# 🏝️ IoM TT Guide — Business Plan & Marketing Strategy
**Date:** May 2026 | **Prepared by:** Skippy

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## 📊 Product Overview

**Name:** Isle of Man Guide — The Pocket Companion  
**URL:** https://iomtt.guide (or iom-guide.com — to be registered)  
**Type:** Progressive Web App (PWA) — works offline, installable on any phone  
**Platform:** Web-based, no app store needed

### Pricing Tiers

| Tier | Price | What You Get |
|------|-------|-------------|
| **Free** | £0 | Emergency contacts, weather, ferries, buses, tips, fishing basics, dark skies |
| **TT Guide** | £4.99 | Full TT schedule, 25+ viewing spots, 18 glens, walking routes, activities, offline mode |
| **Full Guide** | £7.99 | Everything + 201 restaurants, GPS audio tour, future seasons, priority support, ad-free |

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## 🔑 Paywall System (Built)

### How It Works
- **localStorage** stores unlock tier: `free`, `tt`, or `full`
- Locked sections show a 🔒 overlay with upgrade CTA
- **Free tier limits:** No TT schedule, no viewing spots, no glens detail, no walking routes, no restaurant guide, no activities detail
- **TT tier limits:** No restaurant guide (201 places)
- **Full tier:** Everything unlocked
- Purchase modal links to Stripe Payment Links (placeholder URLs for now)
- Code redemption field for beta testers and gift codes

### Beta/Gift Codes (Live)
| Code | Tier | Uses | Purpose |
|------|------|------|---------|
| `IOMBETA2026` | TT Guide | 50 | General beta testers |
| `IOMFULL2026` | Full Guide | 20 | VIP beta testers |
| `TTFAN25` | TT Guide | 100 | TT fan community launch |
| `ISLANDER25` | Full Guide | 30 | Isle of Man locals |
| `IOMFRIEND` | TT Guide | 50 | Gary's friends & family |
| `GARYTEST` | Full Guide | 999 | Internal testing (unlimited) |

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## 💳 Payment Setup (Next Steps)

### Option A: Stripe Payment Links (RECOMMENDED for launch)
- **Setup time:** 30 minutes
- **Cost:** 1.5% + 20p per transaction (UK)
- **No code needed** — create links in Stripe Dashboard
- Customer clicks → Stripe checkout → redirect back with success
- We generate a code on success page that unlocks the tier

**How to set up:**
1. Register at stripe.com (2-day verification)
2. Create Payment Link for £4.99 (TT Guide)
3. Create Payment Link for £7.99 (Full Guide)
4. Set success redirect to: `https://iomtt.guide/?unlocked=tt` or `?unlocked=full`
5. PWA JS reads URL param on load and auto-unlocks

### Option B: Stripe Checkout Session (more control)
- Server-side checkout creation
- Webhook for payment confirmation
- Better for subscriptions later
- Needs a small backend (Cloudflare Worker or similar)

### Option C: LemonSqueezy (simplest)
- All-in-one: payment + delivery + EU VAT handling
- 5% + 50p per sale
- Good if you don't want to deal with tax
- Less customisable than Stripe

**Recommendation:** Start with **Stripe Payment Links** — simplest, cheapest, professional. Add a Cloudflare Worker for automatic code generation later.

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## 📧 Contact Email

**Primary:** `hello@iomtt.guide`  
**Backup:** `agent_skippy@agentmail.to` (the one we already have)

To set up hello@iomtt.guide:
1. Register domain `iomtt.guide` (~£10/year at Cloudflare or Namecheap)
2. Add email routing through Cloudflare Email (free) → forward to agent_skippy@agentmail.to
3. Or use Zoho Mail free tier for a proper inbox

**Fallback plan:** If domain isn't registered yet, use `agent_skippy@agentmail.to` as the contact email for launch.

---

## 🚀 Launch Marketing Campaign

### Phase 1: Soft Launch (TT Week — May 24–June 2, 2026)

**Goal:** Get 100-500 free users during TT week, convert 10-20 to paid

| Channel | Action | Cost | Expected Reach |
|---------|--------|------|---------------|
| **TT Forums** | Post on iomtt.com forum, TT Reddit, Manx forums | Free | 5,000-10,000 views |
| **Facebook TT Groups** | Share in "Isle of Man TT Fans" (250k+ members) | Free | 15,000-50,000 views |
| **X/Twitter** | Thread about IoM guide with photos, #IOMTT #TT2026 | Free | 2,000-5,000 views |
| **TT Spectators on Island** | QR code posters at campsites, B&Bs, pubs | £20 printing | 500-1,000 scans |
| **Friends & Family** | Give `IOMFRIEND` codes to 10-20 people for feedback | Free | 10-20 users |

**Content for social media:**
- "TT iscoming and every year the signal on the Mountain dies. This FREE guide works offline — TT schedule, emergency numbers, pub guides, glens, hidden beaches. Install it now before you arrive."
- "Just landed on the Isle of Man? Save these 9 emergency numbers to your phone before you need them 📞 (link to guide)"
- Photo carousel: glens, beaches, TT viewing spots — "Where are you watching from?"

