Making an impact on your target audience is the ultimate marketing goal. But in the hospitality industry, there are specific characteristics which need to be incorporated in order to really leave a lasting impression.
Hospitality marketing generally focuses on hotels, resorts, restaurants, and other businesses in which the guest/host relationship is paramount. And while key factors like amenities or menus are important in promoting these businesses, there are other qualities which — although not easy to capture — are just as essential to connecting with potential customers.
Let’s take a closer look at the four characteristics of hospitality marketing, including examples of how they can be infused into marketing campaigns for a more successful result.
A stay at a luxury hotel is an example of a “product” which can’t be experienced with the senses before it’s purchased. It’s not a physical item that you can hold in your hands before deciding to take the plunge. The intangible qualities of what a hospitality business has to offer can be particularly challenging to convey. However, if you’re able to do this effectively, you’ll stand head and shoulders above the competition.
For a hotel or restaurant, it’s important to think about what you want your guests’ memories to be like after they leave your establishment. What will they remember as the overall feel of their visit? With effective hospitality marketing, these feelings are captured and expressed to the potential guest. Here are a few examples of how that can be done:
The service aspect of hospitality businesses means that the service is purchased and consumed at the same time. There isn’t the normal line of production that goes from manufacturer to wholesaler to retailer. The experience is fully tied together from start to finish.
That means that the way in which hospitality services are provided is extremely important. In the mind of the customer, the quality of the service becomes just as important as the experience itself. Think of the way a rude or inattentive waiter can put a damper on even the most delicious meal, or how unhelpful staff members can make a hotel experience endlessly frustrating.
In your hospitality marketing efforts, it’s important to showcase the ways in which services are provided. While one guest might prefer a hotel that advertises staff that treat you like family, another might prefer a hotel where the staff treat you like royalty. These subtle differences provide an expectation for the customer for what they’ll experience and draw in your target audience more effectively.
Hospitality services are a one-time experience. Every hotel stay or restaurant meal must eventually come to an end, and you can’t hold on to it after the fact the way you can with a physical product purchased at a store. On the business side, this means that any restaurant table or hotel room left unfilled is a lost opportunity.It’s important to leverage perish-ability in hospitality marketing campaigns. If you know you’ll be booked solid during the holidays, there’s less of a need to promote your hospitality business at that time.
Instead, you can conserve your resources to drive up bookings during slower times. This might include strategies like discounted stays during the off-season or happy hour specials to bring in customers between meal times.
When you buy a product from the store, there are hundreds, thousands, or even millions more just like it. But that’s not the case with hospitality purchases. The service that a hotel or restaurant provides is unique — no other business can copy the formula perfectly or recreate the exact experience.
It’s important to tap into that variability in your hospitality marketing. Focus on what really makes the services you offer special, and promise a certain experience to potential customers. It’s important to follow up these pledges with consistent service on your end. Train staff members thoroughly to ensure that the experience lives up your promise. Consistency is incredibly important when it comes to managing your reputation and building brand loyalty.
Hospitality marketing is a niche area, so even if you’re a successful business in this industry, it’s likely that you’ll need expert assistance in order to make your marketing successful. Quaintise Hospitality has the tools and experience to help you reach your target audience and exceed your business goals.
Contact us today to learn more.