I have gotten hooked on a show –The Profit on CNBC. Marcus Lemonis is a millionaire who invests his own money in struggling businesses. It’s a bit like Shark Tank but you also get to learn about the struggles of the company as well as the plan for success.
I think one of the reasons I love the show is that you get to see behind closed doors. Companies that look successful on the surface can be deep in debt. We get to hear stories of tenacity and perseverance, bad business decisions and how products were created.
But what I like most about the show is that Marcus looks objectively at organizations through 3 lenses: people, product, and process. It sounds so simple, but I think its brilliant. If your tourism attraction can master these three elements, I am confident that you are headed towards long-term success.
People
As many of you know, I travel a lot for my job. I check into hotels a few times a month. I checked into the Hampton Inn Boise last weekend and am still smiling from the experience. Mary Ann was behind the counter when I walked in and believe it or not, she raised her hands high in the air and said: “ Well, look, you’re here!” I felt like I was arriving home on break from college!
She had no idea who I was, but as soon as I gave her my name, she made me feel like the most important person arriving that day. She called me by my name the rest of my stay and made sure I was all set for a ride to the airport when it was time to leave.
That’s how it’s done, folks. People are coming to us to spend their hard earned money so it is our duty to make sure every human interaction they have during their visit builds the enjoyment of the visit.
Take care of your people
Make sure you have the right people for the right job. Are they passionate about working there? Busy season can be a drain for everyone, so make sure to schedule some easy to implement recognition events. Can you provide pizza for lunch once a month for everyone? How about a food truck for a day? A small investment like that can go a long way.
Would other attractions be willing to offer complimentary tickets for your staff if you offer the same? It gives frontline staff a nice perk, and the staff at other attractions will then be familiar with your product.
Product
What is the product being sold in tourism? After all, when you buy admission tickets, you don’t receive an item after you pay. The experience is the product. People pay for the opportunity to create memories and have experiences.
There is a classic book – The Experience Economy, that talks about the evolution of a product to an experience. Be clear on what your product is. You aren’t selling people a boat ride ticket, you are selling an afternoon of relaxation, beautiful scenery and fun memories. Make sure your marketing and sales efforts support that.
Sometimes it can be easy to forget what your customer wants in your product so it is always good to ask. Use a simple survey ( like Survey Monkey) or ask them while they are visiting.
Maybe your product/experience is family friendly but you want to try a new offering for couples. Check with potential customers before you pursue developing that new product.
Process
The process refers to the way the operation of the business is handled. Often times in the show, Marcus will see a factory layout that is a mess and bookkeeping that isn’t handled professionally. How does your business look? I am always amazed how business owners tell him they have over $1 million dollars in revenue, but their processes are such a mess that they are actually in debt.
Sometimes he changes the product line, sometimes the management, and sometimes the workflow. I always learn something.
So when you are looking for some new business insight and how to be even more successful, pop some popcorn and give The Profit a try!
Need help with your 3 P’s?
Are you looking for some help with your staff, your product or your processes? Do you want to chance to talk through an idea, or a challenge you are seeing? Recent clients have worked with me on how to:
-update their group tour profile sheet for tradeshow season
-talk through the steps they need to take to attract more Chinese group tours
-ask me for ways to help get their partners to become group tour ready
-ask questions about developing new products that would appeal to the Chinese visitor market
Do you need someone to bounce something off of? Take a minute now and schedule a free 15-minute strategy call with me.You will be glad you did!
Is your destination or attraction Group tour ready?
Are you looking for help with group tours? I am creating an online course Fill Your Parking Lot: Secrets to Attracting Bus Groups to your Business. The course will be released on July 15th for $79 but you can pre-purchase it now for $59 and get the whole course. Click here for more information.
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