This post was written by Josh Oakes. Josh grew his local tour company to millions of dollars in annual revenue and sold it for $1m+ in June 2017. He has now founded the The Sunshine Tribe, where he helps tour and activity operators across the globe build amazing businesses and create awesome lives.In 2007 my wife and I started a Day Tour company in Melbourne, Australia. We had no experience in tourism, no experience in business, no networks, no support, and no cash.After two years of 60-hour weeks, we were taking home $20,000 a year and had nearly thrown in the towel more times than I could count. Fast forward 7 years and we had grown that business to more than $2 million in revenue annually, before selling in 2017 for 7 figures.This was achieved without working ourselves into an early grave. With a great lifestyle where we worked remotely, travelled regularly, enjoyed all the things that we love about life, and empowered others to run our business as it grew.We were able to only work on the parts of our business that we loved.Now we help tour and activity operators, travel professionals and small tourism businesses across the globe build amazing businesses AND create awesome lives, through our new venture: www.thesunshinetribe.com.As a Tour Operator, we never worked with Viator, Expedia, or any other of the big Online Travel Agents. We built our business to more than $2million in revenue annually without generating a single dollar in revenue from these guys.I’m not trashing them, and I’m aware that they are hugely important for many tour operators, it’s just that I’m a bit old school.I’m a big believer in building a great business by building awesome relationships with partners that really get to know you, your business, your people and your products intimately.And vice versa.You can’t build that kind of a relationship with a large OTA. It’s almost impossible for them to get to know you. They know little, if anything, about your company, or your team, your tour guides, or your vehicles. They haven’t experienced your tours and they don’t know really what their customers are saying about you.Anyway... the purchase of Viator by Trip Advisor got me thinking:In the ‘travel world’ this has obviously been a big topic of discussion and most tour and activity operators are pretty miffed about it (understandably so). Tour operators are feeling the effects.The general consensus is that it will have a negative impact on their business. They are now forced to change their pricing structure to include a commission. Some have even described handing over a 20-30% commission to TA as potentially being the ‘death’ of their business.Now, for a business like ours that never generated a single dollar in revenue from Viator in over a decade, I get it that many people may have a different perspective to mine (it’s impossible for me to understand everybody’s individual business model).However, could the purchase of Viator by Trip Advisor be a great opportunity for many tour and activity operators?I say yes.Sometimes every small business needs a ‘jolt’ and this could be it.

Every small business needs a "jolt", and Trip Advisor buying Viator could be yours.

You may be working your tail off - but it’s still very easy to become complacent and neglect many areas of your business. Maybe this is the ‘jolt’ that forces you to take a step back, think outside the box, and put a magnifying glass on every part of your business.Think deeply about how you could improve your business and about the directions you could take it.Are the sales that you generate via Trip Advisor an important source of revenue for you, and you are now worried that these sales will start to cost you 20-30% in commission? Here are a few questions that you could ask yourself to see if you can flip this around. Maybe it is a great opportunity to make yours a better business long term.

Can you re-examine the pricing and the inclusions in your tours?

Whether you are at the high-end or at the low-end of tours, I’ve always believed that if you are ‘the best’ and/or ‘the only’ at what you offer, then price becomes a whole lot less important.Is it so bad to be more expensive than others? Maybe, rather than ‘raising your prices’, it could be seen as a great opportunity to tweak and improve what you offer.Yes, some international and domestic tourism markets are price sensitive - but many more are focused on value and finding out from you how you justify your prices - how you’re different and what they are getting for their money. Rather than a price increase, perhaps an improved and more unique product at a slightly different price point is the answer.

Can you explore new revenue streams?

Can you put an end to what is possibly an unhealthy reliance on one OTA and spread your eggs across a number of baskets? Explore different revenue streams? Identify specific international markets and target them? Find new partners? Create different divisions to your business? Create a range of upsells and make more off each tour?

Can you increase capacity?

Can you scale up? Can you put the systems in place to ensure you can deliver your tours in greater numbers and ensure you maintain quality and consistency? Can you improve your recruiting and training process? Your operations processes? Can you source a bigger and better supply of quality touring vehicles for those peak times?

Can you dig into your numbers and reduce expenses?

