayed the same details in multiple places and multiple formats to appeal to all kinds of website visitors.
And when we talked about price, we did so candidly. No asterisks required.
trustworthy
& transparent
passionate
passionate
Language that reflects that Tory Ellers is passionate about the transformative possibilities of travel, instead of viewing it as a form of casual entertainment.
In our storytelling, we highlighted the emotional and psychological impact of travel.
The connective moments shared with loved ones - the ability to reconnect with a heritage - and more.
We painted these moments in vivid detail to show that Tory Ellers is passionate about the lived experience of luxury travel, and values it more highly than prestige.
passionate
Customers took notice
With its unique take on approachable luxury, Tory Ellers is different from most luxury travel clubs - and right away, clients could tell.
"This copy is the biggest reason I'm attracting clients (and mostly ones that don't know my brand.)" - Pamela
Implementation was a breeze
I worked directly with Tory Ellers' web designer to co-operatively design the flow and layouts of the page.
We tackled live reveal calls with both Pamela, Marisa, and myself on the line. This allowed us to tweak, add animations, and map the customers' journey together in real time.
Brand messaging finally felt aligned
Through live copy review sand open communication, Pamela was able to understand and stand behind every piece of her messaging.
"You took the time to explain why we were doing things a certain way. That's key. I do that for my clients, and you did it for me." - Pamela
The Conclusion
Is your brand doing things differently?
Let's make sure others feel just as passionately about your work as you do.
I have to admit, this job was downright dangerous for my travel expectations.
Did you know that you can take a helicopter to a glacier at the North Pole and then jet ski across it? Did you know you could have lunch on top of a pyramid?
I sure didn't. Now I do.
I loved this project. I've always been fascinated by what an empathic person can do when they apply their talents to a new area of business, and Pamela opened my eyes to what it looks like when someone who completely loves experiencing the joy of others has a free reign to create mind-blowing experiences.
Pamela was the picture perfect blend of ambition, creativity, big picture thinking, and servant leadership. She also a true collaborator, bringing fantastic ideas to the table, but staying eager to learn and open to suggestions.
I can't wait to (vicariously) experience the stories that Tory Ellers brings into the world.
