Hotel Internet Marketing Strategy – Practical Tips for Direct Digital Marketing
December 30, 2009 | Comments

Save Money and Build Relationships with Direct Digital Marketing
By Brian Deagan
Despite unpredictable economic conditions, one truth endures for the hospitality industry – there is always room for improvement to the guest experience. In tough economic …

Read the full story »
Hotel Digital Marketing

Digital Marketing for Hotels, Hospitality and Travel. The latest in Mobile Marketing, New Media, Digital Advertising and evolving technology

Hotel Distribution

Distribution issues related to Hotels, Travel and Tourism. Particular focus on the Internet, Global Distribution Systems (GDS), Online Travel Agencies (OTA’s), Call Centres and more.

Hotel emarketers and people

Hotel emarketers, Internet Marketing Specialists and Industry Professionals. Advertisers, People, Interviews and Jobs in the world of Hotel eBusiness.

Hotel Industry News

News and Information from the Hotel and Hospitality Industry, with particular emphasis on the Internet, Online Marketing and Distribution

Hotel Internet Marketing

Hotel Internet Marketing, Hospitality Web Marketing, Travel Online Marketing

Hotel Email Marketing, Hotel Mobile Marketing, Hotel Online Strategies, Hotel eMarketing Best Practices, Tips and Tricks »

Hotel Internet Marketing Strategy – Practical Tips for Direct Digital Marketing
December 30, 2009 | Comments

Save Money and Build Relationships with Direct Digital Marketing
By Brian Deagan

Despite unpredictable economic conditions, one truth endures for the hospitality industry – there is always room for improvement to the guest experience. In tough economic times, improving the guest experience is a worthy investment because the seeds of loyalty blossom into a strong relationship when the spending freeze thaws. In ideal economic times, competition peaks and the key differentiator guests evaluate when determining where to spend their time and money is the experience. Positive statements about “improving the guest experience” are a constant in marketing meetings – but how? When resources are scarce, but investment in the guest experience is paramount, an efficient and accountable approach is vital. The most modern, effective, and accountable approach for improving the guest experience is found in direct digital marketing.

Direct digital marketing is a digital marketing method that delivers relevant marketing communications that are addressable to individuals through the primary online channels of email, Web, and mobile using an email address, a Web browser cookie, and mobile phone number, respectively. Hotel guests value personalized, relevant interactions whether they are on property, reading an email, booking a stay online, or reviewing a text message.

Two elements are necessary to properly execute the type of direct digital marketing programs that appeal to guests.

  • First, avoid perpetuating organic market inefficiencies by seeking individual relationships for email, onsite targeting capabilities, and mobile marketing. The right direct digital marketing software partner must have multi-channel campaign delivery and management capabilities.
  • Second, the content and campaign execution capabilities must live in the same software platform as the data environment. More, that data environment – usually referred to as a universal profile management system – must be designed specifically for direct digital marketing programs. Centralizing all important marketing data into the same on-demand software the content is in enables the truly unique segments and message targeting capabilities guests consistently respond to. For example, building a segment that takes a guest’s email activity, website browsing behavior, mobile interaction, past stay data, and preferences into consideration is ideal for creating a personalized and memorable guest experience.

Read the full story »

The Hotel Concierge of the future now has a face!
October 21, 2009 | Comments
The Hotel Concierge of the future now has a face!

Meet Emily….or the digital recreation of Emily, at least.
At TEDxUSC, computer graphics trailblazer Paul Debevec explains the scene-stealing technology behind Digital Emily, a digitally constructed human face so realistic it stands up to multiple takes.

From …

Taking direct marketing to the next level with Mobile QR Codes
September 19, 2009 | Comments
Taking direct marketing to the next level with Mobile QR Codes

If you’re switched on to the Mobile world, you’ve probably seen (and possibly even used) a QR (Quick Response) Code. These weird looking symbols are probably going to change the way we deploy direct marketing …

Mobile Marketing – Augmented Reality Browsers
September 8, 2009 | Comments
Mobile Marketing – Augmented Reality Browsers

Augmented reality is a hot new area for Research & Development in the Mobile Tech & Marketing field. Emagin defines it as “a display in which simulated imagery, graphics, or symbology is superimposed on a …

This Demo will blow your mind! The Xbox Prototype Experience
September 8, 2009 | Comments
This Demo will blow your mind! The Xbox Prototype Experience

In an eerie but mind-blowing integration of Facebook Data, X-Box has developed a superb online game demo that is bound to give you goose-bumps! Enough said, check out the demo at www.prototype-experience.com (depending on your …

Video – Socialnomics and the Social Media Revolution
September 8, 2009 | Comments
Video – Socialnomics and the Social Media Revolution

A great new video doing the rounds on the Internet, in true ‘Did You Know’ style (the original video by Karl Fisch that captured our imaginations). This video asks – Is social media a fad? …

Carrots, Sticks and Innovation
August 25, 2009 | Comments
Carrots, Sticks and Innovation

Since innovation is such a crucial part of what we do as New Tech marketers, the approach taken by businesses to foster that innovation is absolutely vital. I guess we all know intuitively that we’re …

Interview with Marketing Guru Naufel Vilcassim
August 18, 2009 | Comments
Interview with Marketing Guru Naufel Vilcassim

I finally had the chance to grab a little time with Naufel, whose Marketing course I attended at London Business School, to ask a few questions about how he got where he is, what excites …

Success, Failure and Passion
August 17, 2009 | Comments
Success, Failure and Passion

Here’s quite an entertaining and thought-provoking speech by Alain de Botton about Success…and our perceptions of this elusive concept.

Alain de Botton examines our ideas of success and failure — and questions the assumptions underlying these …

Recession, Identity and the Art of War
July 26, 2009 | Comments
Recession, Identity and the Art of War

Recession, Identity and the Art of War
Is the end really nigh?
A recession is here again….and as with every economic downturn, echoes of despair and quick fixes permeate the wires. That’s all well, of course, except …

Hotel DNA in the Digital Age – Can we evolve?
July 14, 2009 | Comments
Hotel DNA in the Digital Age – Can we evolve?

While most traditional marketers, media gurus and public relations experts grapple with just how to leverage the power of digital media and social networks…real emerging trends sometimes go unnoticed. Sometimes all it takes is to …