Tag Archive for: Marketing

BACK TO SCHOOL: A MARKETING 101 REFRESHER FOR HOSPITALITY PROS (PART 4/4)

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With September over, it’s time to wrap up our Back-to-School blog series. Over the last month, we’ve been posting about concepts commonly taught in marketing classes that have real-world marketing applications.

Our final post in the series is about IMC or Integrated Marketing Communications, something that’s used in just about every modern marketing strategy.

IMC Defined

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The American Marketing Association defines IMC as the following:

A planning process designed to assure that all brand contacts received by a customer or prospect for a product, service, or organization are relevant to that person and consistent over time.

The key takeaway from this definition are the words “relevant and consistent.” The reason that phrase is so important is because it lays the groundwork for reinforcement. IMC is useful because it creates a marketing situation where brand messages reinforce each other.

Hotel Example

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Let’s say you’re an independent luxury hotel with limited marketing materials, but you’re looking to expand your marketing efforts. Here’s how you would apply IMC to make sure your marketing efforts were as effective as possible.

What’s your brand message? 
You’d start by identifying your brand messaging. Do you have a logo, word mark, or other branding tools? Are you using a specific color scheme? What about messaging; what tagline, phrase or attitude are you trying to convey? The most important part of this stage of the process is to make clear decisions about your brand message. You can’t be conflicted or unsure about a logo or color scheme.

Is your brand message being applied properly?
Once you’ve decided on a clear brand message and know how to communicate it, make sure that it’s being applied across all of your marketing materials. Review not only your current marketing materials but anywhere where customers have an opportunity to interact with your brand.

Think about all the times a guest can interact with your brand during their stay.

There are plenty of opportunities to reinforce your brand over the course of a guest’s stay.

Some lesser used areas where an  IMC approach can be applied: 
Presentation Slides – Consistent template for power points that reflect color scheme logo branding.

Social Media Photographs –  Original images can include a subtle logo in the corner, often images get shared so much on social media that the original source is forgotten. Adding a logo can solve this problem, the same goes for infographics.

Hashtags – Make a hashtag that works with your branding. For example, W hotels uses the catchphrase “whatever-whenever” which they recently incorporated into a photo contest on their twitter account by prompting guests to take pictures and tag them with #posewhenever

Answering the Phone- Another favorite of W-Hotels is to use their catchphrase when answering the phone, “This the W-Hotel New York, where it’s whatever whenever.” While this tactic can be easily overused, W-Hotels pulls it off well.

That’s it. Implementing IMC is really just about those two stages – First, identifying or creating your brand message, and second applying that message. Of course, that’s easier said than done. Just remember that the more consistent and clear your messaging the easier it will be to apply.

Hope you learned something! Be sure to check out our entire “Back to School” Blog Series

Part 1: Segmentation-Targeting-Positioning

Part 2: Unique Selling Proposition

Part 3: The 4 PS 

 

4 Surprising Marketing Lessons from a Dead Plant

A few months ago, McConnell Marketing lost a beloved friend.

His name was Mr. Tea and , despite being a tea plant, he was a valued member of our team. We were all excited for the day we’d be able to harvest his leaves and enjoy some office-grown tea.

Unfortunately Mr. Tea didn’t get to live out his life’s purpose,  but that doesn’t mean he still can’t give us something of value. In fact, here are some lessons from our brief adventure into to  tea cultivation that are just as true for marketing! 

 

1. Sometimes, despite plenty of love and nurturing… it’s just not meant to be.

We’ve had other plants in our office before… they’ve all died. It’s not a matter of effort, it just doesn’t work out. There’s just something about our office that kills them.

Marketing can be like that too. Sometimes your idea, design or strategy is just wrong. It doesn’t matter how well you execute it, how much preparation you put in or how good you think it is, it just isn’t the right fit.

The worst thing you can do in this situation is  continue to pour energy and resources into something that you know won’t work. Step up and cut your losses instead of continuing to water a dead plant!

2. Failure comes quickly when you set yourself up for it.

Tea isn’t meant to be grown in Ohio, it’s not a very hardy plant. Tea needs a warm, sub-tropical climate to thrive.

Trying to grow tea in our office was an exercise in setting ourselves up for failure.

Think about that idea when it comes to your next project. Are you setting yourself up to fail ? Can you avoid it?  Step back from the whiteboard for a minute and try to identify disadvantages and obstacles to success before you encounter them! You might be amazed at the results.

