Sadly, many of us have more time on our hands than normal, so let’s use that time to complete all those neglected jobs. The below things-to-do list won’t initially pay the bills, but it will at least pay dividends long term:
- Update or claim your TripAdvisor Business Listing – add imagery, tour/accommodation information and content
- Update or claim your Google Business Listing: Google is now a powerful travel guide. Add imagery, menus, blog posts and itinerary ideas.
- Update your Website: The majority of our local web designers work from home and would be happy to assist you with bringing your website into the 21st century and adding a strong booking platform like Rezdy. Also, SEO tag your content and images.
- Sign up to Mailchimp (it’s free) and create a customer newsletter.
- Start working on your 2020-21 Business and Marketing Plans.
- Update your social media accounts. Do you have a business Linkedin or Twitter account? Also, add your imagery to Pinterest. Investigate services such as Buffer, Hootsuite and Sked to make scheduling and analytics easier. Create a social media calendar for the year, including activities for spring and summer, and your response when restrictions cease.
- Develop package options for your business. Contact (by email or phone) your fellow BunGeo operators and start planning. If you are a hotel without a restaurant, is there a local restaurant you could work with to create a breakfast and dinner package? Or, a tour operator?
- Are your registered on the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse?
- Send updated imagery to Australia’s South West and us.
- Update your listing on visitbunburygeographe.com.au.
- Upskill during lockdown – find an online course to develop your skills. Tourism Tribe and other companies are presently offering free courses
STILL OPERATING
- If you are in hospitality or retail, try to set up a temporary hole-in-the-wall or drive-thru to serve customers who are reluctant to enter your building and importantly, further protect your staff. For inspiration, check out Koroko Japanese Bunbury (who is now serving from the street), Melo Velo Bunbury and Crazy Cow Cafe Donnybrook.
- Set up an e-store online, like Sabotage in Bunbury. They are also offering Private Shopping experiences!
- Can you pivot your business? Harris River Estate near Collie is now making much-needed hand sanitizer.
- Is takeaway and/or delivery an option? Congratulations to the local restaurant and cafe businesses, wineries and produce providers (and our local website designers and techies who have been working around the clock) who have changed their offering to include takeaway, vege boxes, home delivery and more.
- If this is you, please let us know and we will add you to one of our blog posts:
- #TakeawayforWA: A new social initiative from IMG Culinary and Western Australia Gourmet Escape is encouraging West Australians to support WA’s struggling hospitality businesses. #TakeawayForWA is a social initiative encouraging people to share a photo of a takeaway meal (purchased from a venue or available to customers) across social media with the hashtag #TakeawayforWA, tag the restaurant it was ordered from/available at and encourage others to do the same. Restaurants, bars, pubs and other venues can also use the hashtag when showing off the takeaway options they have on offer. Venues can also contact Western Australia Gourmet Escape to be included on a list of Western Australian restaurants, cafes and wineries offering takeaway and delivery options on the Gourmet Escape website. If your restaurant, cafe or winery is offering takeaway and delivery options make sure you also update your listing on ATDW with the hashtag #TakeawayForWA so the content can be pulled and promoted on Tourism WA’s site and others to get the word out!
- Tell the Good Stories: If you have a good news story to tell, email [email protected] and tag @WesternAustralia #thisiswa in your social media.
Stay tuned, as we will be continually adding useful and inspiring ideas to the list.
Take care
