Q3

2020

ED

ITIO

NTHE HOTEL DIGITAL MARKETER’S WHITEPAPER

Creative strategies for reaching customers in every phase of the travel planning journey.

WHAT’S NEXTTRENDING:

TARGETING DRIVE MARKETS

BUSINESS NEED SPOTLIGHT:

NEW & NOTEWORTHY

FROM THE DESIGN STUDIO:

THE LATEST NEWSIN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

KEY STATSMETRICS THAT MATTER:

HEADS IN BEDSA LOOK OUTSIDE THE INDUSTRY:

CONTENTSQ3 2020

“While the desire to travel comes back, trust and

customer experience are going to be the

currencies of tomorrow. A key success factor will

be to focus on customer centricity.”

— HSMAI

IDEA SHOP: CREATIVE CONCEPTS WORTH STEALING

VIRTUALPERKS

ROMANTIC GETAWAY GIVEAWAY

MY CITY, MY ADVENTURE GUIDE

FLEX STAY PACKAGE

WHAT’S NEXTTRENDING

The only way to stay ahead of the competition is by keeping up with the latest developments in digital. Below are highlights of

some of the interesting topics currently being talked about in the industry that can help shape your strategy.

The Trend: Getting Altruistic with Marketing SpendIn today's social and political climate, consumers expect brands to do more than to simply voice their support for a cause — they need to show their support through their actions which includes how they choose to spend their marketing dollars. Recently, a group of civil rights organizations called on businesses to "hit pause on hate" and not advertise on Facebook in July. Many large brands have joined the boycott, signaling a new trend in how brands are engaging in social and ethical movements. Hotel brands should similarly align on the causes that matter to them and take this into consideration when deciding how to spend their marketing dollars. By doing so, they can connect with their target consumers on a deeper level while making a difference in the world.Source: CNET

The Trend: The Rise of Brand Partnerships

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses have seen a decline in revenue and new customers. To combat this, some brands have forged new partnerships including cross-industry partnerships. For example, hospitality tech company Critonpartnered with restaurant tech firm Hungrr to add a contactless food ordering system to their hotel guest app. Through this partnership, Criton was able to offer hoteliers a solution that allows guests to order food and drinks from their phone. Hotels can adopt this strategy by brainstorming brands that align with their own brand and considering partnerships that will not only add brand value but also enhance the guest experience. Source: Hotel Management

WHAT’S NEXTTRENDING

The Trend: Partnerships with DMOs

To attract people who are considering traveling to their destination, many hotels are working more closely with their destination marketing organizations (DMOs). For example, in Puerto Rico, a number of hotels are promoting special offers on the island's official tourism website. In Alexandria, Virginia, many hotels are participating in a Flex Getaway Hotel Package that allows guests to book a vacation with $120 in added value and the option to cancel for a full refund with 24 hours' notice. As travel demand ramps up, hotels can explore new partnership opportunities with their DMOs such as promoting a special package that includes other local attractions, in order to generate awareness and drive bookings.Source: The Weekly Journal

The Trend: Gender-Neutral MarketingWhile the concept of shifting away from gender-based marketing isn't new, today more brands are making an effort to take a more gender-neutral, inclusive approach to marketing. One way hotels can make this shift and appeal to a larger audience is by avoiding gender-specific language. For example, instead of promoting a "girlfriends' getaway," they can promote a "group getaway." Another way to avoid gender stereotypes is by incorporating more diversity in marketing imagery. By implementing more thoughtful marketing campaigns, hotels can not only attract new guests but also help pave the way for a more inclusive world.Source: Marketing Week

The Trend: The Rise of Employee Support Funds

As the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many businesses to furlough or lay off employees, some businesses have created initiatives to assist these employees during this difficult time. For example, Starbucks created the Starbucks Global Partner Emergency Relief Program to support partners facing hardship as a result of the pandemic. Similarly, The Standard launched The Standard Stands Together Relief Fund on GoFundMe to raise money to support team members who have lost their jobs. During this time, people are more inclined to spend their dollars on brands that care about their employees. By setting up employee support funds, hotels can provide much needed assistance while also building awareness among potential guests.Sources: Travel Weekly

The only way to stay ahead of the competition is by keeping up with the latest developments in digital. Below are highlights of

some of the interesting topics currently being talked about in the industry that can help shape your strategy.

123

MIDWEEK TRAVELBUSINESS NEED SPOTLIGHT

SUMMER FRIDAYS OFFER

With many companies embracing Summer Fridays and people longing for a change of scenery, hotels can take advantage by promoting long weekend getaways. Encourage guests to get a jumpstart on the weekend by offering a steeper discount of 20% off Thursday night and a F&B credit for each day after (Friday and Saturday).

