A group of local wineries cooperated to create a wine trail, drawing visitors from the nearby metro area. They created a brochure with a map to explain the trail. They hand the brochures out at each participating winery. They intended to post the brochure on all their websites. 
I love this idea. When two of the participating wine makers mentioned it at a local event, I searched one of their websites for the brochures. No luck. So I checked the other websites. Nope, not there either. I couldn’t find it on any of their websites. Links to the web designer’s pet causes, yes. Info on the wine trail that could draw in more business, no.
Will I accept “I asked him to post it” as a valid excuse? No. It’s your business. You have the responsibility to follow up and be sure the work is done.
Even if the brochure was available as a PDF download, that is not enough. I would love to see same information available on the site itself. Where’s the mobile friendly version, so I can access it on my smart phone, or even my not-so-smart phone? Have you followed up on any of the ideas for interactive maps that readers put in the comments on How to use maps to promote tourism?
Rather than jump from idea to idea, doing a partial job on each of them, focus your efforts on making the most of each idea you come up with.
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Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.
I totally agree: follow through; finish what you start; go back, check to be sure it really is finished and WORKS like you intend it to work; have someone check the site for you and report back.
Remember: You can’t do MORE until you have done some!
Great points, Becky. I’d add that since I’ve been using a Droid phone, with easy access to both my location and navigation to places, it’s changed the way I think about things. It’s like having a geo-butler in your pocket all day – I ask where something is, and it navigates me to it.
So these wineries (and/or the Chamber) could come up with a google map of the locations, with details on each location embedded in the pins. That way, any smartphone could visit that map, browse info on it, and get directions (based on where they are currently) to spots. It’s like having a guided tour with you while you’re visiting the town or area!
Those of us who know small towns know that you can miss a lot just taking the highway or even Main Street through town; getting off the main road is critical, but also hard to do if you don’t know it. These guided-tour mechanisms – especially if designed for mobile – are the key to pulling people off the highway to “the good spots”.
Maesz, the point about having others check your site and report back is especially good. I know we think it’s right, but can someone else figure it out?
John, that is exactly what I’d like to see small town attractions do. I have hope that this technology will give more folks the ability to pull off the highway without fears of getting permanently lost!
“Rather than jump from idea to idea, doing a partial job on each of them, focus your efforts on making the most of each idea you come up with.”
That’s a really good point. Many of us are guilty of that, I am. The newsletter I publish was rushed and I’ve spent more time putting it right than I would have if I had planned it properly.
If you are a company that is promoting a product or service then you do not want to put something out that is going to damage your brand or reputation.
Darren, we are all guilty of that, aren’t we? Instead of thinking of any new things to do, take time this week to think of making more of what you already do. Thanks for sharing!