There’s so much to do as a small tour operator. Sometimes the one thing that’s most important to your bottom line is the thing that gets neglected because you’re too busy ‘running your business’.

Sometimes the one thing that’s most important to your bottom line is the thing that gets neglected because you’re too busy ‘running your business’.

Get forensic on your fixed costs and cost of sale. Put a microscope to everything in your financials line by line. Examine every expense that runs through your business. Examine your suppliers. Are you getting the best deals? Are they the right supplier? Examine everything. Utilities, SEO, tech support, motor vehicle expenses, business banking fees, insurance, phones...everything. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.We did this in 2016 and we were able to reduce expenses across our business by 13%. It made a massive difference to our bottom line.

Summing up

I’m sure that there are plenty of frustrations out there, but perhaps this could be a blessing in disguise for you and the catalyst for great things for your business.If you enjoyed this article and found it really helpful, please take a moment to download our 'Idea' to '7 Figure' Blueprint HERE.It's a look 'behind the curtain' at the step by step process we took to turn a vague idea into a multi 7 figure tour business.Enjoy!Josh OakesFounder of The Sunshine Tribe

No-shows can have a negative impact on your tour or activity business.This is especially true if you need a minimum number of guests to coordinate an experience.It’s true some no-shows are unavoidable, but there are measures you can take to prevent them from becoming a regular occurrence.Here are 4 tips to help reduce no-show rates for your tour or activity business:

1. Charge a rescheduling or no-show fee.

One option is to consider charging a $10 fee to customers who want to change their booking less than 2 days in advance, or who do not show up.If you decide to go this route, make sure your Terms and Conditions clearly state any fees or charges you impose for no-shows. Ensure that your guests agree to follow these Terms and Conditions when they complete their booking.With Peek Pro, you can ensure your guests agree to your Terms and Conditions with custom questions.

2. Be easy to contact.

We looked at 50 of our Partners’ websites, and found that 12 didn’t have their contact information listed!It’s important for many reasons that your customers, and potential customers, are able to contact you. However, especially in the case that a guest has a change of plans, it’s important they know how to contact you to cancel their tour.

12 out of 50 operators didn't have their contact information listed on their website.

Ensure that your contact information is listed both on your website, and when you register your business with Google. This way, your customers can easily get in touch with you for last minute questions, or cancellations.

3. Send your guests text reminders.

If your staff has the capacity, you can send your guests friendly text reminders of their upcoming experience. Craft a simple message that communicates your excitement to see the guest soon. Just don’t forget to state in your Terms and Conditions policy that guests can expect to receive text alerts from you!Peek Pro’s mobile app lets you contact guests directly via the app, simply by searching for the guest’s name.

4. Set up email reminders.

Keep your guests enthusiastic about their experience with you by staying in contact with them. This will also give them the opportunity to contact you about any changes to the time or date of their booking.With Peek, you can schedule emails and customize them to your business’s needs. Scheduling these emails allows you to remain on your guest’s mind without having to take time out of your (busy) day!

This post was co-written by Jessica Hunt and Kali Wasenko. Jessica Hunt is the Attorney Advisor for the DC Office of Disability Rights, and is a licensed attorney in DC, KY, and VA. Kali is an External Engagement Specialist at the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, and a disability rights ally.You could say I’m an adrenaline junkie. For my 31st birthday, I decided to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. That fact alone may not make me much different from a lot of the adventure seekers you see in your business every day. Here’s what makes me different: I’m a person with a physical disability. In the US, there are 57 million people with disabilities-a potential well of untapped customers! These are people who thrive on adventure, seek cool vacation spots, and are willing to pay for unique experiences. I’m here to tell you how to get us in the door and provide an experience that keeps us coming back for more.

What Should You Know?

Customers with Disabilities Are Good for Business

You may already know that your business has a legal obligation to provide services to customers with disabilities. What you may not know is that those customers with disabilities spend an average of 13 billion per year on travel and unique experiences. And just like any other group of people: if you provide excellent service to one, we will tell our friends. Take me for example. Since my first jump, three of my friends with physical disabilities have also fallen out of planes on purpose…and loved it. Their decisions were influenced by my positive experience with a local business in my area. And, of course, also influenced by the fact that I survived to write this post!

