hi I’m Evan Carmichael welcome to another edition of ask Evan in today’s
another edition of ask Evan in today’s
another edition of ask Evan in today’s episode I’m going to answer a question
episode I’m going to answer a question
episode I’m going to answer a question from one of my newsletter readers
from one of my newsletter readers
from one of my newsletter readers Christine who’s an entrepreneur
Christine who’s an entrepreneur
Christine who’s an entrepreneur and she’s a tour operator so she takes
and she’s a tour operator so she takes
and she’s a tour operator so she takes tourists around in Kenya who are
tourists around in Kenya who are
tourists around in Kenya who are visiting and shows him a good time which
visiting and shows him a good time which
visiting and shows him a good time which was in the country pretty new business
was in the country pretty new business
was in the country pretty new business and one of my advice on growing it so
and one of my advice on growing it so
and one of my advice on growing it so she has three main target markets that
she has three main target markets that
she has three main target markets that she’s going after one are the tourists
she’s going after one are the tourists
she’s going after one are the tourists so international tourists looking to
so international tourists looking to
so international tourists looking to view the country the second are
view the country the second are
view the country the second are honeymooners so people coming just after
honeymooners so people coming just after
honeymooners so people coming just after getting married and on vacation and the
getting married and on vacation and the
getting married and on vacation and the third are corporate clients and they’re
third are corporate clients and they’re
third are corporate clients and they’re often coming for different team-building
often coming for different team-building
often coming for different team-building activities so Christine having been on a
activities so Christine having been on a
activities so Christine having been on a number of trips myself internationally
number of trips myself internationally
number of trips myself internationally and I’ve never been to Africa but I’ve
and I’ve never been to Africa but I’ve
and I’ve never been to Africa but I’ve gone to a number of different countries
gone to a number of different countries
gone to a number of different countries on trips especially when you’re coming
on trips especially when you’re coming
on trips especially when you’re coming off of cruise ships or you’re looking
off of cruise ships or you’re looking
off of cruise ships or you’re looking for two offers to go with the biggest
for two offers to go with the biggest
for two offers to go with the biggest thing that I think you can offer is
thing that I think you can offer is
thing that I think you can offer is service most of the time when you land
service most of the time when you land
service most of the time when you land I don’t think especially offer cruise
I don’t think especially offer cruise
I don’t think especially offer cruise ships when you let you get off and
ships when you let you get off and
ships when you let you get off and there’s a thousand different tour
there’s a thousand different tour
there’s a thousand different tour operators coming at you and you don’t
operators coming at you and you don’t
operators coming at you and you don’t know how to differentiate one for the
know how to differentiate one for the
know how to differentiate one for the other and the biggest fear that you’re
other and the biggest fear that you’re
other and the biggest fear that you’re going to have is that you’re going to
going to have is that you’re going to
going to have is that you’re going to make a mistake and go with the wrong
make a mistake and go with the wrong
make a mistake and go with the wrong person you’re gonna have a bad
person you’re gonna have a bad
person you’re gonna have a bad experience some people worried about
experience some people worried about
experience some people worried about safety depending on the country they’re
safety depending on the country they’re
safety depending on the country they’re going into but for most part is having a
going into but for most part is having a
going into but for most part is having a bad experience and being stuck for a
bad experience and being stuck for a
bad experience and being stuck for a whole day with the tour operator who’s
whole day with the tour operator who’s
whole day with the tour operator who’s not going to give you either good value
not going to give you either good value
not going to give you either good value or good service and it’s really really
or good service and it’s really really
or good service and it’s really really hard to tell what a good service is
hard to tell what a good service is
hard to tell what a good service is going to be for bad service just from
going to be for bad service just from
going to be for bad service just from landing on you know going to the dock or
landing on you know going to the dock or
landing on you know going to the dock or going to the airport and seeing the
going to the airport and seeing the
going to the airport and seeing the people kind of pitching you the
people kind of pitching you the
people kind of pitching you the different ideas so it’s the biggest fear
