Tag Archive for: Content Marketing

,

Unlocking the Power of Personalization in Hospitality

Businessman in suit looking at phone, checking into hotel

 

Businessman in suit looking at phone, checking into hotel


With more consumers looking for personalized experiences in hospitality, the industry is leaning heavily on tailored travel to attract guests. From big players like Booking.com and Choice Hotels to smaller boutique establishments, focusing on creating bespoke vacations is becoming the industry standard.

Take Booking.com’s last two major ads: the Tina Fey Super Bowl ad which showcased the agency’s ability to book trips for any person’s vacation alter ego, and the Melissa McCarthy ad from last year that depicted her enjoying various types of vacations, highlighting the agency’s ability to fulfill all travelers’ needs. Additionally, Choice Hotels’ ad featuring Keegan-Michael Key highlighted the variety of hotel experiences you can choose from when you book with one of the company’s 22 brands.

But how can smaller hotels and travel agencies compete with the big players? Here are some ways to convey the same message to your audience without splurging on celebrity endorsements:


Local Experiences

Partnering with your city to offer guest experiences specific to your location. Whether it’s guided tours of historical sites, discounted museum tickets in art-rich cities, or culinary classes in food meccas, offer guests a taste of what it’s like to live like a local.


Collaborate with Ride Share Companies

Creating partnerships with transportation companies allows you to provide guests with perks as soon as they land. Try offering discounted or complimentary pick-up and drop-off services. This enhances their travel experience and puts you at the forefront of their mind before they even arrive at your hotel.


Rewards Beyond Stays

Instead of offering loyalty points to go towards next time’s stay, offer guests points to put towards local activities. Encouraging your guests to explore the area fosters a relationship between the guest and your city, encouraging them to make a repeat visit and book another stay with you.


Utilize Data and Surveys

Data analytics and guest surveys allow you to determine guests’ wants and needs during their time with you. Pre-arrival surveys are useful to plan personalized welcomes, while post-stay surveys provide useful information for future stays.

By embracing personalized experiences in hospitality, hotels and travel agencies can leverage their offerings to gain a multitude of benefits. Enhanced guest satisfaction fosters a sense of loyalty with guests as they feel understood and valued by you. Additionally, this can be an avenue for increased revenue opportunities to upsell amenities and experiences based on individual preferences. Gathering this information also allows for more targeted marketing campaigns based on your customer’s needs, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates.

Personalized travel is not a fleeting trend, it is a strategy for success in the hospitality industry. Offering tailored experiences allows hotels and travel agencies to differentiate themselves, focus on guest satisfaction, and in the end, get more bookings. Whether you are a boutique hotel or a local travel agency, don’t convince yourself that guest personalization is outside of your budget. It’s time to unlock the power of personalized travel and treat your guests to an unforgettable experience.

When it comes to marketing your hotel’s newest loyalty program, McConnell Marketing is here to help! Contact us today or call us at 330-286-0487 to get started. Also, don’t forget to follow us on all of our social platforms. Stay up to date on our monthly newsletters, full of more helpful tips and tricks!

,

Brand New: 5 Signs You Need to Rebrand

Team brainstorming at table under lightbulb

Team brainstorming at table under lightbulb


Maintaining a strong brand presence is essential for success with how quickly the world moves now. Your brand is more than the logo; it’s your mission, values, and image. But with times changing so quickly, it’s easy to get swept up in the crowd. If you’re not seeing the results you want, it may be time to assess if your branding is still communicating who you are to your audience. Here are 5 signs that it may be time for a rebrand.


Your look feels outdated

Trends come and go. What once made you stand out, may be the same things that are making you blend in with everyone else. If your branding doesn’t resonate with your target audience, then it may be time for a different look. A logo refresh or modified color palette can go a long way in making your brand feel more relevant.


There are inconsistencies across platforms

For your company to have brand recognition, you need to have a consistent image in all spaces you are in. If your Instagram and your website look like they were made by two completely different people, you may be confusing your customers. A cohesive brand will help customers recognize and build trust with your brand.


You’re trying to connect to a new audience

Spending power is constantly changing hands, which means you need to be constantly changing who you appeal to. What Gen Z likes is far from what their parents like. A rebrand is a great way to show potential audiences that you align with their needs and preferences. Additionally, where you connect will be different, are you on the right platform for your target audience?


You’ve outgrown your branding

One of the better reasons to change up your look is that you’re simply bigger than you once were! The good news is that you don’t need to leave behind all of your new practices. Some things worked to get you where you are. This is a great time to lean into your strengths and leave the rest behind to continue towards growth.


You aren’t getting the recognition you expected

Sometimes things aren’t done right the first time. While it might be frustrating to start from scratch, it’s better to nip it in the bud. Finding an agency that knows which questions to ask is the best way to get a brand that speaks to audiences in your voice.


