Greetings,
Sometimes I think, yes I have been known to think, that in the rush for businesses to get on board the social media bandwagon, we forgot about the meaning of the word "social"
Clear evidence of this is the fact that we continually have to tell businesses social media is NOT a place to SELL product. Somewhere at the very beginning Businesses got the wrong end of the stick regarding social media.
Social media is not a replacement communication tool but an additional one. And notice I didn't say marketing tool, I said communication tool.
Social media is the extension of email, which was the extension of your 1-800 number, which was the extension of calls from the VIC or pay phones on location, which is the extension of driving til you see the "vacancy" sign.
We're talking about the difference between 60% or 70% occupancy - 80% or 90% guest satisfaction. It's that little bit extra.
Choose a social media platform that suits You as the operator and your output will shine / stand out.
Social media provides an outlet for post purchase perks such as getting retweeted or being tagged in a business Facebook album. Making that one customer feel special - leading to awesome guest reviews, referrals and repeat business.
It's about telling the World you are looking forward to your guests.
It's one on one but like that Vidal Sassoon commercial - she tells two friends, they tell two friends and so on and so on.
So go out there and be social! It's a fun journey and you never know where you're going to end up or who you are going to connect with.
Beth
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Google Places - it's where to be on the web
Google, google and more google.
If you've taken the TourismTechnology.com mentoring session then you've heard of Google Places - because we've told you to set up an account there.
Told you, told you and told you.
Liberally copied from Daniel Craig please click through to read the whole article, but here are some highlights
To enhance searchability, ensure that your business’s name, address and phone number are listed in a consistent format across the web. The Company/Organization field acts as the title of your listing and should include the word “Hotel” and your destination if they are part of your official business name—Google doesn’t permit descriptors or keywords in titles. For example, “The Manderley Chicago Hotel” is more searchable than “The Manderley”.
Businesses can upload a maximum of 10 photos and five videos, so make sure they are high quality, authentic and functional. Adding captions and descriptions is presently not an option.
Google, already a dominant force in travel marketing, has reared its head as a formidable force in social networking. By optimizing your Places listing now you’ll be positioned to take advantage of new opportunities down the road.
Also check out my Google+ widget on the left - Google Plus is a new social network, I'll be talking about that in future posts
I'm also bringing in @tourismtech tweets - please follow us on Twitter and let us know if you're running a Twitter account, we love to see what operators are doing :)
I'm always looking for new widgets to keep my blog up to date and interesting. You should be doing the same. Please find an online champion somewhere in your organization.
If you need help with websites, social media, email, the Tourism Technology team is available across Atlantic Canada. We dispense wisdom and make the internet less scary. Promise.
Hoping you're having a great tourism season!
Beth
If you've taken the TourismTechnology.com mentoring session then you've heard of Google Places - because we've told you to set up an account there.
Told you, told you and told you.
Liberally copied from Daniel Craig please click through to read the whole article, but here are some highlights
To enhance searchability, ensure that your business’s name, address and phone number are listed in a consistent format across the web. The Company/Organization field acts as the title of your listing and should include the word “Hotel” and your destination if they are part of your official business name—Google doesn’t permit descriptors or keywords in titles. For example, “The Manderley Chicago Hotel” is more searchable than “The Manderley”.
Businesses can upload a maximum of 10 photos and five videos, so make sure they are high quality, authentic and functional. Adding captions and descriptions is presently not an option.
Google, already a dominant force in travel marketing, has reared its head as a formidable force in social networking. By optimizing your Places listing now you’ll be positioned to take advantage of new opportunities down the road.
Also check out my Google+ widget on the left - Google Plus is a new social network, I'll be talking about that in future posts
I'm also bringing in @tourismtech tweets - please follow us on Twitter and let us know if you're running a Twitter account, we love to see what operators are doing :)
I'm always looking for new widgets to keep my blog up to date and interesting. You should be doing the same. Please find an online champion somewhere in your organization.
