The Seven Deadly Sins of Hotel Marketing
If you haven’t done so already, it’s time to start thinking about how you are going to make this year different. Based on my experience helping hotels around the world with their strategic planning needs, I believe that marketing remains an area for significant budgetary improvements. Here is my version of the ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ as a quick message for what to do and what to avoid during this sometimes-turbulent process.
Pride: Do not ask your DoM or DoSM to produce a multi-tabbed, hundred-page marketing manuscript. Rather, call for a document that is a useful working tool for the business. Define appropriate strategies for each segment of the marketplace, and once these are set, adhere to them for the entire year, modifying tactics as necessary and readdressing only if dire circumstances intervene.
Sloth: Make sure your team does their homework and reviews what worked and what did not work the previous year. Ask the question: how can we learn from past mistakes and not repeat them ever again? Strategically plan digital purchases; do not aim to just buy remnants. Rather, work hard and strive to build a direct relationship with the audience by generating frequency with a selected medium.
Wrath: Don’t overanalyze everything that’s done by the marketing team. Look at campaigns instead of individual ads or events. Listen and reflect rather than acting impulsively from a reactionary standpoint.
Greed: Don’t increase rates without justification. Your guests will know when greed has set in, and they won’t be impressed. On the flipside, don’t aggressively increase occupancy targets without a prudent rationale. And above all, don’t illogically increase BOTH the rate and occupancy while reducing marketing funds.
Envy: Social media is a keystone. Don’t just pay lip service to the concept, but embrace it by responding to customers. There are so many ways to stand out and make an exceptional impact via these online channels. Be original in your thinking, not just a copycat of similar properties.
Lust: Once a budget is set, don’t create a “stretch budget” without rewarding the team that delivered that base budget plan. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, stick to the document you have and don’t overzealously fine-tune it while stalling execution. Focus on diligently marketing your property, directing your lust not at the budget itself but at your property’s exceptional aspects and the quality of its guest service.
Gluttony: Wean yourself off OTA activities and refocus on your digital presence, your supporters (real travel agents, Facebook fans, etc.), and the strength of your franchise.
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