According to the U.S. Dept. of Commerce 2015 Travel Forecast, international travel and tourism to the U.S. is forecasted to increase 3.8 to 4.6 percent by 2020, as part of President Obama's National Travel and Tourism Strategy. The more than 100 million visitors are expected to spend $250 billion. For tour and activity businesses, this could mean opportunities for expansion and offer a chance to capture market share of a highly competitive industry.Recently, we spoke with Grace Della, founder of Miami Culinary Tours about the success of her business' expansion. Grace launched her business in 2010, which started as a food tour in the multicultural neighborhood of Little Havana. Since then, her company has become a favorite among locals and visitors alike—now serving thousands of people monthly, 60 percent of whom are non-locals. She has successfully expanded into Miami's trendiest neighborhoods including South Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, and abroad, opening in her hometown of Buenos Aires.Grace, like many small business tour operators, did not rely on the resources of big marketing firms and research teams to guide her decisions to expand into vertical markets. She needed to first build a robust understanding of her local markets, which she did with the help of her local Visitor's Bureau and by immersing herself within each community and forging relationships with other business owners.How did you select the restaurants for each tour you offer?I have a strong team of [eight] local foodies who understand the diversity of food in Miami and are able to communicate their knowledge to large groups. We handpick each restaurant. And, we now use what we call 'Quick Quality Standards.' We seek only the best representation for our tour guests in terms of quality and service, so restaurants have to pass our Quick Quality Standards checklist. We not only look for quality food, but for restaurants using authentic ingredients. We're also checking for a nice ambiance, spaces that are well suited to cater to groups, and good customer service.What was your first market and how did you first expand into vertical markets?Little Havana was the first in 2010, followed by South Beach a few months later. After the success of Little Havana, it felt like a natural choice since SoBe is the city's most popular area and attracts visitors from everywhere. Two years after that, we launched the Wynwood tour, once the area had grown enough. Followed by Fort Lauderdale and Buenos Aires, where I am originally from. Before starting Miami Culinary Tours, I ran my mother's food tour business in Argentina.What were some of your key considerations for expansion?To bring a superior experience of food and culture to Miami. I'm an online marketer. I saw an opportunity because no one was doing anything like this in Miami. I used my online marketing skills to do research, launch my website and my blog, and promote my business. I also created an affiliate program. I now have hundreds of affiliates that help market my business and sell our tours.What information and/or resources did you have that indicated market demand?I'm a member of the Visitor's Bureau, where I have access to critical data and statistical reports for Miami's emerging neighborhoods. I used that information to generate potential profit reports. I saw where I could make a profit and create a timeline for my expansions. From there, I spent time in each area sampling the cuisines and developing relationships with restaurateurs, while carefully pulling together and training a team of local foodies.Is there anything you learned from your first expansion that helped during later expansions and anything you wish you had known before?How to better handle relationships with partners. In the beginning, I did not have the proper systems in place to manage the relationships I have with affiliates, vendors, employees, and restaurants. It's a lot of paperwork, but it's important to manage it all properly. Having the right software, creating your own Quick Quality Standards, and anything else that will help streamline your business operations is very important.

Having the right software, creating your own Quick Quality Standards, and anything else that will help streamline your business operations is very important

You're a popular food blogger. Would you say blogging, a common marketing strategy, helped you as you expanded your business?The blogging helps to create authority within the industry. Now, I'm frequently invited to judge food events and for television appearances, which gains significant recognition for my business.On your website, you reference creating a 'unique experience.' How do you go about creating that for your local customers?We go beyond serving food. There is value in learning about different cultures and their uniqueness. I teach guides to communicate the authenticity of the foods, from textures to tastes and smells. We talk about the preparation techniques, the ingredients. Most of the guides are from Miami. Having culturally diverse backgrounds themselves, they inject their own personalities into the tours. We go from five star gourmet restaurants to hole-in-the-wall delicious. And we do not promote the restaurants, our focus is on creating a quality experienceAny best practices or tips?Understand that customer service is number one. If I call a major company right now, I may be told to send an email. But, if someone calls my company at 6 a.m., I will answer the phone. Not all small business owners will have an intuitive ability for discovering trends nor feel confident acting on them. If you're considering expansion, seek out the resources of your local Visitor's and Tourism Bureau. They can help you identify markets and create an action plan.Need help attracting high-quality customers in new markets? Call 855-PEEK-PRO (855-733-5776) to learn how you can feature your business on the peek.com marketplace.

