Trazoo is a new Irish business which provides an online booking service for booking hotels and other accommodation for groups.
Tell us a little about your business.
Trazoo is an online product which allows a group accommodation organiser to enquire, receive and book offers/deals/packages directly from hotels, hostels,etc. The Trazoo system is a seamless service, which is fully automated and saves the group enquirer time, money and hassle when trying to organise accommodation for the group.
a) Who do you help?
Organiser tasked with booking accommodation for a group (min size 4 people)
b) How do you help them?
Trazoo provides a seamless, automated online product
c) How long are you in business?
Business launched in April 2011.
d) How many, if any, employees apart from yourself?
The business is run by 2 promoters (Joe Neylon, Padraig Neylon)
Question 2
How does the internet help you in promoting your business?
We are a dedicated online business, using PPC, SEO, email marketing, ezine
Question 3
How does your business break down in terms of online and offline sales?
All sales are online (100%)
Question 4
What has been your biggest problem in relation to promoting your business online?
As the business is specific to groups (clubs, societies, associations,etc,) finding the right person online is a difficulty. We have run PPC campaigns but they tend to reach out to the mass audience.
Question 5
How beneficial has the internet been to the development of your business?
100%. As we are an online business the internet is central to our development
Question 6
What role does social media play in your digital/online business promotion?
A complimentary benefit only to date.
Question 7
Which of these sites do you find most useful for your business-Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube or other?
All of the above., LinkedIn has been beneficial to date given that we can target key people in the hotels industry.
Question 8
Did you build your own website for your business?
No. we are working with a 3rd party.
Question 9
If “no” to 8, what sort of cost was involved in getting your website online and promoting your business?
Circa €90k to date.
Question 10
Does your website positively contribute to your business or do you see it as just something that you must have because other businesses have one?
Website contributes 100% to business.
Question 11
Is your site a shopping type portal or more informational or akin to an electronic billboard for your business?
A booking engine
Question 12
Does search engine optimisation play any role in your maintenance of your site?
Currently yes
Question 13
What role does video play, if any, in your business promotion?
None, but we have plans for the future to adopt video as an informational source
Question 14
Do you use slideshows, press releases, forum commenting, blog commenting to promote your site?
Press release offline. Plans to adopt a forum/blog
Question 15
Do you use email marketing? If so, which company do you use for your autoresponder?
We have used with bad results. Currently reviewing same.
Question 16
How do you convert visitors to your site into customers/clients?
Visitors normally have intent to book accommodation. We use a series of emails when they enquire to offer discount, etc. We will be using a type of E-bay system to allow customers to book offers within a given timeframe.
Question 17
Do you maintain your site yourself or do you use some techie people?
3rd party
Question 18
Any other business
As we are an online business we take online marketing very serious. We are currently about to relaunch an online programme using specific keywords
www.trazoo.ie ; group bookings made easy. (site currently being updated/under construction)
Filed under Interviews with Irish Business Owners 
Today’s interview is with Des Groome of http://KildareVet.ie who runs a busy veterinary practice divided between Portarlington and Kildare town.
You will see from Des’s answers below some of the problems that small businesses can have with using the internet and digital marketing to promote their business and acquire new customers/clients.
Des astutely recognizes that his website could be doing more to drive customers to his clinics.
Question 1
Tell us a little about your business.
a) Who do you help?
General animal owning public
b) How do you help them?
We provide health care to their animals plus other services such as pet boarding and grooming and sales of supplies
c) How long are you in business?
Twelve years
d) How many, if any, employees apart from yourself?
eight
Question 2
How does the internet help you in promoting your business?
We use social media, enjoy a high google ranking and use webtexting(SMS) for customer interface
Question 3
How does your business break down in terms of online and offline sales?
100% off line sales!
Question 4
What has been your biggest problem in relation to promoting your business online?
not sure- I suppose the old adage; its hard to know which advertising works!
Question 5
How beneficial has the internet been to the development of your business?
Our website is a useful shopwindow; 25 to 30 hits per day.
Question 6
What role does social media play in your digital/online business promotion?
I use twitter and facebook but not very strategically- it’s a bit random and adhoc as a self promotional tool at this stage….
Question 7
Which of these sites do you find most useful for your business-Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube or other?
Linkedin for self improvement but facebook for customer leads
Question 8
Did you build your own website for your business?
yes
Question 9
If “no” to 8, what sort of cost was involved in getting your website online and promoting your business?
Question 10
Does your website positively contribute to your business or do you see it as just something that you must have because other businesses have one?
I value it as a value adding strategy but don’t utilise all its potential yet
Question 11
Is your site a shopping type portal or more informational or akin to an electronic billboard for your business?
An electronic billboard.
Question 12
Does search engine optimisation play any role in your maintenance of your site?
No we are just lucky we have a good google ranking I think.
Question 13
What role does video play, if any, in your business promotion?
none
Question 14
Do you use slideshows, press releases, forum commenting, blog commenting to promote your site?
Yes I blog. My main tool is radio .
Question 15
Do you use email marketing? If so, which company do you use for your autoresponder?
No
Question 16
How do you convert visitors to your site into customers/clients?
by wishful thinking
Question 17
Do you maintain your site yourself or do you use some techie people?
Myself
Question 18
In this part you can add anything you wish about your experience of digital/internet marketing as part of your business promotion and it’s usefulness or otherwise.-
Digital marketing is hard to do right. I am sure there is a methodology to it which I am not using but should be
Question 19
Kildare vet can be found at http://KildareVet.ie
Filed under Interviews with Irish Business Owners
Our 2nd interview is with Pol O’Murchu of Heritage Insurance Brokers.
Here is what he had to say about how he uses internet marketing in his Irish business..
Question 1
Tell us a little about your business.
a) Who do you help?
