Morgan’s determination to create a tour in a market where none exists.
Welcome back to our mini-series on Tourpreneur -The Tour Operator Start-Up. M
For many years, I’ve wanted to find a way to combine my loves of history and travel into one job. Well, guys, I’m doing it.
Morgan Cantrell
TP119 – Tour Operator Start Up sponsored by Blend Marketing Tour and Attraction Marketing Agency.
Morgan joins the Tourpreneur Tour Operator Podcast today to share how things are going for her tour operation startup since her previous appearance on the show. She shares how her first tour went and the results of target marketing using Facebook Ads, radiuses, and demographics.
We discuss testing and adapting tour narratives using feedback and reviews and discuss ways of getting local media attention. Morgan also shares her experience with the FareHarbor booking system and the value of her business training with TripSchool.
Morgan Cantrell is the Founder of History Well Travelled, a walking tour operation in Carrollton, Georgia. She became a Tourpreneur in January, inspired by a passion for history and travel. Morgan was previously the Social Media Manager at the Presidential Pathways Travel Association and the Director of Education and Programs at the Biblical History Center. She has a Master’s degree in Public History from the University of West Georgia and a Bachelor’s degree from Auburn University. During grad school, she specialized in heritage tourism, examining how tour guides impact visitor experiences.
“With Facebook Ads, sometimes your most engaged people are an older generation.” – Morgan Cantrell
This week on Tourpreneur:
- How Morgan’s marketing is making an impact and the positive effects of local support
- Using Facebook Ad targeting on the run up to tour dates
- Why you should test, analyze your data, and adjust your marketing for different tours
- Self-evaluation, listening to positive feedback and critique, and weaving suggestions into future narratives
- Why Morgan is temporarily holding back on printed marketing materials
- How to approach the news and get local media attention
- How things are going with the FareHarbor booking system
- Managing the business aspects of everything that goes on behind the scenes
- Morgan’s fears as a Tourpreneur
Our Favorite Quotes:
- “Journalists are hungry for stories, especially if you are local and it’s unique.” – Shane Whaley
Resources Mentioned:
- The Tour Operator Start-Up -Follow A Tour Operator as they build their tour business. (114)
- FareHarbor
- TripSchool
Connect with Morgan Cantrell:
- History Well Travelled
- History Well Travelled on Facebook
- History Well Travelled on Instagram
- Morgan Cantrell on LinkedIn
What is the Tour Operator Start Up?
What is the Tour Operator Start-up I hear you ask?
Many of you have written in asking me if I can produce a mini-series, a documentary if you will, where we follow a tour operator who is starting out building their tour business. Think, ‘how I am building this’ as opposed to ‘how I built this.’
So in this series, we follow a tour operator on that journey from start to, well, we don’t know where. We hope it is to success, but you’re going to have to listen in each month to find out what happens.
We also hope you will contribute to this series by offering your insights, advice, and experience via our Facebook group or by calling in, as we help a tour operator start-up create a thriving to tour business.
Got advice for Morgan? Share it here on our private Facebook Group for Tourpreneur listeners.
Checkfront is giving away a multi-month free trial for Tourpreneurs so that you have plenty of time to explore the software and see how well it can support your business. Go to checkfront.com/tourpreneur to claim your free trial for the rest of the year.
Find out more about Mitch Bach and TripSchool in this interview with him on the Tourpreneur Podcast.
Our Favorite Quotes:
- “You can start something with very little investment capital, and it can start paying dividends pretty soon.” – Mitch Bach
Resources Mentioned:
- Travel Ultimate Pro – WordPress Theme for Tour Operators
- Explore Georgia
- FareHarbor
- QuickBooks
Connect with Morgan Cantrell:
- History Well Travelled
- History Well Travelled on Facebook
- History Well Travelled on Instagram
- Morgan Cantrell on LinkedIn
Connect with Mitch Bach:
Exploring the World of Tour Business
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Tourpreneur. If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts Google or Spotify to subscribe to the show and leave a review. Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more tour operators
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More About Tourpreneur Host Shane Whaley
Shane Whaley
Shane Whaley is the Producer and Host of the Tourpreneur Podcast. He is also the curator in chief for the Tourpreneur Daily Brief. Shane has worked in the travel industry for almost twenty years.
