Do's and Don'ts

by Laurel Egan

Great lodging or food doesn't automatically mean a great website. 

Don't forget the purpose of your website. Customers need to be able to find you, visualize your facility or food positively, contact you, know your hours (if applicable) and view your menu and prices. If you make it difficult or unappealing for potential customer, they will choose to look elsewhere.

If you want to make an impression on potential guests make sure you make the right impression. Your website should have great photos of your facility or food. You might be surprised at how often I see a middle to high end destination with bad photographs, as depicted above. If you don't care enough to make the room beautiful for promotional photographs what does that say to potential guests about your daily care? At the very least use a steamer (or iron) on the bedding and fluff and straighten the pillows. Guests want to see pristine beds. Is that a partially painted wall? Seriously? Touch up or complete painting. As for restaurants, make sure all the tables are set not just the one in the foreground. Don't publish pictures with dirty tables or messy bars and wait stations in the background. Food should always be professionally photographed.

Don't use photo that are too small or grainy. Your viewers should be able to click on small photos (considered thumbnails) and blow them up. Very small photos are totally useless.

This website appears to have been created over a decade ago and it's hard on the eyes. Update your website in a timely manor and avoid using colors that are difficult to read or garish. Equally as bad, is when potential guests can't find your physical address or contact information.

Websites are now the most common first impression of any establishment. Ask yourself if you are making a good first impression? It's as easy to get carried away with the design of your website as it is to neglect maintaining it. If you can, get professional advice and help. If you can't, explore the websites of similar businesses as if you were a potential guest. You'll find out quickly what works and what doesn't.

Words to live by when creating or updating your website – clean, simple, informative, easy to use. 

Trip Planning Blues

This would be funnier if it weren't so true. Planning a vacation shouldn't be so complicated!
TravelVision is building a comprehensive trip planning platform like no other to make trip planning fun and informative for travelers. If you own a hotel, restaurant or attraction you need to be showcased on travelvision.com. Take a vacation from the usual marketing - Take The Tour.

Get on board! We'll take you to an affordable marketing opportunity.

How Will You Use Your 15 Minutes

"In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes," Andy Warhol-1968. Could his prophecy now be true? Well, these days you can be a famous house wife, a famous bachelor or reveal your paternity test on Jerry Springer for fame (yikes)! You could attempt to win your first million in an amazing race or be the villain survivor. There seems to be an endless supply of 15 minute opportunities. In the grand scheme of things few win the million and most are soon forgotten. Some best forgotten. I think Andy had the inside track on reality TV, don't you? Yep, their fame is about a blip long, but if that's your goal, go for it. The amazing race looks, well, amazing!
If that's not your goal, however, you could spend your time more wisely. Make your million(s) by being smarter, then treat yourself to a trip around the world or a few weeks on a deserted island without the villain because what you have the inside track on is the Internet. Use your 15 minutes wisely and you'll be able to capitalize on it over and over again. Yep! While it may not make you famous, in Andy's sense of the word, it can make you successful.
Marketing is key to your success and the Internet clearly and simply allows you to publish amazing content about your business. Do it right and you're successful. Do it wrong and you're forgotten. If you already provide a solid, quality product and/or service there is absolutely no reason you aren't successful, unless potential guests aren't finding you. It's simply not enough to be it, you have to market it. Your 15 minutes is now! What are you doing with it?
It's no secret that one of the the most powerful ways to engage an audience is with video. YouTube understood this. Video has made stars out of people with solid talent, but no resources or connections other their computer and YouTube. So, create a video and put it on YouTube, right? Not so fast. YouTube is great, but mostly, it has been successfully used by amateurs for self promotion. That's not to say that some professionals haven't made use of it successfully, but it's a bit like finding a needle in a haystack in a field full of haystacks. There are simply too many haystacks filled with too many distractions and the sensational and silly reign supreme. That doesn't mean you shouldn't use YouTube, you should, it simply means that you need to find the best ways to showcase your business. In the hospitality industry those who currently use video to promote their business are the early adopters; the trend setters. They understand that there is simply no way that dozens of photographs can convey what a single one to two minute video can. The first step is to put a video on your own website. If you don't have a website or you do and you need to reach more potential customers put your video(s) on TravelVision.
Video will give your potential guests a real sense of what it's like to be there. Do this simple test: look at the Riverside Hotel's video below (or by clicking on this link: Riverside Hotel). Then answer this, Which do you think is more powerful a dozen photo's on any of those glorified phone book websites or their TravelVision video?

