Tag Archive for: Content Marketing

,

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.

Our 5 Favorite Takeaways From Doyo Live

Thanks to everyone who stopped by our table!

Last week we attended the first ever DOYO conference, a digital marketing conference that took place in our own backyard right here in Youngstown Ohio.

The conference brought together the region’s leading experts on digital marketing for a day of learning, dialogue and networking.

Here are some of our favorite points from DOYO Live 2016

1. Schedule Your Content Like a TV station 

TV Remote

There was plenty of talk about Content Marketing at the convention. In fact, the morning keynote speaker was Content Marketing Institute founder, Joe Pulizzi. One of Joe’s ideas that we found really interesting was that consistency is more important that frequency. Having a steady content schedule can actually develop an expectation with your audience.

13696758_1242542209099003_209366036_n(1)

A view of Joe Pulizzi’s keynote talk

So just like you tune-in to AMC every Sunday at 9pm to watch The Walking Dead your audience will learn to tune in at a certain time each week to consume your content.

 2. Be More Human With Social Listening 

Never forget that there are actual people behind those twitter accounts!

Never forget that there are actual people behind those twitter accounts!

In his session: “How to Win Big With Social Selling” Jeff Herman told an anecdote about how a prospective client shared her interest in being shot out of a cannon on her LinkedIn profile.

Jeff was then able to use that information in a subsequent conversation with the prospect to make a connection. Taking a few minutes to look on Linkedin enabled Jeff to come across as genuine, have an entertaining ice breaker and avoid being another typical shallow sales guy.

Moral of the story: people are putting valuable information about themselves online that we in the digital marketing community can use to build genuine relationships.

3. Video Is Where It’s At 

And you don't even need a camera like this one!

And you don’t even need a camera like this one!

Another point that came up in Jeff’s talk, as well as several other sessions, was the importance and ease of creation of video content.

Video is the best way to capture someone’s attention, it doesn’t require them to read a lengthy article and it simulates face to face contact that’s hard to replicate over the phone. There’s just something about someone seeing and hearing you that facilitates communication so much better.

And the nice thing is today it doesn’t take much equipment at all! Just check out this cool video note Jeff left us after the conference (shown above) it did not utilize a fancy production studio (in fact it was shot in a gym) but still makes a bigger impact than a text tweet or even this blog!

4. Being Successful at Content Marketing Takes Time… Lots of It! 

Close-up of a wrist watch

According to the Content Marketing Institute, 90% of companies are doing content marketing but only 30% say they are successful. Of course, most companies are eager to embrace content marketing as a strategy but few are able to implement it correctly.

One of the biggest reasons for this lack of success is that many businesses aren’t invested for the long haul. Businesses should be prepared to put in 1 year or more of content marketing work  before getting any real returns on their investment.

5. Depth Not Breadth

Pinpoint your niche and most effective

It’s better to focus on one target and nail it than miss several

With so many ways to create content and interact with an audience it’s tempting for companies to try their hand at everything, however digital marketing is a “less is more” endeavor.

Another theme presented at DOYO Live was the idea of narrowing efforts and trying to be successful on fewer platforms and media channels. For example, in his breakout session: “Essentials for Developing an Online Marketing Strategy” Gene Bonanno offered the advice that a company should only focus on optimizing SEO for one domain name, because most don’t have the resources or time to do proper SEO for more than one. A similar message came through in several other marketing presentations with the idea of focusing on fewer channels and fewer content types but doing them extremely well.

Did you attend DOYO Live? Tell us about your favorite part in our comments section below! 

 

Save

5 Tips for Better D.I.Y. Video Content

Better video

Special thanks to our videographer friend Andy for helping us with this post!

Everyone knows that Google is the most searched site in the world right, but who is number 2?

Nope, it’s not Yahoo, AOL or Bing. It’s not even Facebook or Twitter.

Actually,  YouTube is the second most used search engine world wide! 

Think about that for a second. If your brand isn’t using video as part of their content marketing strategy imagine how many searches, clicks and views you’re missing out on!

At the same time, quality matters. You can’t just put out low quality stuff for the sake of getting into video.  You want to make something that you can be proud of, that represents your brand appropriately.

It’ll take some practice, but here are some suggestions to get you on your way to producing great video content!

1. Keep the camera still!

Having a shaky camera distracts your audience and makes a video look amateurish. Luckily it’s a pretty simple problem to fix. Just find something to set your camera on!

If you don’t have access to a tripod, use a stack of books, a step stool, or even someone’s shoulder as something to set your camera on to cut down on shakiness.

If you’re shooting your video with a smartphone you might want to invest in a Smartphone tripod adapter, which will allow you to mount your phone on a traditional camera tripod!

2. Pay attention to lighting

It’s hard to achieve the level you see in professionally done videos without bringing in your own lights and diffusers, but you can get a step closer by just paying closer attention to the light sources you do have. Here are a few basic rules of thumb to keep in mind.

  •  Try to avoid having a strong light source behind your subject. For example, if you’re shooting indoors, don’t frame a shot with your subject standing in front of a window.
  • Pay attention to light color: incandescent bulbs, fluorescent bulbs and natural sunlight will all give your video a different look.
  • If you’re shooting indoor your video is probably dimmer than you think. Try improvising with lamps, overhead lights or even flashlights to make your shot look as good as possible.

3. Use a microphone for audio

Having good audio creates a huge difference in video  quality especially if you plan on shooting someone speaking. It’s definitely one of the easiest ways to add quality to your video production,

The best way to do this is by buying a microphone. It doesn’t need to be anything crazy, really anything is better than the built-in microphone on your smartphone.  Lavaliere style microphones are a great option and are available for just $30 on Amazon. That price is well worth the improvement in your content’s quality!

If you still don’t think buying a microphone is worth it, watch this video that shows the difference between using a camera’s built-in mic and using a lavaliere mic!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ymr9fPOENU

4.  Plan your shots

Actually picking your shots, what lighting to use, framing your subject etc.. is something you’ll get better at with experience. There are some basic things you can do right away to improve your shot composition though.

  • Rule of thirds: imagine a grid try to keep your subject 1/3 to the left, or right.
  • If your subject is looking a certain direction leave some room in the direction they are looking
  • Don’t cut off your subjects head, leave a little margin.
  • Try not to shoot a person from a low angle, it looks awkward.
  • Include motion, action shots and interesting visuals.

5. Edit appropriately

Editing  can make or break your final product.

Though professional level desktop tools, like Adobe Premiere, are ideal, you really only need the basics. In fact there are a number of great free or cheap apps available for smartphones and tablets that have all the functionality you’ll need.All you should be looking for in a video editor is the ability to trim, rearrange shots and overlay an audio track.

Before you start cutting away you should watch a few videos that are similar to the style you’re trying to create.  Pay attention to how long each shot takes, what type of cut they use (does the scene fade away or jump to the next shot), and anything else.  There are plenty of different stylistic choices you can make and they can have a big impact on the mood impact and watchability of your video.

Need some more help on a video project? Our video production team has the skills and creativity to help your brand shine! Contact them today.