As a Tour Guide, I’ve spent a lot of my time leading tours outdoors.
In many ways, it was one of the perks to lead a tour outdoors, but as you may know, it presents many unique challenges.
After years of guiding in the elements, I’ve got some best practices I want to share with you. Want a little teaser on how to lead a tour outdoors? Of course, you do!
Have you ever thought about where to put the sun when speaking to your group? Do you wear sunglasses all of the time as a tour leader? Do you know all of the places you can find shade and shelter along your route? What do you do if it the wind is howling?
There are a lot of things to consider, and honestly, managing these small details is what sets apart the truly excellent tour guides.
Let’s take a look!
Kelsey T
Finished Watching?
What is your best advice for leading a tour outside? Any best practices for guiding outdoors you can share? Let the whole community know in the comments below!
Transcript:
Hi, and welcome to How to Be a Better Guide. I am Kelsey Tonner here on location at beautiful Lake Heron, here in Ontario visiting some friends and family.
We are going to talk, giving amazing tours outside. I have done this for many, many years. I have got five tips that I want to share with you. Let’s get started.
The first thing you want to be aware of is that sun, right up there.
Much like I have done with you, you as a tour guide should always put the sun in your eyes.
This is a huge mistake that I see tour guides doing all the time. They are giving a nice talk and their entire group is looking at them, and the sun is right behind them.
So they are doing a lot of this. You don’t want to do that. You as a tour guide should be facing the sun, and making it very comfortable for your guests.
Tip number two, ditch the shades when you are doing your introductions, or you are just meeting people, because this is a little cold.
This is a lot warmer. Plus, people might think that you have crazy eyes, or that you are really mean. You want to take your sunglasses off. I know a lot of you guides don’t do this.
I see it all the time. You just walk up the whole time like this. Don’t do it. Take the sunglasses off. Warmly greet them, get some eye contact; your guests will feel more connected with you. Then, if you have to stare at the sun you can put them back on.
Three, you want to be prepared for the outdoor elements, and some of the things that might come up.
Classic things, of course, some sunscreen, or maybe bug spray if you have got bugs. In your backpack always have some extra things, like maybe warm sweaters.
Maybe if there is a chance of rain you will want a couple of ponchos, extra rain jackets, some extra umbrellas.
Remember, you don’t have to bring enough of that stuff for everyone, but if you can give an extra set of gloves or an extra poncho or something like that, to someone in your group, it’s going to make a big difference to them. It’s great customer service.
Plus, everyone else is going to see how prepared you were, and how compassionate you were with others.
Tip number four, get your guests ready for whatever they may encounter outdoors.
So this is talking pre-trip literature. Are they going to need an umbrella if it might rain, or do they want a hat if it’s going to be really hot, sunscreen?
Anything that you think they should have, even if it’s a slight chance it might happen, you want them to bring it. Whenever somebody asks me, “Hey Kelsey, is it going to rain today? Should I bring my rain jacket?” The answer is always, “Yes, bring your rain jacket.” That way you are ready for anything.
Lastly, get to know the terrain where you are working, and use those elements of the environment to your advantage.
I am talking here about things like natural shade, good places to sit down. Even though you are outdoors you want to treat it just like any other tour.
Go and map out where you are going to walk, where you can use it. A great example is, say we are going on a walk through a forest into some temples, you come and there is a beautiful big tree there that you can use for shade.
A lot of tour guides are pretty good about this, if it’s hot, take your group to the shade if you want to spend five, ten minutes talking to them.
I sometimes see this come up though; say your best view of your temple is right here, there is a big clearing, and you think oh we have got to stand here and the guide is talking for 15 minutes, and the people are dying in the sun, right?
You may not know this, if you see this, you should be saying to yourself, “Okay, come have a great look. Get the view. Get the picture.” Then say, “Why don’t we duck over to that shade over here, and I will tell you a little bit more.”
Same thing with wind; if you are in a really windy location, your voice can get carried away. Let them see the sight and then take them to a spot where they can be protected from that wind.
Okay, those were five quick tips to get you thinking about how you can improve your tour if you are doing it outside. Now, I want to hear from you.
Many of you work outside, and you are all awesome guides and well on your way. In the comments below let me know what sort of things you do to make your tour awesome outside. As always, share this video with a friend if you are inspired, and thanks for being here.