different ideas so it’s the biggest fear
different ideas so it’s the biggest fear that people going to have and for agents
that people going to have and for agents
that people going to have and for agents who are going to be referring you for
who are going to be referring you for
who are going to be referring you for international travel agents who are
international travel agents who are
international travel agents who are booking trips on behalf of these guys
booking trips on behalf of these guys
booking trips on behalf of these guys it’s also really hard for them to tell
it’s also really hard for them to tell
it’s also really hard for them to tell who’s going to provide good service or
who’s going to provide good service or
who’s going to provide good service or not so service five-star service
not so service five-star service
not so service five-star service excellent service is really going to
excellent service is really going to
excellent service is really going to help you stand out so it’s a couple
help you stand out so it’s a couple
help you stand out so it’s a couple different ways you can do it the first
different ways you can do it the first
different ways you can do it the first thing I would do is I would put people
thing I would do is I would put people
thing I would do is I would put people in uniforms
in uniforms
in uniforms if you have somebody in uniform and I
if you have somebody in uniform and I
if you have somebody in uniform and I appreciate that it’s very hot in Kenya
appreciate that it’s very hot in Kenya
appreciate that it’s very hot in Kenya so you know short sleeves shorts even
so you know short sleeves shorts even
so you know short sleeves shorts even but something that looks professional if
but something that looks professional if
but something that looks professional if you did that right away you’re going to
you did that right away you’re going to
you did that right away you’re going to stand out from everybody else is on
stand out from everybody else is on
stand out from everybody else is on coming at you so I’ve been to a lot of
coming at you so I’ve been to a lot of
coming at you so I’ve been to a lot of different cities and countries and again
different cities and countries and again
different cities and countries and again you’re pitched by all sorts of people
you’re pitched by all sorts of people
you’re pitched by all sorts of people and they often look you know they’re in
and they often look you know they’re in
and they often look you know they’re in regular street clothes you don’t really
regular street clothes you don’t really
regular street clothes you don’t really know this is a company or just some guy
know this is a company or just some guy
know this is a company or just some guy in the back of his van that you’re
in the back of his van that you’re
in the back of his van that you’re getting into so if you had professional
getting into so if you had professional
getting into so if you had professional sign professional uniforms that people
sign professional uniforms that people
sign professional uniforms that people were into you’re already setting a
were into you’re already setting a
were into you’re already setting a standard of service that’s higher than
standard of service that’s higher than
standard of service that’s higher than everybody else and it’s going to be a
everybody else and it’s going to be a
everybody else and it’s going to be a lot easier for you to get the
lot easier for you to get the
lot easier for you to get the north-american clients who are looking
north-american clients who are looking
north-american clients who are looking for some kind of trust and people put a
for some kind of trust and people put a
for some kind of trust and people put a lot of trust in that service and having
lot of trust in that service and having
lot of trust in that service and having uniforms the next thing make sure
uniforms the next thing make sure
uniforms the next thing make sure everything is clean and make sure
everything is clean and make sure
everything is clean and make sure everybody you hire is super friendly so
everybody you hire is super friendly so
everybody you hire is super friendly so clean again if they’re in uniform make
clean again if they’re in uniform make
clean again if they’re in uniform make sure the uniforms are clean whatever
sure the uniforms are clean whatever
sure the uniforms are clean whatever vehicle they’re coming to pick people up
vehicle they’re coming to pick people up
vehicle they’re coming to pick people up in make sure those are clean because a
in make sure those are clean because a
in make sure those are clean because a lot of times they’re not in a lot of
lot of times they’re not in a lot of
lot of times they’re not in a lot of countries that I’ve been to at least
countries that I’ve been to at least
countries that I’ve been to at least make sure the signage is clean it’s not
make sure the signage is clean it’s not
make sure the signage is clean it’s not all scuffed up and people handing you
all scuffed up and people handing you
all scuffed up and people handing you kind of photocopies of things that don’t
kind of photocopies of things that don’t
kind of photocopies of things that don’t look very professional you want to have
look very professional you want to have
look very professional you want to have a professional image and you can even
