What is Hospitality Marketing?

Everyone is a consumer of hospitality in one way or another; whether you’re a restaurant lover, a regular at your local pub on a Friday night or a keen traveller who regularly stays in hotels, we all consume the hospitality industry more than we may recognise.

At Marketing Elect, we understand the importance of the hospitality industry for communities livelihoods; even more so after the impact COVID-19 has had on all of us. The vast impact the pandemic has had on the hospitality industry is phenomenal, with many smaller businesses sadly having to close their doors and even large corporations struggling to keep afloat.

Consumer behaviour and attitudes have changed vastly over the last few years, with just one example being the rise in people choosing vegetarianism and veganism, the food and beverage segment of the hospitality industry has had to positively react to this change in behaviour to ensure sustained business.

One example of a business positively reacting to this change is Wagamama’s, as their most recent menu is 50% plant based. They have identified the change in their target audiences’ behavioural habits and adapted their offerings accordingly to sustain their loyal customers, whilst reaching out to those who may not have been interested in them before!

This continued demand for a modernised approach means more than ever, those in the hospitality industry need a well executed marketing strategy in order to adapt to the changing behaviours of consumers and offer something different in an ever-growing market.

Below are what we believe to be the best marketing services for hospitality companies; all of which ME. offer…

Marketing Strategy

It’s crucial to understand your customers and marketplace, no matter the size of the business. A defined, forward-thinking, and efficient marketing strategy is a crucial step to achieving business growth and ultimately becoming a positively recognized restaurant, pub or hotel. Think of McDonald’s or Coca-Cola, they are globally recognised due to their incredibly successful marketing strategies!

By formulating a marketing strategy that targets your business goals whilst conveying your brand’s story through emotion and culture, lasting relationships will be formed with target audiences and prospective ones (which is essential for gaining customer loyalty in the hospitality industry).

Website Development

It’s safe to say that having an easy to navigate and branded website is vital within any industry. User experience is everything. As your online store-front, it’s crucial that your website is able to fully function in a manner that supports your business goals.

Hospitality companies rely heavily on a functional website, as information needs to be readily available and easy to understand across all devices. Our hospitality clients have utilised our web building abilities, to create exceptional websites that showcases their branding perfectly, whilst showcasing relevant material in a concise yet informative manner.

Social Media Management

Upholding your business’ presence on social media is essential in the modern world. Social media is fantastic for growing start-up businesses, but is also essential for larger brands to sustain their already successful marketing efforts.

Our hospitality clients have homed in on the above, which has led to us creating a surge in their social media presence and engagement. ME. have the ability to grow our clients’ following and engagement massively on networks including Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook and Instagram.

Instagram in particular has developed into a social media network that is perfect for marketing hospitality. Based on aesthetically pleasing photography that showcases delicious pub grub and lavish hotels, Instagram and hospitality go hand-in-hand. 

Event Promotion

Hospitality events are once again increasing in popularity, as we re-emerge from lockdown. Local events are so important for not only brand awareness, but they can also reach new audiences, which ultimately lead to more loyal customers. If your restaurant, pub or travel company is hosting an event, you MUST advertise your presence.

This traditional form of marketing adds a deeper level of credibility to your brand, as putting on events such as these showcases that you are passionate, knowledgeable and experienced. Buyers are more likely to trust your business faster if they meet you in person, which is why advertising for events that you’re hosting is vital! What’s the point of hosting or attending an event if no one knows about it?

Event promotion can range from digital through to physical. Social media awareness, email marketing, brochures, bus advertisements… The list of event promotion tactics is endless.

Photography

Buyers almost always begin their journey by looking at online images of restaurants, pubs or hotels they’re interested in… photography makes hospitality sell! 

Our hospitality client, The Sandridge Group, have utilised photography to showcase their brand identity and purpose, which flows through onward marketing efforts. This immersive and engaging content showcases to pub goers that The Old Swan and The Unicorn pubs are experienced, trustworthy and passionate about their craft. 

Photography also presents familiarity to you, as you get to know The Sandridge Group family, furthermore building on brand loyalty!

Branded Content

Branded content can be anything from specialised social media posts to physical brochures/leaflets. When it comes to the hospitality industry, your branding needs to be perfect, to ensure you stand out from the every-growing crowd. Your business’ identity, culture and behaviour must be communicated efficiently and effectively to immediately grab the attention of potential visitors, but also be varied enough to sustain the interest of repeat buyers. Unleash your brand’s potential through branding your content!

There are many other marketing services that work for the vast hospitality industry, but we chose to focus on those above as we believe they are the most suited.

Find out how we can help boost your hospitality business to new levels, by getting into contact with ME. Give us a call on 01245 363419, or email us at connect@marketingelect.com if you like what you see. We’re a friendly bunch and we’d love to hear from you!