Selling more tours through your website is probably one of your primary marketing goals as a tour and activity operator, so don't overlook the wealth of opportunities that can attract more high-quality traffic season after season. As more of your customers turn to their smartphones to book travel or seek out information via social media there are numerous ways to reach out to this responsive market. You can also take advantage of a few proven strategies and methods that will sell more bookings and help you build a loyal customer base.

‍

Here are 10 easy ways to sell more tours online:

‍

1. Update Your Blog Regularly with Direct Links to Tours and Activities

‍

Generate more interest in your site and develop a stronger online presence by updating your blog regularly with fresh content. But, you don't have to limit yourself to a blog with posts that promote discounted tour and activities or special packages for the season.

‍

How to do it:

‍

Develop a series of blog posts about your destination or a particular activity that many of your customers have lots of questions about or you get inquiry calls about. Publish informational, educational, and even inspiring blog posts that include a direct link to a particular tour or activity — this is good for the search engines and can also prompt an immediate booking.

‍

2. Run an Email-Only Special Offer

‍

Tap into your existing subscriber list by sending out an exclusive email offer to drive more traffic back to your site. This could be anything from 50 percent off bookings for the next 24 or 48 hours to 2-for-1 deals on certain tours or activities. The goal is to generate immediate interest and encourage the recipient to take advantage of an exclusive offer that is only available for a limited time. This strategy can be especially effective during a slow month when you need to stimulate sales.

‍

How to do it:

Create a sense of urgency with your offer and emphasize that the recipient is receiving an invitation-only offer. Make sure to outline the terms and conditions of the offer clearly at the bottom of the message and verify all links to your site work properly for a fast booking.

‍

3. Host a Contest

‍

Running a contest for a free tour package or a new activity you are offering in the upcoming season can generate some quick interest in your business which in turn may encourage some new bookings. You can build your subscriber list by running this type of contest year round or during a slow season. EF Tours runs a "choose your dream holiday" contest where travelers must upload their best travel photo, share a few words about their experience, and provide contact information. This can help you build your customer list and encourage prospective customers to learn more about you.

‍

How to do it:

‍

Offer a free package of tours or let the traveler choose their "dream" tour or activity for the giveaway. Construct an entry form that requires the entrant to provide their full name, email address, and phone number so that you can add them to your database.

‍

4. Develop a YouTube Presence

‍

Many travelers will simply be intrigued by what your company does, what types of tours and experiences you sell, and what types of destinations they get to explore. Host your own YouTube channel as a "discovery" component of your business. Establishing a YouTube presence can make your business more relatable and provides some 'insider' information. Vietnam Motorbike Ride, a tour operator offering motorcycle and dirt bike tours around Indochina, has published a series of YouTube videos not only about the biking experience but also about the fascinating sites around Vietnam.

‍

How to do it:

‍

Release a set of informational videos about different tours and activities, or destination guides covering things to do and enjoy in a particular location. Make sure to include links to your website and any social media handles so that the viewer can contact you or stay in touch.

‍

Establishing a YouTube presence can make your business more relatable and provides "insider" information

‍

5. Make Sure Your Tour and Activity Site is Mobile-Friendly

‍

Have you considered what your site looks like and what the booking experience feels like on a smartphone, tablet, or other mobile device? Make sure the mobile version of your site allows for a simple and streamlined booking and checkout process to capture this market.

‍

How to do it:

‍

Walk through the mobile booking experience by putting yourself in the customer's shoes. Condense content on the mobile site to make the experience quick, efficient, and more user-friendly. Run the Mobile-Friendly Test from Google to find out what needs to be improved. Clickz.com also recommends optimizing and resizing your images so they appear on mobile devices and using standard font sizes and styles.

