Marketing Your Accommodation in a Declining Economy
In challenging economic times, marketing becomes a crucial tool for accommodation properties to not only survive but thrive. While a recession may bring uncertainties, strategic marketing can help you attract guests, retain loyal customers, and differentiate your property.
Here are some tips to navigate marketing for your accommodation in a recession environment:
1. Focus on Value Proposition
- Emphasise what sets your property apart from competitors. Highlight unique amenities, personalised experiences, your special location, or exceptional service that guests won't find elsewhere.
- Offer value-added packages without compromising on quality. You don't have to always compete on price, but rather provide great value! That means the guest will feel like the price of what you offer is worth it based on your unique offerings.
2. Leverage Digital Marketing
- Invest in having a user-friendly website optimised for search engines (SEO). Ensure your website is mobile-responsive, loads quickly, and features high-quality visuals and compelling content. Consider the benefits of a tourism themed website on the monthly subscription plan to avoid large one-off costs for a new website design.
- Utilise social media platforms to engage with potential guests, share updates, promote special offers, and showcase your property's personality.
3. Build Relationships with Past Guests
- Leverage your existing customer base by staying in touch with past guests through email marketing campaigns. Offer them exclusive deals or incentives for repeat bookings. The domestic market is a strong opportunity for repeat business!
- Encourage guests to leave positive reviews on platforms like TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Booking.com. Positive reviews can significantly impact future bookings.
4. Collaborate with Local Businesses
- Partner with local attractions, restaurants, and tour operators to create attractive packages that offer guests a comprehensive experience. Cross-promotion can expand your reach and appeal to a wider audience.
- Participate in local events or sponsor community initiatives to increase brand visibility and show your commitment to the local community.
5. Embrace Flexible Booking Policies
- In uncertain times, flexibility is key. Offer flexible cancellation policies, discounted rates for extended stays, or options for rescheduling bookings to accommodate guests' changing plans.
- Communicate your policies clearly on your website and during the booking process to build trust and reassure potential guests.
6. Monitor Trends and Adapt
- Stay informed about industry trends, market demand, and competitor strategies. Adjust your marketing efforts and offerings accordingly to stay competitive and meet evolving guest preferences.
- Track how your business is performing compared to previous years and seasons and fine tune pricing to cater to different levels of demand.
- Review previous campaigns and packages to see what worked well - recycle and repeat!
In conclusion, marketing during a recession requires a strategic approach that focuses on value, digital presence, customer relationships, local collaborations, flexibility, and adaptability. By implementing these tips, you can navigate challenging economic conditions and position your property for long-term success in the hospitality industry.
Tourism Websites
Attract and inspire customers with a well-designed website.
We have been designing and building websites for tourism operators for over fifteen years. This means we understand the DNA of the five stages of travel and how to drive bookings.
- Bespoke and themed website options
- Tourism focused mobile-friendly designs
- Sell Gift Vouchers from your website
Social Media Packages
Build your social media engagement to grow bookings!
Create better engagement & reach with your organic posts with paid social campaigns.
Search Engine Optimisation
Drive awareness & website traffic from search engines.
Our SEO experts help more people discover your business online! By researching and incorporating specific keywords into your website content, you’ll be ranked more highly on Google and have a far better chance of being seen.
ResBook has enabled us to streamline different booking channel managers and made it much easier for us to take direct bookings.
Trish Delamore, Lavender Hill
"As B&B operators, ResBook offers an easy to use navigation system, enabling us to track all bookings from enquiries to final payment & thank-you emails. Using ResBook has increased our reservations and given us peace of mind operating our B&B."
Fay & Lindsay Turner, Finlay Banks Boutique Bed & Breakfast
ResBook has been the perfect fit for our business, the system is easy to use and navigate and has many wonderful features that allow for quick look ups and amendments. The customer service team is quick to respond and can offer advice and solutions to all my queries, which is brilliant.
Sarah Smith, Fallow Ridge Retreat
ResBook Customer Support, namely Priyanka, has been an amazing help throughout the entire process of bringing our business to life."
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