3. Fluorescent bulbs are not an acceptable substitute for sunlight. 

Mr. Tea first started to show signs of distress after being moved away from his window ledge due to a construction project. The problem was  that the light from the office’s fluorescent light bulbs was not a good substitute for natural sunlight.

“All that glitters is not gold” comes to mind in this situation as does The idea that some things are too good to be true.  It’s important to keep in mind that all alternatives are not the same when it comes to a problem.

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Don’t tell him that bling isn’t real

An obvious example of this in marketing is in communication. Just because you can communicate the same message through email as you can in a meeting, does not mean that you should. The social cues that come along with a face-to-face meeting just can’t be matched by a Skype meeting or phone call.

Be wary of options and why you’re choosing them. Is it out of convenience and ease, or is it really the best choice?

4. Never, Ever give up. 

We recently replaced Mr. Tea’s empty spot on our ledge with a bromeliad. It’s a hardy plant that requires little attention and grows in a variety of conditions. Hopefully we’ve learned from our mistakes and aren’t setting ourselves up for failure this time. We’ll do our best to keep this guy in real sunlight and if he dies, we’ll probably get another plant.

You might think that this lesson conflicts with our first one, but it doesn’t. Cutting your losses and quitting are very different things.

Not giving up means that after you kill that bad idea you attack again from a different angle. You try a different solution. You try until you succeed.

Mr. Tea never succeeded in becoming the full grown harvested tea plant we all wanted him to be, but we’re sure if he had a choice, he would never have stopped trying. RIP Mr. Tea.

 

What marketing lessons have you learned from common office decorations? Let us know in our comments section below!  

4 Unique Hotel Marketing Ideas You’ll Wish You’d Thought Of

 

awaken your inner unique snowflake!

Think like a snowflake!

Have you implemented a truly unique marketing idea recently? 

If you haven’t, we can’t blame you.

Coming up with original ideas is hard work, let alone coming up with original ideas that are actually effective.

Seth Godin, sales and marketing guru, has called marketing “a contest for people’s attention” In today’s world of information overload that description is truer than ever!

If you want to win people’s attention  you have to differentiate yourself and think outside the box.

Here are 4 one-of-a kind marketing ideas guaranteed to get your creative juices flowing!

1. Drone Videos

As drones become more commonplace people are finding more and more interesting uses for them.

Atlanta based Barnes Creative Studios uses drones with high definition cameras to capture the ins and outs (literally) of luxury resorts.

The results are nothing short of magical!  Be sure to watch their video below in fullscreen.

2. Extreme Sponsorship 

What’s better than free publicity? Publicity that you get paid for!

That’s exactly what the Pestana Rio Atlantica got when it temporarily rebranded itself as the Budweiser Hotel by Pestana.

In honor of the World Cup, the Brazilian hotel changed its name, let Budweiser put logos and images everywhere and hosted events for the beverage maker’s Rise as One campaign.

Even though the move was intended to promote Budweiser, We have to imagine that the Pestana Rio Atlantica will experience a pretty big boost in business following the stunt.

3. A  Practical Travel Blog

The problem with a lot of business blogs is that they are too inwardly focused. They spend a lot of  time talking about the company itself and too little time thinking about what their audience wants to hear.

Broughton’s Innformer blog reverses that formula.

Instead of posts about their member hotels, the Innformer’s posts are exlusivlely about letting  travelers know what the best attractions and events are at their travel destinations.

Headed to Chicago? Check out this article about the best outdoor venues to eat and drink. Taking a trip to Santa Monica, check out this upcoming concert! The Innformer is a perfect example of Content Marketing done right!

4. A Yoga Mat Love Story

Speaking of great Content Marketers, Kimpton is another brand that absolutely GETS IT.

Everyone loves a good story. It’s human nature. And telling a good narrative can be an extremely effective piece of any marketing campaign.

Yes, their short youtube video, a love story between a guest and her complimentary yoga mat,  is silly, corny and over the top,  but it’s also cute and fun. Overall the story does a great job disguising an advertisement of hotel features as entertainment!

This is by no means Kimpton’s only attempt at video content,  one of their properties, the Hotel Monaco released a hotel workout video that takes viewers through a short workout that can be completed in  the comfort of their hotel room. We liked it so much we even decided to make our own! 

 

Does your hotel need a fresh, creative marketing idea? We can help! Learn more at mcconnellmarketing.com

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. 

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!