If you need help on how to make a simple inexpensive video check out this post entitled "YouTube for Restaurants: Quick & Easy Tips for Making Videos?" from Swipely Blog.

Are You Up To Date?

Let's say you are fortunate enough that a potential guest knows your establishment's name. Maybe a friend told them about you or they overheard you mentioned in a conversation. Or maybe they're looking for your type of establishment while visiting your city. What do you think is the percentage of lodging and restaurants that come up correctly in an online search - 90%, 75%, 50%? With lodging it may be above 75% (hotel chains help bump this number up), but you should find that percentage totally unacceptable. With restaurants I'm willing to bet it's even lower; significantly lower. Sadly for too many, the first thing that comes up is the inspection record. Wouldn't you agree most people who see a result of "food safety" would assume violation without even reviewing it? You can be certain that most are not going to look for the report. They simply move on. How sad is that?
Actually, registering your business with the state (or equivalent) does put you out there - somewhat. Meaning if you aren't participating actively it could be outdated or "clinical" information. Appearing as pictured below, under real estate for sale (even if it's the prior owner's Ad from years ago) or under codes and permits or under city inspections (you get the idea), is unappealing. Worse yet, this place (I've changed the name and location) appeared in all three. It's not as uncommon as you think. If you find yourself practically invisible on the web, in only a few unflattering search results, get busy updating local and global sites.*

If you are out there somewhat successfully, don't slack off. Remember how you show up is equally as important as showing up. Ask yourself, When potential guests do find you online are they getting good, relevant information? If the answer is, I don't know, you better hope the endorsement from their friend was solid or they'll likely move on. I've done my homework and I'm astounded by the lack of maintenance of businesses on the web. If you are found and you're not managing your online presence, you're likely to be perceived as lacking significance or not worth a look. The area code changed in this city about 5 years ago and many restaurants still have the old one online. Callers will likely get a "not in service" or, worse, another business when trying to call you. Would you be surprised to find that your old area code appears? If you haven't been doing maintenance, you shouldn't be. Are your links and resources up to date; name spelling, type of facility, location, phone number, hours (if applicable), etc.?
The absolute simplest thing you can do to get guests is Claim Yourself! Google yourself then update your information everywhere you're found. Ignore any of this and you're letting "others" control what is perceived about your business.

* Check here Google and MapQuest for submitting correct location info, like longitude and latitude on the actual map. I found this online checklist from Locally Type for links to do it yourself listing useful, but there are also pay sites that will do it all for you like Yext. On websites like Zagat submit your restaurant for review. There's a help section to walk you through the process. And, of course, on our website, TravelVision, you can claim yourself or if not found simply sign up. We're a great place to start  or complete excellent representation and control of your presence online.

Marketing for Today's World

Why TravelVision marketing for your hotel, restaurant or attraction – 

Because you shouldn't have to choose between your marketing needs and what your budget will allow.

Please let us know what you think of our new promo, or better yet, sign up at travelvision.com

More later on how to create your own online animated video.

Action and Content

For the past few weeks I've been preaching the value of online marking and shouting, "Just do it!" I'm done with that for now (I'm certain I just heard a collective sigh of relief).

So let's get to work, because the customers your looking for are looking for you too.

