A Hotelier’s Guide to Creating Effective Video Content
When creating digital content for your website and social media channels, video cannot be overlooked. It has become the key to online engagement. In fact, video is expected to account for more than 80% of all web traffic by next year. So, if you want to stay competitive, you need to hop on board. Here’s […]
Selling the Experience: How to Market Effectively to Today’s Travelers
A recent study conducted by Expedia and The Center for Generational Kinetics, found that 74% of Americans value experiences over things. That’s great news for the hospitality industry as most of those people are planning to travel in pursuit of those experiences. So how can you capitalize on the emerging “experience economy”? For these travelers, the memory […]
Bleisure Travelers: How Hoteliers Can Capitalize on this Travel Trend
In the past, vacationers and those traveling for work were distinct demographics. And they were marketed to in very different ways. But a new type of traveler has emerged that merges the two worlds. More and more, business travelers are extending their trips in order to get in some sightseeing and leisure time (hence the moniker […]
An Independent Hotelier’s Guide to Hosting Private Functions
Large hotels have been in the private function game for a long time as they had the traditional banquet halls typically favored for weddings and holiday parties. But tastes are changing. Many people planning weddings (and other parties) today are searching for smaller, unique spaces to host their special celebrations. That puts independent hotels in a […]
6 Tips for Maximizing Occupancy
Occupancy is the name of the game in the hotel business. You need to fill rooms in order to be successful. But how exactly do you get more heads in beds? If a property is hoping to increase occupancy, typically the first instinct is to lower rates. But slashing prices cuts into your bottom line and […]
5 Ways to Increase Direct Bookings
Online travel agencies (OTAs) are here to stay. And that’s okay; when used well, they can be an extremely valuable marketing tool. But no matter how successful your partnerships with OTAs are, you should never neglect opportunities to boost direct bookings. With the lowest cost of acquisition (no hefty commissions required), these reservations are just too […]
From Outrageous to Outstanding: 5 Imaginative Hotel Marketing Approaches to Get the Creative Juices Flowing
Knowing your clientele and building value-added packages are both good pieces of marketing advice. However, recognizing what to do is quite different than seeing how to do it. Guests seek originality; hoteliers seek inspiration. How does one achieve that indefinable connection to a potential guest? We can’t claim to offer an easy answer to that question (if […]
Location First Marketing: A Hotelier’s Guide
It used to be that location was the most important factor for a business’ exposure (and therefore success). Whether it was a hotel or a boutique, being visible was necessary for winning customers. Then the internet happened. Suddenly, people could find what they were looking for online, and everyone became a potential customer, regardless of location. […]
Over, Under, and Double: A Hotelier’s Guide to Booking Crises
Managing reservations to maximize revenue can be a complicated task. Trying to minimize the damage of no-shows and cancellations can result in more reservations than available rooms—while playing it safe to avoid double-bookings can leave units unnecessarily vacant. Here’s a quick guide to dealing with and reducing booking crises. Overbooking Overbooking inventory is a strategy used by […]
Summer is Coming! How Hoteliers Can Start Preparing Now
The temperature is rising here in the Northern Hemisphere, and summertime is finally in our sights. Hoteliers far and wide are heading into their busiest season as people look forward to enjoying the great weather, longer days, and their children’s time off school. It’s an exciting time for any business, but there are also greater pressures […]
Be the Jazz Musician: Improvise Your Way to a Higher ADR
The Average Daily Rate (ADR) is one of the key metrics to measure the performance of a hotel. Because rooms are priced differently depending on their size, location, and amenities, the ADR (room revenue divided by the rooms sold) helps you understand how much rent is generated by each room on average. Your ADR will fluctuate […]
It’s Time to Get Personal: Delighting Guests with Individualized Experiences
Ever since the introduction of Big Data, individualized experiences have become the new status quo. Advertisements online highlight products we’ve previously shown interest in, video streaming services suggest content catered to our tastes and preferences, and google searches return results that reflect our location and online history. Personalization is no longer a perk; It’s a convenience […]
