Networking With Other Businesses

Traditionally businesses have looked at their competitors in nearby locations and treated them as... well, competitors. However, tourism is not like other industries.
Very, very few tourism businesses can be a whole holiday or short break in themselves (with the possible exception of spas and health farms, or places like Centre Parcs).

Collaboration, not competition

Mostly, when customers are looking at where to visit, they look at what the general locale has to offer. They consider the members of their party in their head and think, "Well, on this day we could do that... and the next day we could go here and here. And one of those days we could eat in this place..." etc. The more convincing this 'story' becomes, the more likely they are to buy. They may find themselves attracted to one particular accommodation, attraction or activity, but it is their overall impression of how the whole visit will be that tips them from browsers to bookers.

What's more, since the reach of your advertising budget is fairly limited, most people don't discover you first through your own marketing. They find your area through word of mouth, destination websites, holiday guides and so forth, and if they think the destination is pleasing, then they start to look for businesses like yours in it.

Work together

So far from being in competition with the tourism businesses around you, you'll get the most by being in partnership with them. Work together to share information and ideas, collaborate on joint marketing, create packages and special offers together and refer custom to each other. The easier you make it for the customer to picture their stay, and to put together itineraries and suggestions in their heads, the more likely they'll be to book. And once they're here, the more you help them to enjoy their visit, the more likely they are to come back and recommend your area to their friends and family.

Making contact

So how do you go about working with other businesses? There are four main ways:

use the networking and communication tools on the Toolkit. Check forums, read messages and post your own
join a tourism organisation or association or a chamber of commerce in your area
attend events, seminars and workshops for the tourism industry in your area
make direct contact

Proposition someone!

Making direct contact is probably the best way, but it's easiest if you've already got something in mind. You don't have to have worked out all the details (it's better to work on these together, so it feels like a partnership), but people find it easier to think about a particular idea rather than a vague, "I thought we might do something together..."

Don't forget that other business-owners are people just like you. If someone approached you with an idea, how would you respond? It would probably depend on whether the idea worked for you as well as them, and how they put it. If they were too bullish and had every last detail worked out you might get a bit steamrollered and put off. If they were too vague, you might not get what they were driving at, or would have your doubts about it ever actually working.

Putting ideas together

Look at the businesses in your area and think how they could complement the stay of the customers who come to you. If you're an accommodation provider, for example, could you work with the nearby restaurants to come up with a "free glass of wine" deal or a similar offer? If you're an attraction, could you work with another attraction to create a ticket deal - 20% off if they visit both attractions? If you're a self-catering provider, could you arrange for customers to purchase a special price starter hamper from your local farm shop, at the same time they book with you?

Once you start thinking, there is no end to the possibilities. And don't forget that you don't have to keep it going all year, or forever. Seasonal offers or one-offs are something to shout about too - and a good reason to contact your past customers with a letter or email.