As we approach the end of the year, we have now had the Leopard Hills Weblog up and running since we posted our first ever article on the 18th of February 2008.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the time and effort that they have put into making this such a success. We take great pride in posting up to date articles of the happenings in and around the bush at Leopard Hills, and it is very rewarding for us to see such responses from everybody, and appreciate the positive comments to these articles posted. I also thank all of our Guests who have taken time to post article of their own and share many of your beautiful images with us.
In an attempt to gauge the effectiveness of this tool and to, as always, look at ways to improve the content, we would like some comments and suggestions from everyone as to how we can achieve this.
Since the inception of the Blog, we have found it an invaluable tool to communicate with all of our Guest on a regular basis, and have also found many people using it to gain information before even coming to visit us at Leopard Hills.
I would also like to thank Brendon for the hours he has put in, not only by developing the Blog for us, but also for tirelessly being on hand to talk us through the technical aspects and making sure it has run smoothly since its inception. I would also like to thank all the Team at Leopard Hills whom have committed many hours of such hard work making sure that the Weblog has always had such up to date interesting articles, and sharing so many of their stunning images with us.
We look forward to your comments.
Kind Regards
Duncan Rodgers
I’ve found the blog fantastic – I haven’t had the chance to get back to Leopard Hills since my first visit 18 months ago and the blog keeps up my determination to get back at the earliest opportunity!
The weblog is excellent and always up to date (unlike so many). When we arrived at Leopard Hills we had the advantage of knowing all the events leading up to our visit and felt that we already new the team. Our relatives were able to log on and see what was happening while we were there! Holidays fade, but Leopard Hills is constantly with us.
Very best wishes to you all.
Madeleine & Dennis White
A vital link to your wonderful world, it eables us to feel your gentle touch and guidance when we are unable to be with you, and yet gives us the sense of unbroken continuity and familiarity with intermediate events when we return.
We have shared the articles and photos with several misguided travellers who have been visiting other lodges, and they have been so impressed that all expressed their intention to try to mend their ways in the future.
Thank you for our lifeline, it is the only news bulletin I ever look forward to !
Brendon, – a superb job, Thank You
Ditto the other positive comments – above. I really enjoy hearing what’s happening and the life struggles of various, but especially the Leopard (Makwale) saga. It irks me that I have not been back and I admit there is a regretable side-effect to each mail recived in that I go a shade of green (with envy) almost immediately !! One day ! I must conquer my Technophobia aswell and post some picks, which although out-of-date in that we were there in April ’08, someone might enjoy them for what they are – shots of various at a point in time in Africa, going about there business
hi duncan & team – its a wonderful resource. after our 2 night visit a year ago i use it in a vicarious, armchair visitor way to keep up to date with news. this enables me to pass on current leopard hills anecdotes to friends, acquaintances & clients who may in future visit themselves. i don’t think you should underestimate what a powerful marketing tool it can be. i trust Brendon regularly appraises you as regards the blog’s visitor data, enabling you to measure its success both quantitatively & qualitatively.
I have found the blog an amazing thing! We came on honeymoon with you in August and it is lovely to hear what is happening and track the lives of the staff and the animals. It has helped us keep our honeymoon alive and not a vanishing memory. Thank you for all the hard work.
Reading through the reports and visitor comments just brings back the memories of a fantastic experience and wonderful holiday. We will be back some day without doubt. Keep up the good work !
Reading through the reports and visitor comments just brings back the memories of a fantastic experience and wonderful holiday. We will be back some day without doubt. Keep up the good work !
Just an after thought…we did not know about the blog or even the website before we came as we booked with a travel agent. We were not given details but would have loved to have viewed it prior to coming. It would be great if everyone knew about it before they got there.
Good point Vicky and noted, to everyone who has added their comments so far, it is much appreciated, and very encouraging.
Keep up the good work.
Hi Duncan
Although I haven’t been with you and your team for 5 years, your weblog is so professional, the photographs stunning and brings back to me my memories of my time at Leopard Hills. Let’s hope it won’t be long before I return. Please give my regards to Louise.
We have been return visitors for several years and have reservations for September 2009. What more can I say. I would like to post some of my pictures in the future `but find it a little difficult for this old man.
