You’ve made a business out of crafting ambience and distilling memorable experiences
From the moment guests arrive at your establishment’s front door until the moment they leave, you work tirelessly to build an atmosphere of invitation. You create the illusion of effortlessness for your patrons, but behind the scenes, your staff is attending to a million meticulous details - from planning menus to polishing silver. Whether you’re the brains behind a beachside boutique hotel or a rooftop Manhattan bar and restaurant, you’ve created a destination that delights visitors.
Can the same be said of your online marketing presence?
Are you building your digital marketing platform with the same enthusiasm and attention to detail that won the hearts of your most enthusiastic guests? Hospitality doesn’t begin with walk-ins these days. It starts on your website.
You should have the same high expectations of your online marketing presence that you have of your staff. After all, your website is the only employee that works around the clock and around the world, wherever prospects are dreaming of a getaway. An effective online marketing platform offers three distinct advantages to hoteliers and restaurateurs.
An Evocative Facade
Once upon a time, the manicured topiary outside a business’ front door was a potential guest’s first impression. Today, first-time guests will visit your website before they make reservations. They want to know what to expect, and can you blame them? There are thousands of stylish boutique hotels and distinctive restaurants in New York and New Jersey to choose from, and your guests want to make sure they’ve made the best choice.
Your website is an extension of your establishment’s carefully fashioned atmosphere. It should reflect the spirit of your brand. It should be a destination as welcoming and imaginative as your hospitality business.
Impeccable customer service
When guests arrive at your hotel or restaurant, they’re greeted immediately by knowledgeable, friendly staff. A concierge offers a warm welcome and a first taste of what’s to come. Professional servers confidently and clearly explain items on the menu and fulfill guest requests promptly. When visitors leave, they feel like you appreciate their patronage.
Unfortunately, on too many hospitality websites, that invitational, attentive customer service falls apart. Slow load times, vague information, and confusing calls to action leave website visitors wondering what they’re getting into. A well-designed website is your most valuable customer service representative. It quickly orients first-time visitors, makes the information guests are seeking easily accessible, and offers action-oriented opportunities to engage with your establishment, from making online reservations to placing an order for delivery or room service.
Differentiated Experiences
Even the smallest independent hotels and the coziest corner bistros offer guests unique experiences. Conscientious restaurateurs make accommodations for light eaters, vegans, and guests with dietary restrictions. Thoughtful hoteliers provide rooms with first floor access, multiple sleeping arrangements, and wake up calls if a visitor needs it.
Like your establishment, your online marketing strategy should respond intuitively to the needs and interests of diverse visitors. Using tools like A/B testing and market segmentation, your business website can create an experience that feels tailored to your clients’ ideas of a dream destination. It creates the illusion that you’ve been expecting that one particular guest all along, which improves customer satisfaction and builds loyalty.
Incomparable standards of excellence
Premier hotels and restaurants exceed the expectations set by their industry standard bearers. The health and safety of guests is a paramount concern, and you make every effort to ensure each visitor has an experience that will end in glowing reviews.
For your online marketing strategy to be effective, it must also exceed industry standards. The security and accessibility of your site has an impact on search and discovery and on user experience, but too often, sites meet only the bare minimum of global standards. With the advent of Google’s PageSpeed Insights Rules and the new GDPR requirements, it’s more critical than ever that your hospitality website is up to standards.
Download this four page case study to learn how we helped Manhattan's premier rooftop bar and lounge streamline operations, improve customer loyalty, and systematically increase revenue.We have a limited number of spaces available for boutique hotels and restaurants that are ready to convert first-time guests into lifelong patrons. Reserve a consultation with our hospitality marketing strategist today.