|
Welcome to the first edition of enews from Affinity Guest Services. We thought you would be interested in the latest information, products and tips to maximize your potential through the Internet and with your print media.
In this issue, you’ll find information on enhancing your website with reservation capabilities via RVTripsetter’s Reserve Now button and a recap of the customized guides available from AGS Guest Services. We have also included tips for ensuring your website is cell-phone friendly and tuned up and much more. Please read on and enjoy…
Maximize Your Power With Sister Service |  |
Are you getting the maximum return on your website investment? You’ve invested in the design and optimization of your campground’s website and have worked hard to drive visitors to your site. But, are you missing an opportunity to enhance the value of this all-important resource?
Turn your website into an online reservation tool and let it earn revenue for you round the clock. With the Reserve Now button from RVTripsetter (AGS’ sister company), your customers can make reservations on your website year round, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. No programming on your end is required. For more details, contact Jerome Staverosky at 800-452-8132 or jstaverosky@rvtripsetter.com.
AGS Delivers the Results
|
With AGS Guest Services Guides you can attract and retain more guests for longer stays. These customized guides, in a wide variety of sizes and number of pages, help your guests find their way around your park and the surrounding area and provide incentives to discover fun destinations and attractions. Call us today for details on creating a customized guide for your campground.
|
|
Ferguson Joins Print Team
|
Joining the AGS team and overseeing the wide offering of printed marketing and promotional media is Kathleen Ferguson. Kathleen, who has a strong background in promotional products, will serve as Sales Operations Manager and work with our RV park and campground customers to craft the right mix of marketing tools that produces high results. Focused on delivering exceptional customer service and high-quality products, Kathleen is eager to work with you.
Contact her at kferguson@affinitygroup.com or (800) 245-9666, extension 266.
|
|
|
Visit Us at ARVC InSites 2009
Come visit the AGI Internet Services/RVTripsetter booth -- Sponsorship Row #205 -- at InSites in Orlando next month. We’d love to show you some of our latest technologies, tools and services that can help ensure your campground’s unparalleled exposure. And, we’ll have giveaways and special offers just for stopping by our booth #205 and saying hi. See you there.
|
Check Us Out
|
AGS is pleased to invite you to visit our redesigned website at www.agsinternet.com. Newly released, the site features a fresh appearance, updated content and more user-friendly design. You’ll also find additional details on our wide array of print and online marketing products and services along with our innovative technologies and tailored solutions designed to help you grow your business and profits. Check us out!
|
|
Performance Postings
Getting Mobile
|
Almost all cell phones are capable of accessing the Internet, and with the rising popularity of smart phones like the iPhone and Blackberry®, more and more people are using mobile devices to search the web. If this trend continues, more individuals will be accessing the Internet from their cell phones than from computers.
To optimize your website to be viewed on these devices, a separate mobile version of your current website can be built, and mobile traffic redirected to this version. The good news is that this is a relatively inexpensive upgrade to your website. Until you can add the mobile feature to your website, here are a couple of quick fixes you can implement in the meantime that can make your website friendlier for your mobile device visitors:
- Websites take longer to load on mobile phones. Make sure your jpeg, gif, or png images are optimized to ensure faster loading.
- Make sure your home page is not overly cluttered and contains essential information about your park.
- Simplify your navigation and make sure relevant information is categorized correctly under descriptions.
For additional information or assistance with making sure your website performs well in a mobile environment, contact Tom Chiarello at tchiarello@affinitygroup.com or (800) 974-5151, extension 428.
|
| Upwardly Mobile |
- The usage of cell phones for non-voice activities on a typical day has increased from 32 percent in 2007 to 44 percent in 2009.
- Almost 1/3 (32%) of adult Americans have used their cell phones or PDA’s to access the Internet.
- There are 63 million mobile Web users in the US alone. That rate is projected to grow 60% over the next two years.
- Juniper predicts there will be 1.7 billion mobile web users by 2013.
- 73% of all mobile web users search for maps and directions.
|
Winterize Your Website
If your campground is closing for the season (and even if it is not), now is a great opportunity to give your website a tune-up. With large numbers of RVers using the Internet far in advance to research and plan their next vacations, making sure your website conveys a clear, informative, and easily consumable message of all you have to offer will help ensure next year’s season will be a success. To help optimize your off-season web performance and presence to keep those reservations coming:
- Review and update your park offerings, events, rates, photo galleries, and amenities pages on your website to make sure all your information is still relevant for next season.
- Double check your site using search engines like Google and Yahoo to make sure your organic search results rankings are competitive and in line with your competition.
- Make sure your website is viewable with all web browser platforms such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari, etc.
- Ensure your site has easy-to-use navigation, site maps, and site search so all your information is easily accessible.
|
RV Industry May Be on the Rebound
- University of Michigan economist Richard Curtin, who studies the RV industry, believes RV sales could pick up by 24 percent in 2010 (plus or minus 15 percent). According to Curtin, a positive sign is that campgrounds and national parks have reported strong RV visits, some booked for the entire summer.*
- Curtain also feels, “The persistent appeal of the RV lifestyle as well as the good economic value provided by this form of recreation will energize future growth in the RV market, once again driving the RV market to higher levels.”*
- IBISWorld predicted over the next five years, RV sales could rebound, with the biggest improvements in 2011 and 2012.**
|
*RVIA Press Release
**BusinessRecord.com
|
Linked In
Affinity Guest Services
|
