The state of marketing: Search, influence and your best asset
It seems the days are gone when you could market with print, radio and TV advertisements, but are they really gone or have they simply adapted to the online world?
To answer that question, some of the RezStream staff is heading down to South Carolina to share our expertise at the PAII 2014 Annual Trade Show & Conference!
RezStream kicks off the trade show on Monday by sharing our passion for what we do and making sure our clients are getting the most out of their internet marketing, from SEO, paid search, social media to having an easy to use website that guests love using and returning to.
Our top 5 topics for the conference:
- The online customer journey: Customers are becoming better researchers which means the buyer experience cycle is more complex due to:
- Large amount of internet resources offering information. Today’s online bookers may rely on more than just one source to receive information, i.e. search engines, online review sites, social media networks, email marketing newsletters, etc., in order to reach their “buying decision.”
- The increase of information out there makes it important for a property to understand what role every channel plays in their online success.
- Understanding how these channels assist in the research phase or drive direct bookings allows the property to strategically evaluate their program’s success and effectively target their audience to impact their bottom line.
- The influence of online channels: There are a variety of online channels working together to make sure customers find you when they search your name on Google or Bing. By making sure your property is ranked well by search engines, customers are more likely to find and book with you and become guests.
- Attract, acquire and retain guests: The sales cycle doesn’t just stop when your guest books their reservation. Most likely you want them to be a repeat guest and hopefully write a stellar review of your property and accommodations therefore increasing your influence on review sites. By engaging guests after they’ve booked and after they’ve stayed can be a delicate balance of providing value and reminding them of the fabulous time they had with you.
- Future proof your website: You’ve invested time and money into your most important business tool, your website, now make sure it works for you in the current market and in the future. Your website needs to adapt to changing technology and the way guests access your website; desktop, mobile, tablet, needs to adapt to the changing customer base by offering fresh, unique content, and needs to adapt to a savvier customer with strategic calls to action. \
- Use your tools to get conversions: We’d love to get customers to book on the first shot, but as we’ve seen, it doesn’t work that way in the hospitality world. That’s why it’s important to understand how these different channels play a role in getting conversions and that each channel is unique but when they work together you’ve got your reservations.
If you’re coming to PAII, stop by and say hi to the RezStream staff.
January 13-16, 2014
Residence Inn Charleston Airport
5055 International Boulevard
North Charleston, SC 29418
RezStream specializes in reservation software and online reservation booking engine services for the hospitality industry. We work with independent hotels, resorts, bed & breakfasts, and inns. We also offer artistic website designs and comprehensive digital marketing services for all types of businesses. Contact us today for more information on our services!