10 Ways To Market Your Hotel In 2019

Get ready to turn on your ‘No Vacancy’ sign! If you are looking to market your hotel business in 2019, we’ve compiled a list of ways to get your rooms booked up in no time.

1. Loyalty Program

An easy way to build both a new and returning customer base is to offer a loyalty program. This can look many different ways. Some hotel businesses offer perks like ‘purchase three nights and get the fourth free.’ Other’s use a points system to reward dollar amount spent in exchange for vouchers or services within the hotel. People like to be rewarded, so this marketing campaign is a strong one.

2. Social Media

In today’s world, technology based marketing is a must. To grow your hotel business, a good idea would be to create accounts on a variety of social media platforms. This enables you to interact with customers on a more personal level. They can see the happenings of your hotel and feel part of it, even from a distance. This way they get an idea of what your services and offerings are, and feel a little more connected to the experience.

3. Digital Marketing Agency

Digital marketing agencies are a great tool to boost hotel bookings in 2019. These firms specialize in analyzing internet trends driving traffic to your website or booking portal. Digital marketing agencies use tools like SEO (Search Engine Optimization) or AdWords to get your hotel business as a top result for google searches and internet queries and in turn, more bookings. Digital Marketing Agencies are a great asset to capitalize on an already interested audience.

4. Relevant Blog Content

Websites that are active and constantly have new content are prioritized in searches. Adding blog posts to your page is a great way to keep content fresh and new so that it is always one of the top results in internet searches. Blogs can be about anything from descriptions of the facilities and events, to lists of local attractions.

5. Welcome Gifts/Special Experience

Just like people like to be rewarded in Loyalty Programs, people also get excited about welcome gifts, or special experiences that they have while on vacation or visiting hotels. Sometimes the most memorable part of their trip is walking into the hotel lobby and being greeted with champagne or cold juice. Other places offer a complimentary bottle of wine or cheese plate for guests if they stay for a certain number of nights or during certain dates. Similarly, things like live music in the hotel lobby, free entry to a local museum with hotel receipt, or even just hot coffee in the mornings, really draw clientele in.

6. Expand to New Audiences

Sometimes, marketing efforts seem futile because they are one directional. We perceive our audience to be within a certain group and forget that there are more possibilities. Consider other sectors to market to, such as large groups, long term stays, or for business functions. Consider varying your market.

7. Branding Refresh

Success in marketing is correlated with a strong brand image. Branding should be thoughtful and inspired by the style of the business and its services. It should be consistent across all channels of marketing, and unique. With a little time and thought, a brand image can adapt and be more appealing to potential customer groups.

8. Newsletter

A great way to stay connected with former guests and keep them interested is to write a newsletter. A once weekly or once monthly brief on any upcoming events, or special deals with a few photos, goes a long way in maintaining trust and awareness of your hotel business. It keeps you in the customers’ mind. That way, when they are ready to book a trip, you are the first place they think of!

9. Review Generation

Just like getting a thank you note from a friend for a gift is a nice gesture, so is following up with guests after their stay. Just a simple note of appreciation via email, maybe even with a special ‘returning guest offer’ goes a long way. It is also a great place to ask for a review of their experience. Marketing to new customers is great, but new customers want to see how previous customers liked their trip to your hotel in reviews. Follow up with guests with a polite thank you, a reward for their next visit, and a request for a review online.

10. Offer Excellent Service

All the marketing strategy and effort in the world cannot do a better job at bringing in and retaining customer than offering excellent service. If guests feel 100% satisfied they will go on to tell others about it, they will visit many times to come, and by word of mouth of excellent experience, you market yourself! Run a great business first, then adopt some marketing strategies and investments, and you will always have business growth and no vacancy!