With Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, it is difficult to not get caught up in the ‘digital competition’ to promote whatever leverage you can to attract a potential customer… and let’s be honest, we tend to veer towards sharing our infamous chocolate covered strawberries or exciting upcoming events more often than not. Now we are not trying to say these aren’t important, because they definitely are, but in the digital world, we live-in hotel marketers need to do a little something extra to sell our hotel’s services on the web.
Matching experience with illusion
Digital marketing is a wonderful tool; it allows anyone with a computer and a decent Internet connection access to endless amounts of information and like we talked about in our previous article (http://umidigital.co.uk/?p=640), it allows companies to build a relationship with their audience. However, with that said, no matter how plugged-in our society becomes, at the end of the day we still remember our experiences and the experiences of others above all else.
These experiences are shared through word of mouth, whether it be reviews online or from one of our closest friends or family. Sometimes they are things we already knew, while other times they are not always expected. Nonetheless, a well-told story about an experience can turn virtual relationships into actual ones in the same way that when you read a fictional story, the characters and their relationships with one another can come alive to you because you can relate to them.
The value is all in the experience
As digital marketers, transcending experiences into content is a difficult task. More often than not, companies neglect to remember that the most relatable content is content which consumers can connect and relate with. Prospective customers are looking into your hotel or hostel with questions and concerns. Instead of addressing these through adverts of what to expect while staying with you, why not take this opportunity to stand apart from the pack and be creative by addressing their issues through a story.
A good story is enthralling, captivating, and most importantly, sells your place. Our stories need to build emotion; after all, emotion is the seal in our envelope of memory. Years past any event, people remember their feelings at that time more so than anything else. Think about it, you may not remember the exact outfit you wore on your very first date or first day of work, but it is impossible to forget the feelings of nervousness and excitement prior. Similarly, a customer remembers a particularly good or bad customer service because their emotions were involved.
As a marketer, you need to think of different ways to engage with your consumers, to make them want to be a customer.
Let your customers do the talking
Now, we know we are optimists at umi Digital, but why not share all the wonderful experiences your customers have had during their stay with you on the web? This is your opportunity to make story-telling content fun, different, and engaging. Give your customers their ‘claim to fame’ and ask them to share some of their experiences while staying with you! Few people dislike seeing their face in the starlight, and at the end of the day, people tend to like people whom like them! They will be much more apt to share and engage with your content, and more importantly services, if they are highlighted in it!
Stand out!
Remember, customers are coming to you for answers. They need solutions to their dilemmas and if you tailor your message, they will be more willing to engage with you and hopefully book a room! Have your stories be the happy conclusions to any customers concerns. At the end of the day, the more things continue to change with driving technology, the more important it is to remember that certain things still need to remain the same. Customers want value and if you can make your value stand out in your marketing strategies, you will stand apart from the other companies that tend to get washed away in our digital-driven world!