The art of making your accom likeable online
Some accommodation brands have stealthily dominated the marketplace for years.
Don’t give full credit to lofty budgets or a robust marketing staff. Though these both help tremendously. One thing these accommodation brands have all mastered is brilliant psychology and persuasion techniques that entice people online to book time and time again.
A vital and powerful psychological trigger is likeability. The more likeable and relatable your accommodation comes off, the more profitable you’ll tend to be.
Customers that like you don’t just buy from you. They also talk about you, refer friends to you, subscribe to your email list, and follow you on social media.
So, it’s not just about your product, location or rates. Here’s how sophisticated hotel marketers make their hotels more likeable online:
They cast video and photos authentically
Today, consumers expect brands to be authentic. People respond to marketing that relates to them and reflects their own reality. When shooting new images and footage for campaigns, skip out on casting over-the-top attractive models to pose as guests. Instead, take a look at your current guests and cast as similar to them as possible.
[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”15046″ align=”left”]They share fascinating stories
Guests are drawn to local ties to the destination. If your hotel has an interesting backstory or a historic connection, you better be sharing it. Like the historic Menger Hotel, just steps from The Alamo, where Theodore Roosevelt had gathered a group of volunteer cavalry for the Spanish-American War.
They speak their guests’ language
Are business travellers your main customer segment? Then, don’t use trendy, hip language touting the area nightlife. Marketing to parents? Write family-friend copy from a parents’ perspective. Pinpoint who your guests are and write as one of them.
They aren’t afraid to be funny
Humour is not just likeable, it’s magnetic. Don’t hesitate to have fun and show a human side to your property. Playfulness can build rapport and engage audiences.
Tambourine is a US-based marketing, booking and distribution service that helps hotel and travel marketers sort it all out. It delivers a 360º program that reduces stress and increases revenue.