Why Develop a Strategic Marketing Plan for your Tourism Operation?

Strategic Marketing Plans for SME Tourism Operators

If you think that in tourism developing a strategic marketing plan is something only the big, fancy hotel chains do, then think again. You CERTAINLY need one, too! It’ll help you better understand your business, your customers and your strategy for success.

In fact it even more important that you use your smaller and tighter budget in the correct way and in the correct direction. A scattergun approach needs a LOT of money to be effective. With your smaller budget you are going to be looking for needle point accuracy in each of your campaign to guarantee ROI. As little trial and error as possible is definitely the aim. A-B testing with large focus groups is just totally beyond most of our budgets!

[Read more...]

How to stop the screw ups when giving a PowerPoint presentation

Since, for whatever reason, PowerPoint presentations seem apt to go wrong, it’s a great idea to cut out at least a couple of extra steps; not only will your presentation look more professional, but there’s also less of a chance that something will go wrong between saving and presenting.

The answer:

Save your PowerPoint presentation as a show!

[Read more...]

Prepare for Facebook’s Timeline for Business Pages

Excellent article by Ken Mueller on Business to Communtity. Thanks Ken!

I’ve been asked quite a few times at speaking engagements, and by clients, “Will Facebook be adding the Timeline for Business Pages”?. Well, if you haven’t heard, the rumors started leaking last week, and apparentlythe Timeline will be coming to business pages as early as the end of this month. It sounds as if they will begin rolling it out in beta with some larger brands. If you remember, it’s been nearly a year since the last major overhaul to the business pages. [Read more...]

Can you afford not to have a Channel Manager?

Channel managers

If you run an accommodation business then it is highly likely you are using a channel management tool of some description or are at least planning to in the near future. If it is not on your immediate radar then you should consider putting it front and centre of your online distribution strategy. [Read more...]

Foursquare and Tourism: Another New Social Media Tool

Foursquare for tourismFoursquare, the latest new and free location-based social media tool based on mobile device use that is taking off.

What is it?

Using a mobile device with GPS, it’s a way to explore a city and find people, places and things to do.  The users “check-in” to their current locations and can earn rewards in doing so.
It’s got much more of a “game” approach to it than other social media tools where users can “unlock badges and discover new things” for rewards, but the interesting bit is that these things are in the real world so businesses can use it to influence behaviour and actions, turning Foursquare users into paying customers. [Read more...]