Posts Tagged ‘hospitality pr’

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A young professional’s innovative approach to hospitality PR

Monday, February 21st, 2011

Since the purpose of this blog is to discuss topics that relate to PR and how it evolves, I thought it would be beneficial to share the perspective of the new PR professionals as they enter the field and what they are thinking.

I’ve had the pleasure of connecting with Melanie Dorange through my blog for the past couple of years.  Melanie is a young dedicated hospitality professional in Europe, with a strong sense and understanding of the PR process.  I hope you will find her blog post informational - feel free to comment and open for discussion:

If I should use only one word to describe my feeling about the hospitality industry outlook, I would say “challenging”. This word has two possible reading: you can translate it as “obstacles, uncertainty, problems”, but you can also hear “evolution, opportunities, stimulating”. I choose the second reading.

Despite having started my career in a difficult economic environment and feeling everyday the pressure of competition on the job market and the growing number of tools to master in order to be a good hotel PR, I am feeling more enthusiastic than ever about this role of representative and determined to build my career on a strong base. Starting now. Learning to work around quality and integrity will serve my whole career.

In my quest to perfect my approach to PR, I have created a check-list with some of the elements I find determinant for me to keep in mind, looking ahead to the next decade. Some of them are based on my experience, others on my readings and other professionals’ sayings. These are the first three points on my list:

-          Brush my story-telling and narration skills

Daniel Craig recently reminded me about this topic on his blog, and how much impact a good narrated story can have on the media first when it comes to selection, and secondly on our readers. I like the idea that we should think like creative writers and journalists whenever writing stories for our clients, with the objective that travellers should picture themselves as the heroes of our stories. I am already trying to apply it as a way to “stand out from the crowd”. This is where creativity is key, we need to capture the hotel’s niche and describe this exception in a catchy and personal story. This type of writing implies a more focused communication, but I feel the traditional press release is still very useful for other announcements such as awards and nominations.

-          Keep my eyes wide open

Keeping track of innovations in the wide field of communications is critical for me. I read blogs and online news every day in order to be aware of the latest trends. I am not using all of the tricks and tools I read about, but at least I know about them.

Keep an eye on the next generation of hoteliers is also part of this monitoring. In the next years, hoteliers’ strategies will change, and so will ours in turn. Some events already bring together students or graduates from leading hotel schools around the world in order to exchange knowledge and ideas, and they reveal what challenges this new generation foresees in the future. These young graduates are tomorrow’s hospitality leaders, so understanding their drivers help me anticipate the task we will face in some years.

-          Pamper the photographer

This one is not new. I know it sounds obvious, but I am already convinced. It’s all about the picture, the one fabulous image that “has it all”. This picture which makes the reader turn back the page, or scroll up to double-check, even after going through hundreds of (web)pages when his eyes are reading one line out of five. I call them “subliminal shots”, because they come back to the mind at unexpected times like unconscious thoughts, and the associated hotel name along! Having quality images will eventually put the hotel forward, whether online or in print. This is one of the first things I have learned in PR, but it proved being right so often already. Investing in quality photographs is a trick I won’t leave aside.

When I think of my future, I know I may have to adapt to the environment and redefine my skills as often as needed, and I am ready for it. (Think about it, I may be around for the next 35-40 years*, what will travel PR be like in 2060?) But there is at least one thing I will never alter in my personal life and in my work: loyalty to my values and authenticity.

[* taking into account the extension of retirement age!]

Per her request, Melanie can be reached via email

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Posted in European Destinations, Hospitality, Integrated Marketing Communications, Media Relations, PR, Top Accommodations, social media | No Comments »

The PR process differs by hotel type

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

One of the main reasons I started my own PR practice with a focus on hospitality and travel is that I wanted to communicate messages about the unique, personal, memorable - and sometimes quirky- hotels and destinations in the world to the avid traveler.  I wanted to help small, independent hotels tell their story to travelers who sought a different experience than the mainstream chains.  My philosophy has been that the luxury in travel is not in the money one spends, but in the richness of the experience.

With that in mind, there’s a distinct difference in practicing PR among the types of hotels, and it each type has strengths and weaknesses, as well as opportunities and threats from a PR perspective (indeed, I am referring to a SWOT analysis… it’s important to do before undertaking any major marketing / marcomm initiative).

For example, in my experience I have found that the main challenge of doing PR for independent boutique hotels is that you must create a name that resonates with its brand positioning.  Plus, you really only get one chance to get it right, so your strategy must be studied and executed carefully.  Therefore, the PR process is very different between launching, say, an unknown, 15-room boutique hotel in Easter Island, versus a business Starwood hotel in London. 

The destination of the hotel is also an important ingredient in the PR campaign, regardless of the type of the property, and whether or not it is new to the travel market.   Corporate hotels (chains) may sometimes be less challenging to do PR for because they are already members of an established brand with generally predictable coverage in the pipeline (print/online/social media).

