What Makes a Good Coupon? (And What Makes A Bad One)

Some people spend their whole marketing careers creating the definitive "Good Coupon" (ie: a coupon that brings the customer to you and yet doesn't cost too much in profit) and avoiding a bad coupon (usually a coupon that gets no response). Outfitters, guides and lodges can see a dramatic improvement in their profits by offering coupon or special discount. To make a good coupon, you need to think like your customers. What would make you save an offer and go use it? What kind of coupon calls you to check out that business if you've never used them before? What coupons do you pass on?

Pick A Service to Discount that your Customer is Actually Interested In
A coupon advertises a discount for a limited period of time on a service. You may have an low cost/high profit hunt or trip that you WANT people to purchase however if that's not the adventure that is currently bringing clients in the door, your coupon (unless a deep discount) is not going to be as effective.

Learn from the World Series and Super Bowl to Motivate Your Outfitter Business to Win!

Rooftop View of the 1903 World Series in Boston - WikiCommons

Millions of people tune in by radio, television and streaming feed to watch SPORTS. The 'big game' draws more attention than other events such as a political debates, breaking international news or even a natural disaster. As a country, we're probably not ashamed to say it - we're sports obsessed. We applaud and celebrate the shot, the stop, the drive...the winning play that made history. Some even experience agony when their beloved team does the unthinkable...they lose.

There are critics who argue that sports pay homage to inflated salaries and offer a distraction from real life but when it comes to business - sports might have a few points worth taking notice.

Goal Oriented Excellence

Every year, thirty-two NFL teams compete for the chance to be in the Super Bowl (one of the most watched televised events ever). Thirty MLB teams take aim at a shot of playing in the World Series. For Basketball, it's all about the Finals and for Hockey, the Stanley Cup reigns supreme. The winners receive praise, parades, record book titles, tons of confetti and possibly a shower from a cooler full of Gatorade.

How does this translate to business? These teams all set out with a very clear goal in mind. Sure, for some teams it's a more reachable achievement but even for the lowest ranking team - it's a tangible and measurable objective. Does your business have this kind of focus every quarter? year? Do you give your team (employees, staff, managers, sales force) clear direction to achieve excellence? Most businesses just focus on the daily, weekly or monthly sales figures but employees are more likely to work together and perform consistently (or even raise their level of performance) if there is a substantial goal in sight. AND the reward has got to be worth it. People don't perform for a pat on the back. They like to feel like their efforts are appreciated and important.

Should I Post My Hunt & Fishing Trip Prices?

Pricing your hunts or fishing trips can be a tricky task for any outfitter but once you do decide on that magic number - you have to put on your marketing hat and decide when to show it and when not to.

Reasons you might want to 'HIDE' your prices from initial 'investigators'...
• You want to build an initial strong desire and demonstrate affordability - this is where your marketing is focused on the features of your product or service to dazzle a prospective buyer with everything they'll enjoy from the purchase.
• You want to show how the personal value of the product or service is greater than just the price value - this is where your marketing is focused on the emotional value of the sale and addresses the needs your potential customer has.
• You want to change the potential client's perception of the price - sometimes referred to as 'price conditioning.' - it can be tough but price conditioning is an art hihg end companies like Apple, Audi, Tiffany and Co. and Ethan Allen have mastered. Customers of these businesses believe that the special nuances of products purchased from them are WORTH the additional cost. It's still a computer, a car, a diamond ring and a chair that does the same things as the ones you could get at Kia, Kmart or RC Willey but their customers want to pay more because their perception of the price in terms of value is different.

5 Ways to "Shutdown" Proof Your Holidays

We're all entrepreneurs and just because the news says that the recession ended "back when" doesn't mean we aren't all still feeling the effects. Now with the government shutdown, plenty of us are thinking about how to "fund" the holidays. Thinking about cutting back? While saving for the rainy day might be smart in a tough economy, it definitely doesn't make for a fun holiday season. Therefore, it's important to take action now and learn how to recession proof your holidays so you can enjoy them.

Tip #1 Potluck your holiday meals
When getting together with family, friends or co-workers for holiday meals and parties, don't take on the burden of paying for the entire meal. Let your guests bring their favorite holiday dish. Make it fun by having a contest or making it a recipe swap.

Tip #2 Raid the Local Dollar Store or Goodwill
You will be surprised by the kinds of holiday items they sell including wrapping paper, wreaths, ornaments, table runners and stocking stuffers. These small items can really add up at major retailers so saving here can allow you to spend more on bigger presents for your loved ones.

Why Your Clients Lie...And How to Get them to Buy Instead!

Customers....we love 'em right? We're in business to deal with customers and clients (no customers = no business) but sometimes it can be frustrating figuring out exactly what they want. And just when we think we have our customers nailed down...they still don't book with you! What's the deal?

