My marketing was unsuccessful yet we will increase sales!
I spent all the winter months rebuilding the website and really doing a marketing push into Asian countries we have traditionally been strong with. In particular China. But despite favourable comments where-ever we targeted we have seen, nor look like seeing any business from it except maybe in the very long term.
Have I lost my skills I ask myself? I don’t believe so and if anything I have improved. So what I now believe has happened is that despite our strength with current business in the Asian market just maybe its not our best growth potential.
The 2017/18 tour season sees us with mainly business out of England. Possibly one tour out of China but that if it happens is a referral. On one hand we should be happy as I believe turnover will be up over 33% but its not where we spent so much time and effort targeting.
There is also frustration as we made very good contact and were costing tours for several agents and they decided it was time to change employ and in one case have a baby. So its start again.
Our website since I launched the new one in Feb/March this year is growing with hits month on month. October is our highest month yet and we hit that record back on the 21st of the month. To a certain degree that should be expected as summer approaches. I do like the statistical information I can get from the new website. I believe figures although lower than our old website, are more quality rather than quantity.
Google keeps contacting us to run an ad-words campaign but past experience says that all that achieves is huge hits, but no business. So we will keep with our marketing ways but maybe start looking at markets outside Asia for growth.
The accommodation business Ninety Mile Beach continues to coast along. We have put no effort into growing down periods which have great potential for growth as it taxes our resources far to much. And in the far north of New Zealand it is hard to find the staff we require unless we offer them full time jobs. That at this point of time we do not wish to do. Still hoping a buyer may come along and relieve us of that business. A great business with huge potential but we just don’t have the time or energy with the tour business plus farm to run, to also grow the accommodation.
Another 2 weeks and I am constantly on the road. Trying hard to complete projects that need my input before I disappear. Tomorrow its beach fishing time. Important if you work hard, you must also find the balance and take time out to recharge the batteries. For Xiaoli and I that’s fishing. She will join my mate on the bluff 50km up the beach why I go even further north with the kite and long line. For me I will take several of my dogs with me for company. They love running on the beach and when I talk to them, they don’t talk back. Sometimes that’s nice.
This afternoon its build Xiaoli some box gardens with fences around to keep her poultry out hopefully. She wants to plant more bulbs so she has flowers to enjoy but also ulterior motive, grow more bulbs for eventual sale next season. Her aim is when we have sold the accommodation she manages, to grow her seed and bulb sales nationwide. Turn what has been a hobby to date into a business which she enjoys.
PS If you want to buy the accommodation business, speak to us. Look at those views! And in those waves are the Snapper!
Peter and Xiaoli Tours 