Vele individue, instansies, kerke, skole en besighede is reeds bekend met DROID, 'n aanlynbemarkingsmaatskappy, se Gansbaai Explore Projek. Vele baat ook reeds by die suksesse wat reeds behaal is. Agter die skerms van DROID is 10 hardwerkende en entoesiastiese jongmense tussen die ouderdomme van 23 en 33 jaar, met 'n passie vir bemarking en wat Gansbaai as hulle "blue eye dorp" gekies het. Hierdie jongmense se toekomsvisie is om eers seker te maak dat Gansbaai volledig geregistreer is en suksesvolle resultate (gratis) bereik. Daarna beplan hulle om die res van die dorpe in die Overstrand aan te pak en selfs na die res van Suid-Afrika uit te brei. Beslis 'n mondvol, maar met hulle entoesiasme word hierdie toekomsvisie dalk binne 'n paar jaar verwesentlik.

DROID is in Januarie 2011, 'n skrale 2 jaar gelede, deur hulle Besturende Direkteur, Jan Lutzeyer gestig en is nou 'n volwaardige aanlyn-bemarkingsmaatskappy, maar nie sonder ±1½ jaar se intensiewe navorsing nie. "Met die tipe diens wat ons lewer,  kan ons vanaf enige wêreldland funksioneer, maar ons het op Gansbaai besluit as gevolg van die natuurlike skoonheid en enorme potensiaal om as 'n wêreldklas eko-toerisme bestemming erken te word," vertel Jan. Elke spanlid is 'n spesialis op sy/haar gebied in die onderskeie fasette van DROID se Gansbaai Explore Projek. The Gansbaai Explore website is an all encompassing community platform that enables collective marketing through user (community member) empowerment. The Website allows for the free participation of any entity in Gansbaai including tourism establishments, local businesses, doctors, churches, schools, clubs and more. Free participation entails having your own highly functional private Explore website, within the Gansbaai Explore website, that gives you full control to display your entity (profile), whatever its nature, to a website visitor as you see fit. Through enabling the entire town to participate on a central platform we will ensure that Gansbaai has a highly relevant and comprehensive website that will satisfy any website visitor’s needs, whether he is looking for accommodation, what to do in the area, where to shop, or where to find a public service. Each entity will be listed on the Gansbaai Explore website with a link to their private Explore website. They will also have the ability to share stories, images, videos, latest news, events and specials onto the Gansbaai Explore website. This integration ensures that as a town, they collectively market Gansbaai through jointly contributing to the marketing content on the website. Through collective marketing, they will eliminate the current fragmented marketing (currently there is no central strategy of where marketing resources are allocated) and the resources we all have at our disposal will become significantly more effective and impactful resulting in a greater return on investment for the entire town.

Due to the nature of the online world, it is becoming increasingly challenging for an individual entity to market itself online as it is competing with bigger brands and companies that have significantly more resources at their disposal. Consequently, strengthening a central community platform will ensure that the town maximises its marketing potential and can ensure a prosperous future online. Upon registering on the system, you are provided with login details (username & password) that take you straight to your super easy to use Explore Website Management System.

Vir diegene aan wie die bogenoemde inligting nog onduidelik is…dit is waarom die werkswinkels aangebied word, met konstante hulp en leiding wat daagliks beskikbaar is. "Sover my kennis strek, is daar sowat 300+ besighede in Gansbaai, waarvan reeds sowat 200 op Gansbaai Explore geregistreer is. Mense begin nou eers agterkom waaroor dit werklik gaan en wat die vele voordele is wat ingesluit is. Eie 'blogs' is ook van groot belang en dit kan gedoen word sodra registrasie plaasgevind het," sê Jan. Hierdie fasiliteit is tans gratis tot almal se beskikking en DROID se enigste generering van inkomste berus op advertensies. Die res vir Gansbaai is alles gratis. Besighede of instansies wat nie self die nodige instandhouding kan doen nie, kan steeds van die vele voordele gebruik maak deur te versoek dat dit deur Gansbaai Explore teen 'n billike tarief namens hulle gedoen. Jan sê "wêreld-aanlyn" is 'n uitgemaakte saak. Die onus berus op besighede om in die ware sin van die woord daarby betrokke te raak en daarby te baat. Hy sê daar is 'n enorme verskil tussen eie webtuistes wat geskep word en om by Gansbaai Explore te registreer waar "alles-in-een" gedoen word…gratis en verniet!

Navrae oor registrasie, opleiding, werkswinkels of enige aspek rakende hierdie jongmense se gewillige diens, kan aan Jan Lutzeyer, Besturende Direkteur by 072-285-8466 gerig word, of stuur 'n e-pos aan hom by jlutzeyer@gmail.com, of skakel vir Candice Lombard, Kommunikasiebestuurder by 082-351-7242, of stuur 'n e-pos aan haar by candice@gansbaaiexplore.com.

Hardus Botha