However, independent, boutique properties who invest in PR call for a fresh strategy, that talks about a new experience, a new travel opportunity, and a new perspective to the potential guest.   Sometimes it’s the story behind the owner, or the exclusive travel niche a property has that starts conversations.  It might be about how the owner gives each guest a personal tour, the success of the compost program the hotel implements, or the taste of the organic coconut water at turndown that stands out.  Whatever the angle, the key is to provide quality, interesting and continuous information to the media (and social media) and tailor your PR efforts accordingly. 

Regardless of the property’s size, preference, or type, as PR practitioners specializing in hospitality we must build and maintain great relationships with the appropriate tourism boards, tour operators, as well as press and social media who report on the destination… and then in turn the hotel.  I have found that incorporating holistic, destination-focused PR strategies for the independent hotels I have worked with so far have yielded not only continuous results and success, but also healthy, long term relationships.

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The right PR professional isn’t necessarily a huge agency

Thursday, March 18th, 2010

It’s a tough perception to break.  Fueled by thousands of billable hours and countless (often worthless) deliverables, large agencies know how to do one thing well: sell time and bill for it. 

The crisis has shaken out many of the large PR and marketing agencies nationwide with restructuring, cut costs, and unimaginable losses in business. 

As much as large agencies create an image and a name for themselves (which really only pays tribute to the combined expertise of the agency’s staff), why would a client prefer to spend thousands on a huge PR agency versus a grounded independent contractor, or a boutique agency?  The answers vary widely on this, below are some brief thoughts on why a contractor and/or a smaller agency can be much more effective for client needs:

- Small means flexible. Period.  Huge agencies are cumbersome.

- Small means real communication from the CEO.  Big agencies have interns taking client calls and bringing coffee into the hi-tech conference room.

- Small offers true experts, since it cannot afford fluff staff.  Large agencies are large, which is why they have to lose the weight in tough economic times

- Small means really great work.  It’s the agency’s bread and butter and credibility.  It’s all small agencies have.  Big agencies already have the solid branding, so they can get away with doing much less for a lot more

- Small understands the word budget and works with it.  Big agencies have billable hours.  And they bill for everything.

Most importantly, small agencies offer real relationships that have the potential of becoming seamless with the client’s business needs, particularly because they have the ability to be very responsive.  Large agencies tend to position themselves as an extension of their clients’ business.  They can take forever with the approval process, and the myriads of people the work has to go through to get anywhere.   And of course you get billed for that, too!

I am sure there are a lot more points to discuss and this was just a brief post on the topic of outsourcing PR.  And sometimes, big clients just want big agencies…  Although, honestly, crisis or not, who wants to pay for extensions?

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Hotel social media: what are you talking about?

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

Hotels are increasingly securing a healthy presence on Facebook and Twitter - the two main social networks that make sense to be on… today (this post may be completely outdated in a month, that is how fickle social media are). 

Assuming you have someone in-house, or an independent PR pro who is dedicated to monitoring, updating and overseeing your social media accounts, you should ask yourself: is that enough?

Posting one update a day may be consistent, but probably not enough to start truly engaging conversations.  Determine what your goals are from your presence on social media.  Then, find what makes your guests talk… if it is your restaurant’s specials, talk about them.  If it is a seasonal drink at the bar, or an exciting amenity (yoga comes to mind!) reach out and get some feedback.  The more you think in terms of your fans and followers, the higher the post quality on your pages.

Good pages inspire fans to create new social media groups to continue and carry on the conversation, to make it as viral as possible.  Invest in the right professional to oversee your social media campaign, and have your finger on the pulse to evaluate its success.

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A PR opp: yoga in hotels

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

If you had asked me as little as six months ago, I’d tell you that yoga is not for me, that I can find other ways to relax my mind and seek physical and emotional discipline.  Fast forward to today, and I can’t imagine not including yoga practice in my life, even if I’m traveling.

Enter Michelle Higgins’ fabulous New York Times article on hotels offering yoga as an amenity for guests.  First, it was wi-fi, then free DVD libraries, and fitness salons.  Now, yoga is a sought-after amenity in hotels.  Most of us who travel look up places near where we are staying so we can plan our yoga practice.  However, that’s not always very conducive, so hotels have picked up on that need and are offering classes on property as part of their spa services.  Of course, you can’t be particularly picky about the style of yoga offered (I can’t expect to find the hot yoga I practice in hotels), so a typical flow yoga class would fulfill the guests’ need.

There’s a big PR opportunity here for hotels to act on this emerging amenity trend.  Whether it’s the frequency of the yoga classes, or the type of yoga, or even if its offered complimentary for the business traveler (I’d take yoga over free breakfast!), there is a conversation going on that hotels can successfully moderate to their advantage.

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Posted in European Destinations, Hospitality, Integrated Marketing Communications, Media Relations, PR, Top Accommodations, social media | 4 Comments »

Celebrating five years this month!

Friday, January 15th, 2010

I seized the opportunity and started working for myself around this time in 2005.  Five years later, I’m happy to be practicing in a field I believe in, and specialize in an industry that is dear to my heart.  I feel lucky to have supportive colleagues, clients, friends and family, who have stuck by me through the challenging cycles of business.  The experience I have gained the past years is invaluable; especially now with the changing media environment, and how it affects the PR process. 

