As we commented in the first part of this article, the main challenge of entering the hotel marketing industry is to make oneself known in the face of so much competition. Selling rooms becomes a challenge, so you have to know all the possible strategies to achieve success.
After talking about positioning, remarketing, audiences, ads and incentives, today we share the second part of this article, published in WordStream.
6. Building local partnerships
Chances are your hotel isn’t in the middle of a desert. Rather, it will be surrounded by local businesses and attractions. Whether it’s restaurants, shops, yoga centres… You need to get to know your neighbours. Making friends with local business owners near your hotel is a great way to establish mutual partnerships and promotions. Especially if you have a boutique hotel rather than a large chain.
For example, partner with a local brewery and hold a contest where the winner gets a free visit to the brewery with a beer tasting and a discount at your hotel. It’s marketing. Simple, effective and affordable.
7. Market the hotel, but also the location
There is a good chance that future travellers will be unsure whether the city or town where your hotel is located is the right place for their holiday. For this reason, you can’t just focus on selling your hotel and its amenities. It is just as important to promote your rooms and pool as the location where it is located. Why should we visit your town or city? Future travelers want to know.
At WordStream they give the example of the W Chicago hotel. Instead of exclusively promoting its modern hotel facilities, it also promotes local events like the Season Festival. This strategy has probably helped them to attract some of the public interested in the festival. And they probably hadn’t even thought of Chicago as a vacation town.
festival-hotel-marketing
8. Make sure your website is simple, but impressive
Although it may seem like common sense, many hotels have very weak websites in design. Undoubtedly, a bad design is the best incentive to leave the web without booking. If the website is not clean and attractive, why should the hotel be? The website is the first impression that many people will have of the hotel, so it has to be simple, frictionless and impressive. Users, whatever device they use, should find the information they need quickly and complete the reservation.
The most important thing is to focus on keeping the design and navigation clean, clear and simple. Make sure the hotel photos are professional, high resolution and displayed in the correct formats and proportions to work on computers, mobile phones and tablets.
The language should be clear and simple, as well as the booking process itself. Videos also generate a lot of engagement. Keep them in mind.
The website of the boutique hotel Only You is a clear example of a well-made website. It’s clean, clear, with the booking engine highlighted and very easy to use. The videos are combined with impressive high quality photos. In addition to the multiple services of the hotel, another of the highlighted sections is dedicated to the destination. Majestic photos of the city… and always with the booking engine in the foreground.
only_you madrid
9. Going further in customer service
Marketing and customer service go hand in hand. If you go one step further, both before, during and after your stay, customers are likely to appreciate it. And they will do so through reviews, referrals and repeat visits.
So what does superior customer service mean? The first step is to ensure that the hotel staff has a «customer first» mentality. Working with people can be challenging, so training them in this mindset is vital to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
If, for example, the guest is annoyed with the view of the room and there are no other rooms available, your staff must be able to check whether there will be other rooms available later. In addition, they must be able to compensate the guest in the meantime. A bottle of champagne, a handwritten note… This kind of gesture has a very long-lasting impact and the guests know how to appreciate it.
When guests are treated well, they are much more likely to return and share their experiences with friends and family. And, of course, on the Internet through good reviews.
only you reviews
10. Implement a customer loyalty program
There is no better marketing than a satisfied customer. So, if they had a positive experience in the past, why don’t they come back? Loyalty programs are designed to ensure that guests come back again and again. These programs are designed to provide great discounts and special benefits to guests who visit us again. In this article you can read about some of the most successful loyalty programs – get some ideas!
From WordStream they claim that, if after implementing these techniques, your bookings do not increase it is because you have a hotel in the middle of nowhere. And we agree. This guide is perfect for improving your hotel’s engagement. Don’t hesitate to follow the more steps the better, and I’m sure you’ll see the results.
And just in case, here is the link to the first part of the article. Good luck!