Stop scaring your visitors

Stop scaring visitors!

If you’re not getting enough business, this is for you.

OK, so you might not be actively scaring your potential visitors, but they are scared. And that’s stopping them from spending money with you, booking, or visiting.

We’re all scared. Not necessarily terrified-scared, but at least mildly anxious and unsure. We're nervous of making bad decisions, of spending money or time unwisely.

When we buy something physical, whether it’s chocolate or a car, we can see it, touch it, feel it, know what it’s like. Yet we still have to be convinced to spend money on it, even when the price is low. 

Marketing is hard enough with physical products. When you’re promoting a tourism business or service, it’s even harder.

Think about a trip you’ve taken in the past.

You had to find out about, to know about the destination, to feel certain it was the right place for you.

You needed to feel reassured that there was enough to do, places to eat/drink, maybe stay.

You needed to be convinced that the trip was not only value for money, but also value for time.

If you’re not getting as many bookings or visitors as you’d like, chances are that your potential visitors are still feeling scared. They don’t feel comfortable spending their money or time with you.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Think about the things your potential visitors may be concerned about, or need to be convinced about.

2. What extra information or inspiration might they need?

3. How are they likely to check your credibility? Reviews, memberships, or perhaps simply words and photos?

4. Look at your website, social media, Google Business Profile and any other marketing you do.

5. Think about the all the different ways you could reassure visitors or show you offer what they want. What words and photos do you need to use? Where? When?

6. Consider your reviews. Do you have a system for asking for reviews? Does it work or do you need to change it to get more reviews? Are you getting reviews in the right places? You might rely on something like TripAdvisor but you also need some on Google.

7. How are you using your reviews? Are there other places you could share some of the best reviews? Or take quotes from them to use in your social media and on your website?

What other steps could you take to make your potential visitors feel reassured and ready to spend time and money with you?

If you haven’t already done so, you might want to read this article too.