Tips for marketing your hospitality business

Published on
30 August 2018

Cutting-edge marketing experts Bucket & Spade on how to market your property and get guests booked in.

In a recent survey by Schofields Insurance, 1,000 UK millennials (adults aged between 18 and 33) were asked what they felt was most important when choosing their holiday destination.

40.1% of responders said that ‘how 'Instagrammable' the holiday would be’ was one key factor in decision-making.

These results identify just how much importance today’s young adults place on how their lives appear on social media.

So how we can adopt these finding into marketing and creative strategies within our own hospitality businesses?

In Cumbria and the North West we are blessed with incredible, Instagram-ready landscapes, so we are halfway there, but social shareability is a valuable currency and the smartest hotels, restaurants, attractions and resorts have realised this.

Key marketing takeaways for your business:

1. Brand

Branding is powerful and bigger chains are creeping up everywhere, making it a competitive market. Hire a professional branding agency to look at your brand.

Branding is more than just your logo; it is the entire look and feel of your establishment.

Little things that go the extra mile are also important, such as branded serviettes or a branded hamper in hotel rooms, which give your customer the feel-good factor as well as giving your business some free viral advertising.

2. Invest in a professionally designed website

A beautiful and functional website goes a long way in your business.

Think of it as an extension of your restaurant or hotel where you can still give your customer the same enjoyable experience.

It is always best to leave your website up to a qualified professional to make sure your user experience and page performance is up to scratch.

Although it may seem like a large outlay at first, you will see a return.

3. Use high-quality visuals and update them regularly

In the hospitality sector, imagery and video content are your best assets for getting the attention of potential customers.

Of course, the better quality imagery you can use the better. Share pictures and videos of your hotel rooms, any new dishes and more on your social media and your website.

Then, be sure to update your web pages and social media profile pictures and background pictures on a regular basis so that none of your visual content goes stale.

4. Know your audience’s personality and match that on social media

Who is your customer? Take a few moments to profile them and then write yourself a list of ideas and subjects your customer might be interested in.

It is important to balance engaging content and promotional offers. Social media isn’t all about the hard sell; it is vital to engage with your customer and nurture them before they decide to visit you or buy your product.

5. Make your opening hours and location easy to find

When potential customers arrive on your homepage, landing pages, or social media pages, there is certain information that should be immediately available to them.

This is your location, your hours of operation, and your contact information. You need to make it as easy as possible for your customers to get in touch.

To help with this, make sure your business listing is correct and your call button works when accessed from a device.

For more hints and tips on marketing your hospitality business contact Louiza Rabouhi, Creative Director at Bucket and Spade, on louiza@bucket-spade.co.uk