Hospitality Property School

A broken window at your hospitality property could cost you your business. Does this sound outrages?I’ll explain along with ways to enhance your housekeeping.The Broken Window Theory IntroductionThe broken window theory was introduced in a 1982 article by social scientists James Wilson and George Kelling. It reads; something as small and seemingly insignificant as a broken window sends a negative symbol to those that pass it each day, indicating that the owner of the building doesn’t care enough. The result is more broken windows. Before long, a negative perception of the building and the area is formed leading to more and more urban decay and crime. The principle of Broken Window can have the same effect on your business. If your property isn’t up to standard and feel safe for your guests when things return to the ‘new normal’, it will not take long for them to form a negative impression. Along with your customers, your most valuable employees will seek opportunity elsewhere. You will experience more complai

There’s no denying that the pandemic has wreaked havoc on the hospitality property industry. This has left many of us feeling overwhelmed and fearful, not sure how to adapt through Covid-19.I have a checklist that will help.What we can say for certain, as history has proven, is that we’re a resilient industry, and that market volatility is something we must accept. With this in mind, preparing as best as you can for unexpected events can go a long way in helping weather unwanted economic events or sudden downturns.I have gathered some functional tips and put together a 17 part checklist to help you adapt through Covid-19 and adjust to a ‘new normal’.How to Adapt through Covid-19 Checklist Be prepared to alter your business planSeasonal fluctuations are nothing new to the hospitality property industry and having a quiet season or even a shutdown for a short time is normal. With this downturn, you might want to consider other ways that you can leverage any opportunities in order to make up shortfalls in the fut

Given the ever-changing market conditions due to COVID-19 and renewed fluctuating regional restrictions, what will your guests expect post lockdown?Let me give you a few ideas.When faced with the challenge of preparing to reopen a hospitality property in an uncertain environment, it can be difficult to know where to start. Where will potential guests travel from? What will they want from their stay? What can be done to increase demand?Tailoring to post-lockdown guestsPart of a reopening strategy should include understanding who your post-lockdown guests are likely to be and what stay experience they are pursuing.With ongoing international travel restrictions in place and public concerns about the safety of air travel, hospitality properties will likely see guests arriving from driving, rather than flying. Given corporate travel is pretty much at a standstill, properties should anticipate that the domestic leisure market will be a key focus for the foreseeable future.Local leisure guests, who may travel as fam

What if I told you I could walk you through three stages for reopening your hotel, resort, bed and breakfast and how to use them to get you the other side of this pandemic? Would you be interested?I am going to do that right now.What I’m going to share are creative, low-cost strategies to help hospitality properties acquire and retain customers. These are designed by system analysts who tend to be obsessive, curious and analytical:• These system analysts focus solely on strategies related to growing the business.• They hypothesize, prioritize and test innovative growth strategies.• They analyze and test to see what’s working.• The ideal system analysts know how to set growth priorities, identify channels for customer acquisition, measure success, and scale growth.Each property is different and it’s about figuring out why you grow and looking for ways to make that happen on purpose.Continue reading or watching and I’ll explain the three stages and structuring of your reopening and how to take advantage of oppo

Chances are when you open your doors to the world, guests are not going to be filing in. You’re going to have to earn their trust. I’ll tell you how to do that.If you look out your window, will you see brontosauruses or triceratops wandering around – no. Why? When the asteroid hit they were not able to adapt. In the last year and a half, Covid-19 has been a hospitality property mass extinction event and if properties didn’t or are not willing to adapt, they will not survive.Speak to any hospitality property owner or manager, and they will tell you the turmoil that they have been facing. When should we open? When will our guests start returning? How do I forecast occupancy for the next 6 months, 12 months, 5 years with so much uncertainty? Is my business safe?It’s no secret that the hospitality industry has taken a massive hit in the chaos that was 2020 but if you look closely, you can see a light at the end of the tunnel.What are the signs?People are tired of being stuck in a lockdown, vaccine distribution is

Why is selling an experience more important than just selling rooms?Stay with me and I’ll explain why and how to improve your guest’s experience.After decades of touting their vast array of in-room amenities, fitness centers, pools and large-screen TVs, many hospitality property marketers have become too self-indulgent and product-focused to recognize that it’s what happens outside of the property that really matters these days.Today, your guests are looking for more.You have to sell an experience to your guests and I am going to share 6 ways you can drive more guests by selling your property experiences.But before I do I have to talk about customer service in the COVID-19 era.Hospitality Property Industry in the Covid-19 EraIt’s a fact that COVID-19 has changed customer service forever. The way that a hospitality property operates and delivers experiences to guests will have to go through changes and adaptations that will become the new normal.Failure to adapt will result in property closing.Along with any g

Is it worth including a LinkedIn company page in your property marketing strategy?I will share benefits and tips to help you decide.LinkedIn Company Page IntroductionMany hospitality property owners and managers, (hotels, inns, resorts and bed & breakfast) I have spoken with, feel that LinkedIn is a platform they don’t need to be on due to the fact that LinkedIn is an online social network for business professionals and this may be the case for some properties.It's different than other social networking sites because it's designed specifically for professional networking.For example, finding a job, discovering sales leads, and connecting with potential business partners.So, why should you as a hospitality property owner/manager consider using LinkedIn as a social media platform?How about if you want to attract other businesses.For exampleBusiness travellersMeeting room rentalsCompany partiesSuppliersLooking for quality employeesJust to name a fewCheck out these stats…Total number of LinkedIn users: 766 mi