The two words you should repeat to yourself religiously are action and content. Action because until something becomes second nature you need to set reminders. Without action marketing opportunities are being wasted, but lost opportunities aren't the only problem. Without action there is no content and there's nothing worse than a dead account. From the customers perspective it makes you appear out of touch or out of business. I don't care what regimen you choose to talk yourself into everyday action, you simply must be committed whole heartedly or it would be better to never start.

Content is king, but does it mean you need to be brilliant everyday? I've said it before, focus on relevance. On that repetitive note, repetition is not bad thing and to some degree to be encourage. Let me be more specific,share and share again sometimes on multiple platforms and sometimes recirculated within the same platform. Share specials, menus, services, events, great employees and guest celebrations - 'Bob and Rose Smith are here celebrating their 50th anniversary. Congrats and thanks for choosing us for your celebration.' Tweet your own horn! Spotlight a new recipe or newly decorated lobby but also spotlight your goals and your achievements. Tell us how much you've saved the world by implementing green practices or, better yet, give your guests kudos for saving 1000's of gallons laundry water. Everyday in every business, owners have dreams of ways they can improve their business. Share them. If you're not already doing so get input from staff and customers as well. Don't operate in a vacuum. Talk, talk, talk about things to do and see in the area - spotlight the staff's favorite places to take family and friends when in town. Finally, address issues or questions promptly. The Internet has provided customers, warranted or not, a very public voice. It's inevitable, one day you're going to get a not so flattering comment. Be prepared. Anticipate negative comments ahead of time. That can be done by simply creating a protocol on how to handled issues because responding promptly to criticism is paramount. Your swift, polite, professional response to your problem may earn you credibility with potential customers.

Here are a few actual examples of the above:
These could be Tweets, Facebook posts, blog responses or part of a blog post

– Sofitel Monpartnasse Paris -hidden treasure, rooftop indoor pool & gym. Big modern rooms.

– A very popular activity of tourists in Prague - Black Light Theatre.

– Hyatt Hotels Corp. to install virtual concierge technology in 60,000 guest rooms - Business Travel News

– The man himself, Kim Vo, busy with appointments today at Spa Montage Deer Valley's Kim Vo Salon-Top Spa in the World!

– Variety Hotels launches a new Boutique Property in Phuket, Thailand - Breaking Travel News: Variety Hotels launch...

– Our staff loves this creamy-tangy goat cheese + mushroom omelet for a fast & tasty vegetarian brunch

– La Petite Maison wins the @TimeOutDubai Best Restaurant and Best French Restaurant of the year award.

– Good luck to all those running in the Fleet Half Marathon this Sunday!! Looks like it is going to be a beautiful...

– Amelia Island Restaurant Week- January 22-28, 2012: Looking for the perfect place to stay for Amelia Island Rest...

– Three chains join #Hotels for Heroes to give free rooms to wounded #veterans...

One last thing - Tow the company line when it comes to protocol for sure, but let your personality shine through. No one wants to read robotic posts.

We've Come a Long Way, Baby!

Before 1983 the world was a vastly different place. There were no personal computers. No cell phones. No Microsoft. No iAnything. That was a mere 29 years ago. Not an actual lifetime ago, but nonetheless it feels like one.

Let's look back even further. Although invented, it wasn't until the 1950's that television became the dominant media and everyone had to have one. Television broadcasts became our number one source for news, information, and entertainment. Television had folks so mesmerized that even the commercials captivated audiences. For advertisers it was a golden opportunity. Movies were still on the big screen, hugely popular and cost around $2. There were no ads so talkers were the worst possible interruption. And probably while we were all at the movies, Alaska became the 49th state just making it into that decade.

