Escape Rooms have been described as team-building experiences, gameified theater, and an unparalleled entertainment experience—and business is booming, with new rooms popping up all over the country. But, what exactly are Escape Rooms? It's a place where guests play a real-world version of a video game by solving puzzles together to get out of a room as quickly as possible.Despite it's popularity, the industry is still in the infant stage: Experts trace these unique puzzle hunts to the REAL ESCAPE GAME™ franchise that launched in Kyoto, Japan, in 2007. The first made its way to U.S. soil in 2012 where it took place on board a ship in San Francisco.Since 2012, variations of the original Real Escape Game have been popping up all over the country and may soon be a leading trend in the active entertainment industry. Room Escape Adventures, for instance, opened its first location in Chicago in December 2013 and has now opened up locations in 18 American cities and three destinations overseas. Centennial's Clue Room opened in Colorado in September 2014 and has been attracting an average of 400 customers per week, according to the Denver Post.With such a young industry, new businesses are bound to run into a few challenges as they try to handle the rapid influx of customers. Choosing the right online booking software can make it easier to generate more bookings and handle customer communications—as well as the booking process for your escape room business—more effectively. Setting up a system that allows for group bookings and group pricing options, customization, and easy implementation of discount and promo codes is beneficial for any small business owner.Here's a closer look at challenges Escape Room business owners may be facing, and suggestions for overcoming these obstacles:

Challenge #1: Maintaining Customer Communications Efficiently

Solution: Customized Emails

Maintaining contact with your customers as soon as they register on your site is a critical part of customer service. Sending customized emails can help you maintain a high level of professionalism and give you a chance to encourage more bookings. Hubspot reports that personalized messages increase conversions rates; and the a Email Marketing Study from Experian Marketing Services reveals personalized promotional mailings had 29-percent higher open rates and 41-percent higher unique click rates.Personalized emails can be a great way to not only welcome newcomers but also to nurture leads—walk your customer through the booking process by sending out a series of personalized emails. Topics may cover the latest escape room experiences you have available, a news byte about your business in the news, and promo codes to encourage the recipient to book now. Use online booking software programs that allow you to set up customized automated emails, manage your email database and registrations all in one place, and handle all customer communications with ease.

Challenge #2: Poorly-Designed Online Booking Forms

Solution: Streamlined Online Booking Process

Many escape room business owners want to move beyond a simple "contact us" email that doesn't always capture relevant details about the customer, and, in most cases, looks unprofessional.One-click bookings and buying options are an attractive component of any website. Online retailers including Amazon, Macy's, and Sears have perfected the art of guiding shoppers through the entire checkout process so that they not only feel confident about going through the online checkout, but are also encouraged to buy more than anticipated — complementary products, add-ons, and suggestions. Look for online booking software that takes customers through a stepped checkout process and allows for add-ons or multi-activity purchases in a single click.

Challenge #3: Managing Corporate Accounts and Package Options

Solution: Tiered Pricing Options

When you are in a position to handle larger volumes of bookings and are busy building a larger client base of group parties, team building activity leaders, and special event hosts, you need an efficient process to handle these types of customers—not different pricing options.You may want to offer several different pricing options for individuals, couples, groups, and corporate bookings. For example, you may offer a discount for corporate groups of five or more people planning a team-building event at your escape room, or a couples or friends package where the customers get a discount for booking the experience together.If you want to add add-on services, such as beverages and snacks after the experience or meals at a local restaurant, you'll need a software program that allows you to create different packages with ease. Tiered pricing can benefit your business in many ways because, as QuickBooks points out in this article, it gives your customers a menu of options to choose from. Invest in a booking software program that allows you to set up group pricing rates specifically for these market segments.

Online Booking Software allows you to offer add-on services and dynamic pricing

Challenge #4: Poorly-Managed Discount and Promo Code Process

Solution: Online Voucher Redemption Management Tools

If you plan to offer discount codes, coupons, vouchers, and send out special offers, make sure you choose online booking software that keeps track of these codes and redemption activities. Peek Pro makes it simple to add promo codes and discounts to various activities on the backend. You can use drop-down menus to assign promo and discount codes to each activity. You can also keep track of promo code redemptions in the backend. Invest in a software program that makes voucher redemption management a simple process so your customers can enjoy a streamlined checkout flow and you can run promotions at your leisure.

Challenge #5: Managing Gift Card Sales

Solution: Streamlined Online Gift Card Purchase and Redemption

Escape room enthusiasts may be interested in gifting the experience to a significant other, friends, family members, or acquaintances. Keeping track of gift cards issued and redeemed manually, however, can be time-consuming and inefficient. Make this process easy for customers by offering the option of buying and redeeming gift cards exclusively online. Offer gift cards when following up with the customer about their experience via email and have gift card purchase options readily available for purchase both on your website and during the checkout process. Choose a software program that allows for gift card disbursement and redemption at checkout by entering a gift card number directly as a form of payment.

