Online bookings are growing quickly, according to Phoenix Marketing International’s Online Travel Audit, . More than three-quarters of business and leisure travelers use travel websites when booking hotels, for example. They expect a similar ease of use when booking tours and activities while traveling.Making your online registration easy to use through a strong online booking system can help improve your customer experience and free you up to spend your time focused on expanding your business. Here’s are a few advantages of online booking systems.

Get closer to your customers

As technology has improved, online registration software has become much more responsive, flexible and powerful. Some travel operations may feel like they don’t need a full-service platform that can do more than simply take a name and credit card, but the fact is, it’s beneficial for all businesses to capture, sort and analyze their customer data.Organizations that pride themselves on providing a personal touch when dealing with customers can still maintain that feel with a modern online registration system.

Discover time-saving shortcuts

No matter what your needs are when it comes to online registrations, look for features that make the rest of your work easy. Booking systems that automate repetitive tasks can save you time and effort. Automated emails, for example, can be set up to remind booking customers about their upcoming trips and reduce no-shows, saving you money as well. Automated bookkeeping and reports can lighten your workload as well.

Booking systems that automate repetitive tasks can save you time and effort

See Also: 9 Ways an Online Booking System Will Save You Time

Improve your customers' experience

Having a well-designed and engaging website will help make it easy for customers to find information and reserve a trip with you. Ensure that your website makes it easy to sign up and book an outing -- make that “book it” button noticeable for its size or contrasting color. Don’t make customers click through multiple pages or retype information -- a case study by Imagescape found that reducing their form fields from 11 to 6 resulted in a 160 percent increase in submitted forms. Share positive reviews and testimonials from satisfied customers, post videos so customers can see what to can expect, and ensure that your FAQs page is full of useful information for people who haven’t booked before.

Process payments the smart way

Taking credit card payments over a secure online registration platform protects your business and is more convenient for customers, as well.Remember that taking credit card payments over the phone can mean higher fees for you. If you don’t take payment at all until the customer shows up, you risk a higher rate of no-shows.With the advances that have been made in online registrations, it makes sense to give customers what they want when they’re trying to book online. Look into the technology that can help your business make its online registrations more efficient.

Tuesday, April 21st 2015 was a day just like any other. The sun came up, tour operators went about their day, people planned their upcoming Earth Day adventures, and when you checked your Google rankings, everything looked glorious.Unless, of course, you missed Google's warning in February about its new mobile algorithm update. If you've noticed a change in your search rankings, or your website traffic has shown a decrease since April 21, it may have to do with Google's latest change to its search engine algorithm, or in more technical terms: mobile-friendliness. Basically, what this latest change means is the easier your website is to read on a mobile device, the higher it will be ranked in Google's search results.

Since Google wants to ensure users discover mobile-friendly content when performing searches, they expanded their use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal.

Since Google wants to ensure users discover mobile-friendly content when performing searches, they expanded their use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal. Today, consumers are using mobile devices for practically everything: checking emails, posting blog articles, downloading applications, and, as you should be well aware, even booking vacations, tours, and weekend adventure activities. If you have a smartphone, chances are you've pulled up a non mobile-friendly website and were disappointed that it was difficult to navigate or read. Google's new search ranking criteria will ideally make occurrences like that less frequent by listing mobile-optimized sites higher (when you're searching from a mobile device) than those who still have work to do.If you're still getting acquainted with this update, below are three easy steps to help you get dressed for Google's latest search party.

Step 1: Check Your Site for Mobile Friendliness

There are a couple of ways you can find out if your website pages are mobile friendly. Simply search for your specific page in Google and see if it has the “Mobile-friendly" label displayed in the results.You can also check your page using the Google Webmaster Tool. Just make sure you're entering the web-address exactly (i.e. if your site begins with “https://" don't forget the “s").

