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<p>This episode of the Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast takes a deep dive into the latest findings from the most comprehensive COVID-19 Consumer Sentiment Data. Every 2-weeks, the fueligans ask leisure travel consumers a range of questions regarding future travel plans. Find out who is going to be traveling, when they will travel, and what types of locations they will travel to. Also, new questions look at guest expectations and show that more than 80% of travelers want to use a mobile app for check-in.</p>
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<h2><span class="search-result-link"><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/crisis-management-resources-for-hotels-master-list/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Click Here For A Crisis Management Resources For Hotels Master List</a></span></h2>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/840781564&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=true&amp;show_comments=false&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=false" width="100%" height="166" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<p>SHOW NOTES:<b> </b></p>
<p>Check out the survey results here:</p>
<h2 class="blog-grid-content-title"><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-covid-19-consumer-sentiment-study-volume-5/">Fuel COVID-19 Consumer Sentiment Study Volume 5: Guests’ Safety Will Dictate New Tech Needs </a></h2>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>========================</p>
<h2><b>In The Newsaroos:     </b></h2>
<ul>
<li><b>Cruise Lines Rolling Out Voyage Assurance<br />
</b><a href="https://www.travelpulse.com/news/cruise/crystal-cruises-launches-voyage-assurance-policy-for-select-2020-21-sailings.html">https://www.travelpulse.com/news/cruise/crystal-cruises-launches-voyage-assurance-policy-for-select-2020-21-sailings.html</a></li>
</ul>
<p>========================</p>
<p>Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A BUNCH OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a></p>


Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 154 – What Travelers Have To Say About Hotel Recovery

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<p>The United States is quickly reopening from the COVID-19 lockdowns and the pent-up demand by travelers is almost palpable. In the Myrtle Beach area alone we are seeing nearly 100% increases in daily revenue,. However, this is not a long term trend, this is a short correction of bookings due to the abbreviated booking window.</p>
<p>Today we are going to focus on your CRM system, what it must be able to do, and the immediate-action items for making the most out of your data to drive every booking you can in during a compressed booking window.</p>
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<h2><span class="search-result-link"><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/crisis-management-resources-for-hotels-master-list/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Click Here For A Crisis Management Resources For Hotels Master List</a></span></h2>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/834058606&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true" width="100%" height="166" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<p>SHOW NOTES:<b> </b></p>
<p>The original article can be found here:</p>
<h2 class="blog-grid-content-title"><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/your-crm-system-will-determine-how-and-if-your-hotel-recovers-from-covid-19/">Your CRM System Will Determine How (and if) Your Hotel Recovers From COVID-19 </a></h2>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><b>Part 1: Choosing The Right CRM System For Your Hotel</b></h2>
<p>Having a great Customer Relationship Management system, and using it to its fullest, is going to decide who thrives, who just survives, and who doesn’t make it moving forward.  But what do you need to look for when choosing a <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/ai-powered-crm/">great CRM</a>?  Here’s what you need to know to pick a winner.</p>
<ol>
<li>PMS Integration</li>
<li>Effective Delivery Platforms</li>
<li>AI and Machine-Learning Tools For Targeting</li>
<li>Reporting That Leads to Decisions</li>
<li>Ease of Use</li>
</ol>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><b>Part 2: A CRM Game Plan For Hotel Marketing Success</b></h2>
<p>After selecting the right CRM it becomes time to actually use the system to engage your potential guests and drive more bookings.  Below you will find a step by step guide to using your hotel’s CRM system to its full potential.</p>
<h3><b>Start With A Plan</b></h3>
<p>In our scenario, we have an incredibly high demand for travel in a short window of time.  We know our potential guests are shopping, booking, and traveling within just a few weeks.  This means whoever gets to them first has a defined advantage in converting them into a guest.</p>
<ul>
<li>Communicate the four key messages: positive/good news, safety, worry-free decisions, great value.</li>
<li>Ensure your site conveys the above message</li>
<li>Craft the campaigns in your CRM to proactively engage your potential guests with the same message</li>
</ul>
<h3><b>Execute The Plan</b></h3>
<p>The first thing to keep in mind here is marketing via your CRM is about engaging those who you know are already interested, even slightly, in your property.  Personalization is the name of the game.  These five strategies will help you put your CRM to work and drive your bookings:</p>
<ol>
<li>Engage Your Lost Bookings</li>
<li>Connect With Past Years’ Guests</li>
<li>Ramp Up Your Communications With Your Permission Marketing Lists</li>
<li>Engage Your Site Visitors</li>
<li>Turbocharge Your Paid And Social Campaigns</li>
</ol>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><b>In Conclusion, Your CRM Is Your Ticket To Post-Crisis Success</b></h2>
<p>Surviving and thriving in this post-crisis world is going to mean using the tools you have in the best way possible. Your CRM system is going to be the backbone of your success and using it to the fullest will help you spend your marketing dollars more effectively, spend your time more efficiently, and attract guests more aggressively.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>========================</p>
<h2><b>In The Newsaroos:     </b></h2>
<ul>
<li>Disney is planning to open its parks in early July but is opening its retail outlets now.</li>
</ul>
<p>========================</p>
<p>Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A BUNCH OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a></p>


Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 153 – Why Your COVID-19 Recovery Depends On Your Hotel CRM

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<p>During this pandemic, marketers have had to throw out their playbook and create new and original marketing campaigns in order to stay top-of-mind with their audience. In this episode, we chat with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-st-onge-7b53735/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ed St. Onge</a> from <a href="https://www.flip.to/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Flip.to</a> about some of the campaigns his team is seeing on their platform and we discuss the ways in which hotels can tap into nostalgia and memories of past vacations to inspire dreaming and aspiration for future stays.</p>
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<h2><span class="search-result-link"><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/crisis-management-resources-for-hotels-master-list/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Click Here For A Crisis Management Resources For Hotels Master List</a></span></h2>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/823856332&#038;color=%23ff5500&#038;auto_play=false&#038;hide_related=false&#038;show_comments=true&#038;show_user=true&#038;show_reposts=false&#038;show_teaser=true"></iframe></p>
<p>SHOW NOTES:<b> </b></p>
<p>This episode was more of an open discussion, so there&#8217;s not a fancy bulleted-list to display here. Instead, check out <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM3J9jDoaTA&amp;feature=emb_logo" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">this vide</a>o that illustrates how all businesses are producing the same exact advertising message right now. Be sure that you don&#8217;t get caught up in the noise and find your own unique voice to stand out from the crowd.</p>
<p>========================</p>
<h2><b>In The Newsaroos:     </b></h2>
<ul>
<li>Disney is planning to open its parks in early July but is openning its retail outlets now.</li>
</ul>
<p>========================</p>
<p>Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A BUNCH OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a></p>


Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 152 – Examples of Successful Marketing Campaigns During COVID-19 (with Flip.to)