Challenge #6: Maintaining Accurate Sales and Activity Reports

Solution: Built-In Reporting Tools

As your business grows and you are managing larger volumes of bookings each week—or perhaps branching out to multiple locations—make use of reporting tools that allow you to keep track of sales, booking trends, discount redemptions, and other site visitor activity. This can be almost impossible to manage manually and may require hiring additional staff to take care of accounting and operations management duties. Choose online booking software that makes it easy to produce downloadable reports and print report summaries with current data, including up-to-date information about bookings, sales, discount redemptions, and customer details.

Final Thoughts

As more escape rooms start appearing around the country, business owners need to count on a reliable booking system and customer relationship management tools to manage bookings effectively week after week. Taking steps to integrate a customizable online booking software program that grows with the business's needs is a smart business move for today's escape room operator.Peek Pro is an online booking software for Escape Rooms that offers all of these solutions and more.

Gone are the days of relying on just one distribution channel to drive the bulk of customers to your tours and activities company. Online travel agencies: they may not be as effective as they used to be. The hot-streaking daily deal sites: they're beginning to frost over. Social media sites: they'll require a well-executed strategy to be worth the time.So to attract today's tech-savvy customers who are using a number of methods to research their travel options, make reservations, and share feedback about their experience, you'll have to explore all possible distribution channels out there so you can position yourself in just the right markets—and invest your marketing dollars and resources wisely.Here is a closer look at the distribution landscape and what this means for your tours and activities business:

Online Travel Agencies (OTAs)

Though the well for third-party travel booking sites hasn't dried up, it sure is beginning to evaporate. While many travelers still turn to these sites for their next adventure, as Tnooz reports, OTAs are facing fierce competition by metasearch and media channels that attract the target market with low prices and a streamlined search experience. Since travelers are realizing they can find some amazing deals on travel packages on their own, they are becoming far less dependent on third-party booking sites to take the guesswork out of booking online for them.

What this means for you:

While OTAs have been a great source of revenue for tour and activity operators for years, today they may not bring you the most high-quality traffic you need each season. Don't overlook sites that offer last-minute packages and bidding sites that offer deeper discounts on various types of bookings if you really want to stay ahead of the game. Alternatively, online consumer marketplaces, like Peek, with an existing customer base of millions of active customers who are ready to book, bring all of the benefits of an OTA but with higher quality.

Daily Deal Sites

Some of the biggest daily deal sites introduced travel and activities to their daily lineup of deals several years ago, capturing a highly active market of hungry buyers looking for deep discounts on things to do and places to go. However, research shows that daily deal sites have been on a cold streak for a few years. Some of the biggest players in the industry are facing significant profit losses and having a hard time keeping up with the competition, Adweek reports. More companies are cropping up to link customers with local merchants, making many of the previously sought-after offers on the bigger daily deal sites less attractive.

What this means for you:

Don't rely solely on daily deal sites to generate most of your customers during a slow season—especially if you are paying high fees for the service. Explore smaller, local sites and opportunities such as daily deals listings with your local newspaper or a city magazine.

Don't rely solely on daily deal sites to generate most of your customers during a slow season

For example, Creative Loafing Tampa in Tampa, Florida has its own buy local-half off deals site where it partners with local businesses to offer 50-percent off deals on events, activities, restaurants, and even goods from local stores. These are targeted to the local market and may be a better option for locals interested in staycation activities. Smaller local merchant listing sites that offer merchants the option of posting deals—enhanced listings sites or sites that give customers a chance to post reviews and ratings—can also be valuable distribution channels for are tours and activities operators.

Online Marketing Partners

Partnering with an online marketplace already attracting high-quality customers interested in booking tours and activities can help you build your business—fast. Marketplaces like Peek gives you access to a highly active distribution channel that reaches more than millions of passionate customers who are searching for experiences to book. Peek Pro Partners are able to be listed on peek.com, which opens you up to new customers.

What this means for you:

Tapping in to an online marketing partner's tools and resources can make the process of customer acquisition that much easier. Working with a company like Peek can help you tap into an existing targeted-pool of customers to grow your customer base.Mobile-Optimized WebsitesGrowing in effectiveness: mobile websites, as more travelers turn to their mobile device to conduct research and work through the reservations process. ICE Portal reports that more than 40 percent of online traffic inquiries related to travel come from mobile devices—smartphones and tablets—and that mobile is used through every stage of travel; 26% of consumers use smartphones when planning a vacation.In addition, results of a Phocuswright study found that mobile travel bookings were expected to reach $39.5 million by this year, accounting for an increase of three times the number of travel bookings compared to just two years ago.