If you need help with websites, social media, email, the Tourism Technology team is available across Atlantic Canada. We dispense wisdom and make the internet less scary. Promise.
Hoping you're having a great tourism season!
Beth
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Your neglected website
Greetings,
So you've decided that social media is not for you, not right now - fair enough.
However don't think I'm going to let you allow your website to slide as well!
People are moving away from traditional information sources like phone books, paper based travel guides, and atlases!
They expect to find your contact details online - somewhere. And if you're not offering an online social media presence, then you had better have it on your website.
Simple things like ...
Opening date, closing date
Telephone
Hours
Methods of payment
Contact names
Directions
Prices
Amenities
Specials
Packages
Travel tips
Stop what you're doing, run to your website right now and check all those things. Otherwise you'll end up being the target of someones blog.
Someone like this...
http://manleymannmedia.com/2011/08/01/your-website-is-a-big-fat-waste-of-space/
So you've decided that social media is not for you, not right now - fair enough.
However don't think I'm going to let you allow your website to slide as well!
People are moving away from traditional information sources like phone books, paper based travel guides, and atlases!
They expect to find your contact details online - somewhere. And if you're not offering an online social media presence, then you had better have it on your website.
Simple things like ...
Opening date, closing date
Telephone
Hours
Methods of payment
Contact names
Directions
Prices
Amenities
Specials
Packages
Travel tips
Stop what you're doing, run to your website right now and check all those things. Otherwise you'll end up being the target of someones blog.
Someone like this...
http://manleymannmedia.com/2011/08/01/your-website-is-a-big-fat-waste-of-space/
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Some twitter basics today.
It's come a long way from only 140 characters in a tweet and Teens tweeting that they're currently in the bathroom.
Celebrities are using it. Causes are using it. It even comes in handy during political upheaval.
Few people are using www.twitter.com = though if you're a true beginner, it's a great place to start.
Twitter tools like Hootsuite and Tweetdeck have evolved to help humans use the Twitter concept better and more effectively. Also Twitter for mobile is another handy tool for your smart phone
You're also going to need a URL shortener (is that a word?). Something like www.bitly.com
In order to drive people to your website or to other interesting websites, you need to use as many characters as you can to write witty content and use a URL shortener to make those long website addresses as short as possible.
In order to find out if people are clicking on your URLs you need an account with your preferred URL shortener. AND you need to tie it into your Twitter tool.
For example
You find a super awesome website you want to share
You open Hootsuite, which you've tied into your bitly account (using the options inside Hootsuite)
You write "check out this awesome site http: short link !"
You wait
Pretty soon, one of your followers will retweet you, you'll know via Hootsuite
And you'll open your bitly account and it will tell you how many people clicked on your link to your awesome website
You can compare that to the number of followers you have to see whether the percentage is high enough for you to say "I got some good ROI on that"
If not, then go back to the drawing board and try for better content in your next tweet.
Also try hashtags - putting a # in front of keywords
Example Tweet: I love #nb #potatoes fresh from the #garden smothered in real butter
This kind of tweet can be found by people doing searches on the words NB, potatoes and garden
For more on hashtags check out www.tagdef.com
Again this is just an overview on twitter, I didn't even talk about sharing photos or finding followers, or what to do when a spambot signs up to follow you.
I'm saving that for later.
Til next time,
Beth
Friday, July 8, 2011
Think like a customer
Liberally copied from Dear Radian6 - but it totally sounds like something I would say, and since I haven't said anything in a while, it's a good place to start again :) So many times I've read articles and thought, I should write something similiar for my peeps but never get to it. My new strategy is I'm going to start quoting more - we'll see how it goes.
If you are thinking like a customer, you can better appreciate what your customers may like. So keep this in mind when you share content, advice or just reach out in a friendly tone. Make what you say count. Infrequent, compelling interactions will mean more to your customers than a whirlwind of pokes and hellos that only fill a social site up with too much talking.