PLAY HOOKY PACKAGETo drive midweek bookings, hotels can target locals with a “Play Hooky Package” that encourages them to take a day off and enjoy a midweek reprieve from work. Packages can include a discount off a midweek stay, F&B credit, complimentary parking, and other add-ons providing unique local experiences that allow guests to explore and make the most of their day off.

As summer progresses, some families may be thinking about taking a last-minute summer vacation before the kids go back to school. To drive bookings and increase length of stay, hotels can promote a family vacation package that includes 30% off bookings of 3 or more nights, complimentary breakfast, and discounts off family-friendly attractions.

LAST-MINUTE SUMMER VACATION

NEW & NOTEWORTHYFROM THE DESIGN STUDIO

Check out the best website designs of the quarter. From multi-property brands to independent boutique

properties, get inspiration from some of our most creative clients.

MARGARITAVILLE HOTELS & RESORTS LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE

A multi-property brand with 21 resorts in 5 countries and 18 cities, Margaritaville Hotels & Resorts wanted to create a new brand website that would highlight its unique properties while capturing its mantra, "Margaritaville is more than a place — it's a State of Mind." By incorporating an engaging lifestyle video, rich imagery, and optimized UX, the new brand website invites travelers to explore Margaritaville's locations, experiences, F&B offerings, and more, while building brand awareness.

OLD EDWARDS HOSPITALITY GROUP LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE

With a distinctive collection of North Carolina mountain resorts, private communities and retreats, Old Edwards Hospitality Group wanted a new website that would effectively showcase their unique properties, premium facilities, and destination with rich video and an updated, user-friendly design.

EASTERN MIRAGE LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE

A new design-driven hotel where modern technology and aesthetics meet timeless elegance, Eastern Mirage wanted a website that would capture its exquisite guest rooms, spectacular meeting and event spaces, gourmet dining, and luxury spa. The website's clean, modern design reflects the property's aesthetics and inspires visitors to discover more.

THE LATEST NEWSIN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Get up to speed with a quick recap of Q3 2020, including highlights from our published articles.

OPTIMIZING TRANSACTIONAL COMMUNICATION DURING COVID-19As hotels reopen and people start traveling again, it is important to make guests feel comfortable from the moment they book a stay. By personalizing and automating pre-, in-, and post-stay communication through NextGuest's CRM Transactional Campaigns, hotels can improve the guest experience while generating more revenue from each booking. Read more.

DIGITAL INSPO: WHAT CREATIVE HOTELS ARE DOING ONLINE DURING COVID-19As some hotels and markets begin to reopen, we’ve gathered some creative examples of digital marketing strategies to engage potential guests and drive revenue while travel demand is down. Take a look and get some digital inspiration from these creative examples. Read more.

NEXTGUEST ANNOUNCES NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH AWARD-WINNING KARISMA HOTELS & RESORTSNextGuest recently announced a new partnership with international luxury hospitality group Karisma Hotels & Resorts. To drive the group's omni-channel strategy, NextGuest will be designing more than 20 brand-new websites at the corporate, brand, and property level, as well as providing digital marketing and CRM services. Read more.

TOP 5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW NOW IN HOTEL DIGITAL MARKETING: JULY EDITIONAs hoteliers plan their Q3 marketing strategy, it’s important to keep a pulse on the evolving digital landscape to make a greater impact on performance. In this article, we share top five considerations for your digital strategy, from the updated Google Image results toCTV ads. Read more.

KEY STATSMETRICS THAT MATTER

Every quarter it’s important for hoteliers to take a step back and review their hotel’s marketing plan in order to see what’sperforming, what’s not, and what should be improved. The Metrics That Matter section will take you through some key

stats that you can monitor to improve performance and marketing strategies.

INSTAGRAM STORIESTrend: People are starting to spend significantly more time on Instagram Stories than in their Instagram feed.

Best Practice: Incorporate Instagram Stories into your organic and paid social media strategy. By utilizing both prospecting creative as well as direct response-driven creative, you can maximize your reach throughout all stages of the purchase funnel. Source: TechCrunch

VIRTUAL FITNESSTrend: Virtual fitness is on the rise as the COVID-19 pandemic has caused gyms to shut down.

Best Practice: Partner with a virtual fitness company to offer guests the option to exercise from the comfort of their hotel room. To promote this offering, share virtual fitness classes on social media that potential guests can participate in such as a yoga session or kickboxing class. Source: Forbes

ANTICIPATION OF TRAVELTrend: As booking windows are expanding, the travel journey has shifted and the anticipation of travel has become its own phase.