Micro-Moments: The Future of Digital Marketing
American consumers spend an average of five hours a day on their smartphone. These powerful devices provide us with constant connection and instant access to the entirety of human knowledge. So, it’s no surprise that the prominent role they now play has fundamentally changed the way we relate to the world around us. And that includes how we […]
4 Considerations for Choosing the Right OTAs
Online travel agencies (OTAs) have taken the hospitality industry by storm. What began as a platform for selling excess inventory when demand was low, has grown to dominate the entire booking landscape. Today, the majority of reservations worldwide are made via these online platforms, which makes OTAs an essential component of all lodging operators’ distribution […]
A Hotelier’s Guide to Valentine’s Day
Ever feel like you’re in a marketing rut? It can be challenging to find new and exciting ways to connect with customers and improve your bottom line. Fortunately, there are moments sprinkled throughout the year that offer unique opportunities to mix things up: Holidays! Whether it’s New Year’s Day, Easter or Halloween, public holidays are […]
How to Sell Hotel Rooms Without Offering Discounts
Slashing room rates can feel like an obvious and easy solution to a decline in bookings. However, your marketing strategy should not appear obvious or easy. Low prices invite the idea ‘you get what you pay for’ and discounted rates can indicate a hotel-in-trouble. For many, price determines quality, and price is likely to determine […]
Pricing 101: A Guide for Independent Hoteliers
One of the most challenging things for hoteliers is determining how to price inventory. Charging too much will deter customers and increase vacancy, while charging too little can significantly undercut your revenue. It’s not an easy problem to tackle, and there are a few different approaches that can be taken. Here’s a quick overview of […]
Marketing 101: A Guide for Independent Hoteliers
There are a lot of moving parts to juggle when running a hotel. From property maintenance to managing staff to ensuring guest satisfaction, it’s easy to spend all your time attending to on-site matters. While it’s obviously critical to ensure a quality experience at your hotel, you won’t have any guests to impress if you’re […]
Choosing a Loyalty Program that Works for Independent Hotels
In an effort to land repeat customers (and increase direct bookings), loyalty programs are one of the most effective strategies out there. A study by Cornell University found that guests book 50% more rooms each year when they are involved in a loyalty program. That’s a lot of extra revenue! Traditionally, these programs were the […]
A Hoteliers Guide to Targeting Millennials
People have a lot to say about Millennials—some of it flattering, some of it less so. But whatever your opinion about Generation Y (born in the ’80s and ’90s) they’re one that cannot be ignored by marketers in any industry. Now outnumbering baby boomers, and aging into financial independence, Millennials have become a powerful cohort […]
Know Thyself (Thy Guests, and Thy Community): How to Increase Midweek Hotel Bookings
The adage of knowledge being the key to success holds true even – or especially – for increasing your number of midweek bookings. Midweek travelers are likely to be retired or traveling for business; they could hold unconventional jobs (freelancers or hotel and restaurant staff, like yourself) whose ‘weekends’ occur midweek, or they could just […]
Beat Your Competition this Busy Season
Here in the north the days are warming up, travelers are planning their summer vacations, and accommodation providers are eagerly anticipating more guests. But along with higher occupancy comes more pressure and strain on property staff — the high season can be an exciting but stressful time! With increasing competition in the hotel industry, it’s […]
Innovative Hotel Digital Marketing Campaigns to Inspire Us
In a digitally saturated world of marketing, traditional advertising campaigns just aren’t cutting it anymore. Promotional messages come at consumers from all angles — on social media, search engines, websites, YouTube videos, mobile apps, emails, TV, text messages — and consumers are becoming adept at tuning them out. To cut through the noise, brands must […]
5 Ways to Turn OTA Lookers into Direct Bookers
There’s no denying that OTAs pack a powerful punch when it comes to online bookings. OTAs like Booking.com and Expedia have a potent arsenal of cutting-edge technology and massive marketing budgets behind their very successful distribution strategies; they boast online omnipresence with global consumer reach and seamless online bookings. While lodging operators understandably begrudge OTA […]