It is likely a rare occurrence that a customer taps you on your social-web-shoulder, pokes you and giggles then waves frantically in excitement just for the opportunity to be your friend. Customers want to know what’s in it for me? – known in marketing circles as WIIFM. So if you’re waiting for customers to cheerfully connect with you online just because, you may be waiting a long time.
Do you remember the excitement you felt when you were given a wrapped gift and the contents of the box were entirely a mystery? Surprises can be exciting, so why not surprise your customers by friending them first and joining in on the conversations they are having about you, about travel in general and their love/need for flying? Customers who experience an interaction from behind a social profile tend to turn their ear towards that brand and actually listen.
Perhaps one of the greatest examples of surprising customers is the KLM Surprises campaign. KLM really took flight using social media to demonstrate just how eager they were to soar above customer’s expectations.
The video is a little slow in the middle but hang with it.
If you need help with your social media strategy, contact me, the TourismTechnology.com program can help
Til next time
Beth
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Deadlines!
1. Tourism Technology Award - deadline to nominate yourself or another operator is March 31 March 31 is also the deadline for the TIANB Pioneer Award, and Parks Canada Sustainable Tourism Get your nominations in today!
2. Social Media Workshops - register now for the second year of TT.com presents Social Media Workshops for Tourism Operators. We've found a great expert, and we're going to take it to the next level. Last year was more of an introduction to the tools. This year, we're focusing on SMART objectives, developing key messages, researching your online status, and measuring impact. Saint John, April 26 Fredericton, April 27 Edmundston, April 29 Register now!
3. It's never too early to register for TIANB Annual Conference, May 25-27 in Miramichi Excellent speakers including Chef Lynn Crawford Social Media guru Amber McArthur Festival Genius Michel Gauthier HR Whiz Pierre Battah Register now!
2. Social Media Workshops - register now for the second year of TT.com presents Social Media Workshops for Tourism Operators. We've found a great expert, and we're going to take it to the next level. Last year was more of an introduction to the tools. This year, we're focusing on SMART objectives, developing key messages, researching your online status, and measuring impact. Saint John, April 26 Fredericton, April 27 Edmundston, April 29 Register now!
3. It's never too early to register for TIANB Annual Conference, May 25-27 in Miramichi Excellent speakers including Chef Lynn Crawford Social Media guru Amber McArthur Festival Genius Michel Gauthier HR Whiz Pierre Battah Register now!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
The Social Ostrich reappears
I know I'm supposed to be writing about Online Revealed but I haven't downloaded the presentations and put it altogether in a report yet - patience
What I am going to write about it the continued existence and appearances of the Social Ostrich.
I first noted the Social Ostrich in my post of June 4, 2010
Back then he was cute, perhaps charming, a little out of touch but bearable.
I recently ran into another one just last week at the Fredericton Tourism Launch / Tourism and Parks JackRabbit presentation.
Today in 2011, he is not cute, not charming, but overbearing and down right bad for other people's business.
The Social Ostrich spouts things like:
"if it ain't broke, don't fix it",
"I like to talk to people on the phone",
"I still use my paper based day planner for reservations"
The Social Ostrich has his head in the sand, and he'll keep you down there with him if he can.
DON'T LET HIM
All business operators need to PLAN FOR CHANGE. Using Social Media and moving to online reservations is simply
PLANNING FOR CHANGE!
Someday soon, that Social Ostrich is going to finally pull his head out of the sand and there's not going to be a customer in sight. He'll be starting from scratch trying to find customers and build an online brand. His business that was once going to provide his retirement in Arizona is now worthless. He has no future bookings, and no online customer fan club to fall back on.
If you're smart you'll be the one with all his customers, they are out there for the taking and keeping.
If you think you are a Social Ostrich, email me. The TourismTechnology.com program can rehabilitate you.
If you see one in the wild, let me know, I'd like to take the Social Ostrich and wring it's neck (humanely). I hear Ostrich is the new Turkey ...
Beth
beth at tianb dot com
What I am going to write about it the continued existence and appearances of the Social Ostrich.