a professional image and you can even
a professional image and you can even charge a premium people who are on
charge a premium people who are on
charge a premium people who are on vacation or who are honeymooning or
vacation or who are honeymooning or
vacation or who are honeymooning or corporate they are looking to spend
corporate they are looking to spend
corporate they are looking to spend money right when I get off on a cruise
money right when I get off on a cruise
money right when I get off on a cruise ship and I’m landing in a country I want
ship and I’m landing in a country I want
ship and I’m landing in a country I want to spend money I want to have a good
to spend money I want to have a good
to spend money I want to have a good time I’m just worried I’m going to spend
time I’m just worried I’m going to spend
time I’m just worried I’m going to spend it with the wrong person so people would
it with the wrong person so people would
it with the wrong person so people would pay you a premium to ensure that they’re
pay you a premium to ensure that they’re
pay you a premium to ensure that they’re going to have a really good experience
going to have a really good experience
going to have a really good experience and that’s why people on cruise ships
and that’s why people on cruise ships
and that’s why people on cruise ships often booked through the cruise operator
often booked through the cruise operator
often booked through the cruise operator because they know they’re going to get a
because they know they’re going to get a
because they know they’re going to get a pretty good experience and it’s been
pretty good experience and it’s been
pretty good experience and it’s been vetted by the cruise ship before but
vetted by the cruise ship before but
vetted by the cruise ship before but it’s a huge huge price increase and
it’s a huge huge price increase and
it’s a huge huge price increase and they’re willing to pay it so if you can
they’re willing to pay it so if you can
they’re willing to pay it so if you can immediately off the off the boat or
immediately off the off the boat or
immediately off the off the boat or people line it on their plane or however
people line it on their plane or however
people line it on their plane or however they’re getting there show them that you
they’re getting there show them that you
they’re getting there show them that you look highly professional and guarantee
look highly professional and guarantee
look highly professional and guarantee they’re going to have a good experience
they’re going to have a good experience
they’re going to have a good experience you’re going to be able to charge your
you’re going to be able to charge your
you’re going to be able to charge your premium and get more business so again
premium and get more business so again
premium and get more business so again everything must be clean and you want
everything must be clean and you want
everything must be clean and you want people to be friendly so greet with a
people to be friendly so greet with a
people to be friendly so greet with a smile ask people how they’re doing you
smile ask people how they’re doing you
smile ask people how they’re doing you know you want to Train anybody who is
know you want to Train anybody who is
know you want to Train anybody who is working on the front lines dealing with
working on the front lines dealing with
working on the front lines dealing with customers to be friendly answer
customers to be friendly answer
customers to be friendly answer questions make it a good time people are
questions make it a good time people are
questions make it a good time people are there to have fun so you want to make
there to have fun so you want to make
there to have fun so you want to make sure you’re having fun people who your
sure you’re having fun people who your
sure you’re having fun people who your hire is
hire is
hire is something that I would also encourage
something that I would also encourage
something that I would also encourage you to do and I don’t know how feasible
you to do and I don’t know how feasible
you to do and I don’t know how feasible it is but I would try to hire expats or
it is but I would try to hire expats or
it is but I would try to hire expats or students from the countries that you’re
students from the countries that you’re
students from the countries that you’re trying to recruit from so for example if
trying to recruit from so for example if
trying to recruit from so for example if you’re trying to attract Americans to
you’re trying to attract Americans to
you’re trying to attract Americans to come in and sign up I would try to get
come in and sign up I would try to get
come in and sign up I would try to get an expat American or American students
an expat American or American students
an expat American or American students to be there selling your services for
to be there selling your services for
to be there selling your services for you if I see somebody who is more like
you if I see somebody who is more like
you if I see somebody who is more like me you’re more likely to sign up with
me you’re more likely to sign up with
me you’re more likely to sign up with them and a quick example when I went to
them and a quick example when I went to
them and a quick example when I went to Japan I was the only guy from from North
Japan I was the only guy from from North