Accessibility Doesn’t Need to Cost an Arm and A Leg

When you think to yourself about what makes a space accessible, I am willing to bet that most of you picture ramps on buildings and grab bars in bathrooms (read: things that cost your business money). But... Accessibility doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg!In fact, some of the easiest modifications you can put in place to accommodate customers with disabilities come at absolutely no cost to you. Like these:

1. Train your staff to use respectful language.

Using the right language toward people with disabilities can go a long way in making us feel welcome at your meeting or event. Putting the person before the disability is what is called “Person-first language”. This is the most common form of respectful language toward people with disabilities. Many states even recognize it by law. Not sure what to say, or how to address a person who walks through your door? The National Inclusion Project has prepared a handy cheat sheet for just such a tongue-tied moment. You can find it here.

2. Eye Contact is Key.

Even if you’re saying the right words, eye contact is key. You should speak directly to with person with a disability, not just with their family, friends, or travel companions. This shows that you acknowledge their personhood, and want them to enjoy everything you have to offer.

3. Evaluate your space.

Accessibility is more than just a ramp and a smiling face. It’s also a willingness to accommodate more than just a wheelchair. You should consider whether your space is equipped to welcome guests with service animals. Or whether your videos have captions.

4. Get Training for free.

Consider ways your business can provide accommodation to your guests for free. Training staff to assist customers with mobility disabilities or guide people who are blind or low vision costs nothing but a little time and flexibility. And…There are resources to help!The US has ten regional Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Technical Assistance Centers who are at your service to provide free in-person and online training on accommodating your customers. They are available to answer your questions by phone in real time too. Find your nearest Center here.

5. Look at what Other Businesses are doing.

Consider business models like yours, and look at how they have made their experiences accessible. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? It can also be the most profitable.

6. Use volunteers.

Don’t be afraid to use volunteers. There may be a qualified American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter near you looking to get some hours toward a new certification. Offer them a chance to partner with you when you have a request from a Deaf patron.Free interpreting services for you + free certification hours for the interpreter + effective communication for the Deaf customer = a winning experience for all involved.

What if you can’t meet your customer’s needs?

If your space, meeting or event does not address a particular customer’s needs, don’t turn them away. Let the customer tell you how they would like to proceed. It is their experience, after all. You are just bringing them to it.

No Two People Are the Same

As the largest minority, people with disabilities are everywhere… and we all experience life differently. When we travel we bring friends, and sometimes, those friends are also people with disabilities. I often travel with my boyfriend, who is Deaf. When it comes to access, we have completely different needs, but that does not mean we should not be able to experience things together. It is important that your staff knows how to handle a group with multiple chair users. Or people who are Deaf and/or Blind, and with people with intellectual disabilities. Just because you’ve seen one of us, does not mean you’ve seen all of us. As long as you start from a place of respect, we will know that you care about our experience with your business.

When You’re Not Sure What to Do, Just Ask

If this is your first time interacting with a customer with a disability, relax. Assumptions help no one.If you’re not sure how to accommodate a person with a disability, just ask that person what they need. Even with all the technical assistance resources you can access, the knowledge that comes from your customers’ personal experience is often the best resource you can consult. If my skydiving instructor Mario hadn’t asked me what would be the most comfortable way for me to exit the plane, he wouldn’t have known what I need to keep me safe. And I might have missed out on incredible views like this one:

Look at that sunset! I was upside down at the time...but I saw it...eventually.Image Description: A glowing setting sun behind clouds and a distant horizon. The silhouette of two, connected skydivers falling upside down are on the left side of the image. Their parachute has just deployed.But because we had that conversation, my birthday sunset skydive was a success... And I lived to tell about it. Don’t just take my word for it. Watch the Disability Sensitivity Training Video prepared by the DC Office of Disability Rights for a few more pointers from people with disabilities themselves. Still need more info? Contact your local disability rights office. They can talk through scenarios with you and help you ensure that you are providing customers with an experience that is both accessible and fun.

