Name of your website?dtcVacations
Your name?
Jerome Black
Your Location (city, etc)
Memphis
Description of your website.
DtcVacations.net provides online booking for cruises, airline tickets, hotels, car rentals, professional and college sports, theatre, concerts, and online shopping.
What inspired you to launch your own website?
The desire to reach more clients, recognition that travelers have needs beyond reservations, and the advent of travel booking engines.
When did you launch your first website, and what was it?
In 1995 I launched my first co-branded travel website.
How did you decide on a name for your website?
The name evolved from the original name of our cruise agency: Diamond Tele-Cruise. The name changed from cruise to vacations with our expanded services.
What makes it different from other, similar offerings?
We think we offer traveler interests that include their needs before and during their travels. Just because the traveler is not home does not mean that they don't have needs. We offer our familiar website to fulfill those needs.
What is your eventual goal? (To sell it, keep it for income, secure a book or other mainstream media deal?)
Our eventual goal is to expand our services more globally. Our service to date has been predominantly in North America, the Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, and the Mediterranean.
How does your investment of time and money balance against your success?
Our success comes with the apparent pleasure seen in the voices, faces, and responses of our clients during and after the trip.
If you had an unlimited development budget for development, how would you change your site?
An unlimited budget would allow us more professional assistance and an increased sales force, thus expanding our size and exposure.
If your site got really big, really quickly, would you be able to keep up with the demand?
A sudden increase in business would create the need for an, expansion of finances,facilities, employeess, and management. All readily available.
What unexpected costs and headaches have you had to deal with?
The cost of time.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Promotion.
What method has been most successful for promoting your website?
Search engine paid ads have brought us the most exposure.
How has running your website differed from your expectations?
Initially I did not realize the constant promotional needs to maintain.
How long have you run the site already, and how long will you continue to keep it up if you don't enjoy big gains in traffic, income or popularity?
This site has run about 5 years, and will hopefully improve indefinitely.
Which is more gratifying, internet marketing or personal service?
Sometimes internet marketing is personal. The written message from clients often reveals their personality. In either case we love satisfying our clients.
What is your website address?
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