Japan I was the only guy from from North American work at sea in Japan there’s
American work at sea in Japan there’s
American work at sea in Japan there’s you know very Japanese centric which is
you know very Japanese centric which is
you know very Japanese centric which is great and and immediately you’re faced
great and and immediately you’re faced
great and and immediately you’re faced with culture shock so you’re not quite
with culture shock so you’re not quite
with culture shock so you’re not quite sure what to do you may not understand
sure what to do you may not understand
sure what to do you may not understand the language you’re walking around
the language you’re walking around
the language you’re walking around you’re not quite sure where you’re going
you’re not quite sure where you’re going
you’re not quite sure where you’re going and there was another guy who I met on
and there was another guy who I met on
and there was another guy who I met on the streets who was from North America
the streets who was from North America
the streets who was from North America and immediately you make friends because
and immediately you make friends because
and immediately you make friends because you’re the only two who are the same and
you’re the only two who are the same and
you’re the only two who are the same and everybody else is is different vistas
everybody else is is different vistas
everybody else is is different vistas big culture shock and immediately we
big culture shock and immediately we
big culture shock and immediately we were able to strike up conversation
were able to strike up conversation
were able to strike up conversation start talking he introduced me to you
start talking he introduced me to you
start talking he introduced me to you know where he was hanging out and gave
know where he was hanging out and gave
know where he was hanging out and gave me gave me some recommendations so I can
me gave me some recommendations so I can
me gave me some recommendations so I can see the same thing happening where it
see the same thing happening where it
see the same thing happening where it could be a big culture shock for
could be a big culture shock for
could be a big culture shock for somebody from North America coming to
somebody from North America coming to
somebody from North America coming to Kenya not knowing you know where to go
Kenya not knowing you know where to go
Kenya not knowing you know where to go not knowing the language the culture so
not knowing the language the culture so
not knowing the language the culture so if you had somebody working for your
if you had somebody working for your
if you had somebody working for your company who was from North America or UK
company who was from North America or UK
company who was from North America or UK or Australia who spoke the language once
or Australia who spoke the language once
or Australia who spoke the language once the culture and could speak with people
the culture and could speak with people
the culture and could speak with people on their own terms in their own in their
on their own terms in their own in their
on their own terms in their own in their own culture it’d be a lot easier to get
own culture it’d be a lot easier to get
own culture it’d be a lot easier to get people to sign up so if a tour operator
people to sign up so if a tour operator
people to sign up so if a tour operator came to me in any of the countries that
came to me in any of the countries that
came to me in any of the countries that I landed in and it was somebody from the
I landed in and it was somebody from the
I landed in and it was somebody from the US or Canada or or Britain I’d be a lot
US or Canada or or Britain I’d be a lot
US or Canada or or Britain I’d be a lot more willing to start talking to them
more willing to start talking to them
more willing to start talking to them and be easier for me to sign up with
and be easier for me to sign up with
and be easier for me to sign up with them if they were clean-cut friendly in
them if they were clean-cut friendly in
them if they were clean-cut friendly in uniform and look like me it’d be a lot
uniform and look like me it’d be a lot
uniform and look like me it’d be a lot easier for me to want to do business
easier for me to want to do business
easier for me to want to do business with them so just because there’s so
with them so just because there’s so
with them so just because there’s so much culture shock it’s an easy way for
much culture shock it’s an easy way for
much culture shock it’s an easy way for you to stand out now you still want to
you to stand out now you still want to
you to stand out now you still want to provide the Kenyan experience where
provide the Kenyan experience where
provide the Kenyan experience where people are there to experience Kenya but
people are there to experience Kenya but
people are there to experience Kenya but if you had some people in the front
if you had some people in the front
if you had some people in the front lines who are more like the people who
lines who are more like the people who
lines who are more like the people who you’re selling to as much as you can
you’re selling to as much as you can
you’re selling to as much as you can relate to your customer the easier it is
relate to your customer the easier it is
relate to your customer the easier it is to be able to sell them
to be able to sell them