Improving Accessibility of Your Business

Now that you know improving accessibility can lead to new and more satisfied customers, are you prepared to take the next steps? There are many ways you make changes today. To get the ball rolling ask yourself the questions we wrote below. These questions will help you think about different types of access needs. Once you’ve mastered these topics, ask your new customers and friends with disabilities what else you can do to be a responsible business.

• Do I advertise to advocate groups?
• Are my staff members knowledgeable of the rights of guests with service animals?
• Can customers with physical disabilities get to my business/the meeting location?
• How can my product be modified to reach new customers with disabilities?
• Do I know how to get qualified ASL interpreters?
• Do I have a budget set aside to provide qualified ASL interpreters with proper notice (3-5 business days) or other requests for reasonable accommodations?
• Are my staff members trained to provide excellent customer service to guests with different types of disabilities?
• Do I have a plan to support customers with disabilities in an emergency?

Additional Resources

None of these are paid endorsements; they are just links that I think you might find helpful.ADA Center LocatorADA Leadership Network General ResourcesBusiness Case for Effectively Serving Customers with DisabilitiesCustomers with Disabilities Mean Business: The Spending Power of the Disability CommunityDisability Sensitivity Training VideoDisabled Sports USAGet Certified as an Inclusive Fitness TrainerNational Disability Rights Network Contact ChartNo Barriers SummitSmithsonian Institute Accessible Exhibition GuideTips for Creating Accessible Electronic Materials

You probably already know how important it is to have a functional mobile website. But take a look at these quick stats:

• Over 50% of bookings through the Peek Pro widget happen on mobile devices
• 1 in 3 travelers say they discovered a new travel company while researching on their phones
• 52.2% of all website traffic worldwide was generated through mobile phones
• 84% of leisure travelers rely on search engines via smartphones to find local information

It’s clear having a mobile website is essential to capture new customers. So how do you improve yours? Here are 5 quick tips:

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1. Have a Responsive Design

A website with a responsive design automatically adjusts to the device the website is being viewed on. Depending on when you first created your site, changing to a responsive design could take some time. But given the stats above, it’s worth the investment! Making the switch does take some technical skills. We generally recommend that you hand it off to professionals (we like Tourism Marketing Agency and TourismTiger). But if you’re computer-savvy, there are free templates available to help you go mobile.

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2. Have Quick-loading Pages

Mobile visitors are visiting your site on-the-go. If you have pages that aren’t loading, or loading too slowly over the cellphone network, they are going to find a new website (probably your competitor’s). Use Google’s PageSpeed Insights to see how fast your pages are loading, and to find what might be slowing down your website.

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3. No Bells and Whistles

It’s important to keep your mobile site simple. Videos, sliders, and anything flash-based will take longer to load, and make navigating your mobile site difficult. Flash-based features are the most important to take out of your website as they don’t work on Android or iOS. While you’re at it, just take out all Flash from your desktop version too; come 2020, Adobe Flash is dead.**If your videos are integral to your website, embed them to your site through Youtube. Youtube videos are innately responsive, meaning they will fit to the screen your customers are viewing from.

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4. The Bigger “Book Now” Button the Better

The main purpose for your website is online sales, and your mobile site is no different. The big difference on mobile is that your customers use their fingers to tap, not a mouse. Make the booking process extra easy by having a big Book Now button so customers see it. This will make it easy for them to tap it too.

The big difference on mobile is that your customers use their fingers to tap, not a mouse.

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5. Optimize Your Images For Speed

High quality images are great to have on your website! But these image files could be large and slowing down your mobile site. Fortunately there are free tools available to make your images smaller, without affecting their quality. WP Smushit is a great plugin if you use WordPress. It will automatically optimize the images on your site- you won’t have to do a thing! Alternatively, you can use ShortPixel to manually reduce the size of your images. This means you will need to reduce the size of your image, and then upload it to your site. Both work well and will help to speed up your mobile website’s speed!

We'll spare you the over-quoted Shakespeare line and get right to it: Names carry a lot of weight, especially when it comes to business. But picking the right one can be frustrating and cause hair loss.

