A question I am asking myself almost daily at the moment!!! Seriously, how often have I said on here or to myself ‘do not volunteer’.
Folks, I’ve gone and done it again. I volunteered!!! I volunteered to help out our local tourism organisation Mid Ireland Tourism by bringing a group of bloggers into the midlands.
You see the trouble is that tourists are attracted to Dublin (naturally)…. and now there is the big draw of the Wild Atlantic Way, so it is as if the middle of the country was just one great big black hole.
We need to remedy this. There is so much to offer in the midlands. It truly is magical.
Magical Midlands
How difficult can it be? You know, just 8 bloggers, a coach, accommodation, an itinerary, lunch, dinner, a mini cruise with lunch. Easy peasy????
Not so.
Despite the many obstacles that had to be surmounted, I am almost there.
I gave the tourism board a diverse list of bloggers – they chose who they would like to come. I asked the bloggers, and they agreed to come. Done.
A coach…. one phone call, sorted.
Itinerary…. many phone calls and it was sorted. I’ve chosen some of our favourite places which I’ve written about here, and I hope will impress everyone.
Lunch and dinner on the Saturday – easily sorted.
A picnic lunch for 12 people on the Sunday???? A nightmare. Many many phone calls. No responses, total dis-interest. There’s supposedly a recession out there. Do people not want to do business?
One huge lesson learned is that there is still such ignorance about ‘blogging’ and the power of blogging. Even more mind-blowing for me is the fact that so many businesses have no website – or a very poor one, and don’t know the first thing about using social media to promote their business. And probably worse still, are not willing to learn about it.
Folks, social media is HUGE. It is am immense tool for small business. It takes time but it is free. You need to schedule it into your day the same way you’d schedule accounts or other stuff into it. And if people don’t know about you, how can they come to you????
Next weekend is the big WEEKEND!
I’m quietly confident that it will all come together seamlessly in the end. Well, if it doesn’t it won’t be from lack of effort. This coming week may be a bit frenetic, but I promise to be outwardly calm on the day 🙂
Now all I need is some good sunshine.
If you’d like to travel virtually along the journey next weekend, we’ll be using two hashtags #midireland and #magicalmidlands
A Year In Redwood 
Well done Margaret – I totally get how time consuming organising these things can be and it must have been really frustrating to see the businesses being totally disinterested. I guess they aren’t using social media to promote their buisnesses then! We’re way behind the UK in terms of tourism businesses using Instagram for example and the numbers using it are huge!!
Oh Lorna, it is unbelievable. I have been stunned. They tell me they’re too tired and it is only for young people. I’ve had many a rant privately this week.
Well done, Margaret! Hope it all goes well. I’ll be doing a little sundance for you!
Thank you June… it is glorious here at the moment… fingers and toes crossed that it will last til weekend.
As the ‘A’ Team used to say “You crazy fool!”. Good luck with that. You are going to be busy!
Yup! That sums me up totally!!!!!
Well done Margaret! I’m so looking forward to being one of your bloggers!! I’m sure the local business community will be astounded to find out that all bloggers are not “young people” exactly” more young at heart in my case;~)
Thanks Catherine! We’ll show em!!!
Hope it all goes well Margaret, will be watching the tagline! 🙂
Looking forward to seeing some more of the #magicalmidlands Margaret, an area I’ve only recently discovered thanks to yourselves. Hopefully we’ll be able to help show local business the effect social media can have.
It will all go fabulously missy! You are the hostess with the mostess that’s for sure – I hope you manage to relax and enjoy yourself xx
Well done margaret, the Midlands is lucky to have you!!!!
Thank you Regula for joining us 🙂
[…] our lives when we had the bloggers here on a recent weekend trip. I’d had a little bit of a rant about the organising of the trip, but ultimately I believe it went […]