What this means for you:

Mobile adoption continues to grow at a steady rate, which means your tours and activities business could be missing out on a valuable opportunity if your site is not mobile-ready. HubSpot reports on recent Google data that finds 67 percent of users are more likely to purchase a product or service from a mobile-friendly site.Make sure you have a mobile-optimized version of your site online and take all design elements into consideration. After having an interview with a senior designer at Apple, we shared some valuable tips for designing a regular and mobile site for maximum customer engagement. Invest in a high-quality mobile version of your site to ensure an optimal user experience and a streamlined booking experience.

Local Travel Organizations and Visitor Information Offices

Many travelers heading to your destination may be turning to the local chamber of commerce, visitor's bureau, or other local travel organizations for last-minute ideas on activities and experiences in the area. Summer is also "staycation" season in many parts of the country, which means more locals will be seeking out vacation opportunities in their own backyard. While local travel organizations and visitor information offices may not be a primary distribution channel for the typical tour and activity operator, they can still be a valuable outlet for businesses that want to expand their reach.

What this means for you:

Get listed on all major local organizations and visitors' centers so that travelers can find out more about you instantly. Make sure you have brochures and business cards available for distribution at these outlets. Don't overlook the opportunity to get listed or set up a featured listing on the merchants section of these organizations' websites and mobile sites so that visitors have one-click access to your website during their trip planing process.You can also turn to local travel sites for valuable statistics and data about traveler behavior. For example, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority publishes a comprehensive visitor profile study each year with an assessment of Las Vegas visitor and trends in visitor behavior—including how much is spent on shows, sightseeing, and other activities outside of heading to the casinos. This type of information can help you learn more about the typical visitor to the area (your ideal customer) so you can create attractive packages and listings geared towards this particular market.

Social Media Sites

Facebook and Twitter are valuable outlets for tours and activities operators to build their online brand, interact and engage with customers, and execute a multifaceted online marketing strategy. But no matter how much time you spend nurturing customers and posting content on these sites, the ROI on social media marketing is still fairly low. Attempting to drive bookings through social media may not necessarily be the most valuable use of your resources but it still pays to maintain a strong social media presence.

What this means for you:

Facebook and Twitter may help to get the attention of your customers but you will need a well-executed strategy to convert that attention into a booking. We recommended strengthening your Facebook presence in a previous post and shared examples of how tour and activity operators are maximizing Facebook features to drive bookings. Keep in mind, though, that social networking sites may not be your most valuable distribution channel since the majority of your customers log on to these sites for entertainment and socializing—not specifically to make a purchase.

Final Thoughts

Positioning your business in the right market may involve going beyond traditional distribution channels. Explore the distribution channels listed above to capture even more of the market share for your niche business and ensure more customers can find you online and offline with ease.

Chinese travel to the United States is on the rise—and analysts expect that growth rates will continue to accelerate. According to this slate article, China will be the world's largest tourism economy by 2027. Easier visa regulations for Chinese travelers means that this huge tourism economy has a open door into the U.S. And these travelers are bringing their checkbooks: Chinese travelers spent $102 billion overseas in 2012.So who are these travelers? When researchers from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics studied trends among China's growing population of outbound travelers, the following patterns came to light in the report:

• Chinese outbound travelers are hungry for new knowledge, experiences, culture, and shopping.
• The ratio of male to female travelers is balanced.
• 65 percent of Chinese outbound travelers are aged 25 to 44. Tourists aged 45 and above represented only 15 percent of all outbound travelers, with seniors being generally unwilling due to cultural and health factors.
• Discretionary income is increasing rapidly.
• Chinese travelers are sophisticated, fully independent, and willing to deal with locals—even when facing language barriers. They rely on the Internet and social networking as major sources of information and are likely to be reading blogs when traveling, and rely on friends and family for travel advice.

And though they're coming over in spades (the United States ranking second to France as a top travel destination for Chinese citizens), you'll have to put in a little effort to attract them to your tour or activity. Here's a guide to help you along.

