How to Make Your Hotel World Cup Ready!

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  • Is your property taking advantage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup? 
  • Is your hotel soccer-savvy?
  • Would guests choose your venue to watch a soccer game?

If your answers to any of these questions was “no, or not sure” then this article is for you!

Why should you care about the World Cup ?

It’s the biggest sporting event in the world

First of all, even though it’s dwarfed by football, basketball and baseball here in the United States, soccer is the world’s most popular sport, and the World Cup is by far soccer’s biggest event!

This international competition only comes around once every four years and draws millions of viewers.

And even though it’s not nearly as celebrated here, soccer is definitely increasing in popularity in the U.S..  In fact, the World Cup Final  from four years ago was actually the most watched soccer game in American history.

It brings business

This year Brazil is hosting the  World Cup and visitors to the country are expected to spend over $800 million in hospitality.

But even hotel’s outside of Brazil can take advantage of the World Cup’s hype.

Even casual fans who don’t watch soccer won’t be able to resist checking out some of the games even if it’s just for the novelty. Plus plenty of die-hard soccer fans will be looking for a place to watch while traveling.

How to prepare?

Yes, the month-long event starts next week, but it shouldn’t take long to go from “What soccer game ?” to  “Oí, árbitro! Cadê o penalty?” 

Plus it’s never too late to catch World Cup fever!

1. Have Viewing Parties 

Investing some time and money into having a game-watching event is a great way to encourage guests to choose your bar, restaurant or even lobby as their soccer venue of choice.

It doesn’t have to be  anything extravagant, just include some basics that enhance the experience. Here are some ideas: 

  • Food and drink specials
  • Raffles and prizes
  • Decorations (more on this below)
  • Promotions
2. Provide a schedule of game times 

Letting guests know exactly when the games are on is critical. If you cater mostly to domestic travelers you may want to start by only providing a schedule of when team USA is playing.

Properties with more international clientele will probably want to include a full schedule. Don’t forget to convert time zones! Some ways to make guests aware of game time:

  • Pamphlets or small paper menus
  • Posters
  • Turn Down cards
3. Socialize

Like any sporting event, the World Cup will generate plenty of social media activity. Here are some basic guidelines to posting about the World Cup. 

  • Promote your viewing events
  • Post interesting facts about the World Cup
  • Use popular hashtags specific to the event
  • Mention and incorporate the social media accounts of teams

Some popular hashtags 

  • #worldcup
  • #brazil2014
  • #FIFA
  • #Fifaworldcup

4. Create an Environment of Excitement 

With all of these techniques it’s important to have the right mindset. Try to get excited about the event and it will be reflected in your efforts.

That being said, there are some specific things you can do to make sure you’re property looks and feels like  it knows soccer.

Adding soccer-themed decorations can be a simple way to create the right atmosphere

  • Put a soccer ball on the front desk
  • Purchase some soccer jerseys to hang up somewhere
  • Have collateral or menus specially designed to incorporate a World Cup theme.

Make a cheat-sheet for your staff.  

Starting with a  basic schedule of what game is on when, who’s-who lists or some soccer terminology is an easy way to make your staff more knowledgeable.

Just knowing the basics could go a long way in terms of making guests happy, especially for die-hard soccer fans!

5. Sell your Entire Hotel to a Corporate Sponsor?

Okay this isn’t a realistic solution for most hotels. We just thought it was interesting that a Brazilian hotel is entirely branded by Budweiser in honor of the World Cup.

Do you have ideas about how to prepare for the World Cup? Let us know in the comment section below! 

 

 

5 Hotel websites that will make you rethink what a hotel website should look like

You know what a hotel’s website is supposed to look like, right?

Even if you can’t draw one from memory you’ll probably recognize it when you see it.

Well… maybe not.

Here are 5 hotel websites with unique styles that might change how you look at web design in the hospitality industry. 

Ace Hotel 

Ace Hotel We really like the layout and feel of this site. Each destination moves when your mouse hovers over it, creating the appearance of physical pictures. It’s definitely something potential guests will remember.

Kimpton Hotels 

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Kimpton’s design is a little more typical of contemporary hotel sites. What makes theirs stand out though  is the use of a  pastel color palette combined with a clean, modern looking interface.

 Little Palm Island

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An interesting trend in web design is the use of large, high quality pictures to form the basis of a site’s homepage. Little Palm Island exemplifies that style. Their site uses several different images that fill up the entire browser.

Charles Hotel

Screen Shot 2014-05-30 at 1.44.41 PMThe Charles Hotel also capitalizes on the “fill up the browser with a beautiful picture trend.” The photo on their homepage does a great job of conveying feelings of welcome and sophistication. And the thin font used for their hotel’s name gives this site a memorable style.

Morgan’s Hotel Group

Screen Shot 2014-05-30 at 1.44.22 PMMorgan’s Hotel Group  has a site that might take a few looks before you realize what it’s for. The use of color and typography inside of their four squares gives this site an artistic and modern feel.

What’s your favorite hotel website? Let us know in our comment section below.

 

Get the most out of your marketing partner with these 6 simple tips.

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Like ballroom dancing and bridge, in order to be successful in marketing you need to learn how to work with your partner.

In over 20 years of experience we’ve dealt with all kinds of clients, and we’ve noticed some habits that result in the most productive relationships.  Here are 6 ways to get more out of your marketing partner!

6. Tell us what you want

Like most things in business communication is key. It sounds too simple but just telling us what you want right off the bat can make a world of difference.

Focus on being direct and open with your marketing partner. Explain exactly what you have in mind. The sooner we understand the whole picture of what you’re trying to do the sooner we can get to work on it!

