Hybrid Hotel/Resort Marketing Strategy

“The most successful companies in the digital age don’t just embrace technology; they use it to reimagine every aspect of their business. In the hotel industry, that means more than just creating mobile apps and social media pages. It means using data and digital tools to personalize every guest experience, from the first time they visit your website to the moment they check out.” 

– Arne Sorenson, Former CEO of Marriott International

Introduction

Online travel agencies, social media, and the sharing economy have transformed the hospitality business. Thus, hotel and resort marketers must adapt to new trends and technologies to stay competitive. One way that has gained favor in recent years is the hybrid marketing strategy, which mixes traditional marketing channels with digital and technology-based tactics. This article discusses the advantages of a hybrid hotel/resort marketing strategy and how to execute it. We will also look at a popular hotel/resort business that has successfully utilized a hybrid marketing strategy and how they accomplished it.

Case Study: Hyatt Hotels and Resorts

Hyatt Hotels and Resorts is a well-known global hospitality brand that has successfully implemented a hybrid marketing strategy. It has increased its brand awareness, bookings, and guest satisfaction by combining traditional and digital marketing methods.

Hyatt uses hybrid marketing in 5 ways: 

• Mobile-Optimized Website: Hyatt’s website enables customers book accommodations, browse facilities, and view images on their smartphones and tablets.

• Social Media Engagement: Hyatt promotes its properties and interacts with visitors on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

• Personalized Email Campaigns: Hyatt sends personalized email campaigns to guests who have booked rooms or expressed interest in specific properties. These campaigns include information about upcoming events, promotions, and special offers.

• Loyalty Program: Hyatt’s loyalty program, World of Hyatt, rewards guests for staying at Hyatt properties and offers exclusive perks and benefits.

• Technology-Based Guest Experience: Hyatt has implemented technology-based solutions like mobile check-in, keyless room entry, and digital concierge services to improve the guest experience.

Benefits of Hybrid Hotel/Resort Marketing Strategy

A hybrid hotel/resort marketing strategy can provide numerous benefits for hospitality businesses, including:

• Increased Visibility: By utilizing both traditional and digital marketing channels, a hybrid approach can help to increase a hotel or resort’s overall visibility and reach a wider audience.

• Targeted Marketing: A hybrid approach allows hotels and resorts to reach their target audience through a variety of channels, ensuring that their marketing efforts are more effective.

• Improved Engagement: By leveraging both online and offline marketing tactics, hotels and resorts can improve engagement with their audience and create a more cohesive brand experience.

• Cost-Effective: A hybrid approach can be cost-effective as it allows businesses to reach their audience through multiple channels, without relying solely on expensive digital marketing tactics.

• Better Return on Investment (ROI): A hybrid approach allows organizations to better target their customers, resulting in higher conversion rates and income.

• Enhanced Reputation Management: A hybrid approach to marketing can help hotels and resorts to manage their online reputation effectively, by leveraging both digital and traditional tactics to promote their brand and manage their reputation.

• Increased Loyalty: A hybrid approach can help to increase customer loyalty by delivering a consistent and cohesive brand experience across all channels, both online and offline.

• Competitive Advantage: By adopting a hybrid approach to marketing, hotels and resorts can gain a competitive advantage over their competitors who may be solely relying on either traditional or digital marketing tactics.

Summary Checklist of Action Plans on Hybrid Hotel/Resort Marketing Strategy 

To effectively implement a hybrid hotel/resort marketing strategy, consider the following action plans:

• Evaluate Your Current Marketing Strategy: Assess your current marketing channels and identify areas where a hybrid approach could be beneficial.

• Experiment with new marketing channels: Try new marketing channels while prioritizing your current ones. For example, you might try influencer marketing, video marketing, or even virtual reality experiences to showcase your hotel or resort.

• Analyze and measure results: It’s important to measure the results of your hybrid marketing approach. Track website traffic, social media engagement, email open and click-through rates, and other metrics with analytics.

• Develop a comprehensive CRM strategy: A successful hybrid marketing approach requires a robust customer relationship management (CRM) strategy. Analyze email, social media, and also in-person customer data. Personalize marketing and improve consumer experience with this data.

• Build a strong brand identity: A strong brand identity is crucial for any marketing strategy, and a hybrid approach is no exception. Develop a cohesive brand voice as well as a visual identity that’s consistent across all channels, and use it to create a memorable and engaging guest experience.

• Invest in staff training: A hybrid marketing approach requires collaboration between various departments and staff members. Invest in training to ensure that all employees are aligned with your marketing goals and also able to effectively communicate with guests across all channels.

In conclusion, hybrid hotel/resort marketing is a great technique to reach potential customers and develop enduring relationships. Traditional and digital marketing can provide a seamless and engaging guest experience. So, focus on the above aspects, try new marketing channels, and analyze and measure results to make data-driven decisions to succeed.

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