16 CALIFORNIA LODGING NEWS www.calodging.com FINDING HERSELF IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY was a “happy accident” for communications and marketing expert Sara Beth Ashbaugh. Finding herself becoming immersed in the complexities of the world of digital, though, was no accident. “I started my career wanting to go fully in the PR direction, focusing on media relations, but I found my way into digital marketing because I had no choice,” said Ashbaugh, director of brand, communications and marketing for Woodside Hospitality Group. “There’s no way to do excellent work for a client today without working in the digital space.” Digital communications, whether it’s a website, a Facebook page, or one of the newer video-focused social media platforms, has become an essential tool for hospitality. Knowing how to use it effectively is indispensable for players in an industry that are not just competing with one another for guests, but often just trying to break through the noise of a digital world. “I think we’re all constantly fighting for the attention of the same audiences,” she said. “You compete against retail, food and beverage, and every other kind of service.” Ashbaugh got her start doing traditional PR and ad agency work, as well as stints with Fairmont and Rosewood Hotels. While working for larger brands, she kept herself focused on staying current on emerging trends in communications and doing “a lot of independent learning.” She leans on both her background and her penchant for evolving her knowledge to lead her company’s digital efforts, with the help of some specialists on her team. That’s important because most of the properties in the Woodside portfolio are boutique and aren’t likely to have digital marketing teams on the property level. In fact, the hospitality industry tends to lag most others in the degree to which it embraces social media and digital marketing. “Hotels aren’t always at the front of innovation,” she said. The best places for companies or properties to look for inspiration may not be a competitor; instead look at “a brand you admire and use it as a real-world example. If you see a strong retail brand jump into a strategy, pay attention, because if it’s not a trend you’re seeing widely now, it will be in time.” At the same time, she cautions against jumping onto every new trend or developing a presence on every new social network. What’s more important than being new and hip is “staying true to your brand, relevant to your audience and genuine,” she notes. And don’t forget that many new digital platforms are more fads than long term prospects and can “fade before they start.” For the seven boutique properties in the Woodside Collection, her goal is to keep their online presence just as individual as the properties. “The Woodside Collection represents seven hotels and seven very unique brands, so I like to assign a personality to each hotel to make brands feel more human,” she said. It could be an actual employee, or an invented personality that fits the property’s look and feel, a formal concierge for one or “a pool attendant in a Hawaiian shirt” at another—a personification that connects with guests and potential customers. Being aware of that persona can help avoid finding yourself on DIVING INTO DIGITAL
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