25 Aug 2014 Prepare Your Tour or Activity Business for International Distribution

International distribution is the goal for many tour and activity operators, but it can be a challenge to achieve.

Here’s how to get your business ready for international distribution, with tips on how Rezdy can help.

1. Good first impressions

The last thing you want is for agents to think that you’re a newbie to it all and that you aren’t aware of how the industry works.

So prove that you are:

Established in the domestic market

• Use TripAdvisor badges and reviews to prove that you are popular in your destination.
• Tell them which agents you already partner with.

If you already execute a successful domestic marketing strategy, they will be more confident that you can replicate your success overseas.

Allowing people to book instantly

• Show them your Rezdy booking site.
• Share your Facebok page with them if you’ve installed the Rezdy Facebook App.
• Tell them about Rezdy’s Agent Desk.

The more convenient the booking process is, the more professional you are.

Offering commissionable rates

• Show them how easy it is for them to see how much commission they’re going to be paid within Agent Desk.
• Give them a hard copy commission rate sheet.
• Tell them about Rezdy’s commission reconciliation feature, which makes getting paid a lot simpler for them.

You will have a much better chance of working with overseas agents if you have a clear-cut way of communicating and paying commission.

Using a quality assurance program

• Share your process with them. How often do you audit your products?
• Tell them how you handle customer feedback.

Aware of how your products fit into international markets

• Share the research that you’ve found about their destination’s market for your products.
• Say how your products meet the needs of their customers.
• Show them you understand who their customers are (their demographic profile).
• Show them you’ve taken pricing into consideration. How does your product’s pricing compare with the competition? Did you adjust it to suit the market?

2. Have a plan

Looking ahead, show your potential partners that you have a solid plan for how to work with them on international distribution.

Administration

Rezdy has you covered in this area. Explain how all you have to do is invite your agents, get them trained up, and Rezdy can manage the booking payment in a variety of ways.

Marketing

You need to show that you’ve budgeted for sales calls, famils, trade events, conferences, industry association memberships. Use your Rezdy sales report to figure out what promotions to run and how much they will cost, based on how past campaigns performed.

3. Create collateral for international distribution

Arm your future partners with a sales kit to distribute to their sales team, so they’re equipped to answer any questions they have about your products. Bear in mind that certain messages don’t work in other countries or cultures, even if the language is the same. Beware the trap for new players and, if you can, speak to someone who is knowledgeable about it to see what they think about certain ideas you have.

You should also give them a hard copy of your terms of trade. In this, detail your cancellation policy, blackout dates, payment terms, booking deadlines, and payment details.

What’s Next?

• Invite your agents
• Share your products with an agent
• Learn how to use your sales report

Topics distribution, marketing, OTAs, tripadvisor