Your brand is the foundation of your business. And like everything else in life, it will change with time. If anything on this list sounds like your brand, now is the perfect time to reach out to us. Call us at 330-286-0487 to get started. For more tips like this, follow us on all of our social platforms and subscribe to our our monthly newsletters.

,

The Curious Case of the Missing 13th Floor

Hotel elevator lobby

Hotel elevator lobby


If you’re staying at a hotel in the U.S. the chances that you will be sleeping on the 13th floor are pretty slim. Well at least it won’t be called the 13th floor. Most hotels will label the unlucky floor as 14 to provide guests with some ease of mind. This omission is also common in hotels around the world. Fear of the number 13 has found its way into many aspects of our lives, including architecture and hospitality. Let’s take a look at the mystery of the missing floor!

Rooted in Superstition
Triskaidekaphobia is the reason behind this common practice; the fear or avoidance of the number 13 has ancient roots. While there’s no specific origin for this fear, there are a few examples that solidify its connection to bad luck and misfortune.

Judas being the 13th guest at the Last Supper, the Norse legend of Loki causing chaos as the 13th attendee at a party in Valhalla, Tarot cards depicting the 13th card as the Death card… makes some question is there is enough coincidence to justify the fear?

Even in modern times, this fear persists. It has been estimated that up to $900M is lost on Friday the 13th since people will not fly or conduct business as they normally do.

The Missing Floor
Hotels have embraced skipping the 13th floor to cater to guests that have triskaidekaphobia. Some notable examples are Hotel Burnham in Chicago, The Essex House in NYC, and The Sherry-Netherland in NYC. The latter takes it a step further and skips the number 13 in all room numbers.

Yet, skipping this floor didn’t begin in hotels. The first New York City skyscrapers built were limited to 12 floors in the late 1800s. Developers and architects believed taller buildings would cast unsightly shadows on the streets below. This may not have been directly related to fear, and the idea was abandoned a couple decades later.

Mowrey Elevators says that 85% of the elevator panels they produce do not have a 13th floor, with hotels opting to label it as 12B or 14.

Exceptions to the Norm
Not all hotels skip the 13th floor, treat the number as all others. The Hilton Chicago, Marriott Marquis in Houston, and Renaissance New York Times Square all include the 13th floor in their building plans and elevator panels.

For some hotels, marketing plays a role in choosing to include or omit the 13th floor. Catering to guests who indulge in superstitions or enjoy the thrill of the unknown can create a unique selling point. For most hotels, it’s a matter of common sense; why risk losing guests and business over a number in an elevator panel?

The superstition surrounding the number 13 continues to intrigue us. Whether rooted in ancient mythology or religious stories, the avoidance of this “unlucky” floor is a testament to the power of superstition. So the next time you get into the elevator and notice the missing 13th floor, just remember that hotels took one extra step to help make you feel more comfortable during your stay.


If you or your business needs help with your marketing efforts, contact us at 330-286-0487 to get started. Also, don’t forget to follow us on all of our social platforms. Stay up to date on our monthly newsletters, full of more helpful tips and tricks!

,

Peachy Prospects: Embracing 2024’s Color of the Year

Peachy Prospects: Embracing 2024's Color of the Year
Peachy Prospects: Embracing 2024's Color of the Year


Laurie Pressman, VP of Pantone, says that the inspiration for the Color of the Year is everywhere.

We may only be 9 days into 2024, but one thing is certain; this year is going to be peachy. At least according to the Pantone Color Institute, who announced in December that the Color of the Year for 2024 is Peach Fuzz. If you’re wondering how to use this campaign to your advantage, McConnell Marketing has some tips and tricks for you!

History of Color of the Year

Pantone announced their very first Color of the Year in 2000. Pantone 15-4020, better known as Cerulean Blue, was the shade of the new millennium. While the Color of the Year didn’t immediately catch on, as the world shifted more online, Pantone has unofficially become a trendsetter in more than just the graphic design industry. Cell phones, interior paint colors and the runway all turn to Pantone for inspiration on new shades of products.


“Anything and everything taking place in our culture during the year can influence our Pantone Color of the Year selections, with each source carrying a different weight from year to year depending on what’s taking place in our culture at that time.”


A decade ago, tech did not have a huge role in choosing a shade, however things have shifted gears. “Gaming, social media, augmented and virtual reality, and physical design itself are all influenced by our technology and the colors we can access in the digital environment,” she continues.


The sentiment for this year’s color was something we instinctively search for as humans; unity.

