Don Littlefield shares his 3 major strategies for growing a brewery tour business. (146)
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“Over 35,000 people have been connected to Maine’s craft alcohol producers since our tours began almost 10 years ago”
Don Littlefield is a legend in the brewery tour business and he shares his 3 major learnings on growing a brewery tour business with us.
Today, we take a deep dive into the work of brewery tours and how the beer tour market has changed since COVID. Don Littlefield of Maine Brews Cruise shares the essential tips he wants tourpreneurs to learn and which digital marketing strategies are most effective for his business.
He reveals why the merchandise is critical and why he chose FareHarbor as his company’s preferred online booking platform. He shares how he ensures a high guest satisfaction level and the indicators that made him realize he could expand his tour offerings.
Don highlights some unusual ideas he tried with his tours and why working with your competitors can be mutually beneficial. He also shares how working with an established brewery tour company can help you get started and the three craft beers he would take with him if he was stranded on a desert island.
Don Littlefield is the National Director of Operations at Brews Cruise, Inc, a tour company providing educational tasting tours of local craft producers.
The business offers brewery tours licensing around the United States to allow tour operators to use the successful Brews Cruise business model to provide exceptional tours in their local areas.
Don has extensive digital marketing experience and creates unforgettable culinary and experiential tourism experiences, which he applies to help his partners build successful brewery tours.
This week on Tourpreneur, the weekly podcast for tour operators:
- The history of Maine Brews Cruise, formerly known as the Maine Brew Bus, and why the company changed its name
- How business has changed for Don since COVID-19 started.
- Don’s top 3 tips for tourpreneurs or tourpreneurs in waiting.
- Why rack cards are still a valuable marketing tool for tour businesses.
- The digital marketing channels that Don finds most beneficial for his tour business.
- Why merchandise is an essential aspect for a tour company.
- How to source a merchandise partner.
- How Don chose a booking platform and his views on OTA’s.
- Why detailed planning for tours will turn your guests into ambassadors for your brand.
- Why collecting email addresses and staying in touch with guests is an essential part of marketing.
- How Don maintains a high level of guest satisfaction with his tour guides.
- The indicators that made Don realize he could expand his tour offerings.
- A time when Don launched a tour that didn’t work and one that was more successful than anticipated.
- Why trying some off the wall ideas can lead to surprising successes.
- How tour operators can use press releases and what you should include.
- Why working with competitors and other tour businesses can be mutually beneficial.
- Working with an experienced brew tour company versus going it alone.
- How to protect yourself from rowdy guests if you run a brewery tour.
- The three beers Don would take with him if he was stranded on a deserted island
- “If you design every tour, so your guests are going to have an unbelievable experience they didn’t expect, they are going to go out there and they’re going to tell so many more people.” – Don Littlefield
Today’s episode of Tourpreneur is kindly sponsored by FareHarbor
Why FareHarbor?
- ✓ Enterprise-level, user friendly backend software that works great on both desktop and mobile.
- ✓ Process credit cards with the industry’s lowest rates: 1.9% + 30¢ for any card type.
- ✓ 24/7 support from our team in Denver, Amsterdam or Sydney, plus one-on-one personal training.
- ✓ When you’re ready to go live, we’ll transfer your future bookings and update your website.
- ✓ Expand your reach with established distribution channels
- ✓ The highest-rated reservation system across all categories, with client stories to prove it.
- ✓ We’re the fastest-growing company in the activity and tourism industry, with over 13,000 clients worldwide.
Get a Live Demo of FareHarbor
More about today’s guest Don Littlefield of Maine Brews Cruise.
Don Littlefield is the National Director of Operations at Brews Cruise, Inc, a tour company providing educational tasting tours of local craft producers.
The business offers licensing around the United States to allow tourpreneurs to use the successful Brews Cruise business model to provide exceptional tours in their local areas.
Don has extensive digital marketing experience and creates unforgettable culinary and experiential tourism experiences, which he applies to help his partners build successful local tours.
Resources Mentioned:
Connect with Don Littlewood:
- Brews Cruise
- Brews Cruise on Instagram
- Brews Cruise on Facebook
- Brews Cruise on Twitter
- Don Littlefield on LinkedIn
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Tourpreneur. If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts 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
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn and join the Tourpreneur Facebook community! And for more great content and information about the tours and activity industry, visit our website and subscribe to our Daily Brief emails.
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Tourpreneur. If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts 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
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn and join the Tourpreneur Facebook community! And for more great content and information about the tours and activity industry, visit our website and subscribe to our Daily Brief emails.
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