Chinese travelers rely on the internet and social networking as major sources of information

Create a website in Chinese

As the Nanjing study found, Chinese citizens rely on the Internet and social networking for their information. So the best way to attract Chinese travelers: create a website (or optimize your current site) for a Chinese audience.For planning purposes, you'll want to imagine the costs to be similar to the development of a new website—your budget can vary from $5,000 to $100,000+, depending on the website features that you want to build.Approach this website development project as a completely new initiative for your company, because you're creating it for a completely different audience. (If you're a small merchant and simply looking to translate your website to Chinese, you should expect to pay between $2,000 to $3,000.) In addition to hiring a translator, seek out a consultant to understands Chinese culture and customs. Talent marketplaces like UpWork and Skillbridge can help you get started to find consultants at rates ranging from $30 to $150+ an hour, depending on expertise and experience.While being high-up on a Google search is vital in the U.S., China has Baidu, the country's top search engine. (You can find a detailed guide to ranking on Baidu here.) At a minimum, you'll want to:

• Design and localize your website for a Chinese audience.
• Use a keyword research tool to understand search patterns and buying intent, and hire a native speaker to analyze the data.
• Optimize title tags and meta descriptions so that your website is easily found.

And if you don't have the resources to create a Chinese website?

You can still make your business appealing to potential Chinese customers by incorporating the following into your business—and website:

• A Chinese flag, next to an American flag, outside your office.
• A bilingual tour guide, or part-time on-call bilingual tour guide.
• An option that allows travelers to book a Chinese speaking tour guide online and in your office.
• A Chinese meal as part of your existing menu.

Just as you would welcome a guest at home, find subtle ways to show your Chinese customer base that you're available and that you care. They'll notice and appreciate the extra attention—even if your web and marketing presence aren't perfect.

Be present on Chinese social networks

In China, Facebook and Twitter aren't the social networks of choice. Instead, Chinese audiences are using Weibo and WeChat. 550 million Chinese citizens are on these platforms, which represent a powerful way for tour operators to connect with prospective travelers.Chinese consumers rely on WeChat and Weibo to conduct research and learn about products and services. Just as you would with your U.S. consumers, you'll want to provide offers, promotions, and valuable content to keep your audiences engaged. Make your brand known, and give value. Your Chinese language consultant can help you identify areas of opportunity and offers worth providing. You can even run sponsored ad campaigns on WeChat and Weibo. But, keep in mind, WeChat's newly launched ad platform is generating mixed feedback—some users have expressed discontent seeing ads.In general, the best practices for reaching American consumers are the same for reaching Chinese consumers:

• Set up a compelling web page and presence. On Weibo, for instance, you use an existing template or theme to power your page.
• Post engaging content, like blog posts and videos.
• Monitor your posts, and always reply to comments.
• Feel free to engage with followers directly.
• Join conversations—on Weibo, you can use hashtags like you would on Twitter.

If you're looking for more inspiration, check out some example WeChat campaigns here and example Weibo presences here. In a nutshell, you should:

• Make it easy for audiences to engage with your brand.
• Share engaging, interactive content.
• Distribute valuable offers.
• Monitor conversations and interests.
• Share photos related to your company, to generate excitement about your travel experience.

Develop messaging that aligns with travelers' interests

Chinese travelers are often coming to the U.S. to celebrate major life events. A high proportion of newly married 20-, 30-, and 40-somethings are looking for unique honeymoon experiences. Other Chinese jet setters are coming to the United States to tour American universities, with ivy league schools being top destinations.Consider working with travel planners, agents, or organizations that are serving a high proportion of Chinese travelers. If there's a local university with a concentration of international students from China, for instance, you may want to create some custom programs for visiting families—or even prospective students.Start by researching organizations in your area and researching whether they have formal programs in place for Chinese visitors. If you're thinking about partnering with a university, for instance, start by contacting on-campus programs for international students to learn what opportunities there may be. Once you finalize a handful of campaigns to pursue, take the following steps to execute your idea:

• Hire a Chinese marketing or design freelancer or agency to create brochures or flyers to place in local Chinese travel agencies. You can use websites like UpWork or Skillbridge to start.
• Reach out to local MBA program with a high concentration of Chinese international students. Ask these students if they might be willing to consult on a project for your company.

The market opportunity

The thought of marketing to a completely new customer base overseas may feel daunting, but Chinese travel presents a market opportunity that you cannot afford to ignore.Develop messaging around your Chinese customers, and strive to reach them before they've decided to visit your city. Small and simple steps will carry you far in this fast-growing and highly opportunistic market. Keep your ears open, talk to local and cultural experts, and get ready to learn—this audience is waiting to hear from you.

When making the transition to an online booking system, you need to choose a service that's as robust and accommodating as your company. Software that will not only help your business grow, but also provides a streamlined shopping and checkout process, especially as more travelers turn to the web to make reservations and explore their options. After all, 65 percent of leisure travelers turn to the web early on in the travel process, according to the latest Think with Google data.But how do you choose the right platform?

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Ask the following questions when choosing an online booking system for your business:

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1. Is the company stable and growing quickly?

