TripAdvisor may be the most controversial service in hospitality marketing today. Some hoteliers love it, while others have issues.

No matter what you think, TripAdvisor is making an offer you can’t refuse. A Business Listing on your TripAdvisor page at half off the regular rate. Sounds like they’re in the hotel business, doesn’t it? In any case, the listing includes 1) a direct link to your site, 2) your 800# and 3) an e-mail link to reservations.

Here’s what we’re advising clients:

1. Get a Business Listing on TripAdvisor and do it today! This is a limited time offer.

Our research shows nearly 100% of guests in small- to mid-size luxury hotels read TripAdvisor reviews before booking. How much is it worth to have your hotel’s direct contact information right in front of travelers when they are seriously shopping and want to book a trip? Priceless!

2. Measure your marketing ROI.

Anyone can track where Web visitors are coming from, but now you can track what marketing is driving phone calls to reservations and impacting your bottom line. And it’s surprisingly affordable.

Track your TripAdvisor listing and measure the effectiveness of all your marketing efforts – PPC, PR, advertising, direct mail, banner ads and e-mail newsletters - with Marketing Tracker. Detailed real-time reporting and call recording help you identify what marketing and sales efforts are working.

If you want to take advantage of this TripAdvisor offer, you better hurry and act now. The offer expires January 31, 2010.

The cost for a TripAdvisor Business Listing varies depending on teh size of your hotel. Click here to see your rate and sign up. Have your credit card ready!

And don’t get stuck wondering what you’re getting for your money. Measure your marketing ROI with a program like Marketing Tracker. So when it comes time to allocate marketing funds you will know what works.

Your decision to advertise on TripAdvisor again or anyplace else will then be based on the proven value your hotel receives – not simply the price of the media. It’s a much better way to approach hospitality marketing decision making.

Safe Travels – Madigan Pratt

Many readers have ask which Hospitality Marketing Blog posts were the most widely read in 2009.  So, by popular request, here is a list of the Magnificent Seven.  Please enjoy the practical advice and marketing insights as you gear up for 2010.

1. Hotel Case Study – Prospering in difficult Times – Good news was hard to come by in hospitality marketing circles in 2009.  Here’s a story about a small luxury hotel on an island difficult to get to that offers inspiration and hope.  Very worthwhile.
2. 85% of Hoteliers Just Don’t Get It – Back in August I reported on a Market Metrics’ Research Report that found only 15% of hotels have policies or guidelines for how to manage user-generated reviews (aka TripAdvisor).  Can you imagine that?
3. The Media Are Killing Us – The most overused hospitality phrase for 2009 may well be (unfortunately) “The AIG Effect.”  One bad move by a major government bailout recipient created a media frenzy followed by a Congressional dog pile that literally destroyed the meetings and conventions business.  Government was trying to create jobs on one hand while simultaneously throwing tens of thousands of loyal hospitality employees out of work.  Go figure!
4. Are All Hoteliers Liars? – I like this one too.  Oyster.com, a new online hotel review site launched in July and called hoteliers and hospitality marketing professionals liars.  It sure created headlines, but couldn’t save a failed business plan.  They ended up letting most of their staff go some six months later – read No Pearl in this Oyster.  Just rewards.
5. Thinking Beyond Hospitality – Many found this story about John Wallis, Head of Marketing and Brand Strategy for Hyatt eye-opening.  His goal – to become a database driven company that’s in the hotel business. Revolutionary in hospitality marketing?  Yes, but it shouldn’t be.
6. Why I Hate TripAdvisor Sometimes – You gotta have fun when you can and it’s not often you have a chance to poke TripAdvisor in the eye.  Here’s what makes me mad about TripAdvisor – sometimes.
7. Marketing To Succeed In Difficult Times – A practical guide of proven strategies that have helped companies survive and even excel in past recessions.  Written back in February, 2009 there is still some good advice to help 2010 planning.

Thank you for reading and commenting on Hospitality Marketing Blog.  It has been a real pleasure for me to publish this blog and I look forward to continuing into 2010 and beyond.

Wishing you a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year.

Safe Travels – Madigan Pratt

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The Internet serves as the foundation for most luxury hotel marketing programs today.  It’s used to launch relationship building emails and send tactical offers.  Press releases must pass search engine optimization tests and advertising, promotional and linking opportunities abound.