In the 1960's most Americans saw their first color TV and in 1963 audio cassette tapes were invented. Although a far cry from a "1000 Songs in Your Pocket" (2001), music had become personally mobile. MGM's The Wizard of Oz began airing annually on CBS television. Imagine that, waiting for it to come on once a year! And, in 1969 we watched as man landed on the moon.
The 1970's were about floppy disks and microprocessors which most of us missed entirely except for the part where the first video game, Pong, was invented. It was also the dawn of Post-it notes, ink-jet printers and liposuction. In hindsight, it was the first practical mobile phone that should be considered the biggest breakthrough of that decade. Although introduced in 1973, a commercial version wasn't available until 1983.
The 1980's, although memorable for a lot of bad clothing, also produced VHS, music CD's and MTV. Even though most of us no longer "want my MTV" it ushered in the music video. But, far more important milestones of the 80's are the introductions of Apple and Microsoft. 1984 marked the beginning of the forever imprint of Steve Jobs. After Apple Lisa bombed (1983), Jobs introduced us to the first Macintosh computer (1984) and the world forever changed. To give you more perspective the only computers back then that could do what Apple has since put into brief cases and book bags were super computers that cost 300k. I know because my Ai design class toured a studio in Miami that had one (the only other's in Florida were at Disney). These computers could erase a blemish from a model or a telephone wire from the skyline and we were simply amazed by the technology. But even then few of us thought we'd ever have the privilage of working on such a device and now I'm blogging to you from one. In '85 Microsoft released the first Windows 1.0 operating system and Bill Gates began to leave his indelible impression on our lives. In 1989 the Berlin Wall came down marking the "beginning of the end" for the communist rulers in Eastern Europe.
In the 1990's the World Wide Web and Internet protocol (HTTP) and WWW language (HTML) was created by Tim Berners-Lee. Considered the main developer of the World Wide Web, he is the unsung hero of our lives. He not only invented it, he made it free. He is currently the Director of the World Wide Web Consortium, the group that sets technical standards for the Web. His book is entitled, Weaving the Web. 

The world's at your fingertips! 
Stop dropping the ball!

In 2000 the Internet did not have a melt down, despite forecasts, and DVDs were introduced. Over the last few years we've hit so many more milestones. Too many to really name, but note - we're no longer read books, news or magazines on paper. Yes, the world is a far different place.

There are certainly some things we wish were carried forward and reminiscing is great fun, but there are many things we've happily left behind us. Looking back, we've adapted incredibly. We like today's technology and its powerful benefits way to much to ever go back, and we look forward to future possibilities. So the time has come to ask yourself why is your marketing still stuck in the past? More importantly, what action are you going to take right now? The world truly is at your fingertips. Its time to take action!

If you are in the tourism or hospitality industry move your business forward by signing up for travelvision.com today - Your guests are waiting.

The Silver Lining in Travel Marketing

"By the end of 2012, one billion tourists will have traveled the globe in a single year," says the Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization, Taleb Rifai. He further states, "Behind this impressive number lies an increasingly important engine of growth and job creation. Few realize that tourism is directly responsible for 5 percent of global GDP, that one out of every twelve people worldwide are employed in tourism or that tourism accounts for 30 percent of the world's trade in services." Furthermore, President Obama unveiled a U.S. tourism initiative to increase travel and tourism in the U.S. stating, "That’s how we’re going to rebuild an economy..." His announcement calls for a national strategy to make the United States the world’s top travel and tourism destination, as part of a comprehensive effort to spur job creation. If that's not a silver lining, I don't know what is. It's astoundingly good news, but it's up to you to claim your share! If you've been thinking the economy is killing your business you could be wrong. It's more likely your marketing.

There is nothing to fear, but fear itself.

"Houston, we have a problem." When those words were first uttered by Apollo 13's crew it wasn't a humorous way to report any problem - it was a genuine report of a life threatening fault. Panicking or throwing in the towel weren't options. It was a call to action and a request for assistance. If you're struggling in this economy you may feel like an astronaut afloat without much hope. It's time to act utilizing every resource you've got including seeking help. In other words, treat it as if your life depends on it.
For those of you already marketing on the Internet and still struggling, if your online presence mirrors your offline presence, you're not much better off than the social media and internet marketing skeptics, naysayers and laggers. Traditional marketing moved on to the Internet is also ineffective. Today's consumers are smarter than that and they will quickly turn away. I'm not suggesting you should completely abandon everything you're currently doing just that you should start to move quickly in a better direction and you might need help refocusing.