‍

6. Take Advantage of Dynamic Remarketing with Online Ads

‍

If you're already investing some of your online advertising dollars towards display ads, consider a dynamic remarketing campaign to ensure more prospective customers see your ads when surfing the web. Remarketing is a process where customers see your ads more frequently when surfing the web on their desktop computer or mobile device because they have visited your site before. Hotel Urbano, a Brazilian online travel agency that sells travel packages, invests millions of dollars in digital advertising each year but only recently shifted gears with its dynamic remarking efforts with Google Display Network ads. This case study from Think with Google shows that once it was fully implemented, the new ad spend drove 415 percent more revenue and a 38 percent higher return.

‍

How to do it:

‍

Change your ad design and optimize your target market for ads by reviewing customer demographics and creating categories of different customer groups, such as young parents, single professionals, and seniors. You could also show display ads on multiple channels, such as YouTube, mobile devices, and Twitter.

‍

7. Cross-Sell with Area Hotels and Resorts

‍

Sell more tours with less direct marketing efforts by partnering up with hotels and resorts in the area that can list your company as part of their "recommended activities" on their website or refer more business to you through their concierge. Even something as simple as placing your logo or a small ad on the hotel or resort's website can generate more traffic and a direct booking.

‍

How to do it:

‍

Reach out to hotel and resort owners or managers to discuss co-marketing ideas and insist on having an ad or direct link placed somewhere on their website. If you want to offer a discount for referrals, set up a promo code specifically for the hotel or resort guest that you can honor at checkout.

‍

8. Strengthen Your Facebook Presence

‍

Selling more tours online requires opening up as many channels as possible for customers to get to know more about your business, stay up-to-date on new offerings and specials, and keep you at the "top of mind" when making a booking decision. Stay active on sites like Facebook so that you can communicate directly with prospective travelers while showcasing your business in creative ways. You can also encourage customers to send in photos or testimonials of their experience for you to promote on Facebook. This type of content provides some "social proof"— a valuable asset for any independent company or small business looking to attract new customers or build their online presence.

‍

Boggy Creek Airboat Rides in Kissimmee, Florida, maintains an active Facebook page with a following of more than 32,000 fans. The tour operator posts everything from videos from the captain to random shots of animal encounters during a tour. Paradise Boat Tours in Sarasota, Florida, does something similar but takes things one step further by offering one-click online bookings directly through its Facebook page.

‍

How to do it:

‍

Install a booking app on your Facebook page for easy bookings and update your Facebook page regularly with fresh content, customer reviews, and photos sent from customers capturing fun experiences or memories. Be sure to tag any customers that provide content you share so that the content appears in their Facebook News Feed upon publishing.

‍

9. Develop and Promote Custom Tours for a Specific Market

‍

From shopping tours for a girl's weekend getaway to fishing tours on Father's Day, consider putting together themed packages at a discount to cater to the needs of a very specific market. Create individual ad campaigns for these packages as part of your display ads online marketing strategy and promote the special packages across your website, in blog posts, and with links in any offline marketing materials that you distribute regularly. For example, Captain Lou Fleet Fishing in Freeport, New York, runs a Father's Day fishing trip special and 4th of July trips at a discounted rate.

‍

How to do it:

‍

Think about different customer segments that may benefit from a specialty tour or custom package of tours you offer and promote these tours across all of your online marketing channels. Make sure to include direct booking links to the tour package for fast bookings.

‍

10. Invite Local Celebrities to Share their Experience Online

‍

Local celebrities are rarely shy about sharing new experiences and may be more than willing to promote their experience with your company on their social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, or in a blog post. This can be a simple and effective way to generate some interest around your company and encourage people to book a similar experience.

‍

A reporter from Fox 26 Houston Morning News tried the Sky Trail experience and posted it on Facebook. The post generated more than 170 likes and 90 shares. Videos like these can be very valuable for any tour business and can generate instant attention around your business — and traffic to your website.

‍

How to do it:

‍

Invite radio hosts, local news station anchors and reporters, community leaders, and other local celebrities to experience one of your tours or activities free of charge. Ask them for a video testimonial or online review that you can share in your online marketing materials, and make sure to include a link to landing pages to complete a booking.

‍

And finally, you can effortlessly sell more tours online by using an online booking software like Peek Pro that guarantees new customers. Peek puts your business in front of millions of passionate and active customers who are looking for tours to book.

