Technological Adventure!

Over the course of the past 16 weeks I have been jumping through the hoops of a Social Media Marketing course. I have been exposed to many new channels of social media. Throughout the course of the semester we were to act as if we were managing the social media accounts of our own businesses. In the following paragraphs I will share my experiences with each site and how it would fit my business.



The first channel of social media that I used was Blogger, this was used to update my followers with the new things going on with my business. I gave weekly updates on my new business pages that I created throughout the course of the last 16 weeks. It also allowed me to write more lengthy postings, including links to articles, pictures, and even promote some deals that I had throughout the semester. I feel that this was a good option for my business because of the fact that I can write longer messages to my followers and share hunting and fishing successes of my clients.

The next account created was Twitter. This site functions as a microblogging site. It is used to communicate short messages, less than 150 characters. Twitter is used on a daily basis to share quick tips, facts, information, or links to other sites. The benefit of Twitter in a business setting is that you can get your information across quickly, without taking too much of your customers' time. This was a great way for me to get follwers to my main blog postings and Facebook page so my followers would be informed of all of my promotions. This was also a good fit for my business, since my target market is the hard working executives of the world. They don't have much time to look at these things, so the quicker the better. Check out some examples on my page! Twitter 


The third account I used was a Facebook account. This account allowed me to share longer posts and images as well. It also allowed me to connect easier with my clients. I could share photos of successful hunts, and also create photo albums of the hunts and lodges that are available for our clients. I also was able to connect with other outfitters throughout the world so I could offer my clients the most unique experience possible. Facebook was a great way to connect with my clients at Maxon Adventures, check it out! Facebook



I quickly learned that managing these accounts can be very time consuming. That was until I was introduced to hootsuite. This is a site where you can go and manage your social media accounts from one single page. Hootsuite gives you the opportunity to plan out your whole week on a timer. Type what you want to say, create the links, add the pictures, schedule your post, and once that time comes, Hootsuite will post it for you at your chosen time.



Another great site that I was further introduced to was Pinterest. This was a great tool to use for my company because I could show my clients different species that they could hunt. Not only could I show them different species, but I could show them different guns, and even different views from destinations that they could go to hunt.



Next in line was niche sites. Niche sites are great for a business that is trying to get its name out there because all of those users have a common interest, which would make them all in your target market. This is very beneficial because it saves your business alot of advertising time since you can go to a place that already has a pool of individuals that knowingly would be interested in your product or service.

Another tool that we were instructed to use was podcasts. This is a way to verbally communicate with your customers and give them something to listen to. You essentially can talk about whatever you would like, tips, products, anything, and your followers can stop by and listen whenever they want.

The last onne we used was Vine. Vine is an a site where you can post short videos. You can stop and start your video and film it in segments. This will give your customers something to watch in a little snip. For my company I see it best being used throughout the course of a hunt, you could snap a short portion at different times during a hunting or fishing charter, ending with the clients harvest. I feel that using it in that way would be the most impactful to my viewers.



Summary: After completing this course I can see the important role that social media can play in the success of a business. In today's world it is almost essential for any business to have multiple social media accounts. With that being said, it is a very time consuming job to manage all of these accounts and it would be best done if it were the only job you had. If you were a small business owner trying to wear multiple hats, as many small business owners do, it would be a tough task to take on multiple social media accounts on top of the rest of the business functions.

ROI Blog

Social media measurements a very important to a businesses success, especially in today's world. With such a technologically advanced society, everybody is on social media in some way shape or form. Becuase of this, it is important for any business to monitor the success and reach of your social media avenues. You need to know how well you are reaching your audience, and if you are actually reaching your target audience effectively. Using a measurement tool you will be able to see exactly who you are reaching them and how. You will be able to see if they are engaging in your posts, or just reading them. You can see whether a person is looking at your page for the first time, or if they are a repeat visitor. You can see how long they were on your page, and even how they got to your page. All in all, these measurments can help you in many ways, and there are many options so you can find the one that will be suite your business.

