What you really mean when you say you don't have time to market your tourism business (and how to change it)

People often tell me they're too busy to do any marketing. They just 'don't have time'. 

Is this really what they're saying?  Do we mean we don't have any time for any marketing or just certain aspects of it? Responding to bookings, sending emails, talking to visitors are all marketing activities but we don't always 'count' them because they're everyday business essentials.

For some people 'marketing' means anything that seems a bit more effortful - posting regularly on social media, writing blogs, re-vamping your website, considering new markets and how to attract them. 

We all complain that we're too busy. We have many different claims on our time that we have to juggle, making choices about our priorities. If you say you don't have time to market your business, you might be suggesting your business just isn't a priority? Because you don't take it seriously or just lack confidence? 

Or maybe you really don't see marketing as a priority, because you're bound up with the daily grind of running a business? What if I tell you certain marketing activities could mean more higher income, fewer demanding guests, more time off?  

Some people feel they don't have time for marketing because marketing feels a bit fluffy and frivolous, not 'serious' or such 'hard work' as servicing rooms, welcoming visitors or taking them out on activities. 

There seem to be four common issues: 

1. You have every intention of finding time to market but somehow other things get in the way.

2. It feels like you need a big block of time to 'do marketing', as if it's a big job that can only be done when you have the luxury of hours and hours of free time - which never happens. 

3. Marketing feels never-ending and vague - there are so many things you could do, how do you choose and prioritise? The sheer range of things you could do is enough to cause indecision and lack of action. 

4. You're just not sure what to do, how, or when. It's hard to know what works and what's worth doing. Again, if you only have limited time, how do you choose? 

If any of these sound familiar, I have two solutions that might help. 

First of all, the most effective marketing isn't one big (expensive) thing. It's step by step, small consistent actions that build over time. Anyone can find 15-30 minutes a day to do something purposeful and to make it a habit that you just do again and again, your marketing activities will soon become effective. 

It's massively easier to do that, or to find more time for marketing if: 

a) you have an outcome or goal in mind (e.g. if I do this now, I'll attract more visitors and earn £1000 more so I can buy...) and

b) you know exactly what to do. An action plan broken down into smaller, easy-to-achieve steps makes this much easier. 

Another thing that could help is taking part in the FREE Simplify Your Marketing mini-course - full details here