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<p>Fuel has been conducting a series of studies to follow the change in consumer sentiment around COVID-19 travel. We have completed the second study, which included responses from over 10,000 North American leisure travelers, and in this episode, the Fueligans will discuss the biggest changes observed in answers in the 2 weeks since the first study was conducted.</p>
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<h2><span class="search-result-link"><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/crisis-management-resources-for-hotels-master-list/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Click Here For A Crisis Management Resources For Hotels Master List</a></span></h2>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/815069434%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-ZE4oe5VzEhE&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true" width="100%" height="166" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<p>SHOW NOTES:<b> </b></p>
<p>Full study results here: <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/updated-findings-from-covid-19-consumer-sentiment-study/">https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/updated-findings-from-covid-19-consumer-sentiment-study/</a></p>
<p><b>Key Data Changes</b></p>
<h3><b>1 &#8211; Have you had a trip affected by the Coronavirus outbreak?</b></h3>
<p>Both cancelations and rescheduled trips increased compared to our last survey. Combined they now sit at 66%, an increase of 18% in just 2 weeks. These results follow two weeks of increasingly bad news in terms of infection rates and deaths as a result of the virus, along with the announcement of beach closings in many popular destinations in Florida and all along the East Coast.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" src="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/trip_affected_2-2.png" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3><b>2 &#8211; Do you still intend to take a vacation in 2020 or 2021?</b></h3>
<p>Those saying yes to 2020 increased from 60% to 65%.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" src="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/vacation_2020_2021_2-2.png" /></p>
<h3><b>3 &#8211; Which of the following would most likely persuade you to book a future vacation during the coronavirus outbreak?</b></h3>
<p>In the first set of results, nearly 40% of respondents said that NOTHING could convince them to book a future vacation. In this round, that group dropped to 28%!</p>
<p>Additionally, nearly 60% said that flexibility to change dates without penalty would be reason to book, up from 49%.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" src="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/future_vacation_2-1.png" /></p>
<h3><b>4 &#8211; When do you intend to BOOK your future vacation? When do you intend to TRAVEL for your future vacation?</b></h3>
<p>For booking, “after the threat has passed” responses shrunk from 44% to 35%, with May and June picking up the most traction. People are feeling more confident about booking trips, but not as much ready to travel.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" src="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/intend_to_travel_2.png" /></p>
<h3><b>5 &#8211; As a result of the coronavirus situation, which best describes you?</b></h3>
<p>Last survey, 38% of respondents said they would spend less compared to 31% this time. These results could be impacted by several factors, including the receipt of stimulus checks from the U.S. government, along with an increase in certainty and job security as the economy begins to open up.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" src="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/affected_2.png" /></p>
<p><b>New Data Key Points</b></p>
<h3><b>1 &#8211; How soon after the restrictions are lifted will you be willing to make the following trips?</b></h3>
<p>For distances up to 6 hours of driving, at least 50% of consumers will be ready to travel within 3 months of restrictions being lifted. Flying comprised just 29% within a 3 month window<b>.</b></p>
<p><img decoding="async" src="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/trips_2.png" /></p>
<h3><b>2 &#8211; How soon after the restrictions are lifted will you be willing to travel to the following types of destination?</b></h3>
<p>Destinations with open spaces were more likely to be visited earlier than densely populated areas, ski destinations, or foreign travel.</p>
<p>Stay tuned for the third round of results.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" src="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/how_soon_2.png" /></p>
<p><b>LISTENER FEEDBACK:</b></p>
<p>Hi Pete, Stuart &amp; Michelle,</p>
<p>I am one of your podcast listeners, I have 2 questions that I am curious about.</p>
<ol>
<li>Suggestions &amp; best food options for midscale hotels that provide breakfast Post COVID with also keeping in mind our all-important guest and their expectations?</li>
<li>Also, where do you see the future of the midscale or economy hotel breakfast going?</li>
</ol>
<p>Look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for your podcast and keep up the good work, &amp; I am sorry some have to be in the closet, but whatever you gotta do to make it work, right.  Stay Safe!</p>
<p>Best Regards,</p>
<p>Mary from Colorado</p>
<p>========================</p>
<h2><b>In The Newsaroos:     </b></h2>
<ul>
<li>NA</li>
</ul>
<p>========================</p>
<p>Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A BUNCH OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a></p>


Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 151 – Times Are A-Changing: Top 5 Shifts in Consumer Sentiment