Knowing all of these pieces of information can tremendously help your company in the future. You will be able to see what is and isn't working for you. If you are reaching people who aren't exactly in your target audience, then you will be able to change your content accordingly. If you aren't reaching enough people or involving customers how you would like to be, then you can adjust your tactics and reconsider your current plans. This will also allow you to see what is working for your company, which will allow you to really focus on keeping those things going as you are. Ultimately, social media measurements are vital in the success of any business that is on social media.

Virtual Experience!

This past week we explored the world of virtual reality. We found some new ways to reach out to our followers. With the technologies provided in today's society, it is important to make sure that we hit every aspect of the market. Some ways that you can advertise your business through virtual worlds is applying billboards and other types of advertisements throughout the virtual platform that you select. At Maxon Adventures we looked into Second Life. Second Life allows you to create an avatar of any kind and interact with other members in ways that you would in real life. You have a job, earn money, go on dates, and many other things. We would put our name on billboards throughout the game, offer virtual vacations to members on the site, and things like that. We would also have a business headquarters where you would be able to go as an avatar in the game to learn more about our business. At our headquarters you would be able to view pictures from successful hunts, read about our services and location options, and we would also have a link to all of out other social media outlets. Having these icon links would allow any member to quickly navigate to any of our pages right from Second Life. To encourage our clients to join us in Second Life, we are offering 25% off your next booking to the first 5 people who join and contact us on Second Life. Everyone loves to save money so hurry up and JOIN US!

Hear the good word!

This weeks blog is going to inform you about a review site that we are affiliated with. Through  https://www.outfittersrating.com you can check out how reliable or good your chosen outfitter is. This site allows members to rate and write reviews for individual outfitters, positive or negative. This website also has a blog section that updates members on new gear and other things. Other things that are great about this site are the ask the experts, species info, news, resources, and other sections that allow you to further your knowledge of the outdoors. These features allow users to learn new tips and ask for advice about hunting a certain species. It is a very user friendly site, which is a great benefit to new users.
The reason Maxon Adventures chose to use this site is because of its ease of operation. Also, the credibility it offers to our business. We can get the word out about our excellent services through personal experiences of our clients, rather than through our opinion. This will allow any of our clients to book their trip with piece of mind and confidence. It also breaks down the ratings based on species, and also different things within each species such as food, and other essential things that clients will look for. Here is a link to an example rating http://bit.ly/OGpIYk. Another key feature is that it breaks down each species rating by year, that way you can see how an outfitters service is trending.
As a supporter of Maxon Adventures, we ask that you do us a quick favor and take a few minutes to rate us if you have personally experienced our service. The rating is on a 1-10 scale in each of the categories from the above example. Please be honest in your review as it will allow us to improve upon things that we may not do so well. One last thing before you continue on your busy day as an executive, once you complete the review we will be notified and to thank you for your time we will be sending you a promotional code for 25% off of your next trip!
        

Flashback!

This week we are going to be taking a little break and looking back on life a little ways. Growing up in small town Wisconsin, the outdoors is very close to my heart as you all know. More importantly, the outdoors played a large role in shaping who I am today, and I believe that's my favorite part. The hunting and fishing was a great way to spend time with my father growing up, creating many stories to not only hold on to for life, but stories to share and recreate with the next generation in my family. We are really going to try to highlight some of the ways that hunting and fishing can create lasting memories. At times in life we can get too busy to take the time to create those memories, especially you hard working executives. I hope you enjoy the commercial break as you are all preparing for the spring hunting and fishing seasons in your area.

     

Get on your strut!