Best Practice: This phase provides a huge opportunity for brands to build on guests' anticipation and upsell ancillary offerings such as dining and spa. Promote exclusive offers to guests who have booked a stay and help them plan their itinerary with valuable destination content.Source: Web in Travel

DOMESTIC BUSINESS TRAVELTrend: While business travel will take longer to rebound, domestic business travel is likely to pick up quicker than international business travel.

Best Practice: Focus on hyper-local targeting and make up for loss in revenue through other revenue streams such as local markets, ancillary services, and new creative revenue streams such as meeting space for locals.Source: Condé Nast Traveler

comes back, trust and

customer experience are

going to be the currencies of

tomorrow. A key success

factor will be to focus on

customer centricity.

HSMAI

WHILE THE DESIRE TO TRAVEL

CREATIVE CONCEPTS WORTH STEALINGIDEA SHOP

FLEX STAY PACKAGEWith overall occupancy being down due to COVID-19, hotels can consider offering a Flex Stay Package that allows guests to choose their check-in and check-out times. By offering greater flexibility, hotels can better serve guests who may be taking a red-eye flight, hoping to get more out of their staycation, or simply prefer to check-in or check-out at different times.

Small ideas can have a big impact. NextGuest’s Idea Shop provides easy-to-implement digital marketing ideas

and special packages that can add a dash of extra creativity to your digital strategy.

MY CITY, MY ADVENTURE GUIDEWhile people are beginning to travel again, staycations are on the rise as many are more comfortable staying

close to home during this time. Hotels can attract drive-in markets and support local businesses by creating a My City, My Adventure Guide that is provided upon check-in and includes discounts to local businesses. For

example, guests can receive a voucher for 15% off at a local cafe or discounted bike rentals.

VIRTUAL PERKSAs people begin traveling again, they may still be uneasy about interacting face-to-face with the hotel staff or interacting with material goods that have been in contact with others. To enhance guests' stay while remaining contactless, hotels can offer virtual perks that they send to guests through CRM. For example, hotels can send a digital voucher to pick up a complimentary drink at a local restaurant or treat themselves to two complimentary items from their minibar.

ROMANTIC GETAWAY GIVEAWAY

With COVID-19 cases subsiding in some markets, social distancing restrictions are being lifted and people are becoming more anxious to travel with their loved ones for a change of scenery. Hotels can launch a social media contest where couples share their love story during COVID-19 for a chance to win a complimentary

getaway with their partner. This is a great way to build buzz around the hotel while sparking the dreaming phase of the travel planning journey.

HEADS IN BEDSA LOOK OUTSIDE THE INDUSTRY

When it comes to digital marketing, inspiration can be found everywhere you look. By looking at unique

campaigns and initiatives from outside the hospitality industry — and getting to the root of what makes these

ideas work — hotels can develop a strategy that taps into the creative tactics that put heads in beds.

RAG & BONE SELLS MASKS TO SUPPORT THE NAACP: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to support its domestic manufacturing partners, retail brand rag & bone started making and selling face masks. In addition, rag & bone donated $5 from the sale of each mask to the NAACP.

HOW THIS CAN PUT HEADS IN BEDS: Hotels can allow guests to purchase a branded face mask upon check-in and donate proceeds to a charity whose mission aligns with the brand, such as the NAACP or a COVID-19 relief fund. This would allow you to provide a useful amenity for guests while also contributing to a cause, further boosting brand loyalty and awareness.

SHAKE SHACK BRINGS CAMP TO YOUR HOME: Since summer camps have been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Shake Shack created the Shack Camp Box, a curated box of supplies for family-friendly activities such as arts & crafts. In addition to providing an interactive, at-home camp experience, the kits help support The Fresh Air Fund's 2020 Summer Programming.

HOW THIS CAN PUT HEADS IN BEDS: To help guests create the hotel experience in their homes, hotels can offer a Hotel at Home Kit that includes items such as signature scented candles, bath products, and spa amenities. Not only will this build loyalty among past and potential guests, but it will also help generate revenue while travel demand is soft due to COVID-19.

NextGuest provides hoteliers with everything they need to

thrive in the digital world. Through its subsidiary divisions,

the company provides digital marketing, CRM services,

technology solutions, and high-level consulting to some of

the world’s top hotel brands. Based in New York City, the

company is comprised of NextGuest Digital, CRM, Labs,

and Consulting. Each arm of the company offers stand-

alone services, while together they provide an all-

encompassing partner that helps hoteliers acquire,

engage, and retain their next guest.

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