As the world gets harder, better, faster,
stronger in many respects, so do the ripple effects of world events. The
recent attacks in Mumbai are a prime example - hotels the world over are now
scrambling to take a re-look at their security measures. In terms of broader
trends, the worrying shifts in climate pales in comparison to the economic
downturn now upon us. Experts claim that this recession is the worst since
World War II. The world has always gone through natural economic cycles
where every decade or more we take a step back and reevaluate just where
we’ve been going wrong…but with increasing interconnectedness, reliance on
virtual financial models and technology, the house of cards has become ever
so precariously balanced.
The great thing about tough times is that it separates the boys from the
men! It’s a cleansing process so to speak…one that rids us of old
inefficiencies and forces us to look at better, smarter ways of living and
doing business.
In terms of hotel operations, the year 2009 promises to be a challenging
one. Hoteliers will have to shake off those cobwebs and put on their
‘exceptional service’ hats. Hotel Marketers and Public Relations Managers
will have to take a critical look at their spending habits and find more
efficient ways to generating buzz and marketing ROI. This environment is
perfect for great Hotel eMarketers to shine and utilize the full potential
of the Internet. From exploring new ways of creating consumer pull (compared
to the older sledgehammer approach to pushing advertising) to making
existing sites, campaigns and CRM more effective, the creative hotel
eMarketer will have his hands full in the times to come.
Since the hotel emarketing niche is so new, you may be wondering just what
sets great eMarketers aside from the mediocre? How do you find these people,
hire them and more importantly…retain them? Here are a few thoughts and
personal observations…
So what are the 5 Hallmarks of a Great Hotel
eMarketer?
- Great Hotel eMarketers get bored
easily – More often than not, eMarketers hate repetitive work and
will do anything to bring a little excitement and creativity into the
mix. They require playtime to innovate and experiment…once a great idea
emerges, they’re usually back to business and thinking of serious ways
to structure and implement their project. The most successful eMarketers
will always be those who stand out from the crowd by doing things like
no one else. Boredom, then, is simply an avenue to looking beyond the
‘usual’.
- Great Hotel eMarketers are flexible
– The Internet is in a state of constant flux and trends change fast.
Great online marketing professionals realize this and welcome
change…even if it means abandoning groundbreaking pet projects if they
just don’t make the cut for the business.
- Great Hotel eMarketers have a hunger
for learning – If anyone walks up to you today and claims they’re an
‘Internet expert’, walk away…fast! The web as we know it today has
evolved just over the last 18 years, yet no other technology has
impacted humanity so radically in our history. Great Hotel eMarketers
are constantly learning and looking for ways to harness the power of new
developments and trends.
- Great Hotel eMarketers share a
passion for technology – Technology is anything that applies
human intelligence and imagination to generate processes and systems to
improve the human condition. Great hotel internet marketers have an
innate love for progress, problem solving and doing things better,
faster, easier and differently.
- Great Hotel eMarketers are great at
sharing knowledge and networking – Competitive as they may be, great
Hotel eMarketers are confident in their knowledge and passion for what
they do and will always share that knowledge with others. These
professionals are also great at building active and passive networks
that they can constantly interact with and learn from.
For those Hotel Managers looking to get great hotel
internet marketing professionals onboard, here are 5 Key Tips on hiring and
holding onto them:
- Hire eMarketers for attitude AND
skill potential – Yes, attitude is extremely important…but in the
Internet Marketing game, so is an understanding and grasp of the
changing playing field. You’re unlikely to find someone who ‘knows it
all’ (they’d either be self-employed or you just won’t be able to afford
them!), so look for the odd ones, the misfits…the dreamers and tinkerers
who love technology, learning and experimentation…help them grow into
the role.
- Define the big picture and set SMART
goals –Ensure you involve your hotel eMarketers in ‘big picture’
discussions and strategy meetings for marketing, PR and revenue
management. Not only will great new ideas come to fore, you’ll also
ensure your online activities are in sync with everything else. Set
Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Realistic and Time-bound goals
with your eMarketers, so you both know what you’re working towards.
- Leave them alone! – Once you’ve
set those big picture goals, stop peering over their shoulders! Great
Hotel eMarketers work best with a healthy dose of autonomy and creative
license…the best way to ensure they pack up and leave is micromanaging
them and through rigid job controls.
- Provide the right resources –
Ensure you allocate the right operational resources to eMarketing
activities and projects! Even if you’ve never done this before and are
unsure of the results, take a gamble with calculated risks. While tried
and tested internet marketing strategies can be planned and budgeted
for, the more innovative attempts are often hit and miss. Encourage
experimentation and make failures learning opportunities.
- Recognize and reward success
–Hotel eMarketing does have its exciting visible elements and successes,
but it also involves a lot of back breaking technical work, failed
attempts and constant research. Just because eMarketing is a difficult
area to understand and relate to, hoteliers must avoid the costly
mistake of letting it slip to the bylines. Make it a habit to celebrate
successes and reward your eMarketing pro with the recognition they
deserve.
Excelling in difficult times boils down to a
great mix of innovation, competition and working smarter, not just harder.
So in the recession to come, hoteliers need to ensure they’re using the full
potential of the Internet. Get yourself a savvy Hotel eMarketer who’s just
as excited about your business as you are. If you’re lucky enough to already
have one, send him/her out to PLAY even harder…and watch the tides turn.
- Jitendra Jain (JJ)
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About the author: At work, Jitendra Jain
(JJ) is employed with Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Dubai as an E-Commerce
Manager and handles hotel online marketing & distribution. At play, he is
the founder of various online initiatives like
www.hotelemarketer.com,
www.thetalentjungle.com and
www.younghotelier.com (among
others) that dream, connect, educate and share all that is glorious about
hospitality, technology and most importantly…the people that define our
times
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