Mountain bike business makes tracks following Business Gateway support
A mountain bike business has achieved a 50% surge in bookings compared to last year by employing skills developed through DigitalBoost, Business Gateway’s national digital upskilling programme.
Based in Aberdeenshire, nestled between Deeside, Donside and the Cairngorms National Park, Ride in Peace Adventures (RIPA) offers high-quality mountain bike coaching, guiding, and riding adventure.
With a multitude of coaching and guiding qualifications under his belt, founder Chris Roper initially approached Business Gateway in 2017 during RIPA’s launch phase, where he was signposted to a range of workshops to help get his venture off the ground. He accessed support with business planning, bookkeeping and finance.
Most recently the DigitalBoost support has enabled Chris to develop a high-quality website and recent integration of a new tour operating booking system, which allows a more user-friendly way for customers to book. Additionally, Chris has accessed various workshops to support increasing the brand’s following on platforms including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Vimeo.
Chris aims to help aspiring mountain bikers gain the skills and experience required to ride with confidence through RIPA’s coaching sessions with highly experienced guides. Now, as the tourism industry starts to reopen, RIPA plans to develop tours for local and inbound tourism across various communities in Aberdeenshire.
Chris Roper, founder, Ride in Peace Adventures said: “The pandemic has highlighted how useful social media is when you’re looking to grow your customer base, so this was a priority area for us during lockdown.
“Thanks to the clear advice and guidance given by the DigitalBoost team, I was able to develop a social media strategy and reach potential target audiences. RIPA bookings for the 2021 are looking strong considering the challenges we have all faced. We have also been able to develop a website that meets our needs, allowing us to enhance our efficiencies and spend more of our time delivering a quality experience for our customers.”
Maryann Bove, Business Gateway, said: “Chris’s passion and vision for mountain biking coupled with his industry expertise is what sets RIPA apart from competitors. By working with our expert team, RIPA has been able to adapt to a virtual world and is now in a stronger position to reach new customers and raise brand awareness.
“Despite restrictions easing, digital channels and communicating online with customers will continue, so we would encourage all businesses to assess their current platforms and make use of the free DigitalBoost service if there are areas where support is needed.”
