How To Use The Buyer’s Journey To Sell More Guided Trips
The Buyer’s Journey is the process your customer goes through when booking a guided trip with you. There are five stages of the Buyer’s Journey: (1) Awareness, (2) Interest, (3) Consideration, (4) Conversion, and (5) Retention. It helps to imagine these stages as a funnel. See below:
Awareness is the first stage of the Buyer’s Journey. Your customers are furthest away from booking a guided tour with you. Your job is to help them move down the “funnel.” To move them to the Conversion stage, and then keep them as a customer in the Retention stage.
Let’s take a closer look at each stage and what you can do to help adventure-seekers book a tour with you.
Awareness Stage
In the Awareness Stage, an adventure-seeker realizes they want to climb Longs Peak. They go to Google and type “Climbing Longs Peak.” If your guiding company leads technical climbs up Longs Peak, you want to show up in Google search results (This is Search Engine Optimization).
Typically, in the Awareness Stage, consumers aren’t ready to book with you yet. They’re browsing. If you have an engaging blog or social media, they may start following you.
Takeaway: Create interesting content to reel in potential customers. By posting pictures, videos, blogs, etc. that answer the adventure-seeker’s question(s), this could lead them to the next stage in the Buyer’s Journey.
Interest Stage
In the Interest stage, an adventure-seeker is serious about climbing Longs Peak. They’re looking for more information to make the right decision for themselves.
It’s important that you offer what they’re looking for when they’re ready to book. In other words, meeting them in the right place at the right time.
If the adventure-seeker follows you, they’re likely to come back to your site to learn more.
Takeaway: It’s in the Interest Stage where you need to be memorable and earn consumers’ trust. Post on social, show up in searches, and prove you’re reliable through how-to videos, educational blog posts, and an easy-to-navigate website.
Consideration Stage
In the Consideration Stage, the adventure-seeker compares your guiding business with others. It’s your job to prove you’re the best guiding company to take them up Longs Peak.
They’re considering your business. They signed up for your newsletter (which they found on the homepage). Through email marketing, you can build a relationship with this adventure-seeker by sending them educational and inspirational content, news, and promotions.
Takeaway: It helps to know how your ideal client thinks, what they like, and what they’re looking for in a mountain guide. This way, you can tailor your emails, copy, social media, etc. to your ideal customer, and when they land on your website, it feels like your business was made for them.
Conversion Stage
The adventure-seeker is ready to become your customer in the Conversion Stage. To complete their reservation, use call-to-actions and clear booking buttons.
It also helps to give them a sense of urgency, such as a countdown timer. They have 10 minutes to make their reservation or your system will remove their tickets from their “cart.”
Additionally, make sure it’s easy for them to complete their purchase. A simple user interface and a streamlined online booking system not only help your client, but you’ll benefit by selling more experiences.
Takeaway: Use call-to-actions, clear booking buttons, and have an easy-to-use interface so your client can book quickly and efficiently with you.
Retention Stage
The Buyer’s Journey doesn’t stop once they’ve booked with you. You also need to keep them as a client in the future and this is where they enter the Retention Stage.
To keep customers, provide excellent customer service, unforgettable experiences, and develop a relationship. Combining those three factors, your customers will become your biggest brand advocates.
Takeaway: Take the time to get to know your current clients. Learn their interests, complaints, recommendations, and comments. Then find ways to keep them engaged. For example, loyalty programs, email newsletters, or other benefits that come to mind.
This journey isn’t linear either. It can take days, weeks, or months for them to go through the entire process. It’ll take them seeing you frequently as they decide what they want to do. Knowing what the stages are and what to create to move customers through the stages, you’ll grow your business quicker.
About the Author:
Jessica is the Digital Marketing Specialist for Origin. Origin is innovative online booking software designed specifically to help tour guides and outfitters keep trip reservations and staff availability up-to-date, prevent overbookings, and even help you assign guides to newly booked trips with automated text messages to confirm availability. Interested in learning more? Schedule a call with us or visit our website: www.exploreorigin.com