‍

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

[et_pb_section fb_built="1" admin_label="section" _builder_version="3.0.47"][et_pb_row admin_label="row" _builder_version="3.0.47" background_size="initial" background_position="top_left" background_repeat="repeat"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="3.0.47" parallax="off" parallax_method="on"][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" _builder_version="3.0.47" background_size="initial" background_position="top_left" background_repeat="repeat"]Your website is one of the most the most important marketing tool for any tour & activity business. Most Peek operators see the majority of their revenue through online bookings. But are you leaving money on the table? I analyzed 50 tour operator websites on 40 different criteria of mistakes they could be making (yup, 40!). Throughout my analysis I found out 2 things:

1. There are a lot of amazing tours out there, and I am dying to do them all
2. There’s a lot of mistakes operators are making on their websites that are super easy to fix

I decided to focus this post on the second point, and give you a list of the top 10 most common website mistakes tour operators are making, and tell you how to fix them. Check out the following countdown of mistakes, and see what improvements you can make to your website!

Mistake #10: No location listed and/or difficult to contact

19 out of 50 websites had no location listed // 12 out of 50 were difficult to contact

Where are you? Listing your location proves to your customer that you really exist. Simply adding your address to your website earns you that little bit of credibility that might make the difference for a customer to book. Think about it - would YOU book with a company that has no physical location listed?Also, make it as easy as possible for your customer to contact you. If you are using a contact form on your website, remove unnecessary required items. If someone wants to know if your tour is wheelchair accessible, they shouldn’t have to select a date just to ask such a simple question. Make it easy! The only required information should be the customer’s email address, and their question.The Solution: Add your address and remove unnecessary required fields in your “Contact Us” widget

Mistake #9: Have a slider on your homepage

28 out of 50 websites had a slider on their homepage

I’m begging you all to stop using sliders. A slider is a slideshow integrated into your website. What’s wrong with it? They are distracting, and can frustrate the customer who was just looking at that picture, and then it changes. I get it. It seems like a great idea. Doesn’t it allow you to show off more pictures or options? But take a look at this website's slider:

What's the problem with it? It slides, the problem is right there in the name! The movement is distracting, and doesn’t give you control over what the customer’s first impression of your website is. Sliders also take a lot longer to load, especially on mobile and having a big black box in the middle of your website is not very impressive.The Solution: Take out the slider and add an awesome, eye-catching photo instead (with a clear headline).

Mistake #8: Not enough details in your descriptions

28 out of 50 websites didn’t provide enough details in their tour and activity descriptions

Your tour and activity descriptions are your sales pitches to potential customers. Make them strong! Though ordinarily I’d advise you not to bog down your customers with too much information, your tour descriptions are the exception. Lay it out for them. An awesome method to follow is the B.E.T.T.E.R. method. When you’re done reading this, check out this blog post by TourismTiger which explains this method in detail. Owner of TourismTiger and the author of that post, Mat Newton, writes on tour descriptions: “You need to write with detail and follow the principle of ‘more is more’“. So! Fill your customers up with tons of (well-structured) information and then end it off with a testimonial about how great that tour is (and a big, book now button).The Solution: Add every detail you can think of into your tour/activity descriptions. I highly recommend using the B.E.T.T.E.R method.

Mistake #7: No Picture or Description of the Employees

30 out of 50 websites didn’t have a picture of their employees

Your website gives you an opportunity to begin building a relationship with your customers. Showing off your employees begins that relationship. Plus if your customers recognize their guide from your website, they will feel a stronger personal connection from the start. Is that important? Watch what Chris Torres, expert in tourism marketing with 25 years of experience, says about personal connections:

The Solution: Add a picture of your employees and use their description as an opportunity to convey your company’s tone. Each employee’s description can be used to highlight your expertise (more about that later).

Mistake #6: Costs and Dates of Tours or Activities aren’t clear

31 out of 50 websites had unclear costs and dates of their tours/activities

These are are the two things your customers are going to ask themselves when they are looking at your tours:

1. When is it?
2. How much is it?

Your customer’s booking experience should be as simple as possible. Listing the costs and dates at the top of descriptions helps each customer decide which tour works for them. Not putting this information at the top wastes customer’s time, by forcing them to search how much the tour is, and if it is available when they are. The Solution: Add the costs and dates of your tours and activities to the top of each description. Your customers will appreciate having clear, transparent information. Check out how Felix in Hollywood Tours lists his tour. On the left hand side of his tour page, there is a clear schedule with the cost of his tour underneath it!

