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Mastering Hotel Marketing: A New GM’s Guide to Commercial Success
Stepping into a GM or marketing/commercial leadership role? It can be daunting to get started. What is important is to get the basics right. Here’s your roadmap to navigating the complex world of hospitality marketing and driving revenue growth. Talent: Assemble Your Marketing A-Team 👥 Assess current team structure and identify skill gaps Consider partnering with specialized agencies for training and niche expertise Top Tip: Be bold: Invest in experienced, albeit pricier, talent for key roles Content: Craft a Destination-Driven Narrative 📸 Audit existing content across all channels Collaborate with local attractions and influencers to amplify your narrative Top Tip: Develop a story that intertwines your property with the destination’s…
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Recipe for Disaster? Why Standardising Marketing Can Spoil Your Hotel’s Success
We all know the power of a well-oiled hotel operation. Standardised procedures ensure spotless rooms, efficient check-in, and that perfect breakfast – the hallmarks of a reliable guest experience. It’s the magic formula behind that delicious chocolate chip cookie you crave on every stay. But hold on a minute before you try to bottle that operational magic and apply it to your marketing. The world of hotel marketing is a vibrant ecosystem that thrives on constant adaptation. Here, the marketing team morphs like a chameleon, crafting dynamic social media campaigns, irresistible seasonal packages, and targeted adverts that resonate with specific demographics. The plot twist? Success demands both consistency and change.…
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Blind Spots! Top Hotel Marketing Mistakes You Might Be Making
Chatting with GMs, revenue managers, and marketing folks across the industry, I’ve noticed some common marketing blunders hotels keep making. Let’s dive in and see if any of these ring a bell for you! 𝟭. 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 👤 Not sure who your ideal guest is? This is a big one! Think families, business travelers, or maybe adventure seekers? Knowing this will help you target your marketing with laser focus. 𝟮. 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 🛢️ Marketing shouldn’t be an island. It needs to work hand-in-hand with your overall distribution, revenue management and other strategies. Are you on the same page?…
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The Five Levels Hotels Need to Climb to Master CRM!
Did you know only 26% of hotels globally use a CRM? That’s a huge missed opportunity! CRM isn’t just for big brands; it’s a powerful tool for independent hotels and smaller chains to boost revenue and guest satisfaction. Imagine: 👉🏻 Email marketing that pays for itself (ROI of 20-50 or more) 👉🏻 Increased revenue from upselling, cross-selling, and repeat business 👉🏻 Guests feeling truly valued with personalised experiences Here’s your step-by-step starter guide to mastering CRM: Level 1: Start Simple ➡️ Collect guest emails from bookings and check-in. ➡️ Send targeted email offers and promotions. (permission based) Level 2: Personalise Your Approach ➡️ Use PMS to gather guest preferences (room…
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What revenue managers (often) get wrong about hotel marketing?
𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘆𝗲-𝘁𝗼-𝗲𝘆𝗲? Through years dealing with many, I’ve come across a few misconceptions. Let’s break them down! 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁! ️📈 It used to be that we struggled to measure the impact of marketing efforts. Now, with the right tools, you can see exactly how marketing campaigns influence bookings and revenue. 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗥! 📢 Public Relations are great for brand awareness, but marketing goes beyond press releases. It’s about creating compelling content, targeted ads, and building a strong online presence to attract the right guests. 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀! 🎯 Sure,…
- Hospitality Industry, Hotel Marketing, Hotel Technology, Productivty and Time Management, Uncategorized
War and Hospitality: Why Great Hotels Share Similarities (But Struggle in Unique Ways)
Leo Tolstoyan wrote, “All happy families are alike, but each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way” Well, the same goes for hotels. The successful ones all seem to nail a similar set of things: 🟢 Dream Team: Strong leadership, a collaborative crew, and everyone’s on the same page. 🟢 Marketing Magic: Knowing who you’re trying to reach and using the right channels to get there. 🟢 Distribution Dynasty: Striking a balance between getting your name out there and keeping prices fair. 🟢 Guest Gems: A focus on a diverse, sustainable guest mix and making sure every stay is stellar. 🟢 Retention Revolution: Building loyalty programs and keeping the…
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Social Media Myths Some Hotels Believe In
Social media has become a cornerstone of hotel marketing, but are we always using it wisely? In my years working in hospitality marketing, I’ve noticed some persistent myths that can lead us astray. Let’s take a moment to unpack these misconceptions and get real about what social media can (and can’t) do for our properties. 🌟”I reach all my followers when I post” Reality check: On average, only 2-7% of your followers will see your organic posts. 🌟”Gaining fans and followers should be a key KPI” Think again: Engagement and your business goals are what truly matters! 🌟”Social media is all the marketing I need” Not quite: While…
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Stop Throwing Money Away! 5 Direct Booking Mistakes Costing You Big
Historically, most independent properties and small chains relied on third parties to deliver business to them. Many are still behind the curve, relying too heavily on third parties and OTAs. Don’t let your hotel fall into these common traps: ⛔𝗢𝗧𝗔𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗼𝗻: Max Starkov recently pointed out in a post that OTAs on average spend 250 USD per hotel per month at the most. The more money they make from you, the more powerful you are making them against you. ⛔𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: Having a user-friendly website with a robust booking engine that is being fed qualified traffic to strategic digital marketing spend…
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Rethinking Everything: What ‘Think Again’ Taught Me About Hospitality Leadership
I just finished this eye-opening book called ‘Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know’ by Adam Grant.’ It got me thinking about how we approach leadership in hospitality. You know how our industry is all about processes and control, right? Well, this book really challenges that mindset. It made me realize that maybe we’re being a bit too rigid in a world that’s constantly throwing curveballs at us. Grant drops some real truth bombs in this book. Check these out: 👉🏼“Confirmation bias: seeing what we expect to see. The other is desirability bias: seeing what we want to see.” 👉🏼“Most of us take pride in our…
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Is hospitality a lousy employer?
*Trigger warning - this post contains potentially upsetting content*Is hospitality a lousy employer?A colleague recently lamented that none of Thailand's top 50 employers of choice are in the hotel business (link in the description). This came as a surprise given that hospitality is one of the main industries in this tourism-driven country.There may be bias in the selection of samples, and the ownership and business structure of a hotel corporation may make it difficult to think of it as a single major employer. Still, there are systemic and historical problems with the hospitality industry that may make one hesitant to recommend hotels as good places to work. Here are the key…