### Phase 2: Build Audience (June–August 2026)

| Channel | Action | Cost | Expected Result |
|---------|--------|------|-----------------|
| **Manx Facebook Groups** | "IoM Community", "Douglas Noticeboard", "What's On IoM" | Free | 500-2,000 local users |
| **Google Ads** | Target "isle of man guide", "iom tt guide" | £5-10/day | 100-300 clicks/day |
| **Instagram/TikTok** | Short clips: "5 hidden beaches on the IoM", "Best TT viewing spots" | Free | 1,000-5,000 views/post |
| **QR Codes at Businesses** | Approach 10 local businesses (cafes, bike hire) | Free/£50 for stickers | 200-500 scans |
| **Apple/Google Maps** | List as a business with website link | Free | Ongoing SEO traffic |

### Phase 3: Growth (August 2026 onwards)

| Channel | Action | Cost |
|---------|--------|------|
| **Local Press** | Press release to Manx Independent, IoM Today | Free |
| **Tourism Partnerships** | Manx Heritage, Steam Packet, IoM Government Tourism | Time |
| **Blog/SEO** | "Best IoM beaches", "TT viewing guide", "IoM glens" posts | Free/Time |
| **Email List** | Newsletter for 2027 TT early birds | Free (AgentMail) |
| **Repeat Customers** | "2027 TT Guide — 50% off for returning customers" | Free |

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## 🏷️ QR Code Strategy

Generate QR codes pointing to the guide URL. Put them on:
1. **Campsite notice boards** (Ballacotton, Glen Wyllin, etc.)
2. **B&B reception desks** (ask owners — free advertising for them too)
3. **Pub tables** (The Bushy's, The Peel, etc.)
4. **Motorcycle park-up points** during TT week
5. **Ferry terminal notice boards** (Heysham, Liverpool, Dublin)

Create branded stickers: "📱 IoM Guide — Free TT Companion — Scan me"

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## 📈 Revenue Projections (Conservative)

| Metric | TT 2026 (2 weeks) | Year 1 | Year 2 |
|--------|-------------------|--------|--------|
| Free users | 200-500 | 1,500 | 5,000 |
| TT Guide purchases (£4.99) | 15-40 | 100-200 | 400 |
| Full Guide purchases (£7.99) | 5-15 | 50-100 | 200 |
| **Revenue** | **£115–£320** | **£900–£1,800** | **£3,600–£7,200** |
| Advertising (local businesses) | £0 | £200-£500 | £500-£1,500 |
| **Total Revenue** | **£115–£320** | **£1,100–£2,300** | **£4,100–£8,700** |

Break-even at ~100 paid users. Very achievable for a TT audience of 40,000+ visitors per year.

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## 🎯 Next Steps (In Order)

1. **Register domain** — `iomtt.guide` or `iomguide.com` (~£10/year)
2. **Set up Stripe** — Create account, verify, create Payment Links
3. **Replace placeholder Stripe URLs** in the PWA code with real checkout URLs
4. **Set up Cloudflare Tunnel** with permanent domain (e.g., guide.iomtt.guide → local server)
5. **Send 5-10 beta codes to friends** — Ask for specific feedback:
   - Does it load fast on their phone?
   - Is the layout readable outdoors?
   - Did they find anything missing/inaccurate?
   - Would they pay £4.99 for this?
6. **Create QR code** for the guide URL
7. **Soft launch on TT forums** during TT week
8. **Set up email** — hello@iomtt.guide forwarding

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## 🎁 Beta Tester Feedback Form

For friends using the `IOMFRIEND` code, ask:

1. **Ease of use:** Could you find what you needed quickly?
2. **Offline:** Did it work when you had no signal?
3. **Accuracy:** Any wrong info (times, phone numbers, locations)?
4. **Missing content:** What's not there that you'd want?
5. **Willingness to pay:** Would you pay £4.99? What would make it worth £7.99?
6. **Phone model:** So we can fix any display issues
7. **Rating:** 1-5 stars

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*Document generated by Skippy — May 2026*