Mistake #5: No Testimonials

31 out of 50 websites didn’t have testimonials in their tour descriptions24 out of 50 didn’t have them on their website at all

What! 24 didn’t have testimonials at all?! It’s soo easy to get testimonials (especially with Peek Pro’s Smart Review tool), and the pay-off is huge. They earn you major credibility, and they provide a look into your tours from the customer’s perspective. They also set realistic expectations for your tours, which deters bad reviews and ensures great experiences. AND they encourage potential customers to stay on your website a little longer, which could increase your bookings. Have I said enough? The Solution: You should have testimonials located in more than one place on your website; at least on your homepage and in your tour descriptions. Like I’ve said, your tour descriptions are your sales pitches to your customers, and showing a testimonial within them is your evidence that your customer will have a great experience.

Testimonials provide credibility and instill trust in your customers

Mistake #4: Unclear Headline

33 out of 50 websites had an unclear headline

Every website I visited was for an operator I had never heard of or used. Which means I could easily tell how clear each website’s headline was. Your headline should immediately show what you offer and where you offer it. If not, your bounce rate will go up. If the customer isn’t sure that you offer what they are looking for, they will leave. No one wants to waste their time trying to figure out what you do, especially on a slow internet connection in their hotel. The Solution: Take a look at your headline and think about if someone organically came to your site. Would they know immediately what you offer and where you are offering it? If not, change it.

Mistake #3: Expertise not highlighted

36 out of 50 websites didn’t highlight their expertise in their tour descriptions20 out of 50 didn’t highlight their expertise at all

It is easy to differentiate yourself by showcasing your expertise in your field. So why aren’t you all doing it? Read the following tour description examples, and think about which tour you would book:Tour 1: Join us on a 2 hour tour through our brewery in Portland, Oregon. Learn how brewing has changed over the last 50 years and finish the tour with a flight of three tasters.Tour 2: Join our Brew Master, John, on a 2 hour tour through our state of the art brewery in Portland, Oregon. John will explain to you how brewing beer has changed over the last 50 years...20 of which he has been brewing! End the tour with a flight of three of our most award-winning beers.Though the two descriptions have the same information, one showcases the experience of the guide and of the brewery, while the other just explains the tour. I’m willing to bet, given the choice of the two, you’d book tour 2 over over tour 1. The Solution: Take the time to explain your expertise. Include it in your employee’s descriptions, in your “About Us” page, and in your tour descriptions. I’m repeating myself now, but your tour descriptions are your sales pitches. Make it a strong pitch by showing off why you’re the best!

Mistake #2: No reason to book right now

42 out of 50 websites don’t offer promotions or display how many people booked their tours

Offering a promotion, discount, or displaying how many people have booked one of your tours will create urgency in your potential customers to book now. Our Partner, Sourced Adventures, does this really well because:

• When you first visit their website, a pop-up appears offering a $10 discount to your first tour.
• They utilize Proof to show how many people are viewing their website and booking their tours.

Not only does this provide credibility to their business, it helps the customer envision themselves on their activities. The Solution: Think about the benefit of offering a discount to your customers, and consider what you can afford. If you offer multiple tours, maybe it’s worth it to offer 10% off the first tour someone books with you. Or if you have a significant slow season, advertise a promotion for customers to book during this time. Easiest of all, see if using Proof works for you.

Mistake #1: No Guarantee Offered

42 out of 50 websites aren’t offering a guarantee

Alright. We made it! The #1 most common website mistake that 42 out of 50 operators have made: Not offering a guarantee. I’m not suggesting you tell potential customers that you’ll offer a full refund if they cancel their tour 20 minutes before the start time. However, offering some type of guarantee instills confidence in your customers, and will in turn provide you with more bookings. The Solution: A guarantee can be as simple as offering a rescheduled tour in the event that their plans change, or where a cancellation is caused by bad weather. This shows your potential customers that you care about providing them the best experience, and you will make sure they receive what they paid for!Applying even just a few of these solutions will improve your website and increase your bookings. Remember that often your website is your customer's first impression of your business. It is definitely worth the time and effort to make it perfect![/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

[et_pb_section fb_built="1" _builder_version="3.0.47"][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.0.47" background_size="initial" background_position="top_left" background_repeat="repeat"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="3.0.47" parallax="off" parallax_method="on"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.0.47" background_size="initial" background_position="top_left" background_repeat="repeat"]As a tour and activity operator, your booking website may be the very first thing customers see, so it's important to make a great first impression. Johnnie Manzari, one of Apple's early lead designers, shares some simple tips on how to turn website visitors into customers.

