Why is now the time to sense-check your marketing?
Why is now the time to sense-check your marketing?
The Christmas season typically offers a break for many industries, as employees take time off to celebrate and prepare for the New Year. In contrast, the hospitality sector experiences a surge in activity.
Hotels that successfully promote events like Christmas lunches and party nights will find themselves extremely busy. Meanwhile, with many enjoying time off from work, they will inevitably spend more time on social media and surfing the internet for deals - including staycations in the first and second quarters of 2025.
Taking a look at your marketing now will put you in a prime position for the new year!
Reviewing Your Website
When was the last time you reviewed your website? There are a few things to check on your website to maximise conversion rates and increase your bookings.
Accuracy
Many hotels lack a dedicated marketing professional or even a team, which can lead to inconsistencies in communication. This is especially true for important details like terms and conditions, which might be missed. It is a good idea to have a member of staff review your website copy including the finer details. However, remember that what seems clear to one of your staff members may not be obvious to someone unfamiliar with your brand.
It may sound simple, but it's crucial to approach every visitor to your website as if they are searching for a reason to leave and ensure they have no reason to.
Call To Action
Wherever possible, allow things to be booked via a website. This goes for everything from bar and table bookings to bedrooms. Having a Call To Action (CTA) clearly directing website visitors to booking pages can streamline the process and simplify the user experience.
If your CTA involves calling to book, ensure that phones will be manned at all times. However, in this day and age this booking method has become less and less popular.
Optimise Your Imagery
Actual photos of your hotel or restaurant sell products 2 to 3 times better than stock images. Why? Because potential customers know what to expect. A picture is worth a thousand words. However, as hoteliers, we aren’t professional photographers, and many of our photos may be taken with our phones.
To improve your imagery, ensure that your subject is well-lit. Natural light is always preferable to indoor lighting, and make sure the light is facing the subject, not coming from behind it.
Navigation and Organisation
Are your offers and events grouped together in one big section, like live music and golf breaks? This often results in users having to look too hard for the information they need. Ensure that everything users need is accessible within two clicks and can be discovered in under ten seconds.
Break up your sections for better navigation. For instance, create separate categories like "Food Offers" and "Room Offers." If you have deals like Dinner, Bed, and Breakfast (DBB), they can be featured in both sections.
Condor Hotels can provide tailored and specialist advice for website development and all other areas of marketing. For further information on our services, download our brochure or get in touch with us today.