GuestCentric: Social marketing for hotels

GUESTCENTRIC PROPRIETARY 1www.guestcentric.com

The Social Commerce Revolution

http://www.guestcentric.com/


Social consumer

101

Social distribution

= nightmare?

10 easy tips A word from our sponsor

Agenda



The opportunityWe have staff and money for sales, marketing and

technology

My hotel is better. But how can I compete?



Change the World of travel by allowing independent hotels and smaller brands to shine online.

Our vision This social web thing is

really great!!!



Travel e-Commerce has changed forever

LookSearch more

InteractUser reviews

BookSelect dates,

rooms,packages

InteractRecommendations

InteractUser photos,

videos

LookSearch



Google Search changes to instant results– ITA acquisition for $700M

Google Maps promotes owner sites

Google Places includes reviews, social word-of-mouth

Google restructuring the travel industry



Top 5 social media for travel

The travel social network: ratings, reviews, pictures#1 site for accommodation (2x bigger than marriott.com)

#2 search engine for consumers. You may not be there,but your guests are searching there.

Pictures are #2 factor when deciding where to stay.

500M users and growing. Can’t ignore.

The best way of making money on social networks.



5 tools you should be using (they’re free!)

News in your inbox every day.

Like Google Alerts, but for social media.

Blog search made easy.

Measure the influence of your followers.

The ultimate twitter client.



Users looking for “experiences”– Search much more specific products

71% of US internet users on Facebook*– 60% trust social word-of-mouth for travel decisions**– 82% prefer to book direct with suppliers***

Keeping up with change harder than ever– 10M comments in Facebook every 20 minutes

Social consumers are different

Sources:*onlineschools.org

** Forrester*** Phocuswright



A new wave in distribution is starting

GDS

TourOperators

SocialCommerce

20202010200019901980

Online TravelAgents



Social commerce = nightmare?

Tripadvisor was hard enough…– What to do with Facebook? Be on twitter 24x7?– New social networks emerging every day….

How to measure success?

And how to monetize on the effort?



Social marketing can bridge the gap

400,000 smaller properties and brands• Mass distribution channels• Slow to adapt to changes

60,000 largehotels

• Strong sales & marketing• Ride market changes

Social Marketing+

BLLA/GuestCentric



Consumers have diminishing time, or patience for Web 1.0 solutionsSocial consumer does not want to deal with mass distributionIndependent hotels and smaller brands need effective tools to deal with change

The opportunity and the need



Large OTAs spend $200M+in online advertising

Independents and smallerbrands will not be #1 in Google“Hotels New York”

But… many visitors can turnto guests

Promote experiences instead of regions

Independents must be realistic



LookEngaging web pages

Facebook fan page

Modular approach for social consumer

InteractReputation management

Social CRM

BookOne-page booking

Viral distribution



Scan millions of posts, but filter relevant information

– Blogs, news, videos, photos

– Social networks (TripAdvisor, Facebook, Twitter)

Integrate user content, manage reputation

– Amplify positive user reviews

– Respond to negative comments

Listen and leverage user content



Engage: be relevant

Engage with on-the-fly campaigns– Pictures, pictures, pictures– Highlight special offers,

innovative room types

Be local, useful and fun– Promote experiences

Blend official site and Facebook page



Innovate: Offer social exclusives– Easy, real-time booking– Filters and sliders to speed

up selection– Best rate highlighted on a

calendar

Make booking a no-brainer: click-to-book

Book: drive incremental bookings



Make decisions based on consumer behaviors– Measure everything– Integrate with Google Analytics

Gain customer insight & develop loyalty– Learn needs of incoming guests– Monitor service requests during

stay

Pinpoint opportunities for direct sales

Measure, and do it all over again



Social marketing value proposition

Amplify positive reputation

Create community of brandembassadors

Get bookings from socialexclusives

Compete today for futurecustomer intimacy



Hotel Aiken 68 economy rooms in Aiken, SC (USA)

Success:• 4x more direct bookings in 1 month• Advance bookings for special events• Complete control over website

“GuestCentric really understood the challenges that independent hotels like us face. Now we can keep the hotel’s website looking fresh by updating content at anytime from anywhere” - Lindsey W., Customer Care Director



Base2Stay 106 boutique rooms in Liverpool (UK)

“GuestCentric’s system and staff are wonderful, I wish I could deal with more companies like them” - Alun H., Managing Director

Success:• New property: from $0 to $45,000 per month in 5 months• Site done in 2 weeks• Direct bookings #1 reservation source



Casa de Madrid 7 luxury rooms in Madrid (Spain)

“GuestCentric fully understands the needs and opportunities for a small boutique property. The technology has provided a perfect solution. Most importantly, online revenue has delivered a substantial ROI” - Ashley U., Business Consultant

Success:• 3x more direct bookings in 3 months• Lots of exposure due to WebAward• 40% of reservations from website



One application, all killer features– Modular: no need to jump into all

features day 1

– Decision support data and performance indicators

Gets guest into the process– Incentives to shop, book and

distribute virally

Instant-on– Intuitive interface

– Projects are hours/days not months!

GuestCentric: Smart, Social, Fast



1. Scan millions of posts, but filter relevant information

2. Integrate user content, manage reputation

3. Engage with on-the-fly campaigns

4. Be local, useful and fun

5. Blend official site and Facebook page

6. Innovate: Offer social exclusives

7. Make booking a no-brainer: click-to-book

8. Make decisions based on consumer behaviors

9. Gain customer insight & develop loyalty

10. Pinpoint opportunities for direct sales

Recap: 10 easy tips



Why Social?

• 3x to 10x more direct bookings

• 30% less distribution costs

• Fuel viral business when you are ready

This social web thing is

really great!!!



Contact us with questions/comments or to request more information on the GuestCentric solution to: [email protected]

Contacts BLLA


Technology

GuestCentric: Social marketing for hotels