HubSpot says it well, "In traditional marketing (outbound marketing), companies focus on finding customers. They use techniques that are poorly targeted and that interrupt people. They use cold-calling, print advertising, T.V. advertising, junk mail, spam, and trade shows.

Technology is making these techniques less effective and more expensive. Caller ID blocks cold calls, TiVo makes T.V. advertising less effective, spam filters block mass emails, and tools like RSS are making print and display advertising less effective. It's still possible to get a message out via these channels, but it costs more.
Inbound Marketers flip outbound marketing on its head.
Instead of interrupting people with television ads, they create videos that potential customers want to see. Instead of buying display ads in print publications, they create their own business blog that people subscribe to and look forward to reading. Instead of cold calling, they create useful content and tools so that prospects contact them looking for more information.
Instead of driving their message into a crowd over and over again like a sledgehammer, they attract highly qualified customers to their business like a magnet."* 

 “We’ve got to stop interrupting what people are interested in and be what people are interested in!” 

“Audiences everywhere are tough. They don’t have time to be bored or brow beaten by orthodox, old-fashioned advertising. We’ve got to stop interrupting what people are interested in and be what people are interested in!” said the CCO of JWT the world's 4th largest Advertising Agency. If you don't start listening to and adapting to the impact of internet marketing in your industry you may just end up in the stratosphere like space junk - barely noticeable. 

Let's have a look at internet marketing in context. Scotty Monty head of social marketing for Ford Motor Co. said, "Social marketing is the convergence of marketing, advertising and PR on the Web." True, but it's more than that. Simply put Internet marketing is networking. Unlike marketing, advertising and PR aimed at consumers, Internet marketing should be about interaction with your potential customers. When you're out networking you're putting your best foot forward, seeking out individuals or groups that matter to your business, not the masses in general, and you pitch them based on what they represent to your business; a potential customer, a lead to customers and sometimes a potential partnership. Equally important, today's customers want interaction; they want a voice and they want responses, so you need to be listening and responding well. According to HubSpot quoting an eMarketer article, these days "the expectation that a company will respond increases by age cohort from 38% of 18-24 year-olds all the way up to 65% of those in the 55+ age category. And it clearly matters in terms of satisfaction." Either percentage is a powerful message that consumers want to be heard. 

Internet marketing is networking amplified. The number of people you can potentially reach on the through it is staggering. Don't let your share go to some other hotel, restaurant or attraction. If it seems overwhelming turn to the management pro's like HubSpot. And if you need inspiration look to the shining examples like Virgin America. There's an endless amount of help out there free and subscribed (many subscriptions come with free trials), but you have to make the first move.

The airline Virgin America is a great example of a company that's doing their due diligence in social media. VA utilizes every popular form of SM from Facebook to Groupon and they're very proactive; they monitor and respond quickly. Like Virgin America be ever vigilant on monitoring especially when it comes to problems or complaints. Believe it - an appropriate response to negative remarks can result in a very positive reaction from consumers. Again, consumers want to know you're listening. Domino's Pizza is another great example of this. They're looking for suggestions and feedback through social media and outwardly admitting their flaws and mistakes - addressing them very publicly. 

If you are not completely convinced to get started today with your Internet marketing campaign, it's not likely you ever will be. If you are, here are some resources I recommend to help you get started, including our amazing marketing website travelvision.com - a showcase for lodging, restaurants and attractions. Travelvision is turning up the volume on marketing. The Internet is ever evolving and you need to keep up with new and innovative opportunities. If you truly want your full share of the silver lining you need to be on travelvision.com - we're travel marketing amplified! 

HubSpot Blog *(full article)

Flowtown - A blog about small business marketing strategies, tools and tactics.

Cheat Sheet Link

There are also helpful links in prior posts.