The ferry ride between mainland Scotland and my Shetland home takes 12 hours (14 if we stop at Orkney). Being lulled to sleep on the waves can be a very soothing experience – sometimes.
Other times, it can be a whole lot less lovely.
On stormy nights in autumn and winter, I find the ferry ride to be a physical and emotional rollercoaster ride – honestly, you don’t know what seasickness is until you’re being tossed around in the middle of the North Sea on a dark winter evening…
But it can also be a bit of an adventure, a bonding experience, and give you a great tale to tell, especially if you end up in wheelchair by the end of the crossing (true story – this happened to my husband last year). In fact, most Shetlanders I know have at least one great story to tell about a ferry crossing – good, bad or downright ugly.
‘But surely there are flights?’ I hear you ask. Sure there are. Flight time is a speedy one hour – hardly enough time to digest the free tea, shortbread and Tunnock’s caramel wafers you’re presented with. But on the other hand, fares and expensive and you’ll be less likely to get a great story out of it.
So, to answer question posed in the title of this post, what exactly do ferry rides and writing your own marketing copy have in common?
Let me explain.
Writing your own marketing copy can feel a bit like the ferry ride to Shetland. It’s time-consuming, challenging and you might even find yourself throwing up on your shoes. Wouldn’t it be easier to get a professional to write your copy for you so you can fly to your destination in speed and comfort?
And my answer is, hell yeah! If you want to get to where you need to be fast. But is this a sustainable way of doing things? Is it affordable? And, ultimately, what will you learn from it?
You need to rise to the challenge. Learning to write your own marketing copy can be tough. Realistically, it will take you longer than 12 hours to get to where you want to be.
But think of the money you’ll save and the sense of achievement you’ll feel at the end of your trip!
I’m Genevieve, and I help tour guides and tour operators write great marketing copy, build their audience and make more money.
And when things get bumpy, I’ll even help keep your hair out of the way and hold your sick bag for you.
Check out my services page {link below} to find out more about how we can work together.