Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

A relatively low cost and effective way to get noticed is on the web. A properly designed Pay-Per-Click campaign isn't an out-of-the-box idea, but is is working 24 x 7, can span great geographies, address you "10 minutes outside town concern", and you can control costs.

We currently provide effective PPC campaigns for four hotels and they just keep the clients coming in month afer month. One spends $1K month and we consistently drive $10K - 12K of directly traceable revenue. A great investment wouldn't you say? Contact us through our profile if you need further information.

Bob

Thanks for all these ideas, they're great!

Bob-I have considered a PPC campaign, but never had before and not sure if I will be getting in over my head. Bob you make it sound very appealing though and it sounds like something I should start looking into even more.

Michael - I know of Rockford airport well and that is a really good example. Unfortunately, the hotel is a chain and we have no control over the name. Hosting after hours for the chamber is a great idea and exactly the kind of thing that I am looking for!! I will be sure to bring that up at my meeting tomorrow. Just today I sent out a flyer with our holiday rate on it to a lot of travel agents in the area. Utilizing travel agents more is definitely a must, I just need to figure out a good way to do so.

Our hotel is located in Washington, IL just ten minutes from Peoria, IL (which is the second largest city in IL, next to Chicago of course.)

Randall - Including the nearby city in every marketing material is something that we already do, but you are correct on the importance of it and your comments made me realize that I need to make that more prominent from now on. The reason I say clean, cheap, etc. is because our normal rack rate is $89 a night but right now we have dropped our rates to $50 a night...I don't want consumers assuming that its a crappy hotel since it's a low price. I have used many taglines implying a 'special' rate, more than you pay for, etc. We pride ourselves on all the free amenities we provide that other hotels don't; free shuttle, free hot breakfast, free wireless internet, exercise room, business center, indoor heated pool, hot tub, etc.

Alicia
Marketing and Media Relations
EM Properties, Ltd.

Dear adebartolo,

No idea where you are. Vermont? Bombay? London? Perth, Australia? Death Valley? I give up.

So, youngish hotel. Good. Clean? Great prices? Great service? All dull as ditch water I'm afraid. Pretty much any hotel anywhere can tell me that but in truth, it means nothing: that is, those things as single items or as a group are not compelling enough reasons to book a room.

They're just not significant enough to warrant mentioning.

Word of mouth? That's created when you read people's minds
and when you then exceed their expectations. Word of mouth appears
as if by magic when you meet an unmet need and when you don't even advertise that you meet that unmet need!

Sounds odd I know but there is method in the madness.

But word of mouth is NOT created by advertising. Well, not
normally anyway. As in real estate so is true in hotels, the
thing that really matters is: location, location, location.

What is your hotel close to that might be valuable, enticing,
handy, convenient, sought after, or eagerly anticipated?

What are you farthest away that might be noisy, objectionable,
hideous, or least appealing?

Who or what might you partner with that no other hotel in the
region is offering or partnering with? Something or someone
appealing, sought after, compelling?

What needs do travelers to your city or town have that other hotels
do not serve or are ignoring because they are just too obvious? Local guides? Their own exclusive cab and driver (someone who knows where the hell they're going)? Space for dogs? Free bar meals on set nights or at set times?

Forget costs. If you continually see them as expenses you'll make little progress. You must view them as investments. The question is simple: Do you want rooms booked solid or not? If you do, you need to invest.
If you're happy to see the place empty, carry on not spending money. It's as simple as that.

Finally, read Chip Conley's book "PEAK: How Great Companies
Get Their Mojo From Maslow".

www.amazon.com/Peak-Companies-Maslow-non-Franchise-Leadership/dp/0787988618

Chip runs Joie de Vivre Hotels, California's largest boutique hotel
chain www.jdvhotels.com and he REALLY knows his stuff.

I hope this helps. Good luck to you.

Gary Bloomer
Wilmington, DE, USA

Too bad you can't modify the name. Naming went through my ind when I first read your question. And even chains do seem to sometimes have some name room - Travelodge San Francisco Airport (which is actually in South San Francisco) and Best Western Civic Center (specifying what area of SF it is in - actually it isn't, but Civic Center is better area than the neighborhood it actually is in) are 2 near me that use names to say where they are.

Slogans or tag lines may work, but only if the sites people use to reserve rooms allow them. If it only lists name and address, then that won't add anything to you.

Can you game the system with a PO Box? Make a PO Box in Peoria your mailing address, and maybe sometimes you may show up with the Peoria as the city?

Alicia,
I have a great travel agent database that I use for a client of mine. Let me see if I can get you in on the next email campaign.

Contact me offline by clicking on my name above.

Michael

You've already gotten a flood of great ideas. Here are a few other suggestions:
* Get yourself rated by people on social networks (such as Yelp or TripAdvisor). Be willing to do what it takes to rectify problems quickly.
* If you're looking to simply fill rooms, work with Priceline or Hotwire to attract online shoppers.
* Either position yourself as the budget place to stay or position yourself as the elite/quiet place to stay (sure it's a bit further away, but the luxury/calm will allow you to enjoy your visit more, etc.)

what about providing incentives for your current customers to return? For example, could you identify frequent travelers, and offer them a certificate for a free breakfast on their next trip?

Have you considered a short questionnaire to be sure your current customers are happy with your service?

Sorry to be so late coming in here, stupendous information above. If you are considering a short theme:

Consider:
Respite Re-Group (special) Recession Rate # mins from XYZ downtown

jag
MarketBase

Thank you all for the wonderful responses!! I appreciate it!