At the center of all this Internet activity is the hotel’s own web site.  So it’s not surprising in today’s economic environment hospitality marketing professionals are keenly focused on finding cost effective ways to increase quality traffic to their site.

A good way to do this is through banner advertising, right?  Not according to a recent study conducted by Opinion Research for ARAnet Adfusion.

Of the five different marketing formats measured in the survey, the two most effective ways to get Internet users to take action (click through to your site) are having your brand included in an online article (51%) and providing them with an email offer (47%).

Banners ads are less than half as effective in delivering visitors to your site as being mentioned in an article.  So it makes sense – to increase web traffic you should stop advertising.

So rev up your public relations and beef up your online direct marketing capabilities and start driving more traffic to your web site.

And if you really want to supercharge your PR and DM efforts make sure they are integrated into a comprehensive customer relationship marketing (CRM) program.

One last thought – think of each TripAdvisor review as an online article mention and you’ll see why having a comprehensive TripAdvisor strategy is so important.  Need help?  Contact me.

What do you think?  Safe travels – Madigan Pratt

As a small luxury hotelier you know the story – nearly every guest who comes through your door will have checked past guest reviews on TripAdvisor before coming.

That’s why yesterday’s announcement that TripAdvisor now has over 20 million reviews is so important to you. Last April TripAdvisor had 15 million reviews and two years ago the figure was just 6 million.  Growth is accelerating and will continue to do so as travelers become more concerned about value for money in pressing economic times.

The importance of TripAdvisor in the hotel selection process can not be underestimated.  As a small luxury hotelier you know the most effective marketing tool you have is Word-of-Mouth advertising – having your own customers “sell” you property.”  Well TripAdvisor is almost as powerful as first hand WOM.

You see, people believe reviews they read online.  This fact was highlighted the research posted last January.

You just can’t ignore TripAdvisor!  There are strategies you should follow to manage this powerful marketing resource for maximum benefit.  We advise our clients on how to do it and can help you too.  But only if you contact us.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Safe travels,  Madigan Pratt

How is this for telling it like it is?

“Businesses today exist in an era in which it’s nearly impossible to escape the likelihood of being evaluated.” said Linda Shea, senior vice president at Opinion Research, in a statement, “There’s nowhere to hide.”

Like it or not consumers have taken over control of hotel comment cards. And where management use to keep results to themselves, today consumers are sharing results with the world. There is no where to hide!

• And guess what! Consumers are loving it. According to a Opinion Research Corporation June 2008 report 61% of people surveyed indicate they check online reviews, blogs and other online customer sources before buying a new product or service. That number is even higher for travel products at 82%.

• Wait – there’s more! People who shop online value the reviews of fellow consumers more than those provided by professionals in the field. That’s according to a 2008 study commissioned by InQuira.

The implications for small luxury hotels is clear – you have to be at the top of your game with everyone you talk to on the phone, send an email to or who enters your lobby.

You also need to have a clear strategy designed to monitor, manage and respond to comments made about your hotel online. It is just too damn important to ignore. Where is your TripAdvisor strategy?

What do you think? Safe travels – Madigan Pratt

On a recent [very long] flight I had time for a thorough read through the HSMAI special report entitled, “The Travel Marketer’s Guide to Social Media and Social Networks: Sales and Marketing in a Web 2.0 World.”

If you have ever wondered about what was happening in Social Media, what the fuss is all about or how you will ever get up to speed, I would strongly recommend you get a copy.  The cost is $99 for HSMAI Members and $149 for the great unwashed.

The book is 170 pages long and provides a comprehensive review of the market as it stands today – well maybe yesterday.  The whole social media phenomenom is changing at an increasingly fast pace.  In one place the book mentions Trip Advisor as having 6 million hotel reviews.  Check the post below – TripAdvisor is now up to 15 million reviews!

So if you don’t want to slip even further (perhaps hopelessly) behind order a copy and read it.  Can’t imagine anyone responsible for marketing a small luxury property not wanting to get aux fait with Social Media.  Well maybe if you are on the verge of retirement…or maybe not interested in advancing…

If you’ve already read it, what do you think?  Safe Travels.  Madigan Pratt