I first noted the Social Ostrich in my post of June 4, 2010
Back then he was cute, perhaps charming, a little out of touch but bearable.
I recently ran into another one just last week at the Fredericton Tourism Launch / Tourism and Parks JackRabbit presentation.
Today in 2011, he is not cute, not charming, but overbearing and down right bad for other people's business.
The Social Ostrich spouts things like:
"if it ain't broke, don't fix it",
"I like to talk to people on the phone",
"I still use my paper based day planner for reservations"
The Social Ostrich has his head in the sand, and he'll keep you down there with him if he can.
DON'T LET HIM
All business operators need to PLAN FOR CHANGE. Using Social Media and moving to online reservations is simply
PLANNING FOR CHANGE!
Someday soon, that Social Ostrich is going to finally pull his head out of the sand and there's not going to be a customer in sight. He'll be starting from scratch trying to find customers and build an online brand. His business that was once going to provide his retirement in Arizona is now worthless. He has no future bookings, and no online customer fan club to fall back on.
If you're smart you'll be the one with all his customers, they are out there for the taking and keeping.
If you think you are a Social Ostrich, email me. The TourismTechnology.com program can rehabilitate you.
If you see one in the wild, let me know, I'd like to take the Social Ostrich and wring it's neck (humanely). I hear Ostrich is the new Turkey ...
Beth
beth at tianb dot com
Friday, March 4, 2011
Trip Advisor / Trip Advisory
Some astonishing travel tales both coming and going to NF a couple of weeks ago. I won't bore you with the details but NB should be thankful that most of our tourist don't fly here. I hear even in the summer, landing in St John's can be iffy - and that's your Trip Advisory :)
Jim Brody from Trip Advisor was a speaker at HNL, he had some things to say - namely that Social Media and Travel were made for each other. I agree. If there is one thing that Travel is it's social and interactive.
He also touched on User Testing, User Studies - every person's online experience is unique. No two people visit a website in exactly the same way. The way your eyes scan across the screen (left to right, right to left), the clicks you take, how you use the browser tools. Make sure you're trying to view your own website through fresh eyes. Ask friends and family for honest opinions.
Check out Trip Advisor on Facebook, apparently they have a new game that's highly addictive.
He also mentioned some interesting statistics, they always have statistics.
4800 Brazilians viewed information on NF. That's a little more then one might think isn't it? Now it doesn't mean they are all coming, they could just be displace Newfs viewing images of home. But either way, people all over the world are viewing things all the time.
75% of people use Trip Advisor as a research tool
25% of people write the reviews
So do what you can to promote yourself on Trip Advisor, ask clients to write reviews, respond to reviews. Post new images. Cross link between your site and Trip Advisor. Use the internet to break down barriers
The internet, and I think he means your website really, is the only medium where someone from Boston and someone from New Zealand can view your marketing with the same download speed and delivery time. It's instant.
No waiting for it to arrive in the mail
No attachment errors
No email bouncing
It's available at 3 am or 3 pm
When they want it
What message are you putting out there? Is it good enough?
Using your EQ types, it's about WHAT they are looking for, not where they are or who they are
Later gators,
I'm off to Toronto for a week to learn even more wisdom to pass along
Beth
Tourismtechnology.com
Jim Brody from Trip Advisor was a speaker at HNL, he had some things to say - namely that Social Media and Travel were made for each other. I agree. If there is one thing that Travel is it's social and interactive.
He also touched on User Testing, User Studies - every person's online experience is unique. No two people visit a website in exactly the same way. The way your eyes scan across the screen (left to right, right to left), the clicks you take, how you use the browser tools. Make sure you're trying to view your own website through fresh eyes. Ask friends and family for honest opinions.
Check out Trip Advisor on Facebook, apparently they have a new game that's highly addictive.
He also mentioned some interesting statistics, they always have statistics.
4800 Brazilians viewed information on NF. That's a little more then one might think isn't it? Now it doesn't mean they are all coming, they could just be displace Newfs viewing images of home. But either way, people all over the world are viewing things all the time.
