Seasonal Business

Is Your Website Mobile-Friendly for Tourists?

January 2, 2010

Do you know how your website looks to travelers using mobile search to find places to visit ? Making our websites mobile friendly is a road we must travel down ourselves if we want tourists to find us easily.

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The Seasonal Business of Knitting and Handmade Fiber

October 31, 2009

The end of October is the end of the Summer tourist season for our handmade business of soapmaking. It is also the beginning of holiday madness as we and the temporary elves prepare orders to be shipped out until just a few days before Christmas. We’re not unusual. Many of us with seasonal businesses actually [...]

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“You Can’t Miss It”- Giving Rural Tourists Better Directions

September 29, 2009

We’ve all heard it, and probably all said it to others too. Your own town can seem so easy to get around, when it’s what you are accustomed to. When I moved to the mountains of rural western North Carolina 20 years ago and asked for directions practically every day, the phrase I learned to [...]

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Collaborative Marketing Among Seasonal Rural Businesses

May 25, 2009

Collaborative Marketing on a seasonal basis can bring success to all rural businesses involved. The Red Rooster Route is a marketing partnership of six local family farms that have banded together to create a new self-guided farm tour, offering adventures ranging from picking your own summer berries and vegetables, to learning about naturally grown foods. [...]

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Diversifying Farm Operations

April 6, 2009

At the national level, we talk casually about billions and trillions of dollars. And not too long ago, it was difficult to obtain small business loans for less than $250,000.00. Which just goes to show, what a difference a few dollars can make in the lives of small business owners who want to better their [...]

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The Experience Seekers

March 22, 2009

The Great Lakes Cruising Coalition is working to get more cruise lines enjoying the Great Lakes, to pull into port and visit their small towns. One of their members posted estimates on the economic impact for each day a cruise ship visits. With just two tourist vessels scheduling 12 stops in one city for 2009, [...]

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Last Minute Tourism: Weekend Travelers

March 15, 2009

Rural businesses and small towns that attract large numbers of tourists are re-thinking their strategies this year, as the economy causes everyone to reconsider travel plans. Apparently Americans’ views of corporate greed are even affecting the types of accomodations that travelers choose to stay in: “Group and corporate travel are down considerably at many area [...]

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Coupons, e-Coupons and More

March 10, 2009

Everybody likes to save money, and in today’s economy that’s more true for your customers than ever before. Coupons don’t have to mean you make less money. In fact, you can offer coupons on specific products that aren’t selling and you need to move, or offer them during slower seasons of the year. Coupons can [...]

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Fun Can Mean Business for Rural Business

March 6, 2009

Have you given any thought to how attracting tourists to your area could help your business? The Palm Springs, California Bureau of Tourism did, and decided to market to college students traveling during spring break, using social media. You can take a look here to read four perspectives on what small business owners thought and [...]