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18/08/2009 -
IS YOUR PROPERTY MARKETING
EFFECTIVE |
IS YOUR PROPERTY MARKETING
EFFECTIVE IN COMPETITIVE TIMES?
Article by Stephen Turnbull - Aspire Apartments & Resorts
www.aspireresorts.com.au
The change in tourism numbers has stimulated many accommodation managers to use some creative ways to drive sales. The main area of focus is to create ways to capture sales in the most cost-effective means possible, with the quickest results possible.
Are you using your past guest database?
Many properties have a database of past guests. Have you had it cleaned and updated against the census and white pages data to ensure you can still accurately communicate by mail or email? If not, this can be one simple way to improve any marketing using your past guests to generate repeat and referral business.
Have you analyzed it to see how many guests are in drive markets? How many guests live interstate and book three months in advance etc? If you have this information you can design a marketing program to effectively communicate with your clients in a more productive way and reduce the chances of wasting your marketing dollars.
How do you use your website?
Many accommodation managers use their proprietary owned, websites as a promotional tool and not just an online brochure. How are you managing your website/? You are using it well if you understand that the information on your property website needs to be continually managed, promoted, and enhanced to get the most out of it.
With the potential of having a few thousand site visitors a month, some property managers are using that opportunity to, not only display their property features but also to give visitors reasons to stay in their market area and thus, their hotel. This makes a more fulfilling, informative and interesting experience for the visitor.
How are you using last minute websites?
Do you have a business strategy and systems to use the last minute websites? Presence on last minute websites can assist you with promoting the ‘brand’ of your property, as well as to generate room nights sales. It’s all important however to have the supporting technology to make the process simple. Do you have a channel manager? Or are you relying on one or two sources of business? This are can be reviewed continually. It is also good to create special offers and promote them in collaboration with last minute site marketing staff.
Do you have a process to encourage guests to re-book?
One very important area that is sometimes overlooked is offering guests a special offer to re-book on checkout, or within a few days of their return. If they have a good stay this is a good time to encourage them to commit to coming back. But you need to give them a reason to act now. Is your staff trained to do so?
Do you spoil valuable guests?
It is very important to recognize and reward those guests that give you significant business. This can be easily achieved with thank you notes, bottles of complimentary wine, discounts on future direct bookings, and value-adds such as discounted tour packages and breakfast or meal vouchers.
For all queries, contact Stephen Turnbull, Managing Director, via email at: steve@aspiregroup.com.au
*Aspire Apartments & Resorts is a management services company supporting independent apartment and resort properties. We are dedicated to maximising returns for resort owners and investors, and growing their capital investments. We offer consulting and management services, and operational evaluations.
We appraise practices and identify opportunities to:
• Increase Sales • Decrease Costs • Create Efficiencies
• Improve Bottom Line Performance
We have extensive experience in operating hotels and resorts. Our services include strategic review of operational performance and marketing, and day-to-day assistance with management of assets.
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