I've always been curious about how hoteliers communicated with guests before digitalization. What were the conventional hotel marketing techniques? Were they costly? Was it difficult to use them? I had a lot of questions, so I made the decision to do a thorough research. I discovered the answers to my questions, which I will share with you in this blog.
TRADITIONAL MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR HOTELS
1. Vocal Marketing: Word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing is what we usually refer to as "vocal marketing." Some notable companies appear to have grown with little or no effort. But typically, word-of-mouth advertising is one of their best kept secrets. You've probably told a friend about a favorite restaurant or emailed a new hire about your top SaaS tools. These casual chats are what make word-of-mouth marketing a potent opportunity for your business. It’s Simple. After an outstanding stay at your facility, a guest will recommend you to his connections. If guests have a bad encounter, WOM may instead result in unfavorable marketing. It therefore fully depends on the level of guest satisfaction you offer.
2. Print Media Marketing : One of the earliest forms of marketing, print media marketing has been practiced since 1450. It is indeed that ancient! It involves a variety of activities like advertising through brochures, flyers, travel and hospitality journals, newspapers, and other publications. In fact, travel and hospitality journals created their own passion because they allowed readers to see some incredible hotels from around the globe. It was pretty straightforward: A journalist from a renowned magazine would stay at the hotel, utilize the amenities, speak with the hotelier, and then write an in-depth story about the hotel.
The featured hotels would work with the publications to provide readers with savings coupons. It's fascinating, isn't it? Try this approach for your hotel. Count on it; it works.
3. Networking & Partnerships : Networking and partnerships are important traditional marketing strategies for hotels as they can help increase visibility and bring in more customers. There are several ways hotels can build relationships with other businesses in the area:
Partner with local restaurants: Hotels can partner with local restaurants to offer dining packages to guests. For example, a hotel might offer a discount on the room when a guest books a meal at a partner restaurant. This can benefit both the hotel and the restaurant, as it can help increase bookings for both restaurants.
Collaborate with tool operators: Hotels can collaborate with tool operators to create package deals for visitors of the area. This can help increase visibility for the hotel and make it more convenient for tourists to plan their trip.
Build relationships with local events and attractions: Hotels can build relationships with local events and attractions to offer package deals to guests. This can help increase visibility for the hotel and create a unique experience for guests.
Partner with other hotels: Hotels can partner with other hotels in the area to cross-promote each other. This can benefit both hotels, as it can help increase bookings and exposure for both properties.
Join local tourism boards: Hotels can join local tourism boards to network with other businesses in the area and get more visibility. These boards often provide marketing opportunities, such as co-op advertising and events, and can also help hotels stay informed about trends and changes in the industry.
By networking and building partnerships with other businesses in the area, hotels can increase their visibility and credibility, and bring in more customers.
4. Special events and promotions: One of the earliest forms of marketing, print media marketing has been practiced since 1450. It is indeed that ancient! It involves a variety of activities like advertising through brochures, flyers, travel and hospitality journals, newspapers, and other publications. In fact, travel and hospitality journals created their own passion because they allowed readers to see some incredible hotels from around the globe. It was pretty straightforward: A journalist from a renowned magazine would stay at the hotel, utilize the amenities, speak with the hotelier, and then write an in-depth story about the hotel. The featured hotels would work with the publications to provide readers with savings coupons. It's fascinating, isn't it? Try this approach for your hotel. Count on it; it works.
5. Referral Marketing: Referral marketing is a powerful way to attract new customers. By incentivizing satisfied guests to refer friends and family, the hotel can tap into the power of word-of-mouth promotion. This can include things like offering a discount or free night’s stay for guests who refer a certain number of people, or simply asking guests to share their positive experience with others.
5. Public Relations: getting positive media coverage and creating a strong online presence can help increase visibility and credibility. This could include things like securing positive reviews on travel websites, creating engaging social media content, and reaching out to local media outlets to tell the story of the hotel and its unique features.
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