Here are three key takeaways from Johnnie Manzari:

1. Put yourself in the customer's shoes

Consider what the customer's motives are for coming to the website and how they are getting there—are they coming through a mobile device or on a desktop computer? These are important considerations because the user experience can be completely different across different devices. When you're designing for both desktop and mobile experiences, you may need to use different fonts, graphics, and layouts to optimize the user experience.Manzari says to step back and test the site on different devices to ensure everything goes smoothly. "Putting yourself in the customer's shoes" can help determine whether the customer will be enjoying a smooth and seamless process.As a tour or activity operator, this can also help determine what the typical user experience is like for your customers, and make it easier to identify how they behave. It may be useful to simply ask customers how they're booking their trips and how their experience with the process has been. Are they using a smartphone, or booking from a desktop computer at home or in the office? Determining how these customers are making the decision to book can help you create the best possible user experience.

2. Use mobile technology to figure out what's most important

Prioritizing the key components of the mobile experience is also important when designing the site. Manzari suggests to "think about it on a small screen." It can be tricky to format the layout and make sure important features are more prominent than less-important ones. Working on the small screen can help you eliminate certain types of content, layer the information, and pave the way for a better user experience. This type of constraint can actually make it easier to prioritize what information and features need to appear as soon as the user logs on to your mobile site.A good user experience is about giving the customer what they want, and figuring out what they're most responsive to. Some customers may be more responsive to a layout that includes lots of photos, but other budget-conscious customers may be more interested in seeing a pricing breakdown within a few screen taps.

A good user experience is about giving the customer what they want, and figuring out what they're most responsive to

3. Invest and iterate

It's important to remember that great design is never done. If we approach design as something that's a living thing which grows and transforms over time, it makes the design process much easier. Manzari recommends treating the project as if it's always evolving, and can be improved and modified at any point. If the site needs to be updated often, that can be an opportunity to try new things.For a tour or an activity booking site, this could involve updating the site regularly with fresh content, such as activity descriptions, news, and current photographs. It could also involve changing the layout to accommodate different types of content, like videos and podcasts that provide details about your tours and activities.

Audience Q+A

Q: What are some good design resources out there for business owners to reference for best practices?

A: For tactical changes, such as how to set up the pages of the site, how to manage call to action buttons, and other key layout features, Manzari recommends "Don't Make Me Think," by Steve Krug. And "Creative Confidence," by David and Tom Kelly, covers creativity and problem-solving.

Q: What's the best way for business owners to tell their story through an About page?

A: Manzari recommends "being authentic" and focusing on authenticity throughout the site. He says to refrain from using content that doesn't authentically represent the business or company because it's important to express the personality and voice of the service. Your customers will appreciate it!

Q: If there's one thing I can do today in less than 30 minutes to boost online checkouts, what should I do?

A: Manzari recommends having a friend load up your site on a mobile browser and see how they're navigating the site. You'll be able to get unique insights on a user experience from a device that you may not have or may have overlooked.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Adding online scheduling and payment to your bicycle rental business is a savvy business move, and simplifying your offerings online will make a seemingly impossible task—to migrate and maintain those online options—achievable.If you think you can't offer online booking features to your site because of the sheer number of options you offer, you're not alone. This is an all-too-common reason why activity rental companies stick to pen and paper for far too long.If you're offering too many choices, you're actually limiting your business success and your customer's ability to make a decision. Below are three tricks to implement to simplify your options and, in the process, eliminate the headaches that go with keeping your online customer experience smooth and easy to understand.Offer bike rental options that tie to categoriesIf you own a bike tour and rental business, instead of offering 40 different bike options for your customers to sort through, think of the more common characteristics of the bikes that everyone can relate to (without having to be an expert).To do this, put yourself in your customers' shoes and ask the questions they would ask. For example:

• Will the bike be used for touring, sport, or mountain biking?
• Will it be used for dirt biking, racing, or street biking?
• Will the bike be electric or a two+ seater for family fun?

