Ms. Dietrich

Social Media & PR

Not a Ritz Carlton? Not a Problem - A Guide to Positioning Your Hotel Without the Glitz and Glamour

By Gini Dietrich, Founder & CEO, Arment Dietrich Inc.

No longer are hotel goers "thinking big" when they book their reservations. Small, themed, and unique hotels frequently steal guests from the most luxurious of hotels. Whether large or small, the difference between a successful hotel and one with far too many vacancies often is simple - a solid public relations plan that delivers essential information to entice potential guests.

A strong public relations plan complements your business goals. By increasing brand awareness among targeted groups of prospective guests, you can grow sales and revenues. Following a precise public relations plan including contributes to the goals of any hotel owner.

Even if you don't operate a five-star hotel, you can play in the big leagues. Public relations is a great way to differentiate your property and increase brand awareness. A comprehensive communication strategy shows off a hotel's unique features and, in turn, helps grow leadership in the marketplace.

The first and most critical step is finding your hotel's niche. Each hotel embraces a distinct identity, whether targeting vacationers looking for magical hideaways or business professionals escaping the drudgery of work life on the road. By defining your specific audience, you can effectively communicate your differentiators, services, and beautiful location to those seeking the experience only you can offer

To effectively deliver your brand and message focus on the special nature of your hotel's experience, location, and environment. You need exceptional stories to excited reporters at consumer media - both online and in print - so your hotel shines in reviews and profiles.

To aid you in creating your public relations plan, I've laid out a plan of action to follow:

• Create a clear message - Identify the key assets your hotel provides to execute a successful public relations program that draws guests through your doors. From your design to the amenities you offer, key differentiators provide clear message points about why potential guests should choose your hotel. Know your strengths and what sets your property apart, and then communicate clear messages to connect with prospective guests.
• Understand your audience - A business traveler looking to get away from work may not want to stay at a hotel catering to families looking to entertain their children. Or, you may offer it all - which is another distinction to highlight. Create a public relations plan directly aimed at reaching your target audiences. What magazines and news papers do your guests read? If you want to lure CEOs with amenities designed with their needs in mind, consider targeting in-flight magazines and business publications, such as Forbes. Busy parents may subscribe to their local newspaper and a parenting magazine. Your audience dictates both your messages and your media targets.
• Develop your materials - Now that you know your hotel's message and understand your audience, you can begin to create materials. Fact sheets, news releases, and brochures are important tools for success. In each, reinforce who you are, what you value, goals, services, and unique aspects of your property. Fact sheets, for example, provide essential information such as the history of your hotel, milestones, fun facts, and one-of-a-kind features and offerings. News releases deliver timely information and act as catalysts to gain attention in the marketplace and attract potential guests.
• Offer unique events and promotions - Lifestyle hotels gain a tremendous following by offering one-of-a-kind experiences for their guests, a model that any hotel can follow. Are you passionate about cooking or making pottery? Consider adding unique classes or partnering with a vendor who produces special tour packages. If you can share an experience with your guests that they couldn't get at the hotel next door, you'll stand out against even the toughest competitor.
• Maximize online presence - You get a lot of bang for your buck when you participate in tradition and nontraditional online media. Of the 75 percent of Americans using the Internet, three out of four people search for travel information online, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project. Travelers take into account a combination of formal reviews and citizen bloggers before making reservations, and you gain an edge by making sure you're name is out there. Monitoring blogger comments about your property helps you know perceptions and experiences in real time.
• Measure your program and adapt - How do you know your public relations efforts are successful? In order to be certain your public relations efforts are helping you compete, create objectives to measure your results. Consistently track the number of placements that mention your hotel in news outlets as well as the number of visits to your hotel's Web site. Look for patterns to see if Web site traffic increases after an article mentioning your hotel appears in the local paper. Pinpointing how public relations efforts directly tie back to increased guest traffic and awareness among potential guests reinforces the importance of communication campaigns and allows you to focus on the components that are most effective for your hotel.Elevating awareness among potential guests and developing unique stories about your hotel help you reach your goals through effective public relations. By emphasizing distinctive elements of your hotel, you can stand out from the competition and create opportunities to maximize visibility among potential guests. Using key differentiators, public relations materials, cultivating an online presence, and consistently measuring your success, you will be well on your way to creating a public relations plan to support the growth and success of your hotel.

Gini Dietrich is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Arment Dietrich, Inc., a firm that uses non-traditional marketing. The author of Spin Sucks, Gini has delivered numerous keynotes, panel discussions, coaching sessions, and workshops across North America on the subject of digital marketing tools. One of the top rated communication professionals on the social networks, Gini was recently named the number one PR person, according to Klout and TechCrunch, on the channels, and number one on Twitter, according to TweetLevel. Ms. Dietrich can be contacted at 312-787-7249 or gini.dietrich@armentdietrich.com Extended Bio...

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