Five years later, I find that staying true to yourself in business, and, in life, for that matter, is the most challenging and rewarding process of all.

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Posted in European Destinations, Hospitality, Integrated Marketing Communications, Media Relations, PR, Top Accommodations, social media | 2 Comments »

Guest loyalty programs in hotel survivor kits

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

Interesting article in the New York Times over the weekend, exploring how hotels are coming up with ways to brand themselves through guest loyalty programs.  A clever solution in these times, as hotels are starting to think outside the box to survive 2010.  

Is the loyalty program for branding, to build business, or maintain business?  Hopefully, it is creative and rewarding enough to do all of these, because hotels who serve the business traveler in particular will need it.

Choosing the right guests to introduce the loyalty program is another story.  Questions to ask often include:  What do my highest paying guests want?  Who is the hotel trying to attract?  Who is likely to return and stay?  Who is worth earning loyalty from? 

Starwood, Intercontinental, Hyatt and Kimpton seem to find that loyalty programs are the way to go as the industry is still in a slump.  Slashing rates is a no-no in 2010, so hotels will continue to throw in more amenities, and strive to personalize service in order to earn loyalty and repeat guests, especially with business travelers.  As business travelers are overall not very brand loyal, the economic downturn has presented a unique opportunity to explore this market segment, and shift its dynamic when it comes to booking a hotel.  This sounds logical as new, exciting loyalty programs sprout.

If you ask me, these loyalty programs must be outstanding to beat out competitors.  With business travel, traditionally at least, rate has usually been the deciding factor for a booking.  However, as most business travelers miss some luxuries in this economy, using loyalty points for upgrades and free breakfasts when applicable, is certainly a reason to be part of the program.

At the end of 2010, it will be really interesting to see how these programs have worked, and if indeed they have been able to succeed in maintaining a loyal guest base.

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Hotels: PR should be on your executive planning committee

Sunday, October 4th, 2009

Too often, PR people find themselves in the delicate position of having to remind clients that they need to know what is happening on property.  Anything from a seasonal rate, new staff announcement, to renovation plans, and other major changes in the hotel are news, and make news.  Unfortunately, whether or not outsourced or in-house,  PR is many times not contacted first about such timely information, making the communication between departments, and the media challenging.  I mean, who wants a press release about a special monthly seasonal rate, when Reservations has been selling it to guests for half that month.  It’s not news anymore.  It’s important to keep PR informed first and foremost, and listen to their counsel since they act as the boundary spanner between your property and the public.

So, offer your PR person a chair in Exec Planning Committee meetings - you’ll be thankful you did!

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Hotels: adjust and stay alive

Monday, June 29th, 2009

What a follow-up article about the Four Seasons yesterday in the New York Times!  A luxury hotel brand with international prestige and instant recognition is going through probably its toughest crisis ever: they can’t adjust themselves to the downturn.  They aren’t the only ones, either.

The economic crisis is far from over, and even when it bounces back hotels will have to evaluate the new guest pattern:  the time for greed is up.  Most guests will no longer pay $500 for a room for one night, regardless of Frette linens, pillow menus, and marble bathrooms.  I believe the majority of travelers won’t spend that kind of money any time soon, even when they are able to afford it.  A reactive hotel approach so far has been:  What can we do to get heads in beds and not lower our rack rate?  So, we all saw the posts calling for free breakfast, wi-fi, free movie tickets, use of the sauna, and so on. 

Travelers have learned their lesson, and I don’t think they will go back to their old greedy ways after the economy picks up.  In turn, hotels need to learn their lesson, too.

In fact, the question hotels should be answering now is:  who is traveling and what are they willing to spend to stay at my hotel?  Analyze why.  Use market research, study the trends.  Learn from the past and move forward without getting stuck in the old way of thinking, because it won’t work.  Make changes as needed to adjust in the new travel market.  Invest in PR to boost your brand messaging.  Use social media to collect feedback. 

Communicate with your potential audience, and you’ll find it again.

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Posted in European Destinations, Hospitality, Integrated Marketing Communications, Media Relations, PR, Top Accommodations, social media | 1 Comment »

Hotels: Recession Marketing and Power of PR

Friday, May 8th, 2009

My recent article on www.HotelExecutive.com explores the impact of marketing during a recession, and how fast-action public relations strategic plans help carry through hotels in a tough time.  While I keep reading news stories about hotels and their grim future, at least into 2010, I do think that there is a window of opportunity for properties to reinvent themselves and stay alive.

Of course, the question is… is it worth the trouble to spend more money to reinvent a hotel concept?   That’s a question for owners and investors.  But, it does make sense to invest in reshaping the overall perception of the hotel brand, regardless of size, type of property, location, or audience.  PR can assist greatly in re-branding and creating key messages that will tactically make a strong  impact through the downturn.  

My prediction is that once the hospitality industry reaches the tail end of this weak economic cycle, those who invested in PR as part of a strategic recession-driven marketing plan, will be ahead of most of their competition.

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