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Make sure you're working with a company that will be around for a while so you don't have to quickly change your booking software, which could mean migrating all of your data, investing in training employees, and wasting time. Use tools like Crunchbase to research the company and find out how much capital they have raised to date, how many employees they have, and what the company history looks like. This type of data can give you a fair idea about where the company is headed and whether they will be able to serve you for years to come.

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Questions to Ask:

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• How much capital has this company raised to date?

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• Have they acquired any companies with proprietary technology that has helped them grow?

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• How many employees do they have?

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2. Is the checkout flow trustworthy?

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You want to do everything you can to ensure customers enjoy a streamlined checkout process—with an easy-to-navigate checkout system—and feel confident about booking online with your company. The landing pages the customer ends up on during the checkout process need to have a professional design and include a logo or information that ensures the site is secure. You need a software program that ensures customers don't have to go through a lengthy registration process to confirm a booking and aren't easily-confused at each stage. ShipHawk reports on how many online shoppers abandon shopping carts when the website is too complicated to navigate.

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Questions to Ask:

• Is the registration process streamlined and easy-to-use?

• Is the checkout process easy to navigate?

• Are the checkout flow and site mobile-responsive?

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3. Is the backend software easy to use for staff?

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You also need something that's easy to implement on the backend—your managers and employees need to be able to pull up reservations with ease, review calendars, schedule promotions, and produce reports with a few clicks. Look for online booking software designed with robust features, such as options to create add-ons to activities in a few clicks, color-coded calendars, and customizable email templates. Work with a company that offers a software program with a professional layout and beautiful design to satisfy the needs of both your customers and your employees.

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Questions to Ask:

• Do you have intelligently designed features, such as color-coded calendars and customizable templates?

• Is your design mobile-responsive, and will I be able to access the software from any device?

• Will you help me set up and implement my software within 48 hours, and will my staff have access to 24/7 customer service?

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4. What features are included in the calendar?

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You spend so much time in your calendar. Using a robust calendar with features designed to handle all types of activities and levels of complexity is a must for your business. Make sure the system you use provides plenty of options for all types of tours and activities businesses—including rentals, equipment, and resource management—so you can use it to manage all aspects of your business. Look for features such as filtering options, multiple views, blackout date capabilities, and last-minute booking features to handle call-ins and walk-ins with ease.

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Questions to Ask:

• Does the calendar have multiple view options - by day, week, month and by tour, activity, or rental?

• Will it be easy for me to customize and set blackout dates?

• Does the calendar come with filtering capabilities that allow you to quickly manage different activities and rentals?

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5. Does this company have a large client base?

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Many companies that create booking systems for tours and operators only serve a few dozen or so clients. This means they cannot handle large volumes of bookings and may not have the resources to grow quickly. You may experience issues such as poor technical support, frequent system outages, or find it challenging to get help and support when you need it. Work with a well-funded company that has a larger client base and more resources so that you can count on them in any season.

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Work with a well-funded company with a large client base and lots of resources so that you can count on them in any season

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Questions to Ask:

• How many merchants do you work with around the world?

• Is the company showing signs of rapid growth?

• Despite its large size, does the company offer personalized customer service and technical support?

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6. Does the company offer 24/7 customer support?

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As a tours and activities operator, you never want to be in a position where you lose reservations because of technical issues, lose customer data because of software bugs and glitches, or find yourself in a position where you can't get help to resolve customer transaction issues. Working with a company that offers 24/7 customer support—even during the holidays and other peak seasons—will help to keep things running smoothly. A company that has a dedicated FAQ section for merchants can help you find answers without even having to contact a representative.

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Questions to Ask:

• Do you offer 24-hour support?

• Can you share a few merchant testimonials about your customer support?

• Do you have a detailed user guide where I can find instant answers to common questions?

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7. Will the platform bring me new customers from the other channels I wouldn't normally be able to access?

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Make sure your online booking software program not only helps you manage your customer base but also makes it easy to attract new customers. The latest advances in online booking technology can help merchants acquire new customers and expand their reach. For example, partnering with Peek allows you opportunity to be listed on Peek.com, which can open up a whole new distribution channel for your business. This can complement your other marketing and lead generation efforts so that you're always growing your business.

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Questions to Ask:

• Can you guarantee me brand new customers each year?

• Do you have a dedicated marketing program where I can access active customers who fit my target demographic?

• Is your consumer marketplace and brand recognized and respected by the industry and nationwide?

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8. Can I offer promo code redemption and group discount pricing to attract larger groups and repeat business?