Step 2: Check Your Current Mobile Traffic

Margot da Cunha, content marketing expert at WordStream, a search marketing software company that shares online marketing advice, weighed in on the situation. “This is a rolling update which means that Google will continue to recognize changes you make to your site in the future. So, it's important not to panic," says da Cunha.Still, she suggests tour and activity operators check to see how important mobile traffic is to their specific business, as this update will only affect mobile searches. “In Google Analytics, there is a reporting feature to see how much organic traffic you're getting from mobile," she says. "Focus on making sure that your highest traffic pages for mobile are optimized."How much mobile traffic should get your attention? “Well there is no magic number since everyone's business is different," da Cunha says. “But a reasonable number might be around 10 percent for mobile traffic. Just remember, if your mobile visitors represent less than 10 percent of your overall traffic, you still may not want to ignore this update because your site might currently perform poorly on mobile."In other words, if your current site isn't user-friendly on mobile devices, your percentage of mobile traffic is going to be low. So be careful with this test so you don't inadvertently miss out on an opportunity to improve your site for mobile visitors and capture more customers. If you're still unsure, err on the side of caution and follow this guide. Then test to see if your mobile traffic increases over time.

Step 3: Start With the Important Pages

This means you're going to want to update your home page and any other pages on your site that list your activity or booking information.If you don't have anyone within your company who knows how to make your website pages mobile-friendly, a quick search online will reveal many third party services and developers who can help. (Or at the very least, check out this Google help page: Mobile-Friendly Websites: Get Started). If you're using Wordpress, there are some mobile-friendly plugins you can explore. If you're into high-end themes, the "X theme" (as well as others), comes fully baked with mobile friendliness out of the box, no plugins required.Remember, Google should pick up any change you make relatively quickly from here on out so publish changes as you complete them to take advantage of better mobile rankings.

Other Useful Information

Da Cunha shared that pay-per-click advertisements will not be affected, so if you've invested in paid advertisements, those will still show up at the top of Google's search results. Also, keep in mind the change will only affect searches from a mobile device, so searches from desktop computers and tablets will remain unaffected.Even though Google's update is already in effect, there's no need to worry. Just make these few, easy updates so you don't miss out on any more adventure-seekers.

From your website to phone calls, every interaction between your business and your customers carries the power to delight or disappoint. Emails are no different—and, perhaps, carry even more weight. So it's vital for your emails to be a part of your "wow" factor.Consider the types of emails you send: confirmation, reminder, review, cancellation, and refund. While each contains important information, they don't have to be dry. Let the personality and warmth that you bring to your tours and activities shine through. Add a human face to your business.Here's how to make the best use of each type of email.

1. Confirmation Email

Your customers chose you for their special experience – let them know you're happy to be a part of their big day. Use a conversational tone, even cracking a few jokes if that's your persona. Like that Southwest Airlines safety briefing (where the flight attendant said, “In the event you haven't been in an automobile since 1960, flight attendants still have to show you how to fasten a seatbelt"), a little humor can help keep people's attention through the boring stuff. Most importantly: be authentic.

Here's how to make sure your confirmation email isn't dull:

• Feature other recommended products and services. Amazon says the best time to sell something is right after a purchase, so why not offer your memorabilia, photo packages, or additional experiences?
• Offer discounts for referrals and encourage customers to book with a friend
• Include related links to build the anticipation; a bike-tour business could link to an article covering the top sites in the city, or a scuba diving school could link to a gallery of photos of sea life from other divers.

A little humor can help keep people's attention through the boring stuff

But make sure you're still checking all the boxes:

• Provide parking instructions or a meeting location, with a link to a map
• Include what to bring (footwear, sunscreen, gloves, etc.)
• Link to a waiver, which customers can fill out and bring with them
• Include links to your social media sites so customers can follow you for updates
• Always include a clear call-to-action based on what you want the customer to do: check out your online store, sign up for your newsletter, or forward the experience to a friend
• Use consistent branding by making your logo prominent in the email header
• Use subject lines that make it easy to search for the email, such as "Welcome to Your Wildlife Adventure" or "See You in Country Cooking School Class"

2. Reminder Email

Send a reminder email a week to a few days prior to the scheduled experience. (You can also send another one closer to the event with more details, if necessary.) Many footraces send a series of reminder emails leading up to race day, with information on parking, bib and race packet pick-up, and incentives for referring friends.A detailed reminder email gives customers a full picture of what to expect and reduces the number of follow-up questions you'll receive. In addition to the usual details (meeting time, location and directions, what to wear and bring, etc.), you can include:

• A note on bathrooms. This might be helpful to include if there won't be any public bathrooms available for any portion of the experience.
• Safety tips, like: "Make sure you hydrate and bring a warmer layer" or "Wear long pants because there will be poison oak on some trails."
• Public parking. Is there free public parking, a garage, or metered street parking? Let your customers know so they can be prepared.
• A note on tipping. For example, Urban Hiker SF includes the following note at the bottom of their reminder email: "Tips are optional, but always appreciated. You're helping a small business succeed. The tip amount is at your discretion, but as a rough guide, consider giving 10 to 15 percent."