5. Share your budget

Firms aren’t going to rip you off if you share your budget with them. (If you think you’re getting ripped off, it’s probably time to find a new partner anyway).

Don’t be afraid to show your hand and let your partner know exactly what limitations they have. When both parties have the same information, things can progress more quickly then if you leave your marketing partner in the dark.

4. Use the right communication tool

In today’s world there are so many ways to get a hold of someone deciding how to do it can be overwhelming!

Here’s a quick rule of thumb for picking the best method of communication. 

Phone: For when you need to talk things through. Maybe you need to discuss a concept you’re unsure of or simply need more consulting.

Email: For detailed items and things you need to keep a paper trail for.

3. Remember the golden rule

Treat your marketing partner the way you would want to be treated.

Sometimes it’s best to  try and see things from the other guys point of view.  Remember that your project probably isn’t the only one they’ve got on their plate.  We all have bad days. Just remember that your marketing partner will make mistakes and not be perfect 100% of the time, just like you!

2. Let us have an opinion

Why did you hire a marketing firm in the first place?Take advantage of our expertise and experience by listening to our opinion. That doesn’t mean that we should have the final say in all aspects of a project (see number 6), but remember that we’ve done this before!

1. Go ahead, challenge us

Marketing folks thrive for challenges and don’t mind a tough deadline. If you have a project that seems unreasonable or there isn’t enough time don’t be afraid to bring it up. Your marketing partner might welcome the challenge. But, don’t take fake a hard deadline to get your project prioritized for no reason (see number 3).

Do you need a marketing partner? Connect with us on LinkedIn and learn about our hospitality marketing solutions. 

Will 3D Printing Revolutionize Marketing?

3D printed promotional objects

Earlier this week we toured  America Makes, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, located in Youngstown, Ohio.

Additive manufacturing is also known as 3D printing. Users tell a machine to print based on a 3D in the virtual space and out comes a finished piece. The printers range from desktop models about the size of a home inkjet printer to larger industrial grade machines the size of a closet. The types of materials being used for models ranges anywhere from plastic to stainless steel.

Right now this technology is mostly being used to create custom parts for the manufacturing industry. Being able to fix or make new machinery based on built-to-spec parts is really useful, but we are more excited about the creative applications.

So… what’s this go to do with Marketing?

After seeing a 3D printer in action earlier this year we realized this technology could have a really cool place in Marketing.

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Promotional items such as luggage tags, business card holders and logos are just a few example of how this technology can be used in Marketing. Really anything that can be created in 3 dimensions in the virtual space can be brought to life! 

Yes, plastic promotional items have been around forever,  but 3D printing means these items can be produced with a much higher level of customization and creativity. Most importantly, 3D printing is cost effective for small scale projects where you may only need 50 to 100 items.

Various 3D printed models; human foot, ball bearings.

Our speciality is in hospitality and hotels brands will certainly be able to make use of this technology. Imagine a hotel lobby with a 3D printed custom chess set based on their logo, or a 3D printed menu shaped like a fork.

3D printed electrong diagram

Another amazing feature of 3D printing is the quality and level of design detail that can be replicated in a physical object. This piece was designed and sold artist, Johsua Harker. Notice the fine lines and detail in the wings and skull.

photo 4There’s no doubt that additive manufacturing is a world-changing technology. It is  in a position to change the way manufacturing works and will have a big influence on industry in the United States.

Will it revolutionize marketing though? Right now it’s hard to say. Like any technological advance it all depends on the people using it. One thing’s for sure ,3D printing is going to allow creative people to do some really interesting things

Hopefully we will have some 3D printed works added to our portfolio soon! If you’re interested in using 3D printed marketing materials for your brand please email us at info@mcconnellmarketing.com

Special thanks to America Makes for giving us a tour! Definitely check them out if you want to learn more about 3D printing. 

3 Ways Hotel Marketers can get better at Mobile

Getting Better at mobile

How often do you check your phone? A few times an hour? A few time a minute?

Like it or not, addictive mobile devices have become an important part of our daily lives.

Which is why hotel marketers need a great mobile presence.

Mobile is no longer a side dish; it’s quickly becoming the main course in terms of how people experience the Internet. In an article from hotelmarketing.com CEO of Pegasus Solutions David Millilli says mobile “has become a must for generating revenue.”

Guests aren’t just reading articles and skimming reviews either.  They are using their phones and tablets to actually book rooms. In 2013 booking.com’s mobile site had 260% more online bookings than the previous year. In  2012 bookings through mobile sources accounted for 7% of total online bookings, that number is a twelve fold increase from 2010.

Here are three ways any hotel can improve their online presence.

1. Optimize sites for mobile

If your site isn’t optimized for mobile you’re going to annoy plenty of would-be customers. Though mobile devices can navigate regular pages fine, the overall experience isn’t very good.  Full websites designed to be viewed on large displays simply don’t translate well to a tiny phone screen. Make sure that when viewers see the mobile site it’s an easy to navigate, clean and simple style.

2. Get an app

A lot of major brands have been in the news for developing apps recently. W-Hotels, Marriot, Mandarin Oriental and The Ritz-Carlton Hotels are just a few of the brands to have custom developed apps. Apps are great for a few reasons. One, custom designed apps are usually a more user-friendly experience than a mobile website. Apps also have the ability to increase brand loyalty, since the user downloads the app and will see it regularly it’s a great branding tactic.

3. Get better at social

Social media is one area that is quickly becoming more and more popular on mobile devices. In fact a 2013 survey by Adobe found that 71% of social media site users used a mobile device to access these sites. More and more users are using their phones and tablets to check their social sites. Being good at social media means being aware of how your users are consuming it.

Are you a master of mobile? Did we leave anything out? Give us your favorite strategies for having a better presence in the online space in our comment section below!