Here are 5 tips to keep visitors to your website longer, with the ultimate aim to convert them to customers!

1. Use audio or video. Instead of using LOTS or text, people prefer to look at a short video or podcast. Give it a go!

2. Keep the info short with links to other pages on your website with more detailed information. E.g.:
FREE 2 hour workshop: How to increase your international visitor numbers. Click here for more info!

3. Make text more readable.  Break text up with headings, subheadings and images. You can also use bold and colours for text to make it easier to read!

4. Include a call to action that will benefit them: give them a special if they sign up for a newsletter (that way, you can direct future traffic to your website through your newsletter)

5. Embed social media. If you use Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube, Instagram, Twitter, you can include live feeds into your website. This makes it easier for visitors to your site to have a look at your social media pages without having to leave your website.

Have a look how you could improve your website, make a list of things you’d like to action and plan to do it!

Till next week, Marijke

The other day I walked past a clothes shop. Now I do like a good sale so I went in as they had rack after rack of clothes on sale.

They had grouped everything by colour, not by size. It looked very nice on the racks, all the blues together, all the pinks all the yellows etc.

But do you think it was easy to find anything in my size? In order to find the correct size, I had to go through all the clothes to find my size.

As I didn’t have a lot of time, and frankly, I couldn’t be bothered looking at every tag, I gave up and walked out without having bought anything.

If they would have grouped the clothes by size, I could quickly have seen if there was anything to my liking and I quite likely would have bought something.

So, what ‘s the lesson here?

If you offer a range of options to your clients, group them by type of client. Say one of your customer groups are families, group all the products you offer that are suitable for families in one brochure and on one page on your website. This way, you make it easy for them to find everything in one place and they’re more likely to book!

So, don’t find customers for your products, find products for your customers and have a think about how this could apply to your business.
(I did end up buying something else in another shop where it was all grouped by size :) Only took me 5 minutes!

Till next week, Marijke

Do you send out email campaigns or newsletters to your customers? What you want is for them to read your news or deals and click through to your website.

But as your customers get more and more emails in their inbox, it has become harder to get them to read your message.

If you want a solid increase in click through rates, then have a look at this little video!

Click here to learn more about the FREE 2-hour tourism marketing workshop:
Effective ways to grow your international visitor numbers! 
(4 Sept 2014 in Lumsden and 5 Sept in Invercargill) -

Till next week! Marijke

Marketing is all about making customers feel good so they buy (more) from you!

What people remember most about a holiday or other customer experience is the people that they're dealing with.. how they are treated at accommodation places, in shops, restaurants and activities etc. If you are treated with friendliness, and a high level of customer service, that's what makes you want to go back. It makes you feel good!

I know I've mentioned this before, but the easiest way to achieve this is to hire people with enthusiasm and passion for what they do. The skills can be learned (do ensure you train them, though :)

I was looking on Youtube and found this little video which reminded me of my 'random-act-of-kindness-when-I'm-downtown-Queenstown'.

Living in a tourist town, I feel it's important to be friendly to visitors and make them feel welcome. One easy way to do this is when you see a couple taking a photo of each other, I ask them if they'd like me to take the photo for them. They always do and walk away happy.

Till next week, Marijke