3. Review Email

Follow up with customers after their experience to thank them personally. You can ask for feedback and/or an online review, or include a link to a form or survey. Of course, make yourself available for direct contact if they have a serious matter to bring to your attention.Your survey questions can help you get real insights into your customers' experiences and satisfaction. Here's how to keep your survey balanced and even-handed so you can see people's true attitudes instead of what they think you want to hear.

• Ask specific questions. Don't ask, "Was the experience enjoyable and a good value?"Instead, ask about each part (the food, the service, the activity, etc.) so respondents can focus their answers.
• Be neutral. Don't ask, "Did you have a great experience with your tour guide?" Instead, ask, "How was your experience with your tour guide?"
• Include options such as "other" or "not applicable" so you don't force people to make a selection that's not true.

Once again, include buttons to your social media profiles and your blog. Let customers know how to share photos and videos, and give them hashtags and handles so they can follow your sites and other people who've shared the same experience.Remind your customers to share the experience with a friend to get a discount towards their next booking. For instance, Intrepid Travel, a provider of small-group local adventures, offers a tiered loyalty program: a small discount for booking one trip, and a larger discount for those who have booked three trips. Those who book nine trips received the 10th one free, and special "Intrepid Legend" status.Remember to always keep the call to action simple, and don't emphasize too many things. Choose one that's important to you, such as asking for feedback. Test offers to see which one brings the best response, like submitting a photo or posting a review.

4. Cancellation/Refund Email

Keep your friendly tone even in the cancellation email. Remember, a well-received cancellation email could lead to you recovering the booking at a later date. Your cancellation email should be specific about the terms, such as any fees, refund amount, and delivery method and timing of refunds. Give them a link to reschedule the experience, perhaps with no fee if it's within a certain time period. Ask for people to let them know why they cancelled — be it personal reasons, work, or weather.Although some legal fine print may be necessary for the cancellation/refund policy, the overall tone here should be just as welcoming as your confirmation email. After all, it's not always about you. It's usually about them. Remind them they're missing out on an unforgettable experience and give them easy ways to re-book and refer people.

Conclusion

You company's emails are an important touchstone to building a stronger, more lasting relationship with your customers. Avoid being dry, but keep your image and voice consistent with other channels that your customers could encounter (your website, advertising, social media, etc.).You can streamline your emails with Peek Pro, which currently allows you to customize and automate all four types of emails. Merchants can also use ZOZI Advance to customize and add personalized messages with text or HTML tags for you to easily make your message consistent and memorable.

You've won half the battle: you have an influx of potential customers perusing your site. But you've noticed that spike in site traffic hasn't led to an increase in bookings. So how exactly do you turn those passers-by to your site into loyal, paying customers? Implement these seven tips to start seeing more bookings.

1. Simplify the information on your site

Keep your website easily navigable and searchable. According to Hubspot, 76% of consumers prefer a website that makes it easy to find the information for which they're looking. So keep your site simple with a few large images per page, concise descriptions, and well-labeled tabs to direct them to the information they want. And what information are customers looking for? Aside from the basics—phone number, address, pricing info—they want to know what makes your business special. On your homepage, make clear what your company offers and, more importantly, what makes your offerings unique.

2. Revamp your site photography

Professionally shot images on your site can make a huge difference in the way potential customers perceive your business. According to MGD Advertising, 67% of consumers deemed detailed photos as important to them, and another 50% said photos are more important than product information, long descriptions, or ratings and reviews.

3. Make your booking button prominent on your home page

Even a beautiful website without a clear call to action will lose potential customers who may not be able to find the next step.

Even a beautiful website without a clear call to action will lose potential customers who may not be able to find the next step.

To remove any friction in your customers’ decision-making and booking process, make sure that your booking button is large and clearly visible on your home page. Something as simple as changing the pronouns you use in your call to action can help boost conversions. In fact, Unbounce and ContentVerve ran a test that found changing “your" to “my" resulted in a 90% increase in conversions. A little change from “Book Your Tour Now" to “Book My Tour Now" can have a dramatic effect on your bookings.

