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Using special offers to bring tourists to your Murcia local business
How Murcia business owners can increase footfall and sales
Image: Keith Mapeki / Unsplash
Murcia is a vibrant region that attracts tourists for its natural beauty and warm climate. Yet with this comes competition, and it can be hard to get regular custom with the transient footfall associated with tourism. So how can you use special offers to bring customers in the door? Local Murcia businesses have several options...
Discounts
The quickest way to get customers in the door is to offer discounts. This is a simple tactic, but one that is effective. It may take the form of a voucher, perhaps for 10% off a product, or maybe a Buy One, Get One Free offer.
Discounts have a proven track record. You may have used them in supermarkets, hospitality or many other industries. The online gambling industry is one area that has managed to greatly improve its user base by using offers of free bets for new customers. With a wide range of sports and events to bet on, which is only increasing, they have transformed the industry from one that existed in physical stores to one using modern digital betting sites. Getting online is also a great way for your company to go, giving codes to websites and applications that provide discounts to people searching online.
Don’t forget physical formats either though. Leaflets in hotels, articles in local publications, and even printed cards are all just as effective.
Considerations to make about discounts and special offers
When using discounts and special offers, there are a few tactics you may wish to try to get the best from them. In some instances, there are also pitfalls you may be able to avoid.
To begin, you may wish to be selective with who you offer discounts to. The temptation will be to place a 10% discount on everything to get tourists through the door. However, doing so can be counterproductive. It can make it hard to go back to normal pricing if it is a limited-time offer, and can cut into your profits if custom is lean.
One way to use any discounts or promotions is with people who have already visited you and used your services. While tourist traffic is often transient, it may convince them to pop back before they leave or in hospitality, return for small things like coffee or breakfast.
You should also consider how you announce your special offer. While it gets people in the door, it can also take off the exclusive edge if you are catering to a high-end clientele. Therefore, only provide it to a select few customers when you start the project.
Free samples
Image: little plant / Unsplash
Everyone loves a free sample and it is a great way to get people into a shop to buy more. Whatever your tourist-based business, providing a free sample shows people what to expect. You may take your local baked goods onto the street for people to try, or it could involve getting an entertainer out to advertise your family attraction.
You can even do this in the business itself. For example, if you have a deli selling local produce and have a new product, offer it to customers. Even local restaurant owners may be willing to try it, buy it, and put it on their menu.
Provide information
Not all special offers have to give away products and services. In fact, one way to get people into your business is to provide information. This can take the form of talks or informal gatherings.
As an example, if you are a restaurant owner you may provide a free food walking tour once a week, taking people to local street food vendors, markets, and areas of local produce. You may hold a talk on local eateries and specialties at your restaurant, aiming it at tourists who are specifically visiting for the region's cuisine. This can end with an invitation to your restaurant.
When you are trying to attract tourist traffic, due to its nature, some offers and promotions will not work. One example is loyalty or discount cards, as many patrons will be here one week and gone tomorrow. Therefore, it is important to get them to leave reviews on sites like TripAdvisor or local forums. That way, you can benefit from their experience and build a long-lasting path to tourist trade.