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When you want to issue and redeem promo codes, seasonal discounts, or special offers, make sure your online booking software program can handle the code creation, tracking, and redemption process. Look for software programs that can help you create custom codes in a few clicks, customize and edit descriptions, manage start and end dates, and even designate which specific activities or days of the week the promo code can be used for. This feature makes it extremely simple to run promotions and keep track of leads generated by different marketing campaigns.

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Questions to Ask:

• Is your promo code creation and redemption process easy-to-use?

• Do you provide reporting and activity tracking for promotions?

• Do you have flexible pricing options for seasonality, large groups, and special discounts?

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9. Does the system offer detailed reporting?

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Managing leads, reviewing revenue goals, and tracking bookings for a particular week, month, or season is only possible with a good reporting system. Make sure your online booking system offers downloadable reports and easily-accessible summaries of all activities so you can review performance goals, track seasonal trends, and determine what may or may not be working with your email marketing, online advertising, and offline campaigns. Most reports are available in a spreadsheet format and can be distributed to managers or employees as digital files in a few clicks.

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Questions to Ask:

• Can I view my performance goals and booking data at a glance?

• Do you offer downloadable reports?

• Can I view summaries based on activity?

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10. Will the software support my business as it grows?

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Even though you may currently only offer guided tours or activities, there may be a point where you expand business offerings to offer rentals, such as bikes, kayaks, boats, and other services. Make sure the online booking system you use can adapt to your growing business needs. For example, you may want to include equipment rental options for customers during the shopping and checkout process. Look for a program that offers plenty of options to customize experiences and implement adds-on with ease.

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Questions to Ask:

• Can I use the system to manage and track my equipment and inventory even though I only offer tours and activities?

• How easy is it to add rentals, if I decide to expand my services to offer rentals to customers?

• Can I easily add new units, track equipment that is under repair, and view my inventory availability in real-time?

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Peek Pro offers all of these benefits and more, giving tour and activity operators significant competitive advantages in this growing marketplace. Make sure you are considering all of these characteristics when shopping around for online booking software so that you can generate more leads each season, deliver and exceptional customer service experience, and streamline the booking process from start to finish.

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Read about Zipline Utah and their success story moving onto an online booking system

Whether you're a foodie, an artist, a sport enthusiast, or just need to get away, today's travel opportunities are fulfilling dreams and bucket lists to the nth degree. The modern traveler is embracing creative tourism, which encapsulates authentic, local travel experiences and differs from conventional tourism norms.Creative tourism provides a true cultural connection for travelers. Cultural workshops, classes from local experts or self-guided expeditions through the land unknown—all while traveling—are examples of this increasingly popular trend. Think of the evolution of fishing excursions, once a quick off-shore jaunt. Today, aspiring anglers are dropped by helicopter in remote villages where sourcing a meal is dependent on actively learning the art of fishing.

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Though long unlabeled, creative tourism has been around for many years. People with affinity to the arts, sport, or scholastics have long been exposed to the experience through exchange programs or studies abroad. Host families lodge visitors, providing an everyday life experience, complete with authentic cuisine in the way of good old-fashioned home cooking.

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Building off of this history, today's creative tourists—namely Millennials—want to do and feel, not just see. Where the conventional tourist perhaps takes a picture overlooking a peak, the creative tourist posts a selfie on top of that peak.

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The economic windfall for creative tourism is widespread. As popular destinations feed hungry adventurers with bold new itineraries, a lonely body of water off the beaten path becomes a paddle boarding delight. The doors open for lesser known places that can identify a unique selling point and transform. The experience doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg and locals have new confidence interacting with visitors who show genuine interest in their culture.

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The trend of locals and tour operators working together to become more than a dot on a map has morphed into a travel experience labeled "conspicuous leisure." Creative tourists feed the model by hitting destinations unknown and, by way of social media and online reviews, create awareness of novel getaways.

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But it's not just the younger generation: Baby Boomers, perhaps motivated by their children's cutting-edge travel, are getting in on the action. They dabble in creative tourism, too: hotel alternatives, spicing up vacations by bartering at local markets, cooking meals in a home away from home.

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As an activity or tour operator, how can your business cater to the creative tourist who seeks authentic, local, and creative experiences? These ideas will help you expand or build on your current offering to fully embrace creative tourism and attract the thrill-seeking traveler.

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1. Research

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There are two ways that your business can delve into information and better cater to the creative tourist: first, by further examining your competitors' offerings and evaluating how they do or do not provide authentic experiences; and secondly, by fully understanding the needs and desires of your target audience. Surely you are aware of your local competitors and how your services differ. Now, try creating a second draft of your SWOT analysis, solely from a “creative tourism" perspective. Ask questions of your competitors and your own business such as, How does the business incorporate the local culture? Do cobranding opportunities exist? Would cobranding with a local restaurant, boutique hotel or landmark operation uniquely position the offering? Are there any components of the tour that could be "done" instead of simply explained or discussed?

