The “How”
Whether you pursue a partnership with a well-known brand or a supporting player, alignment is key. With a solid conception of the “why” and “who” of your partnership, you’ll hopefully choose a collaborator with the same objectives and target audience as you. But things can quickly crumble when it comes to architecting the “how” of your partnership. It’s important to identify and avoid common logistical oversights, or you risk losing all the hard-won progress you’ve made so far.
Remember, your customers care about one thing: having a fantastic and seamless experience in which convenience is king. Commuting does not factor
into this plan. Is it worth partnering with a business that’s a 30-minute drive from yours?
AVA considered this when partnering with Idaho Springs’ Tommyknocker Brewery. Customers would constantly ask for dining recommendations, and Tommyknocker was always top of mind. And since it’s only a 10-minute walk from the course, partnering seemed the obvious choice. Now, tour participants receive a voucher for a free beer with any meal purchase, which, according to AVA employees, is a selling point. “People love local Colorado breweries,” says Jocelyn Criswell, AVA’s marketing coordinator.
For Colorado adventure-philes who also love a cold craft brew, a partnership with Tommyknocker provided the perfect way for zip liners to conclude their day in the sun.
For logistics to run smoothly, it’s also important to determine which partner is leading the charge. We know that accidents most often happen at crossroads, and the same can occur when a partnership has two drivers instead of one. For these crucial functions, it’s important to have one company leading the way in:
• tracking reservations (and thereby sending out pre-trip and post-trip customer emails)
• accounting
• designing co-branded marketing materials (rack cards, flyers, etc.).
And, if necessary:
• transporting customers
• coordinating press releases.
Skyline opted to take on nearly all of these responsibilities when partnering with Maui Downhill Bicycle Safaris (see box, p. 59). No matter where guests book, all reservations are stored in Skyline’s reservation system. On the day of the tour, Maui Downhill Bicycle Safaris picks guests up from their hotels. The bicycling portion of the tour ends right at the entrance to the zip line course and Skyline takes the rest from there, including drop off back at the lodging.
By minimizing its handoffs with Maui Downhill, Skyline mitigates its risk. The administrative overhead was worth the price of a cohesive customer experience.
Stand Out from the Crowd
As the industry continues to explode, partnerships will become increasingly valuable tactics to help your business stand out from the crowd. Your customers want to know, “What are you offering that’s different? What do you have that’s going to change the experience?” We’re excited to hear your answer.
SKYLINE ECO ADVENTURES BIKE N’ ZIP
Skyline opened on Maui in 2002 as the first commercial zip line in the United States. Since then, it has ballooned to three locations across Hawaii, serving 80,000 people per year.
The Aloha State fosters a unique business climate for tour companies; it draws the same vacationers time and again. So tour operators must work hard to capture return visitors. Since zip lining tends to be a bucket-list item for most participants, this can be a challenge.
Skyline overcame these obstacles by partnering with the most popular tour in the area—the Maui Downhill Bicycle Safaris’ sunrise bike tour down Haleakala National Park—to offer a combo package. This creates a new adventure for Skyline’s old customers, while also exposing Skyline to its partner’s clientele.
In less than two months, Skyline and Maui Downhill coordinated to:
• set a launch date
• agree on the tour timing and itinerary. This involves coordinating inventory between Maui Downhill and Skyline.
• organize guest transportation—hotel pick up/drop off
• streamline reservations and accounting responsibilities across both companies
• establish revenue and cost sharing plan
• design and print marketing materials for distribution
• build tour landing pages on both companies’ websites
• write and distribute press release promoting the partnershipSkyline took the lead on executing these initiatives, including writing the press release and designing marketing materials, but revenues and costs are split down the middle with Maui Downhill.
More than a year into the partnership, the results show plenty of promise. Skyline has seen a significant increase in the number of incremental guests, or guests that might not have purchased a zip tour if not for the combo option. In 2016, it’s planning to expand its partnerships to appeal to more potential zip-enthusiasts. A few options include packages with snorkel tours, wine tours, and lifestyle activities like yoga. —JB
