- Utilize the GDS to its fullest advantage by ensuring that your property is positioned before travel agents in the best possible light—and with full knowledge of how your competitors are positioned.
- Implement strategies to enhance your ROI on third-party websites. The branded properties are better able to control their rates on these sites—you may be able to as well.
- Don’t race to the bottom on your rates. Cornell University research has shown that when marketing on low rates alone, a property’s overall profitability does not necessarily increase with occupancy. Market intelligence, updated constantly, is key.
- Your website must have the five key ingredients guests look for before making reservations. You have, on average, 45-60 seconds to secure their interest online before they move on to the next site.
- In an era of immediacy, an unanswered phone or voicemail prompts guests to look elsewhere for their reservation. There are inexpensive alternatives for this dilemma.
- Don’t treat your online booking tool as a way to simply move a commodity, but rather as an opportunity to create an experience for your guest complete with packages to enhance the stay.
- Don’t underestimate the power of social networking online. Utilize these tools to enhance your branding online—and pay close attention to what your guests are saying to other travelers about your property.
- Independent properties can utilize CRM to help track and retain customers. Hoteliers should target customers that are booking on the more expensive merchant programs and entice them with equal or better rates to book direct.
- As an independent, you must aggressively market your property and follow the 4 percent revenue rule to ensure your property is not only in front of existing customers, but also drawing new travelers. When competing for guests in a difficult environment, your call to action must be compelling.
- The Internet touches 70 percent of your customers at some point during their reservation decision and this highly competitive marketing channel is constantly changing and evolving. Your internet marketing plan and comp set internet marketing analysis must be organic—revisited and revised regularly to ensure that it reflects current market conditions and property goals.
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