The types of activities your customers enjoy on your bikes, as well as the general type of bike, can give you insight into grouping what may seem like an endless array of bike options into just a few. For a rather simplistic example, assume for a moment that you offer bike tours and carry multiple bicycles. In inventory you have the following bikes:

• Trek 920
• Schwinn Searcher 2
• Trek Superfly FS
• Trek 720
• Schwinn Super Sport CX
• Trek SuperFly
• Trek 520
• Schwinn GTX 2
• Trek X-Caliber

You could give customers the choice of renting any one of these nine bikes. But that's a bit confusing, especially if the customer isn't familiar with bicycle brands and their characteristics. Now let's group the bikes by category/activity:Touring & Adventure (I prefer sticking to the roads!)

• Trek 920
• Trek 720
• Trek 520

Mountain Biking (I want hard-core off-roading, yeah!)

• Trek Superfly FS
• Trek SuperFly
• Trek X-Caliber

Hybrid (I want a little bit of both, but nothing too crazy!)

• Schwinn Searcher 2
• Schwinn Super Sport CX
• Schwinn GTX 2

Notice the descriptors in parenthesis next to the categories. This let's new customers know what kind of experience to expect on these types of bikes. Think of it as matching a category of bike to an activity all in one. (Note: each of the three bikes in each category were picked from three very different price points and listed from most expensive to least expensive for illustrative purposes only).

Let new customers know what kind of experience to expect on different types of bikes

Now, instead of prompting customers with nine different bikes to choose from, just ask this question first:What do you want to do?

• Touring & Adventure (I prefer sticking to the roads!)
• Mountain Biking (I want hard-core off-roading, yeah!)
• Hybrid (I want a little bit of both, but nothing too crazy!)

Once they pick the category, they'll have three bikes to choose from. This technique can cut down dramatically on the number of options your customers have to choose from.Offer options that tie to general bike characteristicsIf you've rented a car recently, the first question you are asked is the type of car you're interested in (i.e. compact, mid-size, etc.). Just this one question allows the car rental companies to significantly reduce the number of customer choices.As we move up in size, performance, and space inside the vehicle, we pay slightly more. And, as we select a classification of car, we in essence select ourselves out of the other categories. This is an important concept because you're interested in a mid-size car to rent, there isn't much value in presenting a bunch of compact cars that you don't want to rent.For example, you can stick to just a few bikes under each of these categories:

• Basic – no frills biking
• Better – biking without your legs going numb
• Bells-and-Whistles—the latest and greatest bikes on the market

This is an example of packaging in the Good/Better/Best model. It's also an interesting approach if you offer a wide variety of biking activities and a wide variety of bikes (i.e. electric bikes, two+ seater bikes, etc.).If you still have too many customer options, you can combine this technique with the previous section in this article and further reduce the number of options.To do that, first ask:What kind of experience are you going after?

• Basic (I want a good bike ride for the best price!)
• Better (I want great experience and don't mind paying little extra!)
• Bells-and-Whistles (Nothing but the best for me, budget is no obstacle!)

Then ask:What do you want to do?

• Touring & Adventure (I prefer sticking to the roads!)
• Mountain Biking (I want hard-core off-roading, yeah!)
• Hybrid (I want a little bit of both, but nothing too crazy!)

Now you can show them even fewer options (one in the fabricated example above)! Take some time and work through these examples so you get comfortable with how they can work to your advantage.

