Howdy.
the pain points
As travelers - when we visit a new place, we have needs. Sometimes we need a local’s perspective. Sometimes we need to go swimming some place with a waterfall. Sometimes we need a ride.
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The Tour Guy
THE TOUR GUY dream big on your vacation
market opportunity Austin is the Capital of Texas and the Live Music Capital of the World. These distinctions, coupled with exceptionally strong housing and job markets, ensure a constant influx of new visitors and inhabitants to our city. Every week in Austin, there is a festival, a conference, a graduation, a seminar, a concert, a sporting event, and/or anything else. Our visitors want to have a good time when they are here and tap in to what makes this place unique. 4
The Tour Guy
Primary Market Validation - interviews
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The Tour Guy
Primary market validation - survey 1
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The Tour Guy
Primary market validation - survey 1
BIGGEST PAIN POINT Finding Things to do Transportation Airport/Flights Kids N/A Cost Time 0
4.5
9
13.5
18
Survey 1 - 38 Responses
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The Tour Guy
Primary market validation - survey 1 Ideal TOUR
Local/Insider
Customized/Personal
Misc
Historical/Cultural 0
3.5
7
10.5
14
Survey 1 - 38 Responses
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The Tour Guy
Primary market validation - survey 1 MOST IMPORTANT THING
Local/Insider Sightseeing Transportation Eat, Drink, 
 Shop, Have Fun Other 0
3.5
7
10.5
14
Survey 1 - 38 Responses
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The Tour Guy
Primary market validation - survey 2 YES
NO
YES
6%
18%
82%
94%
1)
If there were a service where you could call a local and ask them for recommendations, would you be interested?
2)
If so, what would you be willing to pay for this service, if it proved valuable?
Avg - $10.64
NO
1)
Under similar circumstances, if there were a service where you could fill out an online form listing your likes, dislikes, and goals for your trip - and then receive a personalized itinerary within the hour, would you be interested?
2)
If so, what would you be willing to pay for this service, if it proved valuable?
Avg - $9.14
Survey 2 - 17 Responses 10
The Tour Guy
findings
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•
Based on the surveys, reliable transportation and finding things to do are the biggest pain points of being in a new city.
•
People want unique, local, and customized options when they travel.
•
Everyone is different in how they wish to connect to good times when they visit, vacation, or go on business trips.
•
Enter - The Austin Tour Guy. The Tour Guy
solution/services offered The Tour Guy is not just a tour guide. He’s a comprehensive solution to any and all needs of the modern traveler.
Market Validation
Transportation
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Phone Consultations
Tours
Blogs, Reviews, Videos
Personalized Itineraries
Dance Lessons The Tour Guy
Competitive Analysis and value proposition TOURS ATXcursions, Austin Detours, Access ATX
pros: nice vehicles, organized, fun cons: overly structured, touristy, pre-set
TRANSPORTATION Cabs, Cap Metro, Limo Service, Ride Share
pros: price, luxury, convenience cons: questionable working knowledge of the city, won’t let you DJ
RESOURCES/Info Google, Lonely Planet, Yelp, Trip Advisor
pros: vast amounts of accessible information cons: too much data, not human, passive, no dialogue
Dance Lessons Two Left Foots, Austin Swing Syndicate
pros: fun, cheap, knowledgeable instructors cons: only one: I have better bad jokes
All of these options are great in their own right, albeit with deficiencies. The Tour Guy’s value is in combining these resources in a convenient, accessible way. 13
The Tour Guy
how it works
Market Validation Browse Web and Social CALL DIRECTLY
Fill OUT CONTACT FORM CONSULTATION
CUSTOMIZED PACKAGE AND QUOTE
GO
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The Tour Guy
marketing objectives
Market Validation 1
Gain credentials and legitimacy
2
Showcase expertise
3
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Acquire Customers
The Tour Guy
1) gain credentials
Market Validation
Safety and credentials will be concerns of any one seeking any type of guide. The Austin Tour Guide Association certification will help address this concern. It will also provide me with a valuable historical background of the city, which I currently lack. Once certification is complete, ATGA markets their guides on their website and on affiliate visitor websites, like the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau’s. 16
The Tour Guy
2) showcase expertise
Market Validation This will be done by creating content to be distributed through The Tour Guy’s various marketing channels. This will include videos, reviews, editorials, emails, and anything else. The purpose of this content is to showcase a unique love and perspective of the city, coupled with a playful and engaging personality. This part will be easy, especially when they see me Two-Stepping in my Pink Gorilla suit.
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The Tour Guy
3) Acquire Customers: Initial PPC Campaign
Market Validation
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The Tour Guy
3) Acquire Customers: Initial PPC Campaign
Market Validation
I bid on the keywords listed on the previous slide. So far, some of them are getting decent traction. “Things to do in Austin,” and “Austin Tour Guide” have above a 7% CTR. An average CTR for Google AdWords is around 2%. There are too many factors to consider right now to estimate on actual conversions once they get to the website, but at least people are clicking on the ads. “Things to do in Austin” is costing about $0.49 a click. A decent conversion rate once they land on the website is anywhere from 2-5%. So for every $49 dollars spend on PPC, I can expect 2 - 5 conversions. Pricing and estimates will vary, but the tour guides I talked to make anywhere from $50 - 100 dollars an hour with a minimum # of hours. Taking this into account, the ROI on a campaign like this would be high.
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The Tour Guy
3) Acquire Customers: ATGA WEBSITE
Market Validation
As discussed, after certification, ATGA lists their guides on their website. They are currently #1 in SEO rankings after a search of “Austin Tour Guide.” They also list their guides on affiliate websites, like the Austin Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. This will be a very valuable buffer while I establish my own marketing mix (web, social, digital, on and offline, guerilla, etc.). 20
The Tour Guy
LauncH roadmap/Timeline Mid
Mid
Late
January ‘17
February ‘17
March ‘17
Market Validation Finish Touches
Begin Tour Guide
Build Contacts/
Certification
Partnerships
on Website,
Hotel Concierge Services, The Broken Spoke, The White Horse
Social Pages, and
Create Marketing
content for
Materials (flyers,
website and
brochures,
Social Presence,
guidebooks),
begin building
Compile Contact
website to store
List for Email
Early
January ‘17
February ‘17
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Begin PPC campaign and distribution of marketing materials, Begin tours
Content.
Begin Creating
Early
Launch
Marketing
Finish Tour Guide Certification, List on Austin Tour Guide Association Website, Tours by Locals, and other Tour Operator Websites
Early March ‘17
April
The Tour Guy
Financial Analysis/Growth Strategy
The first three years will be focused on: 1) demonstrating profitability 2) showcasing steady, if modest growth 3) establishing partnerships 4) creating strong relationships and reviews from customers If these criteria are met, The Tour Guy will seek additional funding for expansion. This funding will be used to acquire a party bus and additional employees.
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The Tour Guy
thank you/feedback/questions