I have encouraged (tried) my guests from 2007 to sign up for themselves on the weblog. But alas, I must continue to forward them many of the postings. I cannot get through the day without news from LH. News of the dogs was thrilling and of course anything about my Makwela.
Looks like everyone already covered the highlights. I especially love having a contact with you all and vicariously sharing in the incredible experiences at Leopard Hills.
…And Brendon, you are awesome!
Joy, Camarillo, CA
We love reading updates and seeing photos from both other travelers and Leopard Hills staff members – doing so, brings back so many wonderful memories of our incredible experience at Leopard Hills.
Ditto everyone above – I absolutely love it – I also forward to a friend who loves animals. Keep it coming !
I love reading the blog. It reminds me of how special my experience of Leopard Hills was and keeps me dreaming about my next visit. Keep it up !
I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank all of you for your response to Duncan?s article.
We all really appreciate the feedback. The response has been overwhelming and really makes it all worth while to know that people use and appreciate the site.
I hope you will all continue to enjoy the weblog for many years to come.
I also have to congratulate Duncan and his diligent team at Leopard Hills for turning this piece of technology into such a HUGE success! What makes the weblog is the constant flow of good quality content and a devoted following (you guys)…
I am not really into blogging but was certainly inspired to add something to the LH blog after our visit last month. Maybe that means that I hadn’t come across a topic that inspired before – so good work there.
I do have a few comments about the process though:
1) I didn’t realise that I should have resized my pix and entered into a discourse with Brendon on that, he tells me that he is working on a programme that either automatically resize pix or does something else (that’s the technical term – LOL) to sort this out. Multiple uploads for pix would be good as well rather than having to do them individually.
2) After composing some wonderful lyrical prose when I went to post it, it disappeared! I tried the back button but that didn’t work, my copy was gone for good. As you can imagine I wasn’t impressed and it took me some time to write the copy again and of course it wasn’t as good as the first time. If anything could be done to ensure copy is not lost or can be retrieved, that’d be great.
3) Blog alerts to all subscribers would could be useful as well. Don’t tell me that they already exist and I didn’t see it!
As an aside, maybe Hannes could do a photographers’ tips section – great for forthcoming visitors to bone up on before they come out to make sure they are prepared for the conditions and also interesting to those who’ve been and are looking for tips to improve their pix next time around.
Being in PR I am aware of the value of relationship building and I think this is the key driver for maintaining the blog, it speaks louder than any advertising campaign. As a punter I think it’s great and certainly keeps LH at the forefront of my consciousness.
Good luck with your development.
I’ll try harder next time!
Oops – NB. I’ve added the blog link to my Facebook page.
It could be an idea to prompt blog contributors to add link to social or business networking sites like Facebook, Plax or LinkedIn.
Dear Duncan –
I get excited every time I turn on the computer and find a message from Leopard Hills. The site is really fantastic, the pictures are gorgeous, and we feel in touch. Having been to Leopard HIlls three times, once just the two of us and then twice with my groups, we think that it is by far the best camp we have experienced in ten safaris to Africa. We are amazed that each time we return, you have somehow managed yet another improvement. Somewhere in the back of my mind is a little voice saying "we really should try to get back to Leopard Hills."
I salute whole L.H. Team for the royal treatment, for best memories I’ve ever had, for all these fantastic photos, reports, bedtime stories and many more. From the bottom of my heart I send you my love! As a first guest who placed pictures on the weblog I have to say big THANK YOU to Brendon, who spent couple of hours on Skype, lessening to me how great bush is and how fantastic time I had at Leopard Hills! Brendon, you’ve been extremely patient and helpful !
I can’t imagine my life without this particular blog! I’m simply addicted to you guys!
Thanks to everyone for your invaluable comments, it makes it so worthwhile for us to keep this going and we appreciate everyone’s opinion on this. Please keep adding articles, as much as you like receiving our postings, we love getting yours as well.
Our group, Camp Run-a-Muck loves this blog…even though we aren’t there in person, it reminds of of the fabulous experiences we have had on previous visits. Your information feeds our enthusiasm for the next trip to Leopard Hills in August, 2009.
Thank you so much to all who have made this effort so worthwhile. Look forward to continued interesting news!
Anne Budill, Camp Director
Anne Hi, good to hear from you. Thanks for the positive words and we look forward to seeing you back with us in August. Regards to all the Run-a-Muck Group.
Duncan (WLW)