During the chaos of the season, it’s difficult to pause and identify plans for growth. So, we’ve taken that step back for you!
Based on our experience working with ski areas and outdoor adventure companies, we’ve identified 7 key strategies that all successful businesses have in common. See which ones you can adopt and blaze a path for growth.
1. Simplify Your Offerings
This may seem obvious, but many businesses face a mental block at this fundamental step. Who is your ideal customer? What is your core competence? Offer clarity to your customers in regards to your offerings, pricing, policies, and more.
If you try to offer something for every single person who shows up, you’ll just be turning off your true customer base. Rather than offering 1 hour, 2 hour, 3 hour, 4 hour and full day private lessons, consider: half day vs. full day. Studies have shown that too many choices in products and prices can slow down or even discourage the purchasing process.
If you haven’t before, try this experiment: look at your offerings and try to cut out 5 things from it. What does that look like? You might find it’s a relief both operationally and for your customers!
2. Group Sales!
Group sales need to be an active part of your sales strategy. This isn’t about selling cheap, discounted items — group sales have proven to be the most stable channel to drive revenue regardless of weather, consumer demand and more.
Use these tactics to make a group sales initiative a success:
• Hire a relationship-oriented seller or sellers that recruit group leaders and focus more on face-to-face selling.
• Treat group sales renewals with the same focus as a season-ticket renewal campaign.
• Host mini-events with business groups, churches, nonprofits, youth sports and schools. Have buy-now incentives for that night only.
This new way of selling will change your business and make you more efficient in using time and resources.
3. Clear Up Processes for Staff
Your staff is your greatest asset, and they are the face of your enterprise. Their appearance, professionalism, and organization are what transform a first-time customer into a champion who shares your service with everyone they know.
The key to driving this organic process is to be organized and have processes in place that educate your staff and help them understand how their role fits into the team.
In the chaos that ensues on day one of ski school, each instructor and staff should have a clear handle on who is in their group. But, they should also be able to talk to any parent or ski school student to answer any questions and point them in the right direction. Create manifests ahead of time — large boards that clearly communicate who needs to be where. A smooth drop-off process with make you stand out, and clients will spread the word.
4. Keep long-Term Goals in View
In the ski area industry, margins are tight and overhead can be overwhelming. It’s easy to narrow your view to the upcoming season to ensure survival, but this focus is the difference between growing companies and stagnant ones.
Growing companies have a plan beyond the upcoming season. They set goals, forecast growth and have a steps laid out to achieve that growth. Remember: a goal without a plan is a wish, not a goal.
What do you want your company to look like in 2 years? 5 years? Circumstances will change during that time, but this long-term approach gives your company direction and purpose.
5. Have the Ability to Capture Customers & Revenue Online
“There are two kinds of businesses: those with an Internet presence, and those with no business at all.”
—Bill Gates
In all likelihood, you already have a website. But, there’s a big difference between having a website and having an Internet presence.
When your customers search for you online, they want the experience and service that you keep telling everyone about. They want to do their research and book online seamlessly. If you haven’t already, you need to give them that option.
Talented web designers are out there. Find one and follow this advice: keep it clean, simple, and inspiring. If you want more insights into how to streamline the online booking process, read our Free Conversion Checklist.
6. Be an Expert on Trends & New Markets
The Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) movement is an interesting case study in the Outdoor Industry. There are two different perspectives when it comes to a new product or trend like SUP:
1. There is the perspective that gets defensive, digs their heels in and scoffs at its trendiness, laughing it off as a passing fad.
2. The second perspective is optimistic; it sees the trend as a new way to get people outside and a new way to get people to experience their amazing company.
The businesses that adopted the second perspective have been rewarded greatly as SUP has continued to grow with no end in sight.
What is the latest trend in winter sports? Mt. Bachelor in Bend, Oregon does a great job in holding unique events that give people great experiences. For example, every year they host The Big Wave Challenge where snow is carved into wave shapes and boarders and skiers compete in this surf/ski shape.
When you have an idea to differentiate yourself, start by making it a special event. Have fun with it and then consider building it in as standard. In general, it’s about keeping an open mind to opportunities; this is a paramount principle of a growing enterprise.
7. Embrace Technology for Business Operations
If you’re still managing your business with pen and paper, you’re limiting your ability to grow and are wasting precious time and energy with inefficiencies (and no, a 3-ring binder isn’t much better!).
There’s a reason that a majority of your competitors have transitioned operations to software and technology. There are many benefits, but most importantly it forces standard processes for:
• Collecting money
• Managing reservations and client information
• Automating tasks that may take hours to complete
• Improving communication (and marketing) with customers
And, as intimidating as it might sound, it’s affordable and easy to make the move.
At The Flybook, we earn our value by matching your company’s pains with a proven solution. With clear success stories in the ski area industry, our clients love how we can open their time and energy to growing their business, not just sustaining it.
Learn more about how The Flybook can address your specific needs. Schedule a custom demo today.