Your hotel business may have great amenities, excellent customer service, comfortable rooms, and a bustling location; but if potential guests don’t know why they should choose your hotel over that of another, the customers you are targeting will take their business to another lodge. For this reason, creating and executing a strategic marketing plan should be your top priority.
It’s no secret marketing is the lifeblood of every business, but it’s an investment in your business that can grow your business exponentially and do it consistently. However, it doesn’t come cheap. Fortunately, hotel lending can help you cover the costs of marketing your business.
Here are five immediate, and practical ways you can market your hotel and gain more customers:
1. Go Mobile
You may have already heard that more and more consumers each day are searching for hotels, as well as other products and services on their mobile phones. But did you know this trend has literally exploded with no end in sight? When it comes to online searches via mobile phones, the hospitality industry is the one service that folks are searching for the most on their mobiles.
According to Google, more than 50% of smartphone users use their phones for travel-related activities – booking a hotel, searching for restaurants, using maps, and more. In the U.S., the number of hospitality related mobile searches translates into millions. This goes to show that targeting a mobile audience is a wise, and necessary marketing strategy for a hotel looking to increase its share of the market as well as improving its brand recognition. The bottom line is, it’s very important for hotels to establish a strong mobile presence.
2. Make Use of New Technology Such as Virtual Tours
People want to know what a hotel room looks like before they reserve it. While you can upload pictures of your hotel’s accommodations, a virtual tour takes the experience of staying at a hotel to a new and exciting level. This kind of realistic experience lets your customers feel, see, and savor the value they will receive as one of your guests.
3. Launch a Loyalty Program
You can guarantee that customers in loyalty programs will definitely return to your business much more than you anticipated. If you don’t know where to start, Square offers a free POS system that you can upgrade to, and it also includes a loyalty program. The nice thing about this is, the program can be fully customized, enabling you to reward customers solely on the bases of the number of visits or the amount spent. With a loyalty program in place, you can ensure your customers will return again and again to your hotel and… tell others about the wonderful service and atmosphere that exists at your facility.
4. Don’t Just Market Your Hotel – Market The Area Too!
Most tourists want more than just a place to sleep – they want experience. Your hotel and the amenities you offer are part of the equation but don’t neglect the importance of marketing the area or city your hotel is located in. For instance, if your hotel is located in the countryside, recommend the best local walks, nature trails, and historical points of interest. If you’re located in the city, suggest places to eat or sights to see. No matter where you are, make it a point to enhance and capture the imagination of your guests. Make their stay not only pleasant but exciting to the point where they will want to return for more.
5. Accurately Fill Out Your Google My Business Page
Make sure the details on your Google My Business Listing contains all necessary information about the uniqueness of your hotel – pricing, accommodations, start, reviews, amenities, and more. By filling out your Google My Business page, there’s a good chance your hotel will rank higher on Google’s search results.
Finance Your Marketing Efforts Through Hotel Lending 101
With the number of new hotels entering the market, standing head and shoulders above your competition are becoming increasingly difficult. The good news is, hotel lending can help you cover the costs of marketing your hotel and positioning it as your area’s premier place to stay.
There are several financing options available for hoteliers. Some of these loans include business lines of credit, business term loans, and equipment financing, among others. The type of hotel lending program you should choose depends on your hotel’s unique needs and preferences. If it’s your first time applying for a loan, it’s best to seek help from a financial expert. They can help evaluate your business and recommend a loan and a lender that’s suitable for you.
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