Ms. Shaw

Sales & Marketing

Building the Bridge Between Corporate and Field Marketing

By Stacy Shaw, President & Founder, m-k-t-g

In many cases, the rapport between the corporate marketing department and hotel field marketing can be described as a love/hate relationship. Creating synergy between the two will have a positive impact on the brand image as well as the bottom line. But as part of the corporate marketing team, how do you accomplish this sometimes daunting task?

It begins with creating demand for corporate resources and insights, not about imposing standards. If the hotels actively seek out the corporate office, then the standards compliance and brand-quality work will follow.

As a former vice president of marketing for a hotel company, one way for creating the demand for corporate resources that I personally found effective is to save the hotel time and money, two commodities that always seem to be in short supply for a hotel director of sales and marketing.

The corporate marketing team can research, interview and secure agency resources for the field that are thoroughly trained in the industry, the business challenges and the brand standards, therefore guaranteeing brand quality work at the local level. The field will be more incline to use the designated agency because the firm will already understand the hotel business eliminating the learning-curve period that can slow down the process and delay results. Another selling point of having an established agency relationship for the field is that the prices have been negotiated by corporate marketing based on anticipated work volume; usually resulting in a better rate than individual hotels can procure on their own. Since the agency of record has been pre-approved, there is no longer a need for the hotels to seek approval from the corporate office for their local initiatives, a task that sometimes irritates the hotels in the first place. Having these marketing resources in place for the field allows the hotels to spend their valuable and limited time on direct selling for their properties.

Developing template programs with a high degree of customization is another way to generate demand. Provide the field with materials based on the corporate standards and programs, but that also allow the use of local hotel photography and copy. This will make it easy for a hotel to incorporate the local flavor and culture of its market while still conforming to the brand standards. When working for the hotel company and now at m-k-t-g, we found that once the hotels start using these programs, they become advocates. In several cases the hotels have created a push demand for template products - driving creation of solutions for everything from brunch covers to recruiting.

Serve as best practice library. From distressed-date marketing tactics to renovation campaigns, chances are the very marketing program one of your hotels needs to implement, you've already done with another. There is no need to reinvent the wheel when a hotel can take an idea that already has a successful track record and just tweak it to meet its objectives.

Take a grass-roots approach. By involving hotels in the development of marketing programs, you can gain their individual support, and then let them be your cheerleader with their peers. This can be done through brainstorming sessions and development teams. Both allow hotels to provide their input and establish ownership of the program.

Reward hotels that jump on the corporate marketing bandwagon. Create opportunities for hotels to be showcased in brand promotions, materials, and especially in presentations which include senior management. Use those hotels for location shoots and pay for additional images that the hotel can use in their local marketing efforts.

Help hotels with the ugly parts of their job. Offer either a corporate or agency resource to assist in preparing for owners or asset manager meetings. Take over the role of training and compliance with local agencies as it relates to the corporate brand and graphic standards. Provide hotels with orientation for new directors of sales and marketing. I would suggest broadening that orientation to include associate directors of sales as they are probably already assisting the DOSM with the local marketing programs and will be in the driver's seat themselves one day.

You can't expect to create a demand for corporate resources and expertise if the field doesn't know what you have to offer. Educate the hotels on corporate marketing's role, and promote the resources and tools available to them through your department. Whether rookie or veteran, you would be surprised how little your hotel directors of sales and marketing and other key players at the hotel management level know about what your team can bring to the table. Many times hotels find themselves at odds with their corporate marketing department simply because they are trying to solve an immediate business need and are not fully aware of existing corporate partnerships and contractual agreements. Don't assume that communication at the hotel level is any better than at the corporate office. General managers and directors of sales and marketing come and go, and the chances of a thorough turnover report including a list of previously implemented or currently available corporate marketing tactics are slim. By making the effort to communicate regularly with your hotel marketing counterparts, you can keep them apprised of corporate resources as well as keep abreast of their individual business needs. For this type of communication, I suggest a phone conversation instead of email. By talking on the phone you can develop a mutually beneficial relationship and ensure that your message is received and understood. And, you are on the way to that grass roots approach.

But more than anything else, bridging the gap between corporate and field marketing begins with respect. If you respect the hotels' knowledge and acknowledge their expertise, they will ultimately do the same for you.

Stacy Shaw is the president and founder of m-k-t-g, a full-service marketing communications agency focused on the hospitality industry, the agency works with companies that engage in lodging, dining, entertainment, development, tourism, recreation and gaming. Stacy brings over 20 years of marketing and hospitality experience to m-k-t-g. With a communications degree from Eastern Illinois University, Stacy began her marketing career at Foote, Cone & Belding. She continues to hone her passion and her extensive marketing background at m-k-t-g. Ms. Shaw can be contacted at 312-202-6935 or sshaw@m-k-t-g.com Extended Bio...

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