Everyone and their aunt can do marketing. All you need is a Facebook account, right? Maybe throw a tweet or two in there as well, and you’re good to go! What sets smart marketers apart from the crowd of want-to-be’s is how they use all the resources available, including guest reviews.
Whether it’s online reviews or direct feedback through surveys, with great guest feedback can come great insight. We look at some ways that smart hotel marketers use feedback and reviews to manage guest expectations, discover differentiating factors, analyse trends and build trust.
They find out what guests expect – and do not disappoint
Whether you provide lavish luxury at rates only slightly cheaper than a black-market kidney, or simple stays that even the down-at-the-heel student can afford, it’s all about meeting (or even exceeding) your guests’ expectations. Every guest will have expectations based on what they have seen online — whether on your website, your social media, or your listings on online travel agencies. It is what encourages them to book with you over anyone else. You need to make sure that what you promise matches what your guests actually get in terms of accommodation and service in return for their money. This is why smart marketers focus on analysing value for money scores. Here are some things to bear in mind when thinking of value for money:
- It’s not about lowering prices or making guests feel like they got a great deal by staying with you. In fact, despite cost being one of the biggest considerations for travellers, most are willing to stretch their budgets if they believe that the experience that they get at your hotel will be worth it. What it is about is making sure that your cost and the experience that your guests get are in line with one another.
- You can use your guest feedback to pinpoint exactly where you have fallen short of their expectations. Whether it’s about your decor, customer service, or simply the way that your guests feel throughout their stay, you’ll have a better idea of areas that can be improved upon for future guests.
- Keeping an eye on your competitors will also help you to understand what it is that guests expect for the price that they’re paying. What do other hotels offer, and at what price? If travellers can get a far better experience elsewhere, and at a similar cost, it may be an indication that what you offer, or what you charge, could be reconsidered.
They discover their differentiating factors – and market them better
Keeping an eye on your competitors won’t just help in getting your value for money spot on. By reading competitors’ reviews in tandem with your own, as a smart marketer, you can spot trends and find out exactly what sets you apart and what it is that makes guests want to stay with you. Once you know where your hotel stands out from the rest, it can be easy to use it to your advantage.
