CHLA September/October 2021

8 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS www.calodging.com EMERGING POST-PANDEMIC MARKETING TRENDS THAT AS THE CORONAVIRUS CONTINUES TO affect the travel industry, and hospitality in particular, at an unprecedented rate, it’s never been more important to utilize online marketing tools and strategic tactics to help reach guests. Previously, various offline and online marketing tactics were used to drive bookings to your hotel, drive more foot traffic, or online orders at your restaurant. But, COVID shook the foundation of normalcy. With bookings dropping off a cliff, keeping your guests engaged with your hotel online and being a resource for information has become more important than ever. When thinking about how to build an effective marketing strategy going forward, consider these emerging marketing trends that are proven to help alleviate your potential customers’ concerns and convert them into paying guests. #Listen Social Listening: Read Your Guest Reviews and Understand Customer Sentiment Reviewing your online reviews is a significant part of your hotel’s reputation management, and it has only become more important as guests adapt to this new normal. However, suppose you aren’t actively listening to what your guests have to say, you will be missing out on a ton of valuable information on how you can improve your marketing execution. Therefore, it’s becoming increasingly important to spend time reading guest reviews carefully and parse through important details about how you can better deliver the lodging experience to guests and exceed their expectations. Make a list of positive and negative points from the guests’ perspective to understand how your guest experience compares to their wants and desires. Then, use this information to make changes that will help guests feel comfortable and relaxed. By actively listening to your guests, not only will your online reputation improve dramatically, but you will foster customer loyalty as well. PRO TIP: Read the reviews of your competitor’s guests’ experience on Google My Business, TripAdvisor, Yelp, and Online Travel Agent pages to look for the features and amenities mentioned in their reviews. Look to match or exceed their offerings with feasible changes to your product immediately. You Need to Know