The impact of Pinterest is growing every year and gives a property the opportunity to share its personality, values and the best it has to offer but is it right for your property?I’ll explain how you can market with Pinterest.Pinterest is a collection of pictures that show up on a board.The pictures or images are called “pins” which are visual bookmarks. All the images uploaded can link back to their original location. This allows many people to share the same pin or image with their own commentary while still linking back to the original content.Who uses Pinterest?In order to determine if using Pinterest for your business is a good fit, it’s helpful to have an understanding of who exactly is logging into the social media platform and what makes them tick.•Pinterest has 459 million monthly active users•Monthly international user figures grew by 46% in 2020•60% of users are women•82% of people use Pinterest on mobile•People watch close to one billion videos a day on Pinterest•8 in 10 Pinterest users say the pl

Visual content is one of the most important components when it comes to marketing for business. Instagram for business is such a visual platform, it cuts through the clutter and could help your property speak for itself.I’ll explain.Instagram for Business IntroductionLet’s look at some 2021 facts & figures about Instagram •There are 1.074 billion Instagram users worldwide in 2021.•The average post on Instagram contains 10.7 hashtags.•71% of the billion monthly active users on the Instagram app are under the age of 35.•Instagram users spend an average of 53 minutes per day.•500 million IG accounts use Instagram stories every day.•Instagram can generate over 4 x more interactions on Instagram compared to Facebook.•71% of US businesses use Instagram.•Instagram helps 80% of Instagram users decide to buy a product or service.•50% of Instagrammers follow at least one business.Men and women are more evenly represented with 50 percent of the active users outside the US. Two-thirds are between the ages of 18 and 3

With so many social media options available, why should you consider Twitter for business as a marketing option?I’ll give you facts to help you decide.Twitter for Business IntroductionUsing Twitter for marketing means you’re able to contact your property’s biggest supporters directly, and they’re able to contact you. These supporters can tell their friends, tweet about you, and in general, create interest in your property and services.This kind of communication can help bolster business for your property, spread the word about your deals, events and things going on in your region, as well as collecting valuable feedback.The two most important things for your property are guest traffic and your brand. The only way to get traffic is to make sure you're creating interest that could go viral. The only way to brand is through relationships with your customers while building your reputation.Twitter is a great way to reach people in a personal way.There's been an evolution in social marketing from "word of mouth" to

With all the bad press from Facebook in the last couple of years, should you bother including it in your marketing strategy?Let me give you the facts about how to use Facebook for your business.Facebook the home of family trip pictures, thoughts of the day and salsa recipes. A great place to snoop. It can also help you sell rooms.A Facebook page can have many benefits for your hospitality property as it is the 3rd most visited website in the world. 12 Benefits of a Facebook Presence for Your Property 1. Increased Exposure to Potential CustomersIt has over 2.7 billion monthly active users. 2. You can share information about your businessYou can publicize your property's name, address and contact details, talk about your history, describe your property and services or any other aspect of your business as well as upload pictures and videos from your business.This can be a powerful way to communicate with your current customers and potential customers. 3. Gather More LeadsYou have the ability to gather leads

As an independent hospitality property owner, you should understand the importance of marketing and are constantly thinking of ways to get your property's name in front of as many people as possible.Using YouTube can be an economical way to grow if used frequently as part of your marketing strategy. It is the number one video sharing site in the world and it is the place to get your videos seen.Here are some reasons you need to consider YouTube. • Total number of monthly active YouTube users: 2 billion• Total number of daily active YouTube users: 30 million• Average mobile viewing session: 40 minutes• Number of videos watched per day: 1 billion• Number of mobile YouTube views per day: 1 billion +• 62% of businesses use YouTube.• 51% of YouTube users say they visit the site daily.• 70% of YouTube watch time comes from mobile devices.• YouTube services are available in more than 100 countries in 80 languages.Those stats should make you raise an eyebrow.Using YouTube Will Help You Get Found On GoogleHave you no

If you own or manage a hotel, resort, inn or bed and breakfast etc. you need to create a blog that builds trust with your audience, increases your bookings, customer base & profit.I’m going to show you how.Create a Blog IntroductionIt has been well over a decade since blogging take on a life of its own. Many experts we turn to have become famous due to their blogs and because we see more people blogging, it is very important that the content of your blog is quality. This is especially true if you want to get found on the internet.You might be thinking...Why should I blog and why would people want to read what I have to write? You might be surprised but there are people out there who care about your ideas, your generosity, and your willingness to share.I am going to share with you what you need to keep in mind, 16 reasons why you should start a blog, tips to get started and some of the initial mistakes new bloggers make.A Couple of Things to Keep in Mind1. Your blog should be readable and make sense with a

