Brand Identity problems

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Permalink Reply by Darren Bleth on October 3, 2008 at 2:16pm

Tammy, i do have some comments for you regarding your question. However, due to the posting date, I first want to confirm that your inquiry is still existing. Please let me know if you are still in need of suggestions or advice relating to the above question.

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Permalink Reply by Tammy on October 3, 2008 at 2:47pm

Yes Darren, it continues to be an issue and I'm still listening -

We have increased quite a lot over last year but continue to run at least 30% under our comp set. Any suggestions would be very welcome.


Thank you in advance -
Tammy

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Permalink Reply by Darren Bleth on October 3, 2008 at 4:28pm

Tammy, first let me say I'm glad to hear you've realized a jump from last year. From what I've read over the past several months regarding the hotel industry, the nation as a whole has experienced a significant fall-off in the travel market from last year. So to be able to say you're in the minority in that aspect is a pretty impressive testament.

Like I listed in my profile, I have nearly eight years of experience in the hosptitality industry in the area of hotel guest service and general management. I was employed at a 149 room, full-service hotel and convention center. For all except for about two years of that period, we operated under a franchise of some type. So I do understand your frustration at times with the challenges of brand recognition. What I've always believed is that the key to your brand is not necessarily how many properties it has across the United States, but how many properties you have within your 2, 3, or 4-state region. The first brand we operated under, for example, had only one other property across the entire state, which was about 6-7 hours of travel away. And it was that way in either direction you traveled from us. So was our flagship effective in selling our hotel, absolutely not. However, we then operated under a brand the past three years I was employed, where if you traveled twelve hours in either direction from us along the interstate, would find 3-4 properties of that brand. So in terms of that brand, it was quite effective in selling our hotel to the transient clientele. Transient guests seem to follow a hotel brand from stop to stop if they've had a positive experience. On the other hand, I'm sure you've experience those guests who had a negative experience at a previous stay with your brand and were then hesitant to choose your property. There are certainly those travelers who will simply not come through your door at all, based on a bad experience with your brand at a previous stop.

You eluded to your billboards on the interstate. Those are extremely important, be sure to put everything up there that you think makes your property better than your competitive set. And by all means, make sure you yourself consider them to be visually attractive from the interstate. Perception is reality so often in the hospitality industry. Getting the guests to come through the door and give your property an opportunity is the big obstacle, especially when you are competing with more nationally known brands. Consider coupon advertising, where you put 3 or 4 coupons out on a mailer describing your property. Then identify towns in geographical proximity to your hotel where many of your customers tend to come from. Look into the Traveler Discount Guide, it's a widely distributed publication which advertises hotels across the U.S.

Hopefully that didn't get too long. I'm very passionate about customer service, especially within the hotel industry. I wrote my Graduate Thesis on that area. I am now employed with a leading provider of property management software, Remco Software. If there is anything I can do to help you and your property, or your brand as a whole, please let me know. I know the importance of a strong hotel software in your day-to-day operation.

Please feel free to let me know if I can be of assistance anytime.

Sincerely,
Darren

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Permalink Reply by Tammy on October 8, 2008 at 3:47pm

Darren, We are currently running newspaper advertising and partnering with the local paper to provide services (pool parties etc) in our area. In addition we are advertising in several Tourist magazines and attraction guides (+ maps). The best pick up has been from online vendors, such as Expedia. We are currently seeing a large increase in that market.

I appreciate your input and experience very much. We have had some small sucesses to celebrate, but have a long way to go to keep up with our comp set according to our STAR report.

I've done a competitor's comparison sheet with all the other chains, so as to see their strengths and weaknesses. We can therefore top sell our rooms in direct comparison to what the customer would likely see and experience. (For example our pool is much newer than the Hampton Inn and we have a sauna - they do not).

We have improved our landscaping and outside lighting and this has helped to increase our overall curb appeal. Since our lit marquee signage has to be 12 ft from the roadway, we are somewhat limited. Other businesses have utilized portable marquee signs with catch phrases to get passerby attention. We will invest in such a sign for the spring (not likely to help the winter traffic). Our marquee currently reads "Newest hotel in area / Best Rates!" and on the reverse "Best Pool Around." For the winter I will be building snow men out front with our Park Inn colors (either the whole snowman blue, red, orange and green or just their hats and scarves - whichever looks best).

My next area to improve will be the catch phrases on our marquee. This seems to increase foot traffic greatly.


Thanks again, I appreciate the ideas.

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