What do I Need in my Business to be Successful?
Yesterday, I was at a boardroom table lunch meeting with Gold Coast business leaders and the Chamber of Commerce. The location for this lunch was Griffith University business school.
There were 18 of us at the table from diverse business backgrounds and in different industries. The conversation was centred around how we can support business on the Gold Coast and what the university can do to educate, encourage and lead the business community as well as its students.
As we were talking there were some really defining moments in the conversation for me.
Business has become really hard over the last few years.
Actually, up until about 6 months ago I thought this was just me! Me being burnt out and over everything. Losing my ability to cope and handle the hectic day to day of business life.
However, the more I speak with business owners the more I realise how difficult running a business has gotten.
You look at what's involved in just employing staff here in Australia. There are hundreds if not thousands of IR (industrial relations) laws in Australia and reforms, updates and amendments are occurring on a daily basis. How can businesses keep up with these endless changes?
In tourism we employ a lot of seasonal workers and travellers on visa therefore there are significantly more complexities to manage for staff.
Then there is the taxation system. There are 20 plus taxes in Australia for businesses and each of them calculated in a different way for a different purpose. If you by chance have cash flow issues in your business the Australian Tax office are not as helpful as they may have been in the past.
Consider the basic business taxes a tourism business owner / operator has to deal with
Collecting and accounting for GST,
PAYG withholding
PAYG instalments
Fuel Tax Credits
Payroll tax
Income Tax
Fringe Benefits Tax
Now consider where you are operating your tourism business. The city council no doubt has a permit, accreditation or licence you require to operate. This may be an application, tender or contract arrangement which I am sure also involves a cost or fee of some kind.
All of this happens before you provide a single service.
Business is complicated and gets significantly harder each year, that’s before we throw in the expenses and money management.
My next learning from this lunch was;
Business growth comes from engaging consultants and specialists
Of course this sparked my curiosity. As a business owner I considered myself a generalist with a sales and marketing slant. I knew how to do everything in the business and prided myself on being the “Jack of all Trades” business owner.
When you really consider the reason why business owners are generalists is because they have to at the beginning. They don't have the capital to hire staff and build a team. It's a delicate balance between building the business and managing cash flow.
As a business owner, I knew I wanted to grow the business and expand out. So, I then started to look at what roles I needed to bring in to free myself from non-essential tasks and roles.
My first big hire was a sales director. It sounds crazy that I was from a sales and marketing background but hired a sales director. Well, the reason is simple. I knew the bigger the business got the less time I would have to focus on sales. And to me sales was the most necessary part of ensuring our success. When sales are coming in it’s easier to grow and develop a business.
Have you ever written down a list of non-essential tasks you are currently doing in your business that you do not need to do?
Really take a step back and answer a few simple questions on the document below
Now that you have a better understanding of what you can offload to someone else.
What tasks do you need help with in your business?
Is it sales, marketing, accounting?
There are all equally important roles within a business. However, without sales and marketing you won't have a need for an accountant.
Who in your business is looking after sales, customer relationships and bringing in revenue?
Sales and marketing are very separate functions however these are key to all successful businesses. This is what brings in the revenue, so I suggest you seriously consider where you are getting your sales, how you are managing that process and how you are ensuring you are maximising every opportunity.
We can help you with that in two different ways.
1. COACHING CALLS
We can teach you how to make sales, set up a sales process, target the types of customers that fit your business and get a maximum return on your investment.
We offer coaching calls for business owners and managers within businesses to help you along the way. We will work through the sales process with you, teach you or your team to sell effectively and ensure you are getting great results on every sales activity you undertake.
2. WE DO IT FOR YOU
If you don’t have the staff to allocate someone to sales or you haven’t quite got the right person then we can do it for you.
Our team are experts in sales and marketing with more than 45 years of joint experience in tourism selling hotels, boat cruises, conference venues, weddings, student excursions, wildlife parks, island resorts and so much more. We know how to sell, how to secure business, how to build long term mutually beneficial relationships and to do it effectively so you focus on providing an exceptional experience to your guests.
We have a range of packages available that include marketing activities too.
Check out range of services we offer here.
Conclusion
In conclusion, running a successful tourism business today requires more than just passion and hard work; it demands a strategic approach to navigating the complexities of modern business environments.
From understanding and complying with an ever-evolving legal framework to effectively managing finances, the challenges can seem overwhelming.
However, one key takeaway from my recent discussions with fellow business leaders is the importance of embracing the expertise of specialists and consultants. By offloading non-essential tasks and focusing on core business functions like sales and marketing, you can drive growth and sustainability.
Whether you choose to enhance your skills through coaching or delegate to a team of experts, the goal remains the same: to ensure your business thrives by maximising every opportunity and building strong, lasting customer relationships.
Remember, your success hinges on bringing in revenue, and that starts with a solid sales and marketing strategy.
If you’re ready to take your business to the next level, consider how we can support you on this journey—either by guiding you through the process or by handling it for you entirely. Your growth is our priority.
📞 Call us at 0491 729 043
Let's turn your tourism business dreams into reality!
