Friday 4 September 2009

What Do Hotels Need to Do for the Next Six Months

Was wandering around the east side of Loch Lomond yesterday - Balmaha, Drymen - and the disucssion turned to what should hotels be doing about their online marketing for the forthcoming off season. You know there's a host of complex marketing and promotional strategies likely to be developed but taking the very simplest basic steps will assist a lot of businesses.
We like to think that Three Things To Do This Week is a great way of continually improving your busienss performance - and not just in the areas of online marketing. Break it down into simple achievable goals and do them (dare i Say SMART targets).
So here's three things to do immediately.
  1. Ensure your own website offers the Guaranteed Best Available Rate online - at least matching the Online Travel Agents - and you'll convert more bookings as customers increasingly do their own "Meerkat" comparing!
  2. Maximise the number of rooms you offer online. Don't start thinking we're nearly full so it doesn't matter. Those last two rooms online every night for sale to "virtual walk ins" could be a major contribution to the bottom line.
  3. Merchandise your rooms. Don't just put them online "En suite Double room, tea and coffee" is hardly inspiring. List what comes with the room. WIFI, rain showers, Egyptian Cotton Sheets, Scottish hand made soaps, private off road car parking, full Scottish breakfast - cooked to order? And bedroom images. Remember you don't always know which button is going to push the client towards that final purchase. Make sure you don't miss the opportunity to merchandise your property.
Three things to do? Sounds simple...
Read more about merchandising and maximising your room sales 

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