With the Wisconsin turkey season quickly approaching, it's time to start knocking the dust off of those calls and get out scouting. When it comes to turkey hunting it is vital to remember that they have incredibly good eyesight. Since they have such good eyesight it is important to keep your movement to a minimum. It is key to wear camo head to toe including a face mask or face paint. Another important part of harvesting a trophy turkey is practicing your calling. Every hunter will have their preference as to what type of call to use, and how to call. Here is an article on calling techniques and styles that you can use in your upcoming spring turkey hunt. This link will provide you with the knowledge and tools to practice your calling. It also includes some audio so you have something to compare yourself to. Hope you enjoy practicing and good luck!
http://bit.ly/1p9DZun

Lookout Facebook, here we come!

Maxon Adventures is now on facebook. Keep an eye out for us as we will be listing our promotions and GIVEAWAYS on their as well as our blog page. There is sure to be some interesting stuff so look to us for some great articles, tricks and tips, how to's, and much more! We are excited to give you a more PERSONAL look into where our PASSION for the outdoors stems from. The best part about our new Facebook page is that we will now have the ability to interact with you personally and every day.

Check out our new Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/maxonadventures

There are many ways that we will be using Facebook for our business. We will be sharing things with YOU on a weekly basis, keeping YOU updated with all of our latest deals, informing YOU about new trends in the hunting industry, and also asking YOU for YOUR feedback on things that we're doing as a business. We will be using this page to develop a closer relationship with YOU so we can do the best job possible to relieve the stresses of your every day executive decisions and guide you on your DREAM HUNT.

The Ultimate Package!

ONE OF A KIND hunting and fishing package on the beautiful islands of Alaska. We do hunting and fishing trips all over the globe. However, what many people don't know is that you can DOUBLE up and do both at a DISCOUNTED price. One of our packages is on the one of a kind Kodiak Island in Alaska. You will not only get a WORLD CLASS Grizzly Bear hunt, but you will also get the chance to enjoy a unique Salmon fishing experience off of the shores of Kodiak Island. On top of benefiting from the one of a kind trip that you will remember forever, you will also have everything on film! Although these are both great benefits, the real beauty of this deal is getting 50% off of your Salmon charter. If you book this package deal you are SAVING enough money to cover half of your next trip! That just means that you're going to be that much closer to checking off the next species on your hunting bucket list! Now remember, this offer is for the seriously passionate outdoors-man so don't waste any more time! BOOK NOW before it's too late! Good deals don't last forever, so come get your Salmon before your Grizzly Bear does!
        

Keep it to yourself!

Today's post is about privacy on Facebook. Facebook privacy is pretty customizable regarding what you allow people to see and what you don't allow people to see. Settings vary from allowing strangers to see anything they want, to not even allowing them to find you in a search. You can also control who sees your posts and who doesn't. Did you know that people can see things about you that other people post as well and may tag you in? You can also customize your settings on your page so that only specific people can see certain things about you. These are all different things that you have control over on your Facebook account.

 Although you may not think that it's very important, it can have a great impact on your professional image. This is important because a picture can say a lot about you as a person, whether it be accurate or not. How a picture of you is perceived depends on who the viewer is. If you are unsure of how people will respond to a picture that you have on Facebook then it is probably in your best interest to take proper precautions. When it comes to your professional image, you never know who is going to see that picture of you from the New Year's party passed out in the corner. On top of that, if an important person at your current or possible employer sees that picture, you will not have a chance to explain anything nor justify it. This could lead to you not getting the job or possibly losing your current job. Neither of which are going to be good for your career.

After the class session about Facebook privacy I changed the amount of apps I used. I also made sure that my page was a little more private, especially regarding the protection of my friends. I would hate to be the one who jeopardize their privacy. Another thing that I made sure of is that I didn't have any personal contact information on my Facebook page. Personally, I made a few changes to my Facebook page to help protect my professional, and personal image. Now my challenge for you is to lock down your Facebook and protect your professional image.

Join us on Twitter!

We have now expanded our social media use to Twitter. Twitter is a form of micro blogging which can be used to communicate messages under 140 characters long. Every user has their own handle and you can also mention other Twitter users by using the "@" symbol and their handle in your tweets. Another thing with twitter is the hashtag "#"; when clicked on, the hashtag brings you to all tweets that used that same hashtag. This feature allows you to view other tweets that are about the same thing!

