The Hospitality industry consists of four main sectors. These include lodging, food and beverage, recreation, and travel and tourism. It is a very competitive industry, and those businesses in it need to get maximum value for every dollar they spend on advertising. You already paid money through a variety of marketing venues to get the customers you currently have as guests in your hotel, restaurant, or other Hospitality business. Now you need to get the maximum benefit from these customers through utilizing the power of Hospitality marketing trends that generate word-of-mouth advertising.
Your goal is to make the experience at your establishment such a pleasant one for each guest that they become an active promoter of your brand to friends and family. The following are some hospitality marketing ideas that should make a powerful impression on your customers and make them a walking, talk billboard for your company.
Everyone Loves Being Surprised With a Free Bonus
A small gift goes a long way to making a customer remember your establishment in a positive light. It doesn’t take anything extravagant either. Offering guests or diners a complimentary beverage before going to their room or while waiting to get their dinner order in will make you stick out from the crowd.
In addition to making a favorable impression on the existing customer, gifts or coupons can be used as a cheap form of advertising. Pens, tote bags, and assorted other paraphernalia that have your businesses’ name and phone number on them serve the double duty of a gift and low-cost advertising.
Send Them a Postcard
If you run a Hospitality business where you’d have occasion to know your customer’s address, use this to continue a business relationship with them. The normal expectation from most customers is that once they check out of the hotel or motel, or get back from the cruise or tour, they may no longer hear from you. This would be a tremendous mistake and lost the opportunity on your part.
People love getting postcards. It should have a personalized look to it, so it will stick out from some marketing flyer or brochure.
Keeping All of the Spaces in the Business Clean
If you run a hotel or restaurant, it is a given that the patron’s room or table should be clean. This is a minimal expectation that may garner your business negative mentions to friends and family if it is not so. However, go the extra mile in ensuring that the restrooms and any other spaces they may pass through areas spotless as possible.
Your employees may be too busy with their other daily tasks to keep the business as clean as it should be, so you should encourage them to keep their work desks clean or consider hiring professional cleaners. Checking out your local cleaning services and hiring one to come infrequently enough to keep your establishment clean will make a powerfully positive impression on your customers and probably bring them, as well as referred friends and family, back to you in the future.
Adding a Personal Touch Through Superior Customer Service
There is a reason that a big store like Walmart has used greeters at the door. You can begin to feel invisible and on your own after walking into a large establishment. Someone being available with a smile on their face to direct you where you need to go or to help you with a specific issue is invaluable.
In the Hospitality industry, this translates into having a friendly staff that goes the extra step to address customer concerns and to always do so with a smile. Some restaurants have a host or hostess at the door to immediately greet customers and take them to their table. If you were on a tour or calling to the front desk of your hotel, you would want the guide or concierge to be able to answer all of your questions and concerns.
The Best Form of Advertising
Word-of-mouth advertising has long been regarded as the best kind of marketing. People will listen to their friends and family far more readily than they will to some slick ad or website that makes promises.
It’s sad to say, but these hospitality marketing concepts have been forgotten in some corners. All you have to do is look at the occasional low reviews for restaurants or hotels on review websites such as Yelp or TripAdvisor. It’s not hard to make a good, lasting impression on your guests so that they become the biggest promoter of your brand. It just takes a moderate, sustained effort, which can produce dividends beyond your marketing dreams.
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Credits
Wassana, a digital marketer at Andaman SEO. She likes blogging, using Social Media and traveling.
About the author
Are Morch is the founder and owner of Are Morch – Hotel Marketing Coach. Get more from Are on Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Pinterest | Instagram| Podcast