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‍Better appealing to the creative tourist also calls for an understanding of their interests, and how travelers go about booking experiences and trips. One way tour and activity providers can get a pulse on traveler interests is by searching their respective city on Meetup. See what interest groups frequent the town and determine how your offering could meet an existing need or generate demand. Furthermore, regular check-ups on traveler review sites and social media platforms like Twitter are imperative. Travelers are increasingly social and quick to provide reviews. About 40% of Millennials are likely to share a travel experience on social media during their trip and 80% have indicated that social reviews have impacted their travel decisions. Diligently scouring this information will provide a plethora of competitive intelligence on the creative tourist.

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Scour the information that Milennials have put online about their travel experiences to gain "insider" information

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2. Customer service and engagement

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Customer service must ALWAYS go above and beyond. Understanding that Millennial travelers are largely influencing the concept of creative tourism—and knowing that they are constantly plugged in, social and mobile—presents opportunity for activity and tour operators to excel at customer service. As discussed, Millennials are quick to share and rely on social reviews—plus are uniquely identified as loving their phones, being very social, and passionate about values. Harness this information to create unmatched customer experiences. For example, allocate an employee as responsible for personally responding to every social review your business receives—good and bad. Turn poor experiences into great experiences by confronting issues and offering the creative tourist complimentary experiences or invitations to solicit further feedback to help you improve the business. Leverage great experiences as a channel for gathering referral or new business. Ask the happy creative tourist to submit photo or video testimonial from their excursion with your business, and post this evidence to your website or social media platforms. Complement these testimonials with promotions, group rates and booking incentives to lure new travelers via an online booking software that allows you to design promotions and optimize pricing for peak seasons and dates.

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3. Use the tech tools available

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Just as the tech industry booms with innovation or reinvents the wheel, so has the travel industry begun to ride the wave. With this has come a number of technology solutions that tour and activity operators can adopt to further promote the business, while keeping organized. Knowing that the creative tourist can be found online, using social tools like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and travel review sites to engage with past and future adventurers is an excellent marketing advantage. Use existing social media research studies to help you evaluate which social tools will be most effective for your business, helping you to prioritize marketing efforts. Once you've attracted the business, staying organized is key. Equipment rentals and bookings delivered in an efficient manner will elevate your brand and facilitate a wonderful experience for both the consumer and for your business. Online booking platforms designed specifically for activity and tour operators, such as Peek Pro, will help you manage reservations, accept bookings 24/7 and offer additional products at checkout, marking opportunity for up-sell and further revenue generation.

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Read about King's Landing and their experience moving onto the Peek Pro booking system

Despite increasing competitiveness in the tours and activities marketplace, you don't have to dump money into marketing and advertising efforts. The key is to creatively use different platforms to engage your audience and generate more bookings each season. While the customer experience should always be a priority to generate the all-to-worthy word-of-mouth marketing, there are several ways to present your company in the best possible way online and encourage customers to book.

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‍Here are nine marketing strategies that, if implemented, will help you grow your customer base.

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1. Encourage customers to post positive reviews.

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Research shows that 90 percent of customers say their buying decisions are influenced by online reviews, according to data from research firm Dimensional Research. In your follow-up email, encourage customers to post detailed reviews of their experience to different sites, and include links to pages such as your Google+ or and other reviews and ratings sites. Also be sure to include a link to your Facebook, which is another place where travelers can post comments, reviews, share pictures, and give you a rating.When a potential customer searches the web, these sites will show up on the top page of results, and the more reviews on these sites, the easier it is to make an impression.And if you get negative reviews? Here are some best practices for handling negative online reviews.

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2. Keep customers engaged with video-embedded emails.

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Email is just one of several ways to connect with a customer directly—and a golden opportunity to make a great impression. So, with each email, offer an incentive to book immediately, or simply have the customer get in contact with you at a specific day and time.While using strong visuals can increase user engagement, consider embedding a short YouTube video of one of your tours or activities to make the email that much more powerful. Even something as simple as a welcome message from the owner or a leading tour guide can make a lasting impression. Make sure to include the word "video" in the subject line to increase click-through rates. According to Experian's 2012 Digital Marketer Benchmark and Trend Report, this is a great way to capture the recipient's attention.

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3. Get personal.