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Plus, there's more to it than whipping up something creative or witty and calling it a day. A name can significantly impact the long-term success of a company, which is why it's important to understand what separates the golden eggs from the duds. Before pulling the trigger and ordering a year's worth of business cards, here are nine tips on how to pick a great name for your tour, activity or rental business:

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1. Make It Stand Out, or "Stick"

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“Stickiness” is a term experts use to measure how memorable a business name is. If your tour, activity or rental venue is located in an area with a healthy tourism economy, standing out from the pack is inarguably one of your biggest ongoing challenges. When brainstorming, think beyond titles that simply tack your name onto the beginning (for example, "Annie's Tours") or could easily be confused with a competing business.

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‍Tip: The better a business name sounds out loud, the easier it is to remember. Bonus points for alliteration!

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We're already getting ahead of ourselves, though. First, do some serious reconnaissance and get a lay of the competitive landscape. You don’t want to face the repercussions, legal and otherwise, of being the second Dan’s Camping Rental in town. On top of this, think about how your name can differentiate your brand from similar nearby businesses. According to Entrepreneur Magazine, 90 percent of businesses choose names that sound the same as their competitors. Don't make that same mistake!

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2. Use Online Tools

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Before settling into some serious spitballing, check to see if a domain and/or social media handles already exist for any of your favorite candidates. This will eliminate potential names before you plunge into the brainstorming process. Here are two things to keep in mind:

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.com is King

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It's best to stick with a .com domain name. Why? It's what people are used to, and keeping with the status quo (in this case) is an indicator of the credibility of your business. A .com name is easy to remember and eliminates the guessing game, so get creative and exhaust all your options before considering the alternatives.

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‍Tip: Even if you do get the .com name you were hoping for, it's smart to buy up a few other generic top-level domains as well if they're available (namely, .org, .net, .info and .biz). Conduct an instant domain search with Domainr to see what's available and what's taken.

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Get a Handle on the Social Media Situation

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Ideally, your social media handles will match or closely match the name of your business. If you're in love with a certain name, but most of the related social media handles are taken, maybe go back to the drawing board. Remember: It's all about making your business easy to search and discover online.

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3. Keep It Simple

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Know your target audience when formulating a business name, and aim for something that's easily shared, looked up, or found via voice recognition through intelligent assistants like Siri, Alexa, Cortana or Google Now. Shoot for a title that doesn't require a lot of guesswork when it comes to spelling or pronunciation, and is memory-friendly (meaning, no acronyms, no puns with awkward or misleading spelling, and nothing too long). Also, it can't hurt to start with a letter that puts your business at the front of alphabetical listings.

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Another preemptive measure that will save you some serious copywriting strife? Think about where your business name will have to fit. If you haven't experienced the singular joy that is cramming a bunch of important details into an email subject line, a 144-character tweet, an advertisement, or any other type of promotional marketing material where space is limited, trust us: Future you will thank present you for picking a product name that's not overly complicated.

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Aim for a name that's easily shared, looked up, and remembered

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4. Be Careful With Quirk

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Don't get us wrong—we love a little wordplay and alliteration. But while you may be excited by the prospect of using a buzzy, made-up word for your business, it’s probably best to be more straightforward within the tour, rental, and activity industry. Be careful with puns, too, as they don’t always translate well in other languages. If you are considering the whimsical, punny, or alternative spelling route, ask yourself: "Would this appear on a TV sitcom parodying Silicon Valley companies with ridiculous names? Would it appear on a Business Insider list of company names with hilarious double meanings?" If the answer is yes for either, maybe think it over a little more.

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‍However...we also want to throw this out there: None of the tips in this article are absolute, so keep that in mind and don't be discouraged by general guidelines that put a damper on your brilliant idea. For example: Take one of our clients, KitTea Cat Cafe in San Francisco. Sure, it's a quirky pun, but it's very fitting, fun to say out loud, super memorable (sticky!), and gives you an idea right off the bat as to what the business is about: A cat cafe with tea! Every business is unique, and there's no one-size-fits-all equation to coming up with the perfect name.

