The lingering effects of the pandemic coupled with a struggling economy have caused the hotel industry to experience significant losses — $111.8 billion in revenue from room sales during the period ranging from 2020 to 2021. While business travel is predicted to remain down for most of this year, leisure travelers will pick up some of the slack, helping to nudge the industry toward recovery.
Uncertainty is still throwing a black cloud over the coming months, with uncertainty in the marketplace causing hospitality organizations to double down on efforts to attract potential customers. However, all is not gloom and doom — this new era should be seen as an opportunity to step to the front of the competition and drive long-term trust and loyalty among consumers. To do this, hospitality organizations should focus on using leading-edge technology to drive brand recognition and help remarket brands with a spotlight on innovation and an improved customer experience.
Combining Print Technology and Branding Know-How to Boost the Profile of Your Hospitality Organization
The hospitality industry is rife with competition. Traditional brands like Hilton and Marriott are facing increasing competition from Air BnB, VRBO, and other direct-to-consumer brands. And these smaller operations are competing not only with larger brands, but also with one another for a shrinking customer base. In order to stand out from peers, hospitality organizations must take branding seriously. Here’s how:
Use Promotions to Drive Demand without Dilution
A proactive promotional plan can help bolster incremental demand without fear of revenue dilution. The theory of dilution is simple to understand: It happens when you give a way a discount or incentivize a stay when you don’t really have to, leading to loss of a portion of potential revenue.
A proactive plan avoids this by carefully planning out time when discounts are necessary, such as times of the year when there is a clear reduction in demand, and reducing access to discounts when high rates of travel are expected.
Use the Power of Direct-to-Consumer Marketing
Efficiency is essential in an era when revenue is lagging. To stretch your budget, you must make any marketing efforts hyper-efficient. Consider targeting past guests using return offers or sending messages that make them feel appreciated. This is where the power of print can be significant.
For example, over 42% of people receiving direct mail read or scan the message and nearly three-quarters of American consumers would rather be contacted via mail. Importantly, direct mail offers an enormous 29% return on investment — a number that can grow even larger if you have invested in your own in-house print technology. And printers can serve dual purposes by not only allowing your company control over direct mail pieces, but also allowing you to expand your brand marketing in other ways. A wide format printer, for example, can print on a variety of substrates, allowing you to create cost-effective banners, signage, decals, and even clothing to further promote your brand.
Focus on Brand Consistency
Inconsistency drives customers away, so a seamless brand experience is a must-have for any smart marketing strategy. Brand identity must be maintained over a variety of customer experiences — from in-room signage to brochures, flyers, menus, and more. While branding comprises your values and culture as well as logos and products, it is critical that each component of your visual marketing is identifiable and consistent.
To keep colors and logos true from marketing piece to marketing piece, it is essential to have complete control. One cost-effective way to do this is by investing in an in-house printer. With your print capabilities in-house, you can make cost-effective changes to materials on an as-needed basis, without worrying about fees and upcharges for change orders. And you can instantly ensure that colors and logos — as well as messaging — is consistent and on target.
Blue Technologies Has the Print Technology You Need
Whether you are a mom-and-pop operation renting out a personal home or investment property, or you are a large hospitality enterprise with many locations, the rules are the same. To succeed in our current marketplace, you need targeted, effective, consistent marketing to make your brand stand apart from the competition.
At Blue Technologies, we offer a wide range of printers so you can bring the power of print technology to your marketing message. From simple standalone printers to leading edge wide format devices, we have choices for every business need — and budget.
Leverage the power and cost-effectiveness of in-house print for your hospitality organization. Contact a Blue Technologies consultant and explore our wide range of options today.