Could you block out three hours of time in your schedule if you knew it would get you more customers for your tour or activity?
As a busy business owner, you have to be a master-prioritizer. When there’s about 100 things that need to get done in any given week, you have to be able to look at your list and say…
1. These are the tasks that are revenue-generating
2. These are the tasks I can delegate to someone else
3. These are the tasks that we are wasting time on
And yet for some reason, we tend to overcomplicate and neglect the most basic tasks that deliver results.
When did “taking the easy way” become a bad thing? I want you to get this notion out of your head. Marketing can be simple, fast, and yes, even easy, as long as you’re smart about it.
These three strategies are a true testament to that!
So if you have been struggling to get more customers out to your experience or attraction, here are three things you can do (in just around three hours) to make a real difference in your business.
STRATEGY ONE: Elevate Your Local Listings
It may seem simple, but… when was the last time you reviewed your Tripadvisor, Yelp and Google profiles? These listings are big tourism drivers, and if the photos are outdated or low quality, and the information is incorrect or just not compelling, you are doing yourself a disservice.
Did you know that when searching for businesses, consumers use mapping products 44% of the time? And on average…
41% OF PLACE SEARCHES RESULT IN AN ON-SITE VISIT
And if that’s not enough, here’s the kicker… listings with photos and a virtual tour are 2x as likely to generate interest!
Take Action: Update your listings with the photos and copy that have the highest engagement rates on your social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, etc.)
Go One Step Further: When you’re logged in to your Google business backend manager, you can submit a free request for a virtual tour of your business.
STRATEGY TWO: Optimize Your Concierge Connection
Hotel concierges and front desk clerks interact and engage with travelers in your region every single day. What do they know about your business? Do they know about all your new & exciting endeavors? Are they aware of your mission and what makes you unique?
These… ambassadors, if you will, have a lot of credibility when it comes to local recommendations. And simply dropping off a stack of brochures at their desk isn’t enough to win their referral.
When you start building a rapport with these influencers, ask them what you can do to make their job easier and make sure they are clear on your business’s biggest selling points.
Take Action: Set a goal of visiting just three hotels to start. Stop by at a traditionally slower time and bring them something to brighten their day (maybe some coffee/tea and a pastry from the favorite local bakery?) Just remember: Depending on how competitive your destination is, it may take more than just a thoughtful gesture to sway them.
Go One Step Further: Consider putting together an event for the concierges and influencers in your area to experience your offerings firsthand!
STRATEGY THREE: Play The Role of Local Tour Guide
When you’ve lived (or done business) in one spot for a while, it’s easy to overlook the nuances and “need to know” info of traveling to your destination. Most travelers venture to destinations they’ve never visited before. But more importantly…
85% OF LEISURE TRAVELERS DECIDE ON ACTIVITIES ONLY AFTER HAVING ARRIVED AT THE DESTINATION
So when you play the role of local tour guide and provide visitors with useful information, you’re helping to build your brand, drive word of mouth and increase the chance that an out-of-towner will go out of their way to visit you.
Take Action:
(Step 1) Put together a simple social media post along the lines of “a day in (your city)” or “explore (your city) like a local” where you tap into the lifestyle and desires of travelers that align with your business offerings.
(Step 2) Once you publish your post, tag the tourism publications and blogs for your destination, or send the post in a private message and ask them to share. This will help to amplify your reach.
Go One Step Further: While this can be a one-time tactic, why not carve out a spot on your social media content calendar once a week geared directly to the travel and leisure customer?
Even if you just take action on ONE of these strategies this week, you should begin to see a positive impact in your business.