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waytorussia
Frequent Guest
Joined: 17 Mar 2010
Posts: 14
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 Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 9:37 pm Post subject: Way to Russia - How to Promote? |
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Hello,
I just wanted to ask your opinion on how we could promote Way to Russia to those people who don't use search engines to plan their trip. We have quite good positions on search engines, Lonely Planet recommends our guide in all their books... Any other ideas? Especially how we could promote WTR to corporate clients and the tourists who shop in high street agencies...
Will really appreciate your help here... |
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Paul-Holmes
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 12 Apr 2005
Posts: 1073
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| Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 10:10 pm Post subject: |
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Market yourself with key travel agents.
Majority people in this part of the world want someone to do all the work for them. Go in to see a travel agent and get everything done for them.
People pay a premium for convienence. |
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Paul-Holmes
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Joined: 12 Apr 2005
Posts: 1073
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| Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 10:54 pm Post subject: |
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Dmitri, I have some comments on the service you are providing.
I had to cancel the flat, because I tried to PM you several times, and received nothing.
The emailed replied stated that I would confirmed whether I officially booked or not. It did not happen.
Usually in the west, you put a small deposit to make a legal transaction ( I think you stated 15%), but this did not happen.
Stated that you click on a link for 24 hour support, but it really goes no where. I felt lost through the process and that I could not get any service or questions answered.
First time, I went to Russia, the site had a live chat box in which they walked me through the whole process. The chat box stated its hours of operation and it was real time. Everything seemed done.
In the USA
Going through expedia.ca or something similar, they provide the whole service package (which you have). Not only did they book the hotel for me, but were able to offer me various services for local events like basketball games, trips to Disneyland, guided tours and such.
You do not follow with anything like this. As soon as someone books, you should follow with up potential services like the Peterwalking tour, local events like Balshoi Theatre, transportation services, and such. You should be the one stop shop in which I can get almost everything I need to do. It would be so nice to be able to be picked up at the airport, dropped off at the flat, have the tickets to Balshoi theatre or hockey game there with a map how to get there or offered taxi services or such. People want greater convienence.
I know in the past, you focused on the backpack hostel crowd. But I think you could offer more services to the more upscale crowd also. |
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Paul-Holmes
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Joined: 12 Apr 2005
Posts: 1073
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| Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 11:12 pm Post subject: |
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Edited
Last edited by Paul-Holmes on Sat Jun 10, 2006 3:10 am; edited 1 time in total |
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waytorussia
Frequent Guest
Joined: 17 Mar 2010
Posts: 14
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| Posted: Sat May 27, 2006 2:05 am Post subject: |
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Well, again, we do not provide any services, we are a travel guide.
The flat that you wanted to rent is operated by City Life (MosFlats) agency. They actually had a slight backlog this week, but once our quality manager contacted them and urged them to clear it up, they replied to all pending requests, I believe. We threatened that if the requests are not replied before this weekend, we'll remove their apartments from our website. And it worked. As I said several times we monitor the situation carefully, and as soon as something like this arises, it is eliminated.
Thanks for your comments regarding offering a package of services. I personally don't like when I'm offered tons of other stuff I didn't ask for, but I guess that's the way business should be done.
In any case, that's not a topic for feedback on providers who advertise on our site.
Let's get back to the original question: what can we do to attract non-internet crowd and how?
Any help / contacts / ideas are welcome! |
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Paul-Holmes
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Joined: 12 Apr 2005
Posts: 1073
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| Posted: Sat May 27, 2006 2:33 am Post subject: |
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It was not a list of spam requests for services, but a list that you could choose for additional services.
I think grouping services is a good way of getting into the travel agent business.
Many people can put tours together, but a custom travel fit like a dumb Canadian like me who wants to go a hockey game, a package tour should be able to be made for a premium.
Contacting local Travel service providers.
Both the Universities of Saskatchewan and Calgary have a Russian program. Contact them about speciality tours or if they can promote your service within their University. |
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charles
Lounge Lizard
Joined: 11 Mar 2006
Posts: 180
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sat May 27, 2006 3:21 pm Post subject: |
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| WayToRussia wrote: | | Let's get back to the original question: what can we do to attract non-internet crowd and how? |
How can people use WTR if they don't use the internet? WTR seems aimed mostly at independent travellers - the kind of people who go first to the internet for information (and books like Lonely Planet).
Does the non-internet crowd go first to a travel agency for information? I doubt that most travel agencies in the USA know much about travelling to Russia. It would be interesting to call a few and see what they recommend to a person who wants to travel there. Probably they get on the internet to do a search, and find specialty companies like MIR corp. Non-internet people aren't the kind of people who want to arrange their own visa, figure out how to make airport transfers, or book their own hotels. |
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greg222
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Joined: 15 Feb 2005
Posts: 599
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| Posted: Sat May 27, 2006 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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I think Paul struck on something there. Many people who go to travel agents to plan their trip like the convenience of it. Through Way to Russia you have to order each part of the trip separately: flights, airport transfers, train tickets, accommodation, etc. Firstly, this reqires too much hassle/organisational skills for some people. Secondly, people might worry that all the different things they've ordered wouldn't coordinate together properly. Of course, travel agents also book the different services through many different providers but they also give the illusion that one person is handling everything.
