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  • Sales & Marketing

  • The Power of a Secret, a Story, and a Surprise

  • By Bonnie Knutson, Professor, The School of Hospitality Business/MSU

  • It is hogwash! It is baloney! It is a lot of hooey!

    Somewhere along the line, we have been sold a bill of goods that all it takes to generate great word-of-mouth (that is WOM, you know) advertising for your hotel is top service quality. We have all seen the figures: A happy guest will tell six - or seven - or even eight others about your hotel. While that may have been true back in the '80s and '90s, good service is not enough to produce WOM today because good service is just expected (though not always received). It is poor service that produces word-of-mouth advertising in this era of savvy guests and strong competition, but that is another story. And it is certainly not the kind of WOM that any hotel needs or wants.

    To cause the kind of positive word-of-mouth advertising that will expand your market share and drive hotel revenues, it takes more than top facilities and good service. It takes a Secret, a Story or a Surprise.

    First the Secret. Remember when you were a kid and someone told you a secret? How important you felt. How special. It is the same way with your guests. Everyone loves ...

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Coming Up In The March Online Hotel Business Review

"Hotel Business Review offers weekly articles for hotel management and operation and discussion on emerging growth markets."
Feature Focus
Hotel Human Resources: The Biggest Challenges
The economic challenges of the past four years have led many hotel companies to re-examine the ways in which they do business and how they deploy talent. In many cases, the work did not go away and fewer people were left to carry on the tasks that had previously been shared among many. As we work our way out of the recession and look forward to a healthier economic environment, there is an understanding that despite recovering business levels, we may never see the return of former staffing levels. This "new norm" of operating with leaner teams has led Human Resources professionals and people managers to look at career development and growth opportunities in a new light. The March Hotel Business Review will take a look at some of the strategies being used by successful hotel brands, and techniques human resource directors are currently exploring.
INSIGHTS FOR INDUSTRY LEADERS BY INDUSTRY LEADERS
"The Four Habits of Highly Effective Human Resources"
By James Bermingham, Vice President, Montage Hotels
"Embassy Suites 'The Circle of Leadership"
By Darci Riesenhuber, Director of Brand Culture, Embassy Suites Hotels
"Applying Consumer Marketing Best Practices to Employee Loyalty"
By Fred Bendana, Executive Director Client Services, Maritz Loyalty & Motivation
"How Incentives are Changing to Keep Existing Staff Motivated?"
By Jim Houran, Partner, HVS Executive Search
PLUS: Mobile Technology - Attracting & Retaining Top Talent - Education - Employee Engagement - Employment Claims & Litigation - Employment Contracts - HR Management.