Be in Your Marketing Element this Winter: Make Winter Work for You

 

As the air cools and the crowds thin, winter is the perfect time to visit the Great Ocean Road. While summer brings the masses, winter brings moments—of comfort, calm, and connection. It’s your opportunity to captivate the winter traveller with experiences they’ll crave year after year.

 

 

1. Warm Winter Welcomes – Create an Emotional Hook

Winter is all about warmth—think glowing fireplaces, cozy throws, and steaming mugs on misty mornings. Reflect that in your online presence.

  • Share photos or reels of guests being welcomed or served a hot chocolate, pot of tea or a sneaky brandy or a bold red.
  • Offer a late check out or early check-in and let people know the fire or heater will be on.
  • Update your website homepage with a “Winter Welcome” message and cozy imagery.

TIPS: Use words like snug, toasty, cosy, slow down, and unwind in your copy to evoke emotion.

 

 

2. Build Irresistible Winter Packages & Promotions

Turn cold months into hot offers. Think beyond a bed for the night:

  • Stay & Soak: Partner with a local spa for winter wellness or leave some treats for your own bath.
  • Wine (or Whisky) by the Fire: Include a bottle of local red and grazing platter.
  • Winter Wanderer Package: Combine accommodation with a winter walkers picnic pack – thermal flask of hearty soup and scones.
  • 3-for-2 Winter Escape: Promote longer midweek stays.

TIP: Make your packages visual—bundle them in a single image or carousel on socials.

 

 

3. Create Engaging Web & Social Content

Now is the time to tell your winter story—visually and verbally.

  • Share winter packing lists (don’t forget the beanie and boots!)
  • Post behind-the-scenes prep: lighting fires, cooking slow meals, foggy morning views.
  • Highlight both indoor (board games, reading nooks, in-room dining) and outdoor (whale watching, cliff walks, stargazing) winter activities.

TIP: Try themed social series like “Winter Wednesdays” or “Hot Drink of the Week.”

 

 

4. Serve or celebrate your favourite café or restaurant serving Comfort Food & Winter-Warming Drinks

From spiced cider to rich local cheeses, use the season to highlight hearty offerings.

  • Run a “Winter Menu Preview” on stories or blogs.
  • Feature local producers – and tag them!
  • Share recipes (hello, mug puddings for one!) or cocktail tutorials to engage followers.

TIP: Feature your prepping, dishes and drinks in short videos for Reels and TikToks—people eat (and book!) with their eyes.

 

 

5. Collaborate Locally: Promote Others Doing Winter Well

Don’t go it alone—connect with others doing great things this winter.

  • Recommend nearby winter-friendly businesses, wineries, galleries, and cafes.
  • Share their posts or create winter itineraries to inspire guests.
  • Use our hashtag #Beinyourelement.

TIP: Host joint giveaways or “stay + play” promos with partners.

 

 

6. Keep It Visual: Winter Sells

Invest in updated seasonal photography—think smartphone shots styled well:

  • Think moody skies, firelight glows, cozy textures.
  • Show guests experiencing the season (sipping, strolling, wrapped in a throw).

TIP: Use consistent filters or tones (warm hues, soft shadows) to set a cozy aesthetic.

 

 

7. Inspire Travel with a Winter Packing Guide

People love being told what to bring.

  • Post a shareable “Winter Escape Checklist” including: beanie, boots, a thermal or two, camera, appetite and sense of adventure.
  • Offer this as a downloadable PDF or blog post on your site.
  • Add a must do checklist of all your favourite winter activities.

TIP: Mention any complimentary inclusions you provide—coffee machine, tea pots, board games, blankets, rain ponchos, or umbrellas .

 

8. Offer Digital Storytelling Experiences

Enhance guest connection with your brand online:

  • Create short Instagram Story series like “A Day in the Life of a Winter Guest”.
  • Do mini-interviews with your chef, housekeeper, or barista about their winter favourites.
  • Start a “Winter Diary” blog series on your site.

TIP: Your team help show your authenticity, they just need to be themselves, But on camera.

 

Winter is Your Quiet Superpower

Winter brings the chance to slow down and connect deeper with your audience—and your guests. Use this time to tell better stories, offer unique experiences, and build brand loyalty for the year ahead.

Let’s embrace the elements together and show travellers that the winter is the perfect place to Be in the Great Ocean Road region.