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When researching tours and activities to add to their itinerary, travelers these days want a more personalized experience. A recent survey conducted by The Futures Company for American Express found that 83 percent of millennials value personalization and 85 percent prefer to have a customized itinerary over a packaged one. And even though you're not serving as a travel concierge, you can make sure every customer receives personalized attention.Use Customer Relationship Marketing (CRM) features with your online booking software program to keep track of all communications with your customers and to determine how to walk them through the booking process. The Peek Pro platform helps you customize and automate email reminders and review emails in a few clicks. You could leave notes next to a customer's details about their inquiry, who followed up with them, and what tours or packages they were interested in. This will make it easier for anyone who followed up with that customer to make appropriate suggestions or recommendations for their upcoming trip and ensures a more personalized customer experience.

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4. Enhance activity descriptions on your website.

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On your website, fleshing out the tour and activity descriptions, including descriptive copy, will help entice a traveler to book with your company. For instance, include bulleted lists with highlights of the tour or activity, indicating which tours or activities are your most booked or most-talked about, and include high-quality photographs alongside each description. Embedding a short video can also keep your customers engaged and eager to learn more about the trip or activity.SS Tobias Snorkel & Beach Tours take travelers around the northeast coast of Puerto Rico and the owners have developed very detailed descriptions of each tour, complete with stunning photos and information about each beach and island visited on the tour. And example of one of their descriptions: "The snorkeling is fantastic with reef formations just a few swim strokes from the shore. The reef gardens are ablaze with the flamboyant colors of abundant, vigorous corals; some of them topped with waving sea fan coral, which swing impressively with the movement of the ocean waves." Adventure America Zipline Canopy Tours by Wildwater also provides comprehensive tour information, including a bulleted list of highlights of each tour, a short video segment, and the option to combine the zipline experience with a rafting adventure.

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5. Increase social media activity.

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Consider creative ways to present your offerings to all of your fans and followers on your social media pages. Make use of Instagram's video feature to post short video excerpts of a tour experience through the eyes of a tour guide. Post "behind the scenes" footage of a tour or activity on Facebook for prospective customers to get a better idea of what you offer.Forever Florida, an eco tour operator in Saint Cloud, Florida, has a Facebook following of more than 19,000 fans and has taken full advantage of Facebook features such as videos and also running a giveaway. A simple, 15-second video showing some of the wildlife they encounter—a crocodile and peacocks walking together—was shared more than 300 times.

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6. Build a brand presence on FourSquare.

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Claim your listing on FourSquare so that you can add your company logo, update details about your hours of operation and business details, include social media account information and post special offers for frequent or new customers. FourSquare check-ins could help to promote your business with less effort on your part. According to data compiled by Stikky Media, 46 percent of travelers check in to a location using their mobile device while on vacation.FourSquare also has a feature where you can post tips about events, featured tours and activities, recent awards your business has won, and other short details as "featured content" on your business listing. This is the perfect place to put the spotlight on a popular tour, share accolades, and tell customers why you're the best in the business.The FourSquare listing for the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour in Winter Park, Florida, is loaded with photos, helpful tips from FourSquare users, and even has a recommendation from a complementary business—Gray Line Orlando—within their listing. It's a popular listing with more than 900 visitors and more than 1,000 total visits to date.

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7. Offer free content on your website.

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Free content can help to attract and entertain your site visitors while helping you stand out from the competition. Live web cams can be a fun way to educate and entertain site visitors. Kai Kanani Sailing Charters posts live web cam views of Makena Beach in front of the Makena Beach & Golf Resort.If you want to build your subscriber list or drive more traffic to your blog or main website, consider putting together a downloadable guide about key destinations or travel tips about your destination that is available free of charge. All the customer has to do to access the guide is provide basic contact information and an email address—the basic information you need to build your subscriber list to send email newsletters or an email-only offer in the near future.

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See Also: How to Launch a Blog to Grow Your Tour or Activity Business

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8. Develop a YouTube channel.

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According to recent research findings from Think with Google, views of travel-related content on YouTube are up 118 percent in 2015 compared to 2014. This makes YouTube the perfect platform to capture a highly responsive market and help you build your online presence. Take a look at the series of videos from Expoza Travel, a travel video channel that shares inspiring and fascinating destinations around the world. Each video provides an overview of the destinations high-quality footage and 360-degree views of a destination. It's a great example of a video clip about a particular destination or attraction that would appeal to a wide audience.The Nantahala Outdoor Center has uploaded videos on YouTube about different adventures and camps they offer throughout the year. Each video is only a few minutes in length and the description includes a direct link to the main website—a must-have item to encourage travelers to contact you immediately.

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9. Use an online booking software.

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Perhaps the easiest way to increase your bookings - without the extra marketing cost - is to use an online booking system. With Peek Pro, you can let Peek do the back office work so you can focus on what matters — creating an amazing experience for your customers.

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Read about Zipline Utah and how they grew their business with Peek Pro