Linking Websites.

Example 1, Data Base duplication. (Africa Concierge, top right)

A current example of website databases linking through our network is www.ExperienceAfrica.com Experience Africa has been set up and is an accredited tour operator operating in the mid to high end sector, generating revenue by earning commission when booking travel arrangements for their clients. Commission received is from 25% to 50%, a 2 week holiday including a safari generates between $5,000 to $25,000.

Have a look at www.AfricaConcierge.com.  This has been made for Sotheby’s Realty Cape Town. This website is a duplicate of the Experience Africa website save company details, colours, logo & home page text.

This is the easiest duplication method and can be done automatically. Currently this website does not link or network with the main SOTHEBY’s SA or international sites. All be it SOUTHEBY’s corporate have asked for further meetings.

In the financials the above connection is called “Out The Box” Software and is recorded as only generating a 20th of a liked website, generating SIENNA $625 a year. In reality Africa Concierge has already passed this target, but my estimates take account for “Out the Box” users that will start to network but not be successful.

As soon as SIENNA 1.01 is developed the out the box software will be available by free download. Unlike Africa Concierge new users will have a number of look and feel options or “skins” so there new website looks original.

One last point is that I expect a number of “Out the Box” affiliates, who have there own websites will wish to link, after they get to know the system.

  Example 2, Web Feed. (Dogon Group, middle right)

CEO Denise Dogon wishes to join the network and add Hotels and Safari’s to her website. Denise is not currently interested in uploading her company’s properties on to the network, and hence The Dogon Group will become a “Web Feed” affiliate.

Denise’s current website pictured middle right has a good example of how we will integrate into their current website.

You will notice her current property selling website www.DogonGroup.com  has a link to her property renting website www.DGRentals.com . Website visitors seamlessly connect between the 2 sites. We will add a new site www.DGTravel.com which will offer African then Global holiday options.

Denise indicated that her DGRentals website now makes about $200,000 a year and would expect the same figures from DGTravel and I think given personally branded magazines and a good presence in S-World she may get those figures in her second year.
In the financials a “Web Feed” web sight is estimated at generating $12500 turnover for the affiliate and $6250 for SIENNA. So I expect to surpass the figures in the financials, but like the out the box software I expect some companies not to succeed with the system, but not nearly as dropouts an “Out the Box user” I have allowed for 1 in 2 users not succeeding.

One last point is I fully expect Denise to upload her properties and become a Data Feed partner when she gets used to the system and sees benefits for herself on getting property enquiries.

  Example 3, Data Linked. (LEO TRIPPI, bottom right)

LEO TRIPPI wish to join the network by adding a much more comprehensive High End Africa selection of Villas, Safari’s and Hotels, they would also be interested in displaying Real Estate.

I’d expect a dedicated travel company such as LEO TRIPPI, to make 20 or so additional bookings a year, about $200,000, higher than the 3 bookings making $25,000 recorded in the financials as a “Data Linked” companies average turnover.

However that’s not the only revenue stream. What makes the difference between a “Web Feed” affiliate and a “Data Linked” website? Is the “Data Linked” company’s ability to place their own stock on the network for others to book.

The condition will be that SIENNA is offered a minimum 30% STO discount, where she keeps 10% and advertises LEO TRIPPI Ski Chalets at a 20% STO discount.

One concern raised has been affiliates using Sienna as a reference only, preferring to book with the actual supplier and ask for a better price. We need to let supplier and buyer communicate as without that the customer may suffer through lack of product knowledge. I have many ideas how to stop this, a preferred supplier option for us to half our commission for companies that develop close relationships. Genrally trying to give a 25% STO discount not 20%. (VIRGIN HOLIDAYS will help enormasly here.) But the most important is having our affiliates communicating through S-World. Which I hope one way or the other will be connected to Face Book.

Having Leo Trippi upload there properties on to our site is good, but not ideal, updating prices and details are often forgotten, they do of course have a lot to do. We have allowed for large amount of Data Imputers and researchers to help with this, but the prise is tacking a feed directly from their database. And this is what we want to do with as many affiliates as possible, a good number of affiliates are very happy to work in this way, such as RAZOR, RAZOR wishes to join the network and add the live booking options for 2000 Villas across South Africa.

The only trouble I had was trying to convincing these companies to pay for the programmers that make the link, not impossible but not optimal for our networks growth . So I decided that we must bare the set up cost, certainly at first. This has been accounted for in the financials. I have allocated 200 hours of programming for each company. This I’m assured is more than enough in most cases.
After the set up time and effort I expect few “Data Linked” websites to drop out, some will do better than others of course but in general “Data Linked sites should do far better than the $25,000 recorded in the financials.