I am an Insurance Broker/ Financial Adviser/ Mortgage Broker – We help anyone looking for financial advice and/or looking to purchase financial products, or looking to purchase and/or renew their insurance and looking for a competitive price and good advice.
b) How do you help them?
We give independent and impartial advice. We survey the market to ensure they are getting the best deal for whatever products they may be looking for. We ensure that the products that they have are the right products for them or their business.
c) How long are you in business?
In business for the past two and a half years but have been working in the industry for the past 7 years.
d) How many, if any, employees apart from yourself?
- one
Question 2
How does the internet help you in promoting your business?
- Enables clients to find me.
- Enables me to give some general advice on products we provide
- Enables people to contact me at the touch of a button from my page and ask any questions they may have
- Capture relevant information needed to get people quotes
Question 3
How does your business break down in terms of online and offline sales?
- 90% offline
- 10% online
Question 4
What has been your biggest problem in relation to promoting your business online?
- Cost
- Competition
- Time
Question 5
How beneficial has the internet been to the development of your business?
- Quite beneficial. These days an online presence is crucial. Most clients are checking you out online before contacting you and a good, well designed and informative website which demonstrates that you are competent, trustworthy and capable is an absolute must.
Question 6
What role does social media play in your digital/online business promotion?
- Not as much as it should
Question 7
Which of these sites do you find most useful for your business-Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube or other?
- Linked in
- Facebook.
Question 8
Did you build your own website for your business?
- Yes
Question 9
If “no” to 8, what sort of cost was involved in getting your website online and promoting your business?
Question 10
Does your website positively contribute to your business or do you see it as just something that you must have because other businesses have one?
- Positive. Have received business from website and I find that even referrals that have come from existing clients or friends/family are checking out the website before contacting me.
Question 11
Is your site a shopping type portal or more informational or akin to an electronic billboard for your business?
- Mainly informational but also acts as an electronic billboard
Question 12
Does search engine optimisation play any role in your maintenance of your site?
- Yes although not as much as it should. We have plans to improve on this in the coming months.
Question 13
What role does video play, if any, in your business promotion?
- Small amount of video although this is something we have plans to do more of.
Question 14
Do you use slideshows, press releases, forum commenting, blog commenting to promote your site?
- No
Question 15
Do you use email marketing? If so, which company do you use for your autoresponder?
- Yes – Mailchimp
Question 16
How do you convert visitors to your site into customers/clients?
- They fill in contact details, enquiry form or a quote request form and we contact them with details etc.
Question 17
Do you maintain your site yourself or do you use some techie people?
- Maintain it myself.
Question 18
What has been your experience of digital/internet marketing as part of your business promotion and it’s usefulness or otherwise.
- Very useful and so much scope for constant improvement and continually developing promotions or marketing campaigns. We have tried a number of different things and some have worked others not so well but it’s all about trial and error in many ways as its quite new to many businesses.
Question 19
Where can we find you?
- www.heritageinsurancebrokers.ie
See also Dublin insurance brokers..
Insurance brokers in Ireland
This website will help you gain new insurance clients for your business.
Filed under Interviews with Irish Business Owners
The first interview in our series of interviews with Irish business owners and how they use digital marketing, internet marketing and social media to promote and develop their business is with Anthony Kieran of MediaLightbox.com.
Question 1
Tell us a little about your business.
a) Who do you help?
We help businesses of all sizes to securely store, manage and share their valuable digital assets.
b) How do you help them?
Media Lightbox is being used by companies all around the world to securely store, send and collaborate with their internal teams or clients on designs, tender documents, drawings and PDF’s.
c) How long are you in business?
April 2008 is when the company was formed.
d) How many, if any, employees apart from yourself?
7
Question 2
How does the internet help you in promoting your business?
We use social networking sites to promote Media Lightbox such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and of course our own website www.medialightbox.com! We use SEO/SEM to get free rankings on Google and Bing and are about to launch a Google keywords campaign. So it is KEY!
Question 3
How does your business break down in terms of online and offline sales?
80/20 (online is the key driver)
Question 4
What has been your biggest problem in relation to promoting your business online?
Lack of Cash!
Question 5
How beneficial has the internet been to the development of your business?
It has been absolutely critical to us! We have clients from USA/SA/NZ and Africa!
Question 6
What role does social media play in your digital/online business promotion?
Its very important and that is set to increase.
Question 7
Which of these sites do you find most useful for your business-Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube or other?
Twitter / Youtube
Question 8
Did you build your own website for your business?
Yes
Question 9
If “no” to 8, what sort of cost was involved in getting your website online and promoting your business?
Question 10
Does your website positively contribute to your business or do you see it as just something that you must have because other businesses have one?
It is critical for us.
Question 11
Is your site a shopping type portal or more informational or akin to an electronic billboard for your business?
Our website is an information resource for our potential clients who eventually use the site to signup for a package.
Question 12
Does search engine optimisation play any role in your maintenance of your site?
Yes.
Question 13
What role does video play, if any, in your business promotion?
This is starting to become a more important area for us.
Question 14
Do you use slideshows, press releases, forum commenting, blog commenting to promote your site?
Yes.
Question 15
Do you use email marketing? If so, which company do you use for your autoresponder?
ConstantContact.
Question 16
How do you convert visitors to your site into customers/clients?
The site does that job. Keep the site fresh and and updated with clear call to actions strategically placed throughout.
Question 17
Do you maintain your site yourself or do you use some techie people?
We do it ourselves.
Question 18
What has been your experience of digital/internet marketing as part of your business promotion and it’s usefulness or otherwise.
This is a long road that we are on and it is constantly changing and improving so we must adapt constantly to keep up.
Question 19
How can your site be found?
Manage, Collaborate and Share Your Files Online
Filed under Interviews with Irish Business Owners