4. Flaunt third-party validation

There's no better way to promote your business than through third-party accounts. And perhaps the strongest form of third-party validation is testimonials from friends and family. In fact, a study by Nielson found that, compared to other forms of marketing, 92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family more. And Market Force Information found that 81% of consumers are influenced by their friends' social media posts. So encourage customers to share their experiences on social media, and tag your business in the posts.

5. Offer discounts to your customers

Discounts or special packages can be just the thing to sway someone’s purchasing decision. You can create a discount code and email it out in an e-newsletter or post it to Facebook for your fans to create buzz. Make it even easier for yourself with an online booking platform like Peek Pro, which allows you to create promo codes that customers can redeem during the checkout flow on your website. Offering specials like a first come, first served discount to a limited number of customers creates scarcity, which will add incentive for people to book quickly.And if you don't want to discount your experiences, read about how you can create irresistible packaged experiences for your potential customers.

6. Make sure your checkout flow is mobile optimized

If your website—and more importantly, checkout flow—isn't optimized for mobile devices, your potentially losing customers. A study by ComScore found that smartphones and tablets combined for 60% of all online traffic. As more customers are browsing for activities and tours on their phones, it’s important to ensure your site is mobile friendly. With an online booking platform that is mobile optimized, your customers can easily book directly from your website on any device.

7. Offer a smooth booking experience with an online booking system

Potential customers, more than anything, are looking for ease. Setting yourself up to allow for online booking gives customers a streamlined experience, which makes them much more likely to not abandon the booking process. If you run a tour or activity business, you can check out a demo of Peek Pro for free here.Focusing on these small details will help you turn those would-be passers-by into paying customers. What other strategies have helped you increase your bookings? Please share in the comments below.

No business finds success without overcoming a hurdle or two.Just take North Bay Brewery as an example. In 2010, craft beer enthusiasts James Holt, Robert Watkins, and Ron Holt created a brewery-tour company that quickly grew into a thriving venture. But when it came to scaling their operations, they found it challenging to sustain the same level of success.So if you're ever stuck in a rut or facing a problem that you're not quite sure how to solve, just remember — the best small businesses have been in this exact scenario. Perseverance and creative problem-solving are key. The following stories from North Bay Brewery Tours, wildlife tour operator Point Reyes Safaris, and food experience merchant Chow SF showcase why.

1. The struggles of scaling

"When we started, Rob, Ronnie, and I were able to be on every single outing that our bus made," says James of North Bay Brewery Tours. "Since we were utilizing our personal experience and contacts in the beer industry, we knew that having one of us on board would make for an educational and fun tour."But as the popularity of the business continued to grow, James, Robert, and Ron found themselves in a dilemma: they needed to grow the company and hire more employees, while also maintaining the same level of quality and experience they'd been personally providing."Our headache grew when it first became a reality that logistically, we would need to teach others to become rockstar tour guides," says Holt. But they worried: "How do you teach someone to know the people we know, share the knowledge and jokes and stories we want our customers to hear, and keep groups entertained, served, and safe?"Their solution: scaling slowly. The team started by hiring friends and acquaintances in the industry. Over time, the company created a training and on-boarding process to help new team members learn quickly. And it paid off. "They all found a unique voice and perspective," says Holt. "Every tour is a truly unique and different experience, and the number of return customers we see is a testament to that," says James.

Action Tip

Focus on empowering your employees. Give them some freedom to take the reigns and let their personalities shine. Hire a passionate and dedicated team, and give them a chance to lead. To preserve the quality of your experiences and brand as you scale up, consider creating the following tools:

• A training manual and on-boarding process for new hires.
• A one-pager about the history of your business and how it all began to get new hires up to speed. (They should be prepared in case a customer asks.)
• A "cheat sheet" with fun facts for new tour guides to share.
• A customer feedback survey that new guides can use to guide their learning processes.

Hire a passionate and dedicated team, and give them a chance to lead

2. The ability to embrace unpredictable conditions without stressing

Wildlife photographer and tour operator Daniel Dietrich has spent years perfecting his wildlife tour — understanding animal patterns related to hunting, grazing, and sleeping. "Wildlife is unpredictable," says Dietrich, owner of Point Reyes Safaris. "There is no schedule. So there is always that nervousness before each safari. I think I will always have that nervousness."Even though he "does his homework," he's still nervous about each and every tour. But Dietrich explains that the best solution for this nervousness is confidence in his passion, capabilities, and work. He has spent years of his life getting to know the wildlife in Point Reyes Park and remains committed to nature — he will never use bait, lures, calls, or any other method of manipulating an animal."I've put in an incredible amount of time understanding the wildlife my clients hope will see," says Dietrich. "And so far, so great."

