Nestled in the heart of the lobby with floor-to-ceiling windows, the hotel gift shop is undergoing a makeover. As hotel properties reimagine this potential moneymaker, they’re transforming hotel gift shops into "lifestyle" shops. The new lifestyle shop is just another opportunity for hotels to...read more

If content is king, then strategy is his queen. It’s tempting to just simply post to your hotel's or destination's Facebook page, or shoot out an email here and there, without having clear and focused goals in mind. But by doing so, you could easily be wasting your hard-pressed time and energy on...read more

In the April 2013 edition of PCMA Convene magazine, Michael Gehrisch, President & CEO at DMAI summed up the future of DMOs the following way: "We're really committed, from a DMO standpoint, to help shape services that we provide to meeting planners so that they are planner-focused and relevant for...read more

A blog is one of the most captivating, and one of my favorite, hospitality marketing strategies.  With a blog you can share information about your destination that your stagnant website can’t, while keeping your site fresh and frequently updated. However,  marketing a hotel with your blog can get...read more

Your former hotel guests are talking about you. And, future guests are listening in. Travelers love writing reviews for two reasons. One, it allows them to feel influential, as they  know their words have impact on future guests’ decisions. Two, because they genuinely want to offer feedback to...read more

For your hotel to be successful in Google’s world, you have to play by Google’s rules. This means an integral part of your hotel marketing strategy should include high-quality, FRESH and unique online content that authentically drives people to your Web site. But, what would you update on your...read more

In "Part 1: A Novice Bird's Eye View for Using Social Media to Engage Clients", we reviewed in Steps 1, 2 and 3, how you can begin a social media marketing program simply: Basic Resources, Start Where You Are, and Schedule Commitment. If you have followed those steps, you are ready to move on to the...read more

The European Commission's New Media Trend Watch reveals that 234 million Americans used mobile devices for a three month average period in 2012. There was a 6% increase of smartphone users in that same time period from January 2012 (according to comScore, Inc.). No wonder Online Travel Agencies...read more

RedRocketMedia recently produced an infographic detailing how travelers make hotel buying decisions. Even though this research is tied to the travel industry as a whole, I believe the information can be applied to business travelers, as well as, group business decision makers. Below, are four of the...read more

If we knew what makes a meeting planner “tick”, then overall our sales teams, hotel marketing and delivery of services are improved.    For instance, last month USA Today’s Hotel Columnist, Barbara De Lollis revealed what women want from hotels; the list included items that women would rather leave...read more

When trying to understand a meeting planner’s needs for their upcoming event; the facts are essential, but understanding the demographics is beneficial too.    Have you ever made an assumption about the preferences of the planner or the attendees based on their age(s)? Maybe you assumed Gen Y places...read more

In the Spring of 2012, Twitter announced 500 million total users with 200 million of those users active monthly. How do these numbers compare with LinkedIn?   Twitter and LinkedIn in numbers In January 2013, LinkedIn announced 200 million members and no direct mention of current active monthly...read more

You can spend a lot of time questioning your people about their sales tactics to win group business and solve the missing piece of the puzzle... or you can just remember all the beginning basics you were taught, really.    Over years, the best sales techniques instituted by the big hotel brands are...read more

This week marks the anniversary of Alexander Graham Bell sending the message, "Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you" to his assistant using electricity to transmit speech for the very first time. I often wonder what he would think of the developments his ingenuity influenced. The article, "The...read more

Are you really surprised?    It was Benjamin Franklin who said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”    Transforming your daily routine could result in increased group business, really. Sales people who have identified specific details about their...read more

In the events world, SMERF groups may need extra guidance from the hotel staff. When you think about new projects you’re tasked with at work, if the task is foreign to your job, it can be a challenge to find the right resources as you approach it with caution. It may require extra guidance or...read more

If you want a full house at your hotel, there are tactics and strategies to dominate your city’s market and sell out for events.   Once you capture the market, there are hotel marketing strategies to increase group revenue in various departments. To boost sales in a tactful way, focus on the needs...read more

When destination events are popular enough to result in hotels selling-out, hoteliers can relish it. Events like the Presidential Inauguration and Jazz Fest in New Orleans are popular events where most hotels sell out. But, what if your tentative bookings aren’t resembling a “sell out?" You'll need...read more

In her article, Social Media Serves Up Sales, Francine Cohen, the Associate Editor of Hotel Interactive Editorial Division, points out that social media is driving business to hotels by highlighting their  excellent food and beverage offerings. The hotels that reach out using high tech social media,...read more

Mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets and e-readers are outselling standard cell phones and computing devices nearly 2 to 1 according to Forbes magazine. If your hotel property isn't sure about the impact of these devices on the business traveler or group business bookings, you need to...read more