The hotel and tourism industry has suffered a terrible hit of $12 billion loss ever since the pandemic lockdowns began, and you might be thinking why it isn’t a good idea anymore to keep maintaining your small hotel business. Well, that’s not true. No matter how bad things were, all businesses could be salvaged, especially now that there is progress in the vaccine rollouts and gradual economic reopening.
So if you are an owner of a small local hotel, this article is for you. We are going to delve into how you could be marketing your hotel again. From having a strong online presence, safety health precautions to having smart door hardware features and more! Here are the following things you need to anticipate the itching travelers who cannot wait to go and visit places again:
Build your online presence
Now that everything can be found online, your business hotel should not be an exemption either. There are many things that you need to achieve a strong online presence. However, we would start with the basics and the most important ones: a responsive website, social media channels, and a competitive SEO strategy.
Think of it this way, remember the good old days when people would check the Yellow Pages or other directories for nearby establishments? Today, Google is that directory, and it ranks up business websites based on ranking factors such as relevancy, authority, credibility, and authenticity. It is no longer by alphabetical order or by area. People, especially impatient ones, don’t even bother to click page 2 of Google. They go with the ones they find on page 1. So, if you want people to find your hotel website or social media handles in Google, you need to build your online presence using digital marketing and SEO strategies.
Follow health protocols and safety precautions
One way or another, the world would overcome this pandemic. Either we completely overcome the virus or learn to live with it until we gain immunity as a whole. In the meantime, you need to make sure your establishment is safe from the virus and from people who may contract it. It is your responsibility to make sure all your guests are safe. You could do this with a strict implementation of the health protocols and procedures.
Check and monitor your guests’ temperature, remind them to wear their masks, and put up sanitation stations all over your hotel. You could go the extra mile and ask your guests to show you their vaccination cards or negative test results before proceeding with a booking too.
Equip your hotel with reliable hardware features
When it comes to marketing your business hotel, know that people check the features you have in your listing. The more features you could provide for them, the better. So what are these features? These are things that make their stay more comfortable and convenient. It varies from simple ones like a complete kitchen appliance set to bathroom essentials. Of course, there is the need for access to entertainment services and an internet connection. Lastly, reliable door systems because guests value security.
Although finding good deals for retail door hardware is scarce, you have various options with wholesale companies such as Banner Solutions. Remember that no matter how ideal your hotel is, without good security, with a single bad review, you could lose potential guests.
Don’t forget to market the location itself
Marketing the hotel and just the hotel is something that startup owners do. While it isn’t something considered a mistake, it is a missed opportunity. Yes, people need accommodation when they travel but first look for places they can explore. Remember the movie Love, Rosie (2014)? In the end, the female protagonist gets the hotel she has always wanted to own. It was situated in a remote area by the beach, and although there aren’t many tourist attractions around, Rosie wisely marketed her place as a hotel by the beach.
You could do the same. If there aren’t many attractions around your local hotel, don’t forget to market what you have around you that might pique people’s interest.
Provide the best customer service
Lastly, make sure to provide good customer service. Customer service is an important facet of marketing, and this remains true in every sector, not just yours. A Statista report claimed that consumers do more business with companies with good customer service. It isn’t hard to grasp. Customer service is perceived as your representative, and it is how your company values your guests. So, if you want guests to keep coming back to you, invest in good CRM software and staff that understands your company values to make sure your brand image is not tarnished.
The world is now gradually healing, and the economy is slowly reopening. Don’t fall behind your competitors. Follow these tips and get ready to accept guests again.