Action Tip

There will always be unpredictability for outdoor businesses. Be prepared by taking these steps:

• Have customers sign waivers, and let them know if there's a chance that a tour will be canceled.
• Create a back-up plan (if possible).
• Establishing a network of partners and fellow tour operators. In case bad weather or conditions force you to cancel, you can offer your customers a referral to another opportunity.

3. Acquiring customers and making sure every empty seat is filled

When Andrew Friedland and his team launched Chow SF, an upscale cooking class in San Francisco, he thought it would be easy to fill classes of 40+ people. But despite investing heavily in promotional programs when Chow SF launched in early 2015, customers weren't coming."Based on all my previous experiences and my team's market intelligence, I was confident that there was pent-up demand for upscale chocolate and cheese-making classes," says Andrew. "We have a value proposition that no other cooking course can offer in that we work with chefs who are renowned in their fields."Instead of giving up in frustration, Andrew and his team decided to streamline their customer acquisition process. Rather than making multiple direct sales, the team is now finding opportunities to drive more sign-ups from fewer sales."In starting a company from scratch and with limited resources, it's very challenging to get the word out and drive demand," says Andrew. "We have to be as smart about our sales as possible."

Action Tip

If you're struggling with customer acquisition, here are a few tactics you can try:

• Partner with a local tourism board.
• Target companies or groups rather than individual consumers.

Final thoughts

If you have something to worry about, you're on the right path. All successful businesses face challenges — and these moments will only make you stronger. Rely on the experiences of others to learn as you go. Focus on learning and implementing solutions. So long as you're growing, you'll be successful.

When it comes to marketing your business, there's no better way than through word of mouth. Recommendations from friends and family are the most effective way to earn trust in your business, as, according to Nielsen, 84 percent of people find them to be most effective. But how can you ensure people are passing on the message? Here are three ways to get people talking about your outdoor activity business, both online and face-to-face.

1. Highlight Your Strengths

The number of people participating in outdoor activities continues to rise, with nearly 50 percent of Americans participating in more than 12 billion outdoor activities a year. So it's vital to highlight what makes you unique. What experience do you provide that people can't find anywhere else?What's something your business does that no one else has thought of?For instance, on the website for Dylan’s Tours, a San Francisco business that offers minibus and bicycle tours, the company clearly highlights what makes it stand out. On the site's home page, a video explains how all of Dylan’s tour guides grew up in San Francisco, providing an authentic local experience. Also highlighted on the site is the uniquely intimate size of the company’s small group minibus tours. Dylan’s Tours illustrates what differentiates it in its messaging, which you should also be doing.

2. Work With Your Visitors Bureau

When you search the website of the visitors bureau for Ashville, North Carolina, you'll find a whole page dedicated to No Taste Like Home. The page offers a detailed description of the company and what makes it unique (founded by internationally-known forager Alan Muskat; ranked one of five best travel experiences by Southern Living; founded the first "forage-to-table" program in the United States).It also features special offers, event listings, and photos. This makes it easy for travelers to discover and learn about No Taste Like Home when searching for local experiences. Says Alan Muskat, “chief edutainment officer" of the adventure tour company, “That's been our most consistent bread-and-butter." It pays to build a relationship with your local visitors bureau, and keep them updated on tours, special offers, and events you have planned.

It pays to build a relationship with your local visitors bureau, and keep them updated on tours, special offers, and events you have planned.

3. Solicit and Feature Testimonials

Visit the site of Global Rescue — a company that provides medical and security evacuations to adventure travelers around the world — and you'll read about John Searles. While on safari in Ethiopia, Searles suffered a stroke. With the help of Global Rescue, he was evacuated and underwent life-saving procedures under their doctors' care. Ann Shannon, manager of public relations at the company, says that sharing the stories of people the company has rescued helps spread the word. “It makes my job easy," she says. “The word-of-mouth effect from these members, their friends, family, and colleagues is far-reaching."Generating word of mouth is one of the best things your company can do.You have happy customers — you just need to give them the tools they need to share their experiences and accelerate your growth. How has your tour or activity company succeeded in getting the word out? Share in the comments below.