MASTERING MARKETING PLANNING FOR HOSPITALITY: STRATEGIES TO DRIVE SUCCESS
In the competitive world of hospitality, effective marketing planning is essential for standing out and attracting guests.
Whether you’re managing a boutique hotel, a chain of resorts, or a trendy restaurant, a well-crafted marketing strategy is instrumental to build a loyal customer base, increase bookings, and boost brand awareness.
However, with so many channels, trends, and technologies to navigate, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. In this blog, we’ll explore the key elements of marketing planning for the hospitality industry and share actionable insights to help you create a comprehensive strategy that drives results.
Let’s dive into how to transform your marketing efforts into a powerful tool for growth.
01. Dig Deeper for Real Results
Impressions, engagements, CPC, CTR…. (are your eyes rolling yet?). There are so many metrics tied to marketing efforts. Beyond not really knowing what they mean, you likely are also asking yourself, “But how does this actually tie to business goals?”
You’re not alone. You absolutely should be asking that question.
While marketing metrics are important to monitor, it doesn’t share the whole story and doesn’t – on its own – tell you what efforts are supporting your business goals.
Whether you’re working with an agency or managing efforts in-house, here are some things you can implement today to connect marketing to business goals:
Set Clear Goals – Communicate with your marketing team exactly what your business goals are. We’re talking bookings, reservations, revenue; the real stuff that your company needs to sustain and grow.
Leverage UTMs – Okay, stay with us. UTMs are unique tracking links so that you can track performance down to one specific ad, email campaign, social post, etc. Use a URL builder tool to create UTMs for all marketing efforts. This will then generate on your Google Analytics so you can see how your efforts are driving traffic and conversions.
Identify Benchmarks – There are set benchmarks by industry for marketing metrics. Whether you’re evaluating your cost-per-click (CPC) or email open rates, look up and document the benchmarks for your industry so that you know how your efforts are performing.
02. Prioritize Quality Over Quantity
Knowing which marketing channels to implement can feel daunting. From online searches to advice from well-intended “experts,” it can feel like there’s a never-ending laundry list of channels you have to implement to stay relevant.
Here’s our advice: Make decisions based on data, not on fads.
At least once a year, it’s important to audit your entire marketing channel list. We’re talking social channels, website structure, emails, print, sponsorships… all of it.
Once you’ve uncovered true performance for each channel, compare that alongside where your target market is spending time. Conduct searches to uncover demographics for each channel, and then leverage that to build your channel plan for the year ahead.
03. Maintain Authentic, Human Connection
In a world where new technologies are launching daily, it can be easy to forget that at the end of the day, the core purpose of marketing is simply to share your story and create strong relationships with your ideal target market.
Feel free to embrace things like AI and processes to automate some of your marketing workflows, but remember to maintain a brand that feels authentic, personable, and real. This looks like:
Refining your brand voice and utilizing that same tone throughout all marketing channels.
Engaging with your audience on social media with real (not auto-generated) responses.
Using original photography of your space, your team, and your guests whenever possible.
With these tactics, you can confidently approach your marketing in the year ahead and ensure that your team is directly impacting business goals.
We are Kōvly Studio, the brand + marketing agency for experience-driven brands. Our team supports hospitality brands with strategic planning, brand and website development, and ongoing marketing implementation with channels including digital ads, email marketing, and SEO.