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Maps

If you run an accommodation business it is critical that people know where they can find you.  You can give verbal instructions, you can send email directions, you can text directions to people or by far the best way is to be listed on Maps.

If you are on Google maps, or similar systems then:

• when people are planning their trips they can see where you are and plan their itinerary
• people can also find you using their Iphone or Gps,

This is why we have built our new Women Travel NZ and World sites using Google maps

1. Register your business on Google Maps for free - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
2. Yellow Pages have teamed up with Multimap to give everyone in the Yellow Pages a link to a Map giving directions to that business
3. Use Google Maps on your website to show people where you are - easiest if you have done step 1 above.  But basically go to Google Maps enter your address, set the zoom to what you want, click on  Link in the top right corner of the map, and copy that code to your website.

VIANET Online Booking System

This is an NZ booking management system which I would like to recommend. (I don’t benefit from this recommendation!) You pay nothing up front, simply pay a % of your booking. More on Vianet

WHY use Via net?

1. Its a Map Driven site - making it very easy for travellers to search for accommodation in the area they are travelling to.  Via net do not provide a website themselves, they provide the engine for other websites, including Trade Me's Travel Bug.
2. You can use their online direct availability calendar on your own website enabling people to book directly and see what is available.  (it is a very easy system, easy to get on and change availability if you plan to be away or if people have booked some other way.  If you do not wan to have direct availability, you get notified by Text and have 24 hours to accept a booking
3. You can use their facility to accept Visa cards - all you need is internet access. It only costs you 3% which is not much more than the credit card cost and you have no ongoing  costs for equipment hireage. For NZ customers, you can alwayse use direct debit internet banking.

Via net will help you to set your site up - you will get an online availablity calendar, great maps. 
This is the way of the future.

Marketing ideas

Press Releases Write a press release for your local paper and supply a photo. They are often looking for stories. Especially good if there is something topical - an opening, an open day, an extension, a special group visiting. Also consider stories/press releases in womens newsletters, magazines.

Email marketing Keep a list of emails of those who have visited or shown interest. Send out an occasional newsletter to them, offer them a special deal, give them news about what has changed, what is flowering, why they or their friends should come again.

Give Aways - a discount on a trip, a free holiday in your down time, upgrade people to a better room, give a holiday as a prize in a raffle or auction. All of these make people feel good about your place.

Have an Open Day/Garden party Invite locals, other travel providers in the area, neighbours, people in the local information centre, your MP, etc etc. You could invite people personally and advertise it via a press release or pay for an advert in the local paper.

Web Based Marketting

Most of you have a website - are you maximising the use of it? 

You don't have a website? some options for you

Get a free assessment of your website here

Some suggestions
1. Lots of Links throughout your website: Copy the graphic at the top of this page to your header or footer or side bar - show you are part of the network, include a link to WTNZ. Links are what makes the internet go round and makes us more visible to search engines.

Relevent links are a service to those visiting your website - List other supportive businesses on your links page, ask them to link to you. Link to other Women Travel businesses and ask them to link to you.

For example Waihoihoi Lodge website has a page of links to women's lodges around the world. You could copy this, or make your own list up. 

Links are what catches the attention of search engines, appropriate links are a service to your clients, so if we link to each other then we are doing everyone a favour.  The best links are those that link to you - you might think you are important, but if other sites link to you, then you are more important.

Use this tool to find out what websites link to you or to other sites like yours.

2/ Email signatures - a lot of people don’t use them, but they are very important in a business. You can put your full name and address, a sentence about you and of course you can put our web site address on with a note to find you on it! Signatures can be put on automatically. If you need help - check out the help menu, or ask a friend!

3/ Editing your own website - you can do it!
Most of us use a professional web designer to design our site (something I highly recommend!) but after that, keeping up to date with changing information, new photos, new pages such as I have mentioned above is not always easy. For many people (including me) our eyes glaze over a the complexities of web design software.

There are many simpler pieces of software - called content management software which makes editing your site and keeping it updated, very simple.  I have used one called Contribute, but have since changed over to the Word Press blogging system which is even easier - see the Women Travel Blog and my local Bream Bay Website.

Let me help you get a fantastic website

4/ Word Press Blog/Websites

I am so passionate about Word Press Blogs because they are so easy to use, and have a blogintegrated into them, so inserting new news and pictures is just so easy. I  have set up a small business called Web2Blog to help people get a professionally designed and easy to use website, including coaching you to be able to edit it yourself.  Contact Rosemary for more info

PS: I would always recommend paying a professional to do the initial design

5.  Do you have an About us Page?
I think this is an absolutely critical part of a website.  Many people want to know about the people behind a business - so why not say something about yourself, your background, your interests.  I have had people who had decided to come and stay simply because of what they read on my about us page.

6. Do the pages on your website have key rich titles?

Is your home page called "home page", or does it say "adventure travel for women in small groups to outer mongolia" . To see the title of your website page - look in the very top of the browser page.  Each page should have different titles relevant to that page. This helps search engines find you.

7. Keywords and Descriptions

Each page should also have keyword rich descriptions, and keywords on each page.

Remember: Links are what catches the attention of search engines,

appropriate links are a service to your clients,

so if we link to each other then we are doing everyone a favour.

Further advice

I have had quite a lot of experience in setting up small businesses, in internet marketting, and general marketting advice, and I am happy to share that on a one to one basis, either by phone, letter, email or in person.

1. Free Assessment of your Website - contact me and I will give you a free assessment of your website along with things you can do to improve it.
2.For further support and mentoring $NZ60/hour + gst - no minimum charge unless travel is involved

please let me know if I can help rosemary