“In seeking a hue that echoes our innate yearning for closeness and connections, we chose a color radiant with warmth and modern elegance. A shade that resonates with compassion, offers a tactile embrace and effortlessly bridges the youthful with the timeless,”

Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of Pantone


How to Use Peach Fuzz

So how are some brands embracing the warm fuzzies this year? Polaroid is releasing instant film packs with a Peach Fuzz border, Motorola has announced 2 limited edition phones in the color and UltraFabrics released interior color palettes and virtual campaigns that show customers how to tie Peach Fuzz into their homes. Three very different companies in very different industries (along with so many others) are leaning into the Color of the Year with limited collections that tie into emotional marketing with the meaning behind Peach Fuzz.


Social media campaigns that feature established trends are easy to adopt. Here are a few ways you can use Peach Fuzz. Try these by themselves or combine them:

  • A cross-platform social media campaign – A few photos featuring the Color of the Year and sharing stores of how your company has brought people together and embraced connection.

  • Temporary Rebrand – Change your social media profile photos to a shade of Peach Fuzz for a week or two.

  • Product Mockups – Turn one (or some) of your products Peach! Just for fun of course; this is a more affordable way to join the big global companies without actually redesigning your product.

  • Interactive Campaign – Include a hashtag and interact with posts to foster your community. Invite your audience to share stories of what it means to connect with the people around you.

As with any campaign, analyze your performance and discuss what could have been done better and plan for next year.


The great thing about Pantone’s Color of the Year is that it occurs annually and is a great way to get more engagement. While we don’t know 2025’s shade, using your Peach Fuzz campaign as a template can get you ahead of the curve when the announcement comes.


If you or your business needs help with your marketing efforts, contact us at 330-286-0487 to get started. Also, don’t forget to follow us on all of our social platforms. Stay up to date on our monthly newsletters, full of more helpful tips and tricks!

The Power of Podcasting in Hotel Marketing

The Next Big Thing…

It’s nearly impossible to predict but it’s sure fun to try. Well, we recently came across an article from Skift claiming that podcasting could be the next big thing in content marketing and we can’t help but agree, especially in the context of hospitality marketing!

What’s a Podcast?

Wikipedia defines a podcast as: “an episodic series of digital media files which a user can set up so that new episodes are automatically downloaded via web syndication…” But a simpler way to think of it  is a radio program you can download at any time and listen to on a mobile device.

Podcast programming covers a wide range of content, from music based shows, to long form narratives like the recently popular “serial” podcast. Some are even just re-published versions of actual live radio shows, like the Dan Patrick Show podcast.

Audio > Video

There are a million stats out there about the incredible popularity of video in today’s digital marketing world. We even did a blog article recently specifically focusing on Facebook Live, but audio content like podcasts has some unique value that video can’t match.

#1) It’s easier to consume–  the biggest advantage of pure audio content like podcasts are the ability to multi-task. You can listen to a podcast while doing other things like exercising, doing yard work or driving. It’s a very convenient way to consume information.

#2) It’s easier to produce – While video requires lighting, shot selection and good audio, podcasting requires much less moving pieces. All you need is a decent microphone and some know-how.

And sure, the podcasting audience pales in comparison when put up against video but it isn’t exactly small either. Over 35 million people listened to podcasts weekly in 2016!

How to start a podcast at your hotel

Adding a podcast to your content mix can be pretty simple. It mostly involves buying a decent microphone, learning to use audio editing software (which there are plenty of free options for) and creating compelling content for your audience.

For the more technical side of recording,  editing and publishing your podcast, this article from Lifehacker is a great resource to start. However, for advice on  developing content keep reading!

Treat it as part of your overall strategy

If you’re at all familiar with the rules of content marketing, you can apply the same concepts and strategy to podcasting that you’d use for any other piece of content. If you’re not familiar with the ideas behind content marketing  be sure to check out our earlier posts about the topic.

Basically, don’t view podcasting as a separate entity, view it as another tool for implementing your overall content marketing strategy! That being said, here are some hotel specific content ideas to get you started in podcasting:

Content Ideas

Interviews

Interviews take the pressure off of needing to be a compelling speaker for an extended period of time. Find some interesting people in your hotel and just have a conversation. For example you can ask your chef about his favorite dish or  you can ask your group sales director what makes your hotel such a great destination for groups and meetings.

Be an audio concierge

Having local expertise is valuable, talking about the best places to eat, local attractions and the most interesting nightlife locations can be great content for a first time visitor.

Repurpose other content

Use old blogs, infographics or videos as outlines for your podcast. You can translate a blog into a podcast script by using the main points as topics to elaborate on. You can do the same thing with an infographic!

Tell your story 

If you’re a boutique or historic hotel explaining your history could be a compelling podcast episode. Think about the fascinating tidbits that you’d tell guests about on a tour and use that to form a podcast.

Even if podcasting isn’t “The Next Big Thing” It’s still an exciting content format that’s worth looking in to!

Want blog content and more directly to your inbox? Sign up for our email list  for hotel marketing news, industry tips and insights sent to your inbox every month.