Having a twitter account will allow us to our customers updated. Our customers will see more immediate results of successful hunts, they will feel more connected with us through getting an inside look at our daily activities. We will also be able to communicate current offers more instantaneously so you will always have a great chance at getting a deal! Another way to connect with our fans is through sharing articles that we find interesting, since we all share a common passion we will be able to provide you with some good articles to help you get through your busy day!

Here are some examples of tweets that you might see on our page:

Engage:

"Click this link to take a survey so we can see what you would like to see more of"

"Click on this link to enter for a chance to win a free hunt #freehunt"

"Check out this photo of the Moose that @JimShockey shot with us last week!"

Entertain:

"Check out this video from Cally Morris's Elk hunt in Quebec! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYiqHSPg64E"

"Watch this adrenaline rushing hunt of a Bull Moose at 5 yards! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_6RH6u5_1Q #BigBullDown"

"Take a look at this dandy Whitetail that Tiffany Lakosky shot in Montana! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4pkr0p9NtA @TheCrushTV"

Inform:

"A man this past spring in Wisconsin released the potential world record Muskie, measuring 64 inches!"

"Wisconsin was the No. 1 Boone and Crockett Whitetail producing state in 2014! #WIWhitetails"

"Jim Shockey has harvested a total of 290 different species in his lifetime! @JimShockey"

Mega Frost!

The new year brought on an extreme cold snap for us here in Northern Wisconsin and much of the Midwest. This reminded me of one of my most memorable hunts in Greenland. We decided to give one lucky winner the opportunity to travel with us to Greenland on the hunt for a trophy Musk Ox. The winner will only be responsible to cover travel costs to get to Greenland. We will meet you at the airport and provide transportation to the hotel for the evening. The next morning you will enjoy all of the beauty that Greenland has to offer along your 4 hour boat ride to the island. You will stay for 6 nights at our lodge where all meals are provided to you. If you finish your hunt early, there will be opportunities to harvest other animals such as Arctic Fox, Hares, and Ptarmigan.

In order to be eligible to win this prize you must register by January 31, 2014. You must provide documentation of your executive status, be a citizen of the United States, at least 25 years of age, and have the ability to cover the travel expenses. If you are chosen as the winner you must be able to schedule your hunt within 90 days of being selected. As a bonus feature, if you are selected, you may also upgrade to a trophy Musk Ox and Caribou package if you so choose. You will be responsible for making up the difference between the two packages. The retail value of the trophy Musk Ox hunt is $7,250, this would be the value of the prize you receive. If you so choose to upgrade to the Musk Ox and Caribou package, the difference needing to be covered would amount to $1,725. This upgrade is completely optional, but it would be an awesome opportunity! The winner will be announced on February 3, 2014 so don't waste any more time, get registered now so you can have a chance to harvest your trophy!

   

Let us take care of YOU!

 Maxon Adventures strives to provide one of a kind exotic hunting and fishing experiences around the globe. Our trips are ideal for the hardworking executives who do not have time to organize their hunting or fishing getaway. Choosing us is easy, let us know where you want to hunt, what you want to hunt, and when; we will do all the leg work. When it comes time to hunt, all you will need to worry about is yourself and your gear. Not only do we ensure that you will have the best experience possible, but we also video tape every hunt so you will have the lasting memory at your fingertips to look back at whenever you want.

Over the years of being in the industry we have made connections around the world. This allows us to provide the most unique hunting or fishing experience you can get, no matter what species you are after. Another benefit of choosing us for your much needed getaway into the outdoors, is that if you are not satisfied with your experience, or your trip is unsuccessful, you will not be liable for costs. We feel that if your hunting or fishing trip isn’t a success for you, then it should not be a success for us. We look forward to working with you at Maxon Adventures!

        
    

My first post

My first blog post and I am going to rock this class.