Independent Hotel Marketing 101

Increasing Occupancy

Understand your Guests

• See Previous Slideshare

• Know how they look for hotels

• Be where they are looking

• Give them something unique

Be where your guests are looking

• How do your guests look for hotels?1. Online

2. Via phone

3. Via Travel Agents

4. Return customers

5. Recommendations from Friends

Being Online: What does that mean?

• Partner with Online Travel Agents

• Make sure people can book rooms on your hotel’s website: Hotel Booking Engine

• Keep track of the reservations from these sources: Have a central place where all these reservations live so you can make sure not to overbook

Get online with the help of innRoad

Via Phone: How to always be available

• People still like to call to make reservations- they think it will get them additional discounts

• How do you support those people that call in? Front desk person, answering service, your own cell phone• Focus on fast: Get them their reservation, so make sure that the

person answering phones can see your hotels availability

• Power of Discounting: For people that bother to call, make sure you give your front line answering team the power to give them a reward for their calling efforts.

Travel Agents: Harness their influence

Travel agents don’t just exist in person anymore, they live online just like the rest of us. Make sure that you are forging relationships with travel agents in person and online

• In person: If you have existing relationships, make sure those agents understand your unique qualities, treat them as an extension of your sales team.

• Online: Treat online agents the same way you would an in-person agent. Give them the information they need to do their job quickly and efficiently and make it easy for them to sell for you.

Read more about the influence of travel agents and the GDS here

Return Guests: First impressions are gateways to future revenue

• If you can create a great guest experience the first time, you can be assured of return guests.

• Focus on creating a unique and pleasant experience for guests.

• Talk to them after they leave, offer them special discounts

Read: 3 ways your employees can help create great guest experiences

Recommendations: Creating a referral base of guests

• Create a great guest experience

• Stay in touch with your guests

• Reward them for their recommendations: give them a discount code they can share with others. If it’s used, you can give them additional discounts on their next stay

• Make it easy to share their perspective

Read more about building guest loyalty

Increase Occupancy with the right Partner

sales@innroad.com

855.INN.ROAD

www.innroad.com