It’s important for customers to like your website design because the longer they stay, the higher the chance they will book. Here’s what you need to do.The way to make visitors stay on your website is by giving them reasons why they should stay, be it information, good service, special price, etc.•Keep your website design limited to make it look more professional.•Your website design should be personal and appealing.•You should provide a detailed description of your property and services.•Your website should be simple and straightforward. Your goal should be to make your hospitality properties website a pleasure to look at. Whether you’re overhauling your property's existing website or creating your web presence from scratch, you should understand the crucial elements of a clean and functional website so that it looks honest, professional, and well-designed. Here are 22 Details You Need to Consider When Designing Your Website A website should be easy to useIf visitors are confused when looking at your website

A Step by Step Guide to Build an Email ListThe idea of attracting both new guests to book and past guests to rebook is attractive, and there is no better way to leave an impression than to be able to reach out to them.To do this you need to establish a connection with people and build an email list.You can do this and I’m going to explain how.How to Build an Email List Introduction I have heard independent hotel, resort, inn and bed & breakfast owners say "I'm just a small property owner, not an international internet marketer, why would I need an email list?" The usage of the internet, tablets and smartphones is the norm for most people and for you to be successful as or more successful than your competitors, you have to be online, in front of your customers. You may be active in the world of online marketing, and email and guest list building is an aspect that you should be utilized to increase business and your online presence. I have mentioned many times before, it is imperative to build

Asking for referrals is hard! I will show you how to make it a natural part of your life as a hotelier/innkeeper and increase your bookings.As an independent hotel, resort, inn or bed and breakfast, a very effective way to grow your business is through referrals. Unfortunately, referrals do not happen effortlessly. Yes, you might get the odd referral, but if you want your business to grow you have to both earn and ask for them. Let's begin by talking about how you can earn great referrals from your guests. You can start by giving them an experience they will remember, you want to WOW your guests. 1. Show your interest by really listening to them Ask the right questions during the check-in, in your restaurant, at the bar and listen to the answers but don't make it obvious. Why? All these answers can be recorded in your guest's profile to be used later. 2. Have the Appropriate Software System Ensure your guest's 2nd, 3rd or 100th visit is as good as their first. Have systems in place to guarantee you

If you have a bad online reputation or it’s lacking, you’re losing money.I will share just how important your online reputation is and how a good one can be the difference between a hugely successful property and one that is struggling.Online Reputation Management (ORM) is as simple as it sounds for your hotel, resort, inn or bed and breakfast etc. It is a method by which hospitality properties can oversee, influence and improve the feedback that guests leave about them online. The World Wide Web has changed the way commerce works in an untold number of ways, but most importantly, it has changed the dynamic of information between a guest and a hotel, resort, inn or bed and breakfast. Previously, the flow of information was one way; the hospitality property would advertise and provide information about their property, but the customer had no consistent way of providing feedback. There was the old saying about a dissatisfied guest telling up to eleven people, but that was about as large scale as the feedback co

When things start returning to normal, do you want customers knocking down your door to book? I’m going to share a proven method to improve your chances.As a hospitality property owner or manager, you have to keep coming come up with imaginative ways to entice new guests, but as you know, this type of marketing can be expensive.It is less expensive to market to your existing guests than to find new ones.Getting a new customer is six to seven times more expensive than maintaining a current guest, but this business model isn’t sustainable forever.Your business can’t grow if you don’t expand your customer base. At some point, you’ll need to run marketing campaigns to attract new customers.This is why you need a customer acquisition strategy that won’t deplete your marketing budget.A customer referral program can do this. You leverage your existing guests to bring in new business.What are the most significant factors of hospitality property revenue?According to studies, retention and acquisition are first and sec

Knowing your market is imperative for any successful hotel, resort, inn, bed & breakfast etc. but research can be expensive. Here are ways you can conduct market research without much money or training. Conduct Market Research IntroductionWhen hospitality properties develop an idea, whether it's a new service or a redesigned website, marketing research is often the first thing cut due to time or financial limitations. That can make sense. Working with marketing research firms can be very expensive and time-consuming. If you haven't done research before, it is very tempting to skip it and jump right into the development stage.Hold on before you take that next step. There's a lot of research you can do on your own and without much money or training. Here are some low-budget ways to do some research and give your service, idea, or designs a better chance. 1) Interview Potential and Current GuestsNothing is freer or more valuable than a conversation. You might be pleasantly surprised at how willing and forthc

"Why do I need surveys, I know what my guests like."I would like to say I've never heard that before but you might be shocked at the number of hospitality property owners I have met who have said just that or something similar. I’m going to explain why you need surveys.I'm going to give you four very important reasons why your hospitality property should be conducting surveys. 1.To find out what's going on. If your customers are given a non-threatening method, they will tell you what's important to them. 2.A survey can shed light on items or problems that you might not have been aware of that could be a symptom of a larger problem. 3.When making decisions about your property, you do not always have to go with your gut feelings but instead make your choices with sound data-driven information. 4.Surveys provide you with a snapshot of your target guests and their attitudes. This will help you establish a baseline from which you can compare other times and determine whether problems are getting better or wors