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5. Consider SEO

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What is SEO again, you ask? (Hey, this is a judgement-free zone). Search engine optimization (SEO) is the practice of taking certain steps to help your website show up higher on the search engine web page (a.k.a. Google). One of the best ways to get your business to rank high in organic search is to give it a unique name that sets it apart from similar businesses. We like these practical tips from CEO Phillip Davis of Tungsten Branding:

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• Avoid acronyms and initials ("ABC Party Rentals)

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• Avoid superlatives ("Premier Tahoe Tours")

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• Google your name choices to see how many results are returned. If the results number in the tens of thousands, think again.

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• Don't worry about building a business name around keywords. For example, if you want your business to rank high for the keyword phrase, "Awesome Kayak Rentals," you don't want your name to be awesomekayakrentals.com.

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• Ideally, your brand name will also be your domain name (or they'll be very similar)

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6. Make Sure it Makes Sense for Your Business

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When it comes to naming your company, make sure it actually works for your business. Can someone looking for the services you provide ascertain as much from hearing your business name? If not, you may need to rethink it.

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7. Take a Cue From the Big Guys

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Entrepreneur and startup advisor Peter Gasca cites the 5-10 Rule, which postures that many successful companies in recent history have five to 10 letters in their name; at least one hard consonant; and (often) repeating lettering: For example—Google, Apple, Exxon, Yahoo, Starbucks, FedEx, Amazon and Hasbro, to name a few.

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‍However...we know that comparing tour, activity and rental businesses to tech giants like Starbucks or Google is an apple-to-oranges scenario. It's not exactly easy (or logical) to cut "Bayou Boat Tours" or "Crème De La Crème Culinary Classes" down to 10 words. We do agree, however, that simplicity, uniqueness, and memorability are great qualities to aim for when coming up with a name.

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8. Consider the Future

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You don’t want to limit yourself with a name, so choosing one with a specific place or product may not be the best choice. Be hopeful/mindful of your future goals, and consider picking something that allows for expansion and growth. At the very least, apply this advice when selecting a web domain.

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For example, let’s say a business named Peddling Pete’s Bike Tours opens in Hudson, New York, with the domain www.peddlingpetesbiketourshudson.com. Down the line they may want to expand, and open multiple locations throughout the upstate New York area—leaving them with a name and domain that are no longer reflective of their broader business model.

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9. Reach Out for Feedback

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OK! So you’ve come up with a few solid options and it’s time to test them out. Take whatever you’ve been working on and put it in front of your closest, most trusted advisers. Potential customers, investors, collaborators, and co-workers are all excellent sources when looking for a second (or third or fourth) opinion. A fresh set of eyes always bears the potential of bringing new insight, and can draw attention to things you might have otherwise totally missed.Taking all these factors into consideration can pay off when it comes to brand recognition, long-term growth, and making your business easy to find online. But at the end of the day, it's your call to make, so go with your gut. Your business is your baby, after all!

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Read about Dylan's Tours and how they became one of the largest operators in San Francisco

Do you offer Rentals? We have great news: our iOS app for Rentals is now ready for you to download!Here is a quick breakdown of some of the features available for rentals on the iOS App:

Do essential tasks…

Edit booking details of your customers, check in guests, sign waivers, AND cancel or refund bookings.

Add rental bookings in a few easy taps with Peek Checkout POS.

Peek Checkout was designed to give you a Point of Sales for customers wanting to rent equipment. It syncs automatically with your Peek Pro account, so you get real time availability.It also connects with your advanced pricing rules, so you can be confident you are always charging your customers the right amount.This means you’re able to process walk-ups and manage your inventory simultaneously.Integrated credit card swipers, receipt printers, and cash drawers means you can capture walk-up bookings faster than ever. You can even create shortcuts to make bookings easier and to keep you organized!Learn more about how to use Peek Checkout for Rentals here.

Easily view your rentals schedule and manifest.

Your schedule has different viewing options to let you see how many pieces of equipment will be in use in a specified time range. Alternatively, simplify your view and choose to only display periods of time which have existing bookings.Your mobile manifest also allows you to easily manage your business on the go. How? Organize your daily schedule into a list of upcoming activities. You can also customize it to show only the info that's relevant to you. For example, specific guides or times of the day.Learn more about your rentals schedule on our app here and more about the mobile manifest here.We know that the ability to manage your rentals from your pocket means you can save time running your business and increase your bookings. We are so excited to be able to provide our Partners with this new functionality.