75% of people use Trip Advisor as a research tool
25% of people write the reviews
So do what you can to promote yourself on Trip Advisor, ask clients to write reviews, respond to reviews. Post new images. Cross link between your site and Trip Advisor. Use the internet to break down barriers
The internet, and I think he means your website really, is the only medium where someone from Boston and someone from New Zealand can view your marketing with the same download speed and delivery time. It's instant.
No waiting for it to arrive in the mail
No attachment errors
No email bouncing
It's available at 3 am or 3 pm
When they want it
What message are you putting out there? Is it good enough?
Using your EQ types, it's about WHAT they are looking for, not where they are or who they are
Later gators,
I'm off to Toronto for a week to learn even more wisdom to pass along
Beth
Tourismtechnology.com
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
TIA Conferences
Greetings
I'm off this week to Hospitality Newfoundland & Labrador's (HNL) Annual Conference. Each Atlantic provincial Tourism Industry Association (TIA) has its own annual conference. The Tourism Technology.com project attends each one to increase visibility for the project and encourage more operators to sign up for the mentoring session.
Since each TIA has only a handful of staff, one of the Tourism Technology.com coordinators travels to the others conference to work the trade show.
I'm going to NF, NS rep is going to PE, NF rep is going to NB etc.
The point is you might want to consider attending one of these conferences, just to get some different perspective. Consider their speakers. View their provincial presentations.
NF is in February,
PE is in March,
NB is in May,
NS is in November,
Food for thought, it doesn't hurt to know what everyone else is doing.
Have a great week,
Beth
I'm off this week to Hospitality Newfoundland & Labrador's (HNL) Annual Conference. Each Atlantic provincial Tourism Industry Association (TIA) has its own annual conference. The Tourism Technology.com project attends each one to increase visibility for the project and encourage more operators to sign up for the mentoring session.
Since each TIA has only a handful of staff, one of the Tourism Technology.com coordinators travels to the others conference to work the trade show.
I'm going to NF, NS rep is going to PE, NF rep is going to NB etc.
The point is you might want to consider attending one of these conferences, just to get some different perspective. Consider their speakers. View their provincial presentations.
NF is in February,
PE is in March,
NB is in May,
NS is in November,
Food for thought, it doesn't hurt to know what everyone else is doing.
Have a great week,
Beth
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
About Me
How many times have you seen the About Us tab on a website (Contact Us also counts)?
How many online contact places do you have (email, blog, linked in, facebook, website)?
Wouldn't it be great to store all those in one place?
And fancy it up with fonts and pictures?
Check out About Me
It's a great one page "dashboard" to post your details for all your online places
Check out mine Beth A
There are probably more free online apps like this, but this is the one I found and I like it. It was simple to create and now it's a one stop shop for all my contact info.
You can email me from there, read my blog, connect on FaceBook and Linked In.
And the URL is super easy to remember about.me/bethashton
You could create one for your business and use it on your business cards. Or just use it for personal use.
If you meet a friend on the street, you can say "Hey connect with me at about.me/bethashton" and then they can choose the connection options they prefer - email, facebook, linkedin, twitter etc.
Check it out and let me know what you think.
Beth
How many online contact places do you have (email, blog, linked in, facebook, website)?
Wouldn't it be great to store all those in one place?
And fancy it up with fonts and pictures?
Check out About Me
It's a great one page "dashboard" to post your details for all your online places
Check out mine Beth A
There are probably more free online apps like this, but this is the one I found and I like it. It was simple to create and now it's a one stop shop for all my contact info.
You can email me from there, read my blog, connect on FaceBook and Linked In.
And the URL is super easy to remember about.me/bethashton
You could create one for your business and use it on your business cards. Or just use it for personal use.
If you meet a friend on the street, you can say "Hey connect with me at about.me/bethashton" and then they can choose the connection options they prefer - email, facebook, linkedin, twitter etc.
Check it out and let me know what you think.
Beth
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