Friday, November 25, 2011

5 things your hotel should do right now with social media


If you're on social media, have you considered what you will be doing next year? Below are some things your hotel should implement 2012.

Put your staff to work.
Your staff members are a wealth of information and you need to use it to your advantage. For example, your reception or concierge are experts on the area and can provide customers with tips on the best place to eat, best shopping or places to see that no one else know about. Your chef is an expert on food and could provide tips or recipes.

Get your staff to write a few sentences every month on various topics, and you’ve got yourself some tremendous social media content with hardly any effort or time at all.

Include more social media only offers. 
Give your fans something of value that they can't get anywhere else, such as updates on events, sneak peek previews, news updates on your hotel or special offers that aren't available on the website.

You can use social media specific codes that can only be redeemed online and the codes can only be found via Facebook or Twitter if they are a follower.

Someone to really take a big foursquare/Facebook Places leap. 
Many places offer people a free glass of wine if they check-in using Foursquare or Facebook Places, but why not go all out and really create some buzz! Give away a free room or upgrade for customers who check-in often.

Cross promote. 
People need to know that your property has a social media presence, so make sure you include your facebook link on your website, in your email marketing messages, under your email signature, in ads in newspapers or magazines etc.

Fewer minutias. 
There was a time when a post like “it’s sunny today” did the trick. It was simple, felt personal, and kept a social presence active. These posts aren't bad now, but the problem is everyone's doing this. Include more depth to your general posts. For example, tell your fans about an interesting event going on in the area that people from outside your location might not know about. Post a photo of the sunset, or wildlife near your property.

Social media can no longer be ignored and although it might not be perfect for every accommodation, it is an important option for most. There are many benefits to using social media and with a bit of effort, your hotel can use social media to generate leads and raving fans.

If you would like more information about social media marketing, speak to TA Fastrack today on 1300 659 289.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

How to always have great Customer Service on Facebook


Always reply to your fans
Facebook is all about engagement and interacting with your fans. Make sure you respond to questions, comments and feedback.

Enable your wall
Make it easy for your fans to comment or post photos on your wall - it's a two way street. Fans don't want to be bombarded with your marketing messages without the ability for them to post on your wall.

Monitor your page throughout the day
Just as you monitor your emails and answer phone calls throughout the day, make an effort to check in on Facebook throughout the day and try to respond as quickly as possible to questions.

Add some personality to your posts
It's ok to let your personality shine through. Let your fans see the light side to your company - a touch of humour can put a smile on the face and this will help to keep your brand in the minds of your customers.

It's not just about marketing
Mix up your posts with marketing messages, but engage your fans with photos, open-ended questions, surveys or get their opinion on something.

If you would like help with social media marketing and Facebook, speak to one of the marketing consultants at TA Fastrack today on 07 3040 3588.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

What's in your marketing plan for 2012?

Start the new year with a solid approach to your marketing! Below are some tips on what you should look at for 2012.

1. Improve the way you handle customer feedback

Analysis from more than 400 entrants in the 2010 Telstra Business Awards suggests it's worth taking customer feedback seriously. It found that 79% of entrants could identify their best customers and that 64% of Australian businesses frequently seek feedback from customers.

Set up a complaints handling process and make sure your staff are well versed in it.

And most importantly, don't forget to answer any negative reviews on Tripadvisor!  According to PhoCusWright, 87% of travellers found guest reviews from people they didn't know influential in their travel decision. Research also shows that online reviews are second only to personal advice from a friend as the driver of purchase decisions.

2. Become the thought leader in your industry
Customers buy brands they trust and one way to build trust is to become a thought header in your industry. Send out a regular newsletter to your customers with interesting news articles, let your customers download a whitepaper or set up a blog.

3. Get on social media
Social media is a great way for you to engage with current and potential customers - and it's free. But before you get into Facebook and Twitter, make sure you have a solid social media strategy. For example, how often will you be updating your posts? What will you post? It's all about trying to find ways to communicate with your customers and add value to their lives.

4. Get a professional website
First impressions count, so make sure that your website looks professional with high resolution photos, there are no spelling errors and it's easy to read and navigate. Make sure you update your site regularly to encourage repeat visits and improve Google rankings. And Remember, it's important that you have original and quality content on the site - and Google will reward you for this.

Speak to a web design company to design a website that is user-friendly and  SEO friendly.


5. Create a loyalty program
Securing a loyal following is not easy, but it can be worthwhile. It is around five times more expensive to find a new customer, than it is to keep a current customer. A loyalty program could include offering your customers discounts, freebies, invites to VIP nights, or a buy one get one free offer. What you decide will depend on what your customers will value the most.

A loyalty program also gives you a great opportunity to capture valuable data about your customers, so you can send them more targeted marketing messages, for example, birthday, hobbies, interests, wedding anniversary etc.