The idea, after all, is to sell

If you want to sell something, get a salesman

 

For independent hotels and resorts, your website is one of your most important sales tools. Everything is geared toward driving traffic there.

And once that traffic arrives, your website has to do the heavy lifting of selling your property. So make sure somebody who knows how to sell is involved in putting it together.

Websites for global brands are produced, of course, by big in-house digital marketing groups and/or big outside web firms. For independent properties, it's usually your ad agency, a web firm, a design studio, your digital marketing firm, an individual in-house or somebody's cousin who is "pretty good with that stuff." Strengths and weaknesses all around.

But no matter how you go about building or updating your website, we'd suggest as strongly as we can and still be polite about it that you make sure your ad agency is involved. We're not saying your ad agency should necessarily do your website, just that they should be involved

(Note: "Digital marketing" firms and "ad-tech" firms aren't the same thing as a creative ad agency. Their focus is usually narrower and limited to search results – which is important, but not the same as creating a brand message that sells.

So there are two reasons we'd suggest involving your agency in your website:

For one thing, your agency usually is – or should be – the authority on your brand message. There are some very good digital firms out there that can build very good hospitality websites, but they aren't usually as focused on your brand message as your ad agency is. It's just not always part of their brief. Their attention is elsewhere. And probably should be.

The other thing is that, as we said, your website has to be a selling tool, and selling is what your ad agency does. It's their raison d être, if you want to get fancy about it. (And, apparently, we do.)

Your ad agency has been "in the trenches" fighting it out in the battle for market share for clients using whatever media channels and tools are best for the challenge. They're in that competitive fight every day, and know what it takes to win. And make no mistake about it, it's a fight.

With no disrespect to web design firms, digital marketing firms or the like, that's just not the sort of battlefield environment they are used to. These firms can – and will – build beautiful websites, but the fact is, they are usually more focused on how a website works, what it looks like or how it will play to the SEO computers than on delivering a powerful selling message.

Your website is not just a brochure on wheels. It should be one of your top selling tools. So make sure your ad agency is involved.

Because these people know how to sell.

 

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If you only had one tool . . .

People are starting to travel again.

 

And even groups are making noises. We’re not out of the woods yet, but we can see the clearing ahead.

And the competition is going to be stiff as hotels and resorts everywhere fight it out to make up that lost revenue. Which is the problem - “lost revenue.” As in “having the money to invest in advertising and marketing.”

Here's some good news. Having a clear Brand is not only the most powerful tool you can have, but also it's one of the most cost effective.

Just to be clear, your Brand is not your logo, stationery design or tag line. Nor is it your restaurant, luxury accommodations, ocean view or flexible meeting space. The guy next door probably has all that, too.

A brand is a supportable differentiation around which you deliver a unique value. And the moment you stop being just a hotel in the neighborhood and start to tell the world that you're somebody unique, you narrow your competitive set. Suddenly, you're not just another pretty face with packages and special offers.

There’s more. Your Brand:

. . . can give you a clear picture of your best target,

. . . so you can develop the smartest message for your marketing efforts,

. . . and put together the best offers and promotions for your that target,

. . . and focus on the best media channels to reach them,

. . . which means you can make the most efficient use of your marketing dollars.

It all starts with a clear Brand. So work it.

Read more about Brand here. And if you need help with yours . . . click here.