Our clients, and what they say about us
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Steppes Travel
A great project to work on taking a holistic view of this B-Corp business’ marketing strategy and making recommendations across the full spectrum of marketing. The output was a 3-year+ marketing strategy and outline activity plan which is now being implemented.
Marketing expertise and insight is the key to driving any business forward. Jim has both and his experience and relevance in the travel world is an invaluable asset. But it was not just Jim’s knowledge of the travel industry and understanding of marketing that impressed me but the way in which he took the time to listen, to question and really understand our business, our team and our clients. As a result the strategy and documentation that he delivered for us was highly tailored and very relevant to us, and thus all the more effective. Great value add.
Justin Wateridge, Managing Director
www.steppestravel.com
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Beyond Dracula
This high-end DMC in Romania wanted a full review of their marketing strategy. We worked with the CEO, Raluca, to take a deep look into this very well-run business. They’d just emerged from the pandemic and faced the challenge of low demand for travel to Romania because of the Ukraine conflict. We made a number of recommendations, across markets, product and communications, to establish a long term strategy for the business.
My only regret about working with Jim is that I didn't have a chance to do it sooner, years ago, when working on the strategy for our small business in Romania.
I have only praise for Jim's professionalism, his attention to detail, the care and dedication he shows when working with a business that's not his. Furthermore, unlike so many other consultants out there, Jim's work is actually of great use in what I decide to do to grow the business. Because he took time to really get a sense for the business, what we expect as its owners, our own values and aspirations, his recommendations based on the data he analyzed and his own industry knowledge and expertise, is very relevant and useful. In other words, there is great value in working with Jim; real, tangible, useful value.
For me it also mattered that we have a good personal relationship and Jim's friendly, generous and kind nature were important when I decided to work together. Even now, if I have questions, I feel comfortable sending an email and I trust his view will be rational and useful to get my answers.
All in all, Jim is that senior CMO that most businesses don't need or can afford full time but that makes the life of the CEO significantly better.
Raluca Spiac, Managing Partner
www.beyonddracula.com
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Three Mile Beach
This multi-million pound development of 15 design-led luxury beach houses in Cornwall opened in Summer 2021. We were approached to develop guest information which would add true value to the stay experience. The founders had many ideas which we crystallised into a series of printed guidebooks. The main output was a 132 page book. We also advised on content, mailing timing and delivery. For the project we brought in a graphic designer, content researchers, writers and photographers. The guides have received much praise from guests.
Jim was able to take our very long list of ideas, add his own, and develop it into a coherent plan. His input was far more than just a print job, he helped us formulate the services we should be offering our guests and how and when we should be presenting the information. It was a complex project, made more so by the pandemic, but Jim’s organisational skills brought it all together, and on time.
Craig Burkinshaw, Co-founder
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Holiday Architects
An award-winning tailor-made long haul travel business that had grown rapidly pre-pandemic. Holiday Architects wanted to diversify their business away from a reliance on Google PPC advertising. We carried out a deep audit of all their marketing activity and developed a long term plan that encompasses content marketing, events and sponsorship, product and market development, website strategy and CRM. We continue to have monthly ‘check-ins’ to advise on execution of the plan.
I’ve been working with Jim to broaden our marketing channels from a historically narrow focus, and his ability to tailor a bespoke marketing mix for Holiday Architects as well as to understand how marketing sits within our overall strategy has been a huge benefit. His knowledge and experience of what it takes to turn a travel start-up into a high-growth SME in a short space of time is something I’d really struggle to replicate or recruit into the business.
Andy Hunt, CEO & Founder
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Extraordinary Africa
A high-end safari company with an enviable reputation for great service. Extraordinary Africa approached us to assist them with short term tactics for driving business during the pandemic and also for a longer term post-pandemic plan. We helped them develop their messaging on the website and through a series of emails. These saw an immediate return. For the longer term we advised them on structural and content changes to their website, as well a communication plan.
As a small business marketing hasn’t always been something we’ve prioritised or had a coherent strategy for and it was fair to say that our efforts prior till now have been quite haphazard. Jim was really helpful in pointing out areas we should focus on and helped with planning an overall strategy for the marketing. The “deadline” of a monthly check-in with Jim helped focus our attention on marketing and areas where we could make quick wins, and it was incredibly useful to know where we were perhaps wasting energy and where we could make easy gains. We saw an immediate uplift in contact and enquiries from repeat clients as a result and in the longer term have a much clearer and more focused strategy. I would highly recommend Jim for anyone who wants expert advice and more focus and clarity for their marketing campaigns.
Alex Matts, Director
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The Insider Collective
Launched in 2021, TIC is a networking and skills platform for small DMCs and agencies specialising in high end experiential travel. Small travel businesses don’t always have a marketing team (or an individual) and their owners, quite rightly, are focused on delivering outstanding experiences for their clients. Reputation and word-of-mouth endorsement is integral to success of these businesses.