<p>Throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia hoteliers have struggled to find the right way to maintain their existing bookings in the face of mandated hotel shutdowns.  Collectively billions have been spent to drive bookings and those bookings have all but disappeared… or have the? In this episode, we look at ways to get your bookings back.</p>
<h2><span class="search-result-link"><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/crisis-management-resources-for-hotels-master-list/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Click Here For A Crisis Management Resources For Hotels Master List</a></span></h2>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/815044012&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true" width="100%" height="166" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<p>SHOW NOTES:</p>
<p>Full article: <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/surefire-strategies-to-recover-your-hotels-lost-reservations/"><b>www.fueltravel.com/blog/surefire-strategies-to-recover-your-hotels-lost-reservations/</b></a></p>
<h1>48% of Americans Canceled Summer Travel Due to Coronavirus Concerns.</h1>
<p>The COVID recovery is already underway with several locations around the US beginning to open up and our data is showing room searches are beginning a significant upward trend. Even if your location is not yet open for business, now is absolutely the time to engage your customers and start booking rooms for the future.</p>
<p>Today we’re covering five ways you can reconnect with your cancelled bookings and convert them back into guests based on the article at <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/surefire-strategies-to-recover-your-hotels-lost-reservations/">fueltravel.com/blog/surefire-strategies-to-recover-your-hotels-lost-reservations/</a>.</p>
<p>Before we begin you will want to make sure you have the tools to overcome what is likely your potential guests’ #1 objection: <b>Fear &amp; Uncertainty</b>. We cover this in detail in <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-139-how-to-nail-hotel-messaging-during-a-global-crisis/">Episode #139</a> but the highlights are:</p>
<ul>
<li>Have a worry-free 100% refund or cancellation policy</li>
<li>Create added value for booking now</li>
<li>Ensure your offers have flexible booking windows</li>
<li>Highlight your resort’s cleaning policies</li>
<li>Nail messaging that will resonate with your potential guests.</li>
</ul>
<p>Once this is done, we can dive into the top five ways to convert your cancelled reservations back into guests… starting at the bottom.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3><b>#5: Target Your Drive Markets</b></h3>
<p>It is very likely that your guests immediately after reopening will be drive-market guests due to a reluctance to fly and desire to possibly stay within the state.  This means ensuring that you are maximizing your exposure to those within a few hours of your location. &#8211; <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/guide-to-targeting-drive-markets/">https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/guide-to-targeting-drive-markets/</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3><b>#4: Proactively Call With Your Cancelled Reservations</b></h3>
<p>Picking up the phone and reaching out to your guests may be one of the most effective means of converting a canceled reservation back to a booking.  Hopefully, you are taking advantage of the Paycheck Protection Program and have the staff available to begin reaching out to all your canceled reservations and seeing what you can do to bring them back.  This is a very manual process, but like all things that can be hard to do it is absolutely worth the effort.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3><b>#3: Find &amp; Reengage Your Guest Throughout The Web</b></h3>
<p>One great advantage you have with engaging your canceled guests is that they once booked and you have their data.  This means you have access to information that will allow you to find them again and reach out with an amazing, personalized, message across the web.  Within most platforms such as Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Facebook, and others you are able to create a custom audience based on an upload (email, name, etc).</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3><b>#2: Engage Your Guests With A Personalized Email</b></h3>
<p>We have found that email is the single most effective tool for engaging (and re-engaging) your guest history.  It is practically the only asset you have that allows you to proactively reach back out to your guests. To begin, you will be using your CRM system to send your cancelled guests a powerful message, personalized just for your guests based on their folio information.  Before we begin what this message should include it should be noted that we are recommending two segments, listed below:</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3><b>#1: Don’t Lose Your Guests To Cancellations In The 1st Place</b></h3>
<p>Did you know that the best way to have a low cancellation rate is by not having a lot of guests cancel their stay? That’s obvious but does need to be stated.  If you can help your guest modify their stay, they won’t cancel in the first place.</p>
<p>You are going to have to come up with creative tools for your team to use to retain your guests, just at a later time.  Follow some of these suggestions to keep your guests, and hopefully ignore the other four tips above!</p>
<ul>
<li>Give your staff latitude to keep the guest when they try to cancel.  Moving a reservation to a premium time, upgrading a room, this and more should all be on the table.</li>
<li>Consider offering guests a voucher for their future stay at some premium to their booking.  An example would be a canceled $100 stay, becomes a $125 voucher toward a future stay.</li>
<li>Make sure your guests know about your easy, worry-free cancellation policy.  If their stay is still a few months in the future they should know they can cancel at any point up to their date of stay with no penalty</li>
<li>Have a cheat sheet for your agents that address as many of a guest’s potential concerns, and add to it often.</li>
<li>In the event that you allow for online cancellations, make sure you have the right tools in place to nudge the guest toward a modification (incentive to reschedule, etc).</li>
</ul>
<p>If your guest absolutely has to cancel, make the process so enjoyable that they are sure to book again.<b>    </b><b>    </b></p>
<p>========================</p>
<h2><b>In The Newsaroos:     </b></h2>
<ul>
<li>NA</li>
</ul>
<p>========================</p>
<p>Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A BUNCH OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a></p>


Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 150 – COVID Recovery: 5 Proven Strategies To Recover Your Hotel’s Lost Bookings

<p>Lily Mockerman is a seasoned revenue optimization veteran and recently launched her own revenue management podcast. In this episode, we tap into her wisdom and discuss 5 revenue management tips that will help you navigate the uncertainty of recovery.</p>
<h2><span class="search-result-link"><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/crisis-management-resources-for-hotels-master-list/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Click Here For A Crisis Management Resources For Hotels Master List</a></span></h2>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/811320415&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true" width="100%" height="166" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc; line-break: anywhere; word-break: normal; overflow: hidden; white-space: nowrap; text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif; font-weight: 100;"><a style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" title="Fuel Hotel Marketing" href="https://soundcloud.com/fuel-hotel-marketing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fuel Hotel Marketing</a> · <a style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" title="149 - 5 Amazing Revenue Management Tips To Think About During A Downturn (with Lily Mockerman)" href="https://soundcloud.com/fuel-hotel-marketing/149-5-amazing-revenue-management-tips-to-think-about-during-a-downturn-with-lily-mockerman" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">149 &#8211; 5 Amazing Revenue Management Tips To Think About During A Downturn (with Lily Mockerman)</a></div>
<p>SHOW NOTES:</p>
<p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lilymockerman/">Lily Mockerman</a> is the CEO of <a href="https://www.tcrmservices.com/">Total Customized Revenue Management</a> and the founder of <a href="https://www.thinkupenterprises.com/">Think Up Enterprises</a>.</p>
<p>Check out Lily&#8217;s brand new <a href="https://www.thinkupenterprises.com/hospitality-revenue-management-the-podcast/">podcast</a>.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><b>1. Dropping rates does not create demand!</b></h2>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>It’s a point we continue to hear from hospitality thought leaders across the board – dropping rates does not create demand! Despite how desperate hoteliers may feel to gain a share of any returning or lingering travel business in a potentially highly competitive arena, travel demand that is dropping for reasons related to Coronavirus simply won’t return for a good deal, as that doesn’t address the underlying need for safety. In an MMGY study, 60% of respondents said that they would not take a leisure trip until there was a slowdown of COVID-19 worldwide, and another 40% said their concern for their personal financial situation based on the economic impacts of the virus would affect their leisure travel.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><b>2. Point #1 is a myth and sits on a throne of lies. Here’s why…</b></h2>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>While we all like to jump on the bandwagon about not dropping rates, it’s also true that hoteliers may be in a situation where their market is declining in rate regardless, and they are forced to react. Additionally, great airline rates or lower gas prices have clearly encouraged more travel from those who see the value compared to normal prices, which in the short term can indeed increase demand, and a well-positioned sale, just like launching a Travelzoo or Groupon, can increase demand for those who have money to travel. In fact, in the same MMGY survey, 36% of respondents said that a great travel deal would have an impact on taking a trip. The trouble here is that sales can also encourage a “race to the bottom”, and continue sales simply aren’t sustainable. That being said, hotels can capitalize on this with a well-placed LTO with limited availability on any given day with an allotment, making sure to do this as a specialized offer or package, and NOT decreasing BAR rates overall, to keep the reference price intact.</p>
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<h2><b>3. Creating truly unique, value-focused vs price-focused offers</b></h2>
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<p>Moving forward, sending an e-blast to your past guest database about your latest 20% off sale simply won’t be enough to set you apart from the crowd as everyone competes for demand. For now, guests are much more interested in travel that inspires them, hotels that offer stronger cleanliness and safety, and those that can connect with them on an emotional level. There is nothing emotional about 20%! I think as markets were good, we maybe got a bit lazy with our marketing and began to commoditize our hospitality offerings. We need to get back to the Why in what we do, and go back to being a customer-centric industry that connects people, not just a company that is a series of transactions. Those who can capitalize on this type of marketing likely won’t even have a need for discounts, because customers will naturally gravitate to companies that create that emotional connection.</p>