Let the customer choose their bike

You don't even have to offer the exact model of the bike you are renting online. Think about Enterprise and how you rent a “class" of vehicle, then when you walk on the lot you get to pick any of the available cars on the lot. Or think of Southwest and how you don't actually buy a seat.You can do this with your equipment, too. First, you need to think about your pricing. This technique wouldn't work in the example provided above because of the various price points for each bike in the category are too wide. When you package using this technique, you have to group bikes at similar price points.Once you do that, you sell customers a "class" of bike online which allows them to show up the day of their rental, avoid the long lines, and pick an available piece of equipment on the lot they day of their activity.The customer would be able to try on bikes of various types in their "class" and upgrade if they like. This allows customers to rationalize upgrading to a better experience for just a few extra dollars.For limited availability bikes (i.e. electric), the online transaction is similar to making a deposit so that their bike is available on the day they requested. If for some reason you overbooked that day, offering a free upgrade (never a downgrade) is a way to build customer loyalty. It also allows you to run special promotions.

Conclusion

Simplifying your activity rental business options will make it easier to offer online booking options, and it will make your business life easier in general. Just make sure the choices you offer are priced and structured correctly so that the value your customers expect is met.Remember, just because you are managing lots of equipment, doesn't mean they have to translate that exactly to your ordering and booking experience.Create a structure where your customers have three or fewer options and you'll make everyone's lives easier.

The number three is prevalent throughout society: religion (the Holy Trinity); government (three branches of government); and even language ("the good, the bad, and the ugly").But why is it so prevalent? A lot has to do with the fact that the average human mind can easily store three items in short-term memory. That's also what makes three the perfect threshold when offering choices to customers. (You'll even notice big-name companies harnessing its power: Did you choose Apple's iPhone in 128GB, 64GB, or 16GB? How about Amazon's Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, or Kindle Voyage?)For customers, every additional choice beyond three makes it a bit more difficult to choose. As Barry Schwartz uncovered in the TED talk “The Paradox of Choice," too many options paralyze consumers. That being said, too few options can also leave people unsatisfied. Virginia Satir, a well-known author and family therapist, once quipped: “…to have one choice is no choice, to have two choices is a dilemma, and to have three choices offers new possibilities."But how can your tours or activities company leverage the power of three? A common framework you can use is the Good / Better / Best model.

Here's how it works:

Your customers choose from three packages—centered around a similar experience you're offering—at different price points. The "best" option is packed with all the goodies and targeted to the customers who want to maximize their experience where money isn't really an issue; the "better" option is targeted to the mainstream of your potential customers who want a good experience for a good deal; and the "good" option is targeted to the budget conscious.

Here's why it works:

According to Dan Ariely's book Predictably Irrational, offering three choices is important because “most people don't know what they want unless they see it in context." Three choices help people compare and determine which deal is best for them. In William Poundstones' book Priceless: The Myth of Fair Market Value, he describes an entertaining beer experiment to show how a majority of customers invariably rationalize buying the middle option when presented with three choices, while a much smaller percentage will choose the cheaper and more expensive options.

Offering three choices is important because most people don't know what they want unless they see it in context.

Offering three options also makes it easy for customers to rationalize doing business with you, and allows them to feel like they've done their homework when searching around for a great deal. It fulfills their need to research and cuts down on shopping the competition. This is called “competing with yourself," because if the customer chooses any of your three options, you win.Providing three well thought-out choices is also a means to differentiate yourself from your competitors. For example, Blazing Saddles, a San Francisco bike rental and tour company, offers three simple options under their electric bike rentals, all at different price points. The person who is simply looking for a lift in a modest price range can choose the first bike, while each additional option offers more power and features for a slightly increased price.For an example of packaging targeted towards customers' sophistication level, take Streets of San Francisco. Rather than simply offering one style of bike tour for all levels, it instead gives bikers a choice of three tours (at different price points, of course): Heart of the City (beginner-level), The Classic (moderate), and 7x7 (most challenging).

How to make it work for you:

If you're offering a variety of food tours in the area, avoid cutting the number of food tours down to three. Instead, expand the options under each food tour such that each experience has three choices, or three different ways to experience that particular food tour.For example, don't just offer one “complete flavors wine and cheese adventure." Instead, break it out like this (prices for demonstration purposes only):

• Best: Experience all of the unlimited flavors including transportation for $175.
• Better: Try only popular flavors including transportation for $140.
• Good: Try popular flavors without transportation for $99.

This way, you'll open up the tour to more people with different budgets and desires, and help them see what they'll be giving up if they're choosing to save money.It may take some time to go through your current offerings, but using the power of three in your packages can drive powerful profits to your bottom line.