Having a Hard Time Getting People to Sign Up for Your Newsletter?

"You need to grow your database!"

Just about every marketing pro will tell you that your list of emails - past customers and leads included - is your key to growing your business and establishing more passive income.

How do you get more emails/people into your database?

As we walk around the conventions every year, we notice that most outfitters, guides and lodges offer attendees a way to stay connected...and usually its an offer to "Join our newsletter."

When we ask exhibitors what their "subscribe" rate is - it's usually about 30% (3 out of 10 people) - but what if you could increase that to 80%? Would that benefit your business? YES! Of course!

Writing a Privacy Policy for your Website

A privacy policy is a formal document usually posted on your website or linked from your website that explains to any visitors to your site what information you collect and what you do with that information. It usually covers three areas: tracking cookies, email addresses and non-public information.

Two good reasons to develop a privacy policy

1. Create more confidence in your website visitors by being transparent about how you handle their information 
2. Follow laws established that pertain to your business

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.

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?

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.