Problem: Customers...Lie!
Without sounding too harsh, ask a customer about pricing, competition, satisfaction and what they tell you...is probably not true. Why? As humans, we don't like confrontation and your customer is no different. Put someone on the spot and they are likely to give you the answer you want to hear. Most customers don't want to admit that your hunt or trip is too expensive or that they like your competitor better or that your specials are on the services they don't need.  They won't say a word but they also won't buy or re-book or refer. So what do we do?

How to Fix a Negative Review on Yelp

If you work with small businesses like us you start to recognize the cries for help when a usually spotless reputation shows the dark mark of an almost unspeakable villain...the unhappy customer.

"Yelp! I've Gotten a Bad Review - Now What?"

We understand your plight. Used to be that when you or your guide/wrangler had a bad day that affected a customer or a product malfunctioned - you only had to worry about who that hunter could tell in their circle of friends. Now with the advent of the internet and jumbo review sites like Yelp.com - you have to worry that one bad experience could haunt you for the rest of your career (or worse lead to the end of it)

So what do you do when your business gets a bad review on user sites like Yelp?

Using Font in Effective Website Design

Most people who come to your website will be looking for information which can include text, pictures and video. However, there are some important visitors you shouldn't forget about - search engine spiders. You will need ample text on your website pages to help with organic search engine optimization - but it will also play a strong role in your website visitors experience. The use of fonts will work alongside your color choices. A font can be understood as a collection of letters, symbols or numbers such as bold, roman, or italic characters. There are literally thousands of possible fonts available for standard design but you will most likely deal with a few common ones when it comes to website design, word templates, graphic designers and social websites like Blogger.

Only a handful of fonts are installed by default on both Windows and Macs as well as the internet. 

Consequently, these "browser safe fonts" find their way into almost every website out there. Here is an image from a screen shot from a Windows machine and a Mac (blue) to show the browser safe fonts and how they compare on each platform.

How Color Affects Your Marketing & Brand Message

Most outdoor guides and lodges don't have a full time marketing staff to manage their advertising and promotions. In fact - odds are...you do this yourself. You know your business inside and out but when it comes to marketing tricks, you might be giving off the wrong vibe if you aren't aware of the role that color plays in your marketing.

First impressions happen in less than 3 seconds - your marketing (which includes your brand, print media, website design and advertising) is no different!

Choosing the right look and feel of your brand is a critical step in your marketing foundation. Understanding how color will affect your brand and marketing message is key to making sure that your message is heard...and better yet - acted upon. The kind of colors and background you choose can have a strong or subtle impact. The wrong combinations - could be a disaster. 

Colors relate to Emotions - Emotions relate to Buying

Primary colors are intense to the eye. If you combine too many in an ad or website - you could be creating a design that is blaring and unpleasant to look at. On the other hand, if too many light or pastel colors are used - a person might skip over it because nothing stood out. So in this post - we've compiled some info about each color so you can be sure you know what your color choices are saying.

5 Mistakes Outfitters Make with Social Media Marketing

Who wants to make the same mistake twice? No one. Wise entrepreneurs learn from their mistakes and the mistakes of others...including the wild and crazy world of social media. The following are 5 mistakes that can set your social media campaign back especially if your a hunting or fishing outfitter or guide. We don't want that to happen to you so take a moment to "learn" from these tips (we sure wish someone would have mentioned these in the beginning).

Mistake #1 - No Plan
Imagine if you started your business without a goal or a plan. Imagine you didn't know who your potential client was or what hunts or trips you were going to sell. Do you think it could be a recipe for disaster? The same goes for your social media. Take the time to plan your strategy BEFORE you dive in to Twitter posts and Facebook status updates. By having a plan, it will keep you focused, allowing you more success and more time outdoors.

Mistake #2 - Picking the Wrong Platforms
You can drive yourself crazy trying to manage twenty different social media sites and the odds are - unless you have a whole social media team - you won't excel at any of them because you are spread too thin. The idea is quality vs. quantity. Part of your plan (stated above) is to consider where do your potential customers hang out. Is it Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, Pinterest, YouTube? In our experience, we've found that most hunters and fisherman love to watch videos on YouTube and connect on Facebook. If you think you need to be on more sites, ask your clients and narrow your focus down to a few that you can manage well.

Qlixite announces the release of Sold Out Season Premier Outfitter Online Marketing System

Meadow Vista, Calif., Oct 10, 2013

Qlixite.com announced the launch of Sold Out Season, an online internet marketing system specifically designed for the hunting, fishing and the outdoor outfitter. This dynamic method sets up tactics to enable the outfitter to target market their services more effectively by pairing social media with traditional media thus booking their calendars more completely. Sold Out Season Premier Outfitter Marketing System places Qlixite’s expertise in web design, internet visibility and social media engagement on the outfitters’ team, with a step by step course that provides a process that is easy to master with proven tools that raise the percentage of return for dollar invested without the cost of a professional agency.

Sold Out Season presents “game changer” outfitter specific strategies and instruction that ensures that even the novice can see results. 

Social Media posting calendars and email campaigns are just a few bonuses that insure that the focus is on efficiency and a turn key plan, to free up the outfitters’ time to be in the field.