We know there’s a whole lot to think about before opening your property! Taking it step by step and not forgetting the small things is key.
NB: This is an article from netaffinity
Continuing on with our series of marketing tips to help you on this journey of recovery, this week we’re giving you pointers on your unique selling proposition and updating your Google My Business account.
USP – Unique Selling Proposition
Definition: A unique selling point (USP), also called a unique selling proposition, is the essence of what makes your product(hotel) or service better than competitors.
How does it work?
Identifying your brand’s USP might seem simple, but it’s one that requires a fair amount of consideration. Do you want to be known as the hotel with the most spacious rooms or the one with the most beautiful view overlooking the ocean? A lot of hotels try to project themselves as being the best in every single way, but then fail to deliver. Don’t be one of these hotels! Be true to who you are and emphasise your assets through all of your marketing communications. Your company’s USP is closely linked to your brand promise and it has to be credible and lucrative at the same time.
Your USP needs to transcend the boundaries of tangible commodities and translate into an experience. Think the likes of “Enjoy your stay at X with magical views of the sunset” and “Make memories under the crimson skies at X. You’re highlighting the same feature, just with different effects. It’s important to not just identify your business’s key strength, but also to transform it into a unique offering for the customer.
Why does your hotel need a USP?
- Reaching your target audience –An effective USP gives customers a brief idea of whether the product will be useful to meet their needs. In order to create a niche for your hotel, it is imperative that you sell your product to a selected customer base that will benefit the most from your offer. In the pursuit of attracting customers, hotels often try to cater to all kinds of audiences and become unable to provide specialized services to anyone
- Highlights your uniqueness –It is imperative that rather than projecting varied advantages of your hotel, you market a single factor that others are not in a position to offer
- Strengthens brand image – A hotel needs to develop a loyal customer base to generate big revenue. This can be made possible by your USP that can establish your brand image in people’s minds. The goal should be to be remembered only by your USP, even without your hotel’s name being explicitly stated
- Sets goals for employees – Employees of a hotel need to be aligned to its USP in order to provide the best possible service to the consumers. Defining roles and responsibilities for each employee becomes easier when each one of them is bound and guided to deliver the promise stated by the USP
- Retains website visitors – The online presence of a hotel is considered successful if the number of visitors converts into the number of guests. Your USP is a great way to ensure that your target customers spend time exploring the benefits offered by you in your hotel website. Just as it is a waste of time on the part of a customer to look for hotels that don’t meet their needs, it is a hotel’s loss if a potential customer overlooks the hotel website because its novelty is not accentuated by its USP
- Allows premium rates – Since a hotel’s USP is the first thing that a customer notices, you can charge higher rates for services that set you apart
- Builds a loyal customer base – Your hotel’s USP not only attracts target customers to your brand, but when you fulfil the services that you had promoted through your USP, you also generate repeat customers. This loyal customer base can differentiate you from your rivals in the business as maximum revenue is generated by existing customers. A guest who is satisfied not just with the stay but with the food, location, service, luxury and security provided by a hotel can be a great resource for word-of mouth publicity
Updating your Google My Business account
Now is the perfect time for you to revise your basic information (content, imagery and contact us info) on your Google My Business Account!
- Update your opening hours
- If customers have asked questions in the Q&A, answer the questions
- Spot check some dates in the Hotel Ads section. Are OTAs showing rates for dates where your property is closed? If yes, contact them to close out allocations
- Revise your reviews/testimonials and take notes!
Why is this important?
Google My Business is a tool that allows you to manage how your business shows up on Google Search and Google Maps, making it much easier for customers to find information about your hotel online. The information listed includes hours of operation, directions, and contact information. If you want to be found online in a local search, it’s essential that your hotel is listed under GMB. Ensure that yours is up-to-date with the correct information and optimized for the best results. This will make a big difference with not only your website traffic, but actual visits as well. GMB encourages both online and offline success for your business.