We were asked to run one-on-one marketing clinics for TIC members, focusing on longer term marketing strategy and direction. Using a short set of questions to establish their goals and challenges, we tailored the session to provide structure and direction to their marketing strategy. We are in contact with some members to provide ongoing support.
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Different Snow
This boutique travel company specialises in high-end ski holidays to Japan. They were wholly reliant on Google PPC advertising for new business and wanted to diversify away from this as well as expand their business. We helped them develop a plan for content marketing, including social media, past client communication and developed an entry plan for the US market. We also provided practical advice on developing a simple in-house CRM system.
Not all travel companies can afford to have a highly-experienced and proficient Marketing Director on the payroll, yet we all need a considered, comprehensive and informed marketing strategy sitting at the heart of the business. For us, I wanted the plan to be measured against best-practice, yet tailored to our very specific niche. And this what Jim delivered. At the outset he took time to really understand Different Snow by thoroughly investigating our product, clients and interrogating our ambitions. Then, using his wealth of experience and expertise, he delivered a strategic document underpinned with common-sense and pragmatism. It is a plan with teeth, reassuring where we were already doing the right things, yet providing previously unrealised insight which changes our thinking and several new ideas which will no doubt make a huge difference. Throughout the process, from investigation to delivery, Jim was fully engaged and he remains invested - he cares about the outcomes and wants to see us succeed. Suffice to say, our new Marketing Strategy document delivers a clear road-map for growth and is an invaluable asset for the company.
I worked with Jim at Audley Travel for many years through the Noughties when I was Product, Sales & Operations Director and I can say, without any doubt, that he was one of the key contributors to the phenomenal growth we enjoyed over these years. Jim was very much an ‘unsung hero’, his common-sense instincts and marketing know-how contributing immeasurably to Audley’s success. He approached his job with a clear focus, told us what we should be doing, told us what we didn’t need to be doing, and then simply rolled his sleeves up and delivered the clients we needed - often through the virtuous cycle of repeaters and referrals - to grow Audley Travel to what it is today. When I founded my own travel business ten years later, Jim is the first, and only, person I would entrust to give me sound, credible marketing advice. He’s been it, seen it and done it.
Nick Coates, Founder Director
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Fornside
Fornside Farm is a very special place located in northern Lakeland. It has a spectacular location and the four self-catering units have recently been renovated to a very high standard, with strong environmental credentials. The owners were achieving good high season occupancy rates but off season occupancy was much lower. Understandably, the owners didn’t want to use a cottage rental agency due to the commissions which would dilute their high season yields. We worked with them on a plan to boost off-season occupancy through content marketing, including social media, developing a weekend break proposition and tactically using booking.com. Further we gave them feedback on their plans to convert a barn on the site and develop a glamping side to the business.
We have four holiday cottages on our farm in the Lake District, recently bought as a going concern. We massively renovated and soon attracted customers (and repeat business) in the school holidays and from April to October: a great start, but not yet a sustainable business. Having no background in marketing, we were unsure how to secure off-peak bookings without going through a big agency (with a big fee) and were using the scattergun approach to marketing.
Having understood our product objectively as well as delving into our setup and future plans, Jim gave shape to our marketing strategy, collaboratively guiding us toward specific actions to drive revenue growth in the quieter months. In particular:
• Focussing our minds on what we do well, what is good about our product and remind us what we take for granted but others value highly;
• Helped us think about the pros and cons of each of our future growth ideas;
• Helped us understand what impact each aspect of marketing has on the potential, current and hopefully repeat guest, and therefore where to best focus our efforts. His input was helpfully realistic, given that we are a small business with limited time and marketing expertise;
• Showed us which KPIs are useful; and
• Problem-solved specific areas we weren’t sure how to address.
Joanna Butler, Owner
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Inspire Global
This new platform for positive impact tourism approached us pre-launch to review their proposition, communications and revenue channels. We worked closely with them to dissect their goals and plans.
Having a good idea is one thing but getting the idea to market and then ensuring it remains relevant is a completely different skill set. Entrepreneurs often have to juggle with both, plus other sales and operations functions. It can get overwhelming.
Jim was able to look at our business model for Inspire Global, and through a series of direct and sometimes uncomfortable conversations, he helped us filter, identify and focus on our core USPs. Once these were identified, he then built a marketing strategy around this, in a well-articulated and entirely logical format, that was easy to grasp and ultimately implement. There is a saying ‘if you fail to plan, you plan to fail’ and Jim epitomises thoughtful and meticulous planning. In addition, Jim’s nous for understanding the triggers in travel marketing and the best levers to use at any given time was invaluable. I would highly recommend Jim for any tourism business that requires expert marketing advice, but also critical thinking for business success.
Byron Shirto, Founder