The Business Traveller's Friend

> Hi

Hi Jayne!

> My Partner and I have just launched the
> first Concierge Service in Yorkshire,
> England. Our website is now up and running
> and we offer a huge range of services to
> both business and private travellers - our
> first potential client is from New York.

> We would appreciate any advice on how to
> reach our target audience overseas and on
> where to send our Press Release to -
> websites/newspapers/magazines people might
> visit/read before travelling.

Okay, your post said "travellers" and yet the About page on your website really has me wondering.

From a friendly reminder of an upcoming birthday to organizing a corporate event? That's a VERY BROAD RANGE to be covering. And business and personal?

My first impression of this was, you guys are jack-of-all-trades and not really that skilled at any one thing. That then raised the question of, how much confidence could I have in someone with such a wide ranging offer?

Ever thought of narrowing it down a bit... specializing?

Anyway. As you said "travellers" my first thought was Travel Agents. Surely these busy professionals need to book flights like most people - through travel agents. So maybe the Travel Agent could add-on the service you provide to the cost of the ticket. And as with the tickets, they'd like (expect) a percentage.

What kind of things could you do for the busy professional traveller?

Airport pick-up and drop-off. Collection and carrying of lugage in and out of the airport and in and out of the hotel they stay at. Limo from the airport to the hotel and back. Other things they need while in your neck of the woods.

No price variances. An upscale service at an upscale price - fixed on a per day basis.

If you know their schedule you can arrange for the limo to be there for them whenever they need to get anywhere. Etc., etc.

One problem - a lot of these people could have their own PAs book the flight. So THEY would need to know about it before hand.

Define your market more closely and you should discover ways to reach them.

When is the next high-priced seminar on? Contact the seminar organizers and see if they will recommend your service to the attendees. Might even be able to get them to add the cost of what you do onto the ticket price. Or they may allow a ride-along letter to go with their letter.

What about local real-estate agents who sell $1mil+ real-estate to international buyers. They would know WHEN the buyer was coming over and could suggest the buyer partake of your services.

Would Rolls Royce or Bently send a letter to those who have bought those cars?

What about other businesses in the US who have your customers as their customers? They've already made contact. Why not contact them?

Suit makers? Upmarket restaurants? Upmarket car dealers? Upmarket shoe sellers? Imported cigar clubs? Limo companies?

All right. So I've taken the liberty of defining the market to be the affluent. And that gave me the ability to do a little brain-storm.

Offering everything to everyone is a hard sell, in my opinion. But when you narrow it down, THEN the answers appear.

Hope this helps.

Michael Ross.