What allows one hotel complex to thrive while another fades into the background, even when they are both in the same neighborhood? Much has to do with the efforts in the target marketing and the precision of the advertising campaign. While advertising directed at individuals may attract some potential business, the most effective method that produces a much greater attraction of the market is the campaigns directed at groups.
Orientation groups
The hospitality market is divided into many consumer groups with varying needs, wants, backgrounds, income, and purchasing habits. That said, the key is to target groups looking for ideal venues to meet those particular needs. While there are a number of groups that can maintain a hotel / resort each season, there are a few that are reliable throughout the year. The following is a quick list of seasonal groups typically targeted by a hotel / resort marketing team.
• Family reunion groups
• Corporate vacation groups
• Wedding party
• Club members
• Sport teams
Promote local attractions
Local attractions in the vicinity of the resort have a lot to do with deciding to book one hotel / resort over another. That means that the potential guest will see both the accommodation facilities and the surrounding area as their “destination.” Nearby attractions are a high priority for these groups and this should be a primary consideration when designing marketing materials. Therefore, the key to successfully marketing your hospitality venue has a lot to do with promoting these hot spots on your materials.
Group event promotion
While some hotels and resorts focus on quality cosmetics and services, others go one step further and choose to specialize in key market niches to establish a competitive advantage. Doing so can only improve market penetration and attract more seasonal customers. Still, how does a marketing team accomplish this? Let’s focus on the growing interest in planning family reunion events and see how presenting more personalized marketing materials can attract larger and larger groups. Then we can see how other niche market segments can be penetrated.
Family reunion event planning
Often times, family reunion event planners / coordinators or committees should consider narrowing down a list of possible locations to host the event. This has a lot to do with the theme and the selected activities. Meeting planners often take the time to research and visit potential locations. How can your marketing materials attract more visitors? Design materials to aid the decision-making process of family reunion planners and committees. The material should focus on listing a variety of meeting topics and associated activities. The material should allow the reader to determine the facilities most compatible with the selected themes and activities.
Use the event planning guides
A hotel marketing department saw target marketing potential in one family reunion planning guide in particular. While there are several popular guides, this one contained several personalized keepsake features.
A proprietary book signature page, event detail page, journal, recipe log, and genealogical research form. The book helps the planner / committee go through each step of family reunion planning, narrowing down the possible locations according to the selected themes and activities. All that was needed was a small modification that would present nearby facilities, services and attractions ideal for the needs of that particular group. This was accomplished simply by sliding a brochure between the pages of the book. The hotel / resort manager decided to add a personally signed letter attached to the first page of the guide. Additional content can highlight amenities that fit the profile and demographics of your attendees, such as the following:
• Places in the park
• Museum visits
• Festivals and other outdoor events
• Boat rides
• Fishing
• Theater shows with dinner
• Shows of the symphony orchestra
• Jazz concerts
Promotion of “souvenir event planning” marketing materials
The resort hospitality team may gift the guide to guests who visit and choose to rate / review the facility. The event planning guide can be compiled in e-book or PDF format, ordered from online bookstores, or available from local retail bookstores. The guide can be designed for the individual planner / coordinator or the event planning committee. Such a personalized keepsake gift given to a group touring the facility can go a long way toward winning customers’ business, as well as generating gratitude, trust, and the resulting customer loyalty.