Dealing with Tough Transitions…

Andy Hayes — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:00:48 +0000

This post originally appeared in last week’s edition of our tourism marketing newsletter. It got such a roaring response and a pile of email replies, so I figured it hit a sore spot. I’m re-printing it here to share with everyone (if you saw it already, it’s worth a re-read.). If you aren’t on the newsletter list, you better signup!

Autumn is a period of transition for many businesses – you might be moving from a busy period to a slower one, or vice versa. The direction of the transition isn’t what is important – it’s more about how you handle the transition that will predict your success factor. In rock climbing, they rate the climbs not by how long the climb is, or how difficult it is overall, but according to how difficult the hardest maneuver in the climb is.

Just like in rock climbing, how you handle your hardest moment predicts your overall success. (The magic part – we never know what the hardest moment is until after we’ve passed it.)

Something to think about.

(Want to talk about your current transitions? Why don’t you take our free small business assessment. Would love to chat!

And don’t’ forget about to signup to our newsletter, ya’ll!

Photo by jam343

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Your 5 Point Summer Tourism Biz Check-In

Andy Hayes — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 18:28:49 +0000

For many of you in the Northern Hemisphere there are blue skies outside, and your shorts and sunglasses are calling. (Southern Hermisphere folks, I hear you… it’s cold!) For some of you, this is also your busiest season, with vacations being booked, guests arriving at your front door, and the hustle and bustle of money being exchanged.

Maybe you’ve feeling hints of Blogger’s Dip. Maybe you’re thinking that all this social media stuff is total crap, because you’ve got more important things to do. Maybe the introduction of Google+ and all the hype makes you want to unplug everything and move into a cave. Totally get that feeling. Totally.

No worries, though, the tourism mechanics are here and ready to give you your 5 point summer tourism biz check-in!

1…2…3…4…5

1: When you get super busy (or super motivated to take off for the beach), income generating and client facing tasks ALWAYS come first.

When push comes to shove, make sure that you’re taking care of the customers you already have. And as I’ve ranted about before, the number one reason ANY small business dies is because of cashflow, so keep your eye on getting the checks cashed and the invoices sent. Priority numero uno a-l-w-a-y-s.

2: Your marketing is like a garden – it can go untended for a day or two here and there, but if somebody doesn’t water the plants, they’re gonna die.

Most things in the world of sales and marketing are like gardens. If you don’t tweet today, ok, if you don’t tweet tomorrow, ok. But if you stop tweeting for weeks? Your twitter presence will wither. Same with your email list and newsletter – who the heck are you again sending me these random emails? And while everyone can use a blogging break now and then, if you drop it for too long, either you’ll just forget about it, or it will forget about you.

3: Get help when and where it makes sense.

I know you – you’re like me in that you like to do a lot of stuff yourself. But sometimes, both of us are doing tasks we have no business doing. Sometimes that’s just a too-many-fingers-in-too-many-pies problem, and sometimes it’s just a task that someone else will be better at. So hand that work off – even if temporarily during a busy period.

4: Look out for the ruts: it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

There is a difficult balance to be struck in biz. You always want to delight your customers. Surprise them. It’s all about how you make them feel. So you have to extend the extra effort sometimes to make a difference. Make someone’s vacation or trip all that more special. But doing that can become tedious and tiresome, and you’ll start to fall into a rut. Careless and uninterested. Just another customer to process. The best way to avoid a nasty rut like that? Pay attention and look out for it. (And give your mentors and team members permission to slap you if they see you doing it.)

5: Last but not least, plan your “light at end of tunnel downtime reflection retreat.”

A super busy or way unmotivated period is the worst time to make strategic planning changes in your business. Shifting direction when you are not focused and clear on the big picture is bound to end up with mistakes. Mark a date in your calendar when you (and any of your most important partners/mentors) can go off to a quiet place and sit down and discuss what’s working and what’s not.

Still need some help/focus? Then check out our TOP Three for Free. Focus and direction for your biz – quickly, easily, and free of charge.

Photo by The U.S. Army. << P.S. Love the fact that the US Army has a creative commons licensed Flickr account. Sharing is caring!