“Build it, and they will come” Not so much…..
The past few months I’ve been following the pre-opening activity of a very unique hotel in my hometown, The Charmant Hotel in La Crosse, WI which is slated to open for business mid-September 2015. The hotel, which is owned by Weber Holdings and operated by Aparium Hotel Group, has done a fantastic job of driving both local and national interest to their project. This includes getting spotlight attention from national media such as The NY Times and HotelBusiness. In addition, they are running a very unique Willy Wonka themed “golden ticket” promotion playing on the buildings previous life as a candy factory. Throughout the first week of business, five guests dining at the hotel restaurant will unroll their silverware and be surprised with a golden ticket redeemable for a Charmant Hotel experience. A cool promotion that grabs national headlines, commands local interest AND drives F&B sales on week one…. Brilliant!
Positioning your hotel to be successful begins well before opening. In today’s marketplace, a hotelier cannot simply put a sign on the door and expect customers to be rolling in on opening day. If you are a hotelier currently in development of a new project (and your hotel wasn’t previously a candy factory!), what can you do to ensure your occupancy numbers are through the roofs prior to opening?
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Establish A Marketing Plan & Budget – Ownership groups must have a defined sales and marketing strategy during pre-opening. This should include website development & content, social media campaigns, media relations, and group/business account negotiations. Given these goals, a portion of the pre-opening budget must be allocated to marketing accordingly.
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Define Your Marketing Team – One of a hotel’s first hires should be the director of sales and marketing. This individual should be brought on typically 12-15 months prior to a hotel’s opening. Having someone that has a deep understanding of not only your hotel flag, but also your local community is vital.
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Generate Public Interest – The day construction starts, hang a large “coming soon” sign with professional renderings of the completed project. Locals will be immediately interested in what is being built in ‘their’ city and this simple sign will generate dialogue about your project. Consider this free billboard advertising for the next 12-18 months of construction while potential customers walk, bike, and drive by.
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Promote Public Relations – Local media is always looking for a story and a new hotel opening will draw curiosity. Send out a media package that tells the unique story of your hotel. Maybe you don’t have a candy factory history to play on, but be sure to share something intriguing that makes your project unique and can grab headlines. Also, encourage media to visit the site throughout construction and take pictures. A large photo will grab much more attention in local media than even the best written article.
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Setup Social Media Campaigns – It is impossible to discuss marketing today without touching on social media. Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and Pinterest are all great ways to get the word out about your new hotel. Again, focus on telling a unique “story” about your hotel to grab interest. You can combine this with announcements about local events and ‘things to do’ in your area to bolster your hotel as a local expert even before the doors are open.
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Create Website & Monitor SEO – It goes without saying that you must have a professional and well-designed website. The site should be active at least 12 months prior to opening to share project/construction updates and to take initial bookings. We’d also recommend engaging a SEO expert (Search Engine Optimization) to ensure your site is at the top of a search engine result when searing for the words “You city name” + “Hotel”.
In summary, start early, create a plan, define your team and promote, promote, promote! Good luck!
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