My blog posts are often stories of tourism trends I see in action, or something I have learned while interacting on the road with other tourism professionals. Not in the time of Covid. I am stuck at home like many of you. I read to find out whats happening in the outside world instead of experiencing it. But I am still able to find elements of my daily life that translate into our current situation. And that’s how I got this article idea – by feeding the fish in my pond one morning.
Blue Ocean Strategy in a nutshell
The Blue Ocean Strategy was a concept developed by Renée Mauborgne and W. Chan Kim . It is a book full of scientific hypothesis, case studies and data. I won’t say it is an easy read, but the information you can glean is eye-opening. Basically the Blue Ocean strategy states that a business ( or individual) should look for opportunities where no one else is. By putting yourself in a Blue Ocean situation, you have no competition, and can set your price.
By contrast, a Red Ocean exists where there is intense competition and businesses compete on price and a finite number of customers. ( Think shark-infested waters.) No one wants to exist in a red ocean. It is a losing proposition.
My backyard pond experiment
I have a small pond that my son created for me years ago. I went to Walmart that summer and bought five 29¢ goldfish who are now big enough for my cats to consider on a daily basis. Every morning I go out and sprinkle food out for them. When I sprinkle the fish pellets at one end of the pond, they all race over there to grab as many as they can.
But I also spread some pellets at the other end of their home- and they just float on the water. Until eventually one of the fish leaves the scrum of activity and happens upon a whole bunch of pellets and no other fish. Bingo! And I watch it happen every day. The fish have to learn this lesson each time.
Were you in a Red Ocean or a Blue Ocean?
Before COVID attached itself to 2020, how was your business? Did you have plans to expand into new areas and find new customers? Were you looking at ways to reduce your price because of competition? Tourism was an industry that was growing and some destinations were worried about over-tourism. New businesses were springing up to provide unique visitor experiences. Both Red and Blue Ocean situations were present. Then we all had to stop ( or pause) before we could start up. Now where are we?
My Red Ocean to Blue Ocean Switch
When I started my company, I envisioned being able to speak at Tourism conferences all over the U.S. And I have had some great opportunities to do that. But I realized that I needed to do something different. Not only is there a lot of competition to be a paid speaker, but there are not tons of conferences to speak at every year. Not to mention the fact that most organizers do not want to have the same speaker two years in a row.
So I decided that I needed something else to offer – and I developed a Blue Ocean Strategy. I learned how to provide Zoom virtual training. Now, this was back in 2019, before everyone was familiar with Zoom. I had to show my prospective clients (DMOs and Tourism Associations ) how I could help them provide educational training to their partners without people having to leave their desks.
I realized the best way to explain how it worked was to offer to host a training for free. The organizations could see how this worked, and gauge their partner’s interest. I would be able to demonstrate my knowledge and expertise and would end up adding new folks to my mailing list. And it worked. Almost everyone who has hosted a free training has become a client.
This year I have refined my strategy even further by offering follow up resources to participants. and a survey report which my clients love. There aren’t any other tourism professionals offering virtual trainings like mine. But a Blue Ocean today can become a Red Ocean tomorrow, so I will continue to look for new opportunities and unique ways to serve my clients.
Here’s another resource
What if you don’t have time to read the book? Well, I also recommend ordering this booklet – Summary of Blue Ocean Strategy. It is an easy to follow Cliffnotes/Sparknotes version of the book. It explains Key Takeaways and shares some examples. I read both books at the same time because the summary helps cement the concepts as you read the book.
What could your Blue Ocean Look like?
Start by asking yourself these questions about your business:
- What elements of your business can you eliminate?
- Which elements can be implemented with minimum standards ( just good enough)
- Which elements can be implemented with high standards ( best in class)
- What elements or features could you add that would transform your business?
We are in a time like no other. What worked before might not work at all, or will only get you so far. Taking the time to think about what your Blue Ocean Strategy could look like might be just the activity that sets you on the path to success this year.
Interested in these books?
Click here to head over to Tourism Pro Academy – Books for Tourism Professionals. This is where I have a long list of books that have helped me in my career. I have a quick video explaining why I like the book, and a direct link to purchase the book from Amazon. Do you have books you think I should consider? Let me know!
How can I help you in August 2020?
DMOs/Tourism Organizations:
Are you looking for a way to provide value to your partners during this challenging time? Check out the Online Tourism Training Program with this link. I can help you provide monthly virtual training for you to offer to your partners/members. My team and I do all the work and you reap the benefits. Topics range from Best Practices for small business, to Group Tours, to Tourism Sales.
Looking to increase your Tourism knowledge and skills?
Then check out Tourism Pro Academy. This platform is a one-stop-shop. You can check out free resources, courses and other ways to work with me. I am adding new offerings this month. Click here to see what’s available.
How’s your Profile Sheet?
If you are ready to build back your group tour business, a great profile sheet is key. How is yours? Need help? I am going to host some live profile sheet reviews on my Facebook Business page starting in August. Reply to this email if you are interested in trying something new – and upgrading your profile sheet in time for trade show season!
May I ask a favor?
Could you share this post with at least 2 people who might benefit from reading it? And then they can sign up here to receive my posts directly to their inbox every week. I thank you – and I bet they will too!