to be able to sell them look at if there’s any expats or
look at if there’s any expats or
look at if there’s any expats or students from the countries to be able
students from the countries to be able
students from the countries to be able to bring them on board to be on your
to bring them on board to be on your
to bring them on board to be on your front lines as well to help talk to
front lines as well to help talk to
front lines as well to help talk to customers the last thing we do then is
customers the last thing we do then is
customers the last thing we do then is also get on TripAdvisor and encourage
also get on TripAdvisor and encourage
also get on TripAdvisor and encourage people to leave positive comments so
people to leave positive comments so
people to leave positive comments so whenever we do any of our travels will
whenever we do any of our travels will
whenever we do any of our travels will always go on TripAdvisor and see what
always go on TripAdvisor and see what
always go on TripAdvisor and see what are the most common things that people
are the most common things that people
are the most common things that people do where it’s getting the most feedback
do where it’s getting the most feedback
do where it’s getting the most feedback and we’re trying to plan our day right
and we’re trying to plan our day right
and we’re trying to plan our day right we may not have a lot of time in
we may not have a lot of time in
we may not have a lot of time in whatever city we’re going to whatever
whatever city we’re going to whatever
whatever city we’re going to whatever country so we want to make sure it’s
country so we want to make sure it’s
country so we want to make sure it’s time well-spent and you’re getting kind
time well-spent and you’re getting kind
time well-spent and you’re getting kind of the maximum value from it so to
of the maximum value from it so to
of the maximum value from it so to provide is a great place to go and if we
provide is a great place to go and if we
provide is a great place to go and if we see that one to operator is getting tons
see that one to operator is getting tons
see that one to operator is getting tons of great remarks for the great service
of great remarks for the great service
of great remarks for the great service they have and how friendly everybody is
they have and how friendly everybody is
they have and how friendly everybody is and how clean everybody is I’m gonna go
and how clean everybody is I’m gonna go
and how clean everybody is I’m gonna go and book with those guys even if it’s at
and book with those guys even if it’s at
and book with those guys even if it’s at a premium to everybody else and I’ll
a premium to everybody else and I’ll
a premium to everybody else and I’ll probably even do the booking in advance
probably even do the booking in advance
probably even do the booking in advance to make sure I get my spot so then
to make sure I get my spot so then
to make sure I get my spot so then there’s less sales that you’ll have to
there’s less sales that you’ll have to
there’s less sales that you’ll have to do when people get there they’re already
do when people get there they’re already
do when people get there they’re already pre booking and that’ll help with a lot
pre booking and that’ll help with a lot
pre booking and that’ll help with a lot of your cash flow issues as well because
of your cash flow issues as well because
of your cash flow issues as well because people are paying upfront and you’re
people are paying upfront and you’re
people are paying upfront and you’re delivering the service whenever they
delivering the service whenever they
delivering the service whenever they arrive in in your country so hopefully
arrive in in your country so hopefully
arrive in in your country so hopefully that helps might be a little different
that helps might be a little different
that helps might be a little different than what you’re expecting but I think
than what you’re expecting but I think
than what you’re expecting but I think there’s a real opportunity for you to be
there’s a real opportunity for you to be
there’s a real opportunity for you to be able to stand out using that five-star
able to stand out using that five-star
able to stand out using that five-star service methodology and be able to get a
service methodology and be able to get a
service methodology and be able to get a lot of those people to come and want to
lot of those people to come and want to
lot of those people to come and want to work with you and pay you more money
work with you and pay you more money
work with you and pay you more money than they’d be paying the other guys so
than they’d be paying the other guys so
than they’d be paying the other guys so hopefully that helps if you guys liked
hopefully that helps if you guys liked
hopefully that helps if you guys liked the video please give it a thumbs up
the video please give it a thumbs up
the video please give it a thumbs up below and I also look forward to hearing
below and I also look forward to hearing
below and I also look forward to hearing your comments if you want to leave one
your comments if you want to leave one
your comments if you want to leave one under the video and stay tuned for next
under the video and stay tuned for next
under the video and stay tuned for next episode
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