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<h2><b>4. Recreating your budget and marketing plan with profitability in mind</b></h2>
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<p>Obviously, budgets and marketing plans that were originally created for 2020 could never have accounted for the impact of COVID-19, and anyone who thinks that when business returns they can just pick up where they left off is honestly kidding themselves. But also, we shouldn’t just be recreating the plan with a percentage change in business but using all the same tactics. Just as we mentioned how marketing needs to be truly unique and value-focused, budget and marketing plans need to be re-worked with not just top-line revenue, but profitability in mind. Offers and tactics should be tied to expected revenue, less related expenses, and be able to pass a profitability test before they are adopted by the hotel. Now is the perfect time to do this exercise while we are slower with guest involvement, rather than waiting to just see what sticks moving forward. No one at this point has an excuse for not being aware of their profit margin for every channel coming out of this.</p>
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<h2><b>5. “Recession-proofing” your hotel is a myth</b></h2>
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<p>We’ve heard a lot of buzz around recession-proofing your hotel over the past years, with many vendors claiming they can create that plan for you. And perhaps in a standard recession that might have worked for them, but the speed and intensity with which the bottom dropped out around COVID-19 emphasizes that we have to learn how to manage for the unknown. Having a strategy for dealing with a revenue crisis like this is important, and hotels should be noting the things they are learning from this crisis and how they can use it for the future. Just like on the operational side we prepare for unknown and unexpected threats like a fire or bomb threat, we should also be preparing those plans for a financial crisis. While recession-proofing may be a misnomer, there are steps hotels can take to create a more sustainable path to progress. Ensuring that staffing levels, customer offers, and all other initiatives are tied back to revenue and profitability, along with a clear understanding of your cash runway, are all very important to creating that sustainability. Hotels should be considering how many months of expenses they want to keep on hand in reserves, beyond things like FF&amp;E or capital expense, and under what circumstances they can tap into those reserves. Overall, by taking lessons from what we are experiencing now and our wishlist of the resources we might have wanted to have in place to meet our current needs, we can be better prepared for the unknown in the future.</p>
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<h2><b>In The Newsaroos:     </b></h2>
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<li>NA</li>
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<p>Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a> or info@travelboommarketing.com.</p>
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<p><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/downloads/">IN ADDITION TO THE PODCAST WE HAVE A BUNCH OF WHITEPAPERS AND STUDIES YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE</a></p>


Hotel Marketing Podcast

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 154 – What Travelers Have To Say About Hotel Recovery

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 154 – What Travelers Have To Say About Hotel Recovery

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 153 – Why Your COVID-19 Recovery Depends On Your Hotel CRM

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 153 – Why Your COVID-19 Recovery Depends On Your Hotel CRM

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 152 – Examples of Successful Marketing Campaigns During COVID-19 (with Flip.to)

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 152 – Examples of Successful Marketing Campaigns During COVID-19 (with Flip.to)

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 151 – Times Are A-Changing: Top 5 Shifts in Consumer Sentiment

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 151 – Times Are A-Changing: Top 5 Shifts in Consumer Sentiment

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 150 – COVID Recovery: 5 Proven Strategies To Recover Your Hotel’s Lost Bookings

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 150 – COVID Recovery: 5 Proven Strategies To Recover Your Hotel’s Lost Bookings

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 149 – 5 Amazing Revenue Management Tips To Think About During A Downturn (with Lily Mockerman)

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 149 – 5 Amazing Revenue Management Tips To Think About During A Downturn (with Lily Mockerman)

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