By Nina De Winter, Account Director at Creative Network & Writer for Well Travelled
Within the hospitality industry, marketing is absolutely essential. Without the right marketing you will miss out on potential guests and vital sales. That being said, you have to market yourself successfully and find out the best techniques for your Independent property within the industry.
In order to market your independent restaurant, hotel or venue effectively, there are six key steps, or building blocks, that you need to consider:
- Review your market position
Firstly define who you are. This means what type of property and venue you want to be and what makes you different from your competition. Ask yourself: what’s the big idea? What is your vision for the business, and where do you see it in five years? Then, you need to start understanding who your audiences are, so you can use the right marketing to attract the right customers. If you don’t have a way of capturing data about all your audiences (for example residents and non-residents), get one. - Set a strategy
It’s really important to set goals for your business. And not just commercial goals, but marketing ones too. Ask yourself, what is your ideal revenue, how many direct bookings do you aim to get, how much will you increase your conversation rate? Knowing what the quantifiable things are that you are going to measure will help you to achieve the success you deserve. So your strategy is how you are going to get there, taking into account your market position, and what your competitors are doing. - Make a tactical plan
These are the actions that come from your strategy. For example, if part of your strategy is to double your turnover in five years and to increase your online bookings by 20%, then your tactical plan would need to include a review of your website. As part of this you would need to evaluate your calls to action and monitor where your users are leaving your site before booking. You are more likely to stick to your plan if you set yourself timeframes for achieving each element. And remember to be realistic about what you can achieve and how much resource you will need. - Review and update your branding
This is absolutely key for Independents in the hospitality industry. Unlike other organisations where you can still deal with them irrespective of what they look and feel like. When it comes to hospitality, people are physically present in your property and they associate this with your brand. What your brand represents is more than just your logo – it’s the look and feel of your property, the tone of your marketing, how you talk to your guests, the service you provide, right down to little details like the interior decoration. You need to ask yourself, is your branding in line with what you’re trying to achieve and the customers you’re aiming to attract? If not, the next tactical step would be to review and update it. - Optimise your website
Now that you have reviewed your brand and what you look like, does this still work when it comes to your website? You need to find out if your website is easy enough for your customers to use. Things like website speed have a massive effect on bookings and the time people spend on your website. Make sure the experience of finding essential information (including your booking engine) is clear enough for the audience you are talking to. - Campaigns and marketing channels
Once you’re clear on your positioning, and your branding is reflective of this, you can take the next step towards creating a targeted campaign. It’s always best to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with a campaign. So make sure you know what problem it is trying to solve.This is where your real creative thinking will come in. You need a very clever way to engage your customers and increase bookings. This is where a creative marketing agency can contribute with creative thinking, strategy and understanding of the industry. They will know what works and what doesn’t, and have the creative flair that will get you results.
So remember, before you do anything you need to know where you are sat in the market, what you want to achieve, and who your customers are.
About
Creative Network is a leading hospitality digital marketing agency in Cheltenham. They are a fully integrated digital agency specialising in hospitality and tourism. Clients include: Cheltenham Fashion Week, Wynne-Jones, Tregenna Castle, The Black Swan Hotel and Rick Stein.
Well Travelled is a leading hospitality advice website. It lets you marvel at marketing wonders, swim with strategies, and explore new diverse digital cultures. Get the latest industry insight and expert opinion, it’s the ultimate trip, into the digital world.