I don't know if it would be worth your while, but offering a service where people could ask for everything they want in one go and then letting a Way to Russia employee handle it all could be successful. That takes the extra effort away from the client and again gives the illusion that everything is coordinated properly since one person handled it.
Would there be enough demand to justify an employee? Hard to say. Would this make Way to Russia a travel agency and not just a travel guide? Possibly. But maybe there is some way around these issues. Just an idea...
Sorry this isn't really related to promotion. Just an idea that came to me after reading Paul's post. At any rate, travel agents are generally morons and the sooner they become redundant the better. |
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Fire_Goddess
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| Posted: Sat May 27, 2006 5:00 pm Post subject: |
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| greg222 wrote: | | I don't know if it would be worth your while, but offering a service where people could ask for everything they want in one go and then letting a Way to Russia employee handle it all could be successful. That takes the extra effort away from the client and again gives the illusion that everything is coordinated properly since one person handled it. |
I agree WTR should establish itself as an agency, and hire people to deal with these companies in order to offer package deals to customers. It should be a one stop shop based on convenience, where you deal with a WTR agent not the different companies who seem to be confusing some people. |
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Paul-Holmes
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Joined: 12 Apr 2005
Posts: 1073
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| Posted: Sun May 28, 2006 11:20 am Post subject: |
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WTR has gain its report from a grass roots movement and low cost structure and simplicity
I think if WTR offered a similar structure through University Russian clubs as being travel agents. Students will have great attention and explanation to Russian, but a lower wags. Dmitri in the past stresses showing the real Russia. Thus it is a match idealogically and economically.
WTR has to provide a simplified package and offerings than are full proof, unlike fn shit that I got city whatever. If WTR wants the higher premium market, it is available, but the F*ck ups with the partners have to stop. WTR has to separate the product into the totally reliable and mala govno. |
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waytorussia
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Joined: 17 Mar 2010
Posts: 14
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| Posted: Sun May 28, 2006 3:25 pm Post subject: |
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Paul, the work is already in full action. We monitor the providers, and those who don't follow the guidelines will be excluded from the listings.
The problem with City Life apartments is that they offer the cheapest apartments on the market, which you don't have to share with insects. So I would already exclude them from the listing, but because they have good offers I don't want to do it. Besides, City Life is owned by Pavel, who started with Way to Russia but then went on to make his own business. I know that he's trying to do his best, and even though I know that trying is not good enough, he still has very attractive prices you won't be able to get elsewhere. So I suggest if the 24-hour thing is an absolute must for you, go for +$150/night apartments. Nevertheless, we'll do everything on our side to make City Life work according to our standards (at least the last week they seem to be doing fine). |
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vitalsigns
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
Posts: 2784
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| Posted: Sun May 28, 2006 6:35 pm Post subject: Re: Way to Russia - How to Promote? |
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| WayToRussia wrote: | Hello,
I just wanted to ask your opinion on how we could promote Way to Russia to those people who don't use search engines to plan their trip. We have quite good positions on search engines, Lonely Planet recommends our guide in all their books... Any other ideas? Especially how we could promote WTR to corporate clients and the tourists who shop in high street agencies...
Will really appreciate your help here... |
To have volunteers (who are willing to spend their own $) in EU, Canada, USA and elsewhere to put a WTR advertisement in the local newspapers. A small ad will cost anywhere from $50 to $150 or so. |
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surfguy
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 13 Apr 2006
Posts: 6979
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| Posted: Sun May 28, 2006 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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I think the target amrket is obviously Travelers (tourists/busness) and then students, and then people wanting to live in Russia. So theses are the areas focus on.
1. Get a list of foriegn businesses compiled who regulary send employess to Russia.
2.All schools with programs in Russia and or russian curriculums abroad
3.travel agencies, hotels, cruise ships, tour groups, Airlines, Etc.
Contact to these places and find out what thier ads are and then try to incorporate WTR on those ads and or create new ads too. And the same things go for on line too.
Of course this takes time and work. |
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Paul-Holmes
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 12 Apr 2005
Posts: 1073
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| Posted: Sun May 28, 2006 7:56 pm Post subject: |
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WTR, you missed te point totally.
City Life is probaby very good for the lower to moderate price range market. It eventually move to a high level, but you asked about the Non Internet crowd which based on what everyone has said is the travel agency crowd. They demand convienence and accountability. WTR can after both markets. Dependablity for a premium with additional service for the non internet travel agent crowd and back packer/ seasoned traveller for the moderate crowd. If you bring a new service that may not well tested, you try it on seasoned traveller crowd. I am sure that Pavel will get everything in order and be able to service higher clients. Eventually you can look at the business clients which are very profitable, but require certainty and accuracy. |
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vitalsigns
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
Posts: 2784
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| Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 12:14 am Post subject: |
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| If I were WTR I'd say to Paul: I have no clue what you are trying to say... |
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