Direct Bookings
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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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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,…
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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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Ten questions hotels need to ask to tackle China as a source market
Most hotels in the region are exhaling a collective sigh of relief as China opens its borders and eliminates quarantine requirements. Any hotelier who is serious about taking on this market must ask the following questions to assess their readiness and develop a strategy. Do I go after this market myself, or do I leave it to OTAs and other agents? What proportion of business should come online versus offline? Do I really need a discounted rate or an offer? Will it leak outside of the Chinese market if I do? What has changed in China in terms of digital marketing post-pandemic? How can I reactivate my Baidu, WeChat, Meituan,…
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Top five elements influencing conversion rates on your hotel website or app
There are various outside elements that determine how well your website or booking engine converts visitors into bookings. I'd say that most of the convincing happens before guests even come to your website. However, once they are on the booking engine, the following are the most important considerations:✅ Pricing is by far the most important consideration. You convert more if you have the "best rate guarantee" (BRG) and your rates are better or the same as elsewhere online.✅ Choices: More guests will book when the options for accommodation types, pricing, and packages are balanced.✅ Visuals: It helps if you can include a hero shot as well as links to the…
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Four unconventional strategies to boost your RevPAR
Some strategies may look like discounts or freebies, but if you use them well, they could help you make more revenue overall. The following recommendations are intended for independent properties and small chains. If you have a high number of loyalty program guests, there may be less room for these tactics.💡 Upsell at a discount: Unless you expect to be completely booked, you can offer some guests the option to upgrade to the next category at a discounted rate. You free up more lead in rooms that may sell well in general and sell higher categories that may remain vacant.💡 Upgrade direct guests: If they paid full price, they will…
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Don't post anything until you've answered these questions
Most hotels and businesses are preoccupied with what they want to sell and say. They scarcely pause to ask, "Is this what the customer wants?" If you do not answer the following questions before posting any content, you are doing it incorrectly. (website, social media, a blog, email, advertising, and a press release) What issues or pain points are you addressing for your guests? How does it express your brand and unique selling points? Do you address them as individuals? What would you think of the material if you were the guest? What do you want the visitor to do after viewing the content? The more questions you can confidently…
