In this episode, we have a special guest, Neil Howe, and we discuss ways in which a hotel GM or Owner can leverage their authority to drive more bookings. Neil is a best selling author and entrepreneur, known as ‘The Authority Architect’ and he helps professionals leverage their knowledge to drive more business.
If you like what you hear, please leave a comment below, share it with your friends, and also leave a review.
========================
SHOW NOTES
First, the GM has to make sure the staff know this is important by being involved himself/herself making the time to share the story of the hotel and what makes it unique. Although the GM will get a lot of authority in media. The staff are the unsung heroes whose stories need to be told. Think of Undercover Boss &#8211; each staff member has a story and brings something to make the hotel unique.
Can you give 5 or 10 tips for GMs to establish their authority in their market
<ol>
<li>Be known for something &#8211; guests want to know what the hotel is all about, how is it unique, how do you contribute to the community, environment,</li>
<li>Be known for service &#8211; people want experiences. Promote what you do great, better than anyone else</li>
<li>Highlight staff &#8211; Do you have a top chef, SPA, Personal Trainer, Front desk manager, Mascot/Greeter</li>
<li>Multi author book &#8211; Highlight all that is great about the hotel and the staff. Leave it in each room. Guests always need something to read! Enclose value within the book that invites them back or offers referrals. $2-3/book Print on demand.</li>
<li>Create a campaign around The Official Hotel of [City] Staycations</li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li>The Official Hotel of Thinking About Nothing</li>
<li>The Official Hotel of Being Good To Yourself</li>
<li>The Official Hotel of Breakfast Lovers</li>
</ul>
<ol start="6">
<li>Tell the story…..   Tell other people’s stories. Guest experiences, Famous Guests,</li>
<li>Collaborate with the local community and create events</li>
<li>Start a podcast &#8211; talk about upcoming events, things to do around the city, send it out via email correspondence. Interview staff, random guests, get testimonials/reviews.</li>
<li>Package experience deals midweek (Chateau Elan)</li>
<li>Travel Bloggers</li>
</ol>
How to share their message with the public
<ul>
<li>With all the ideas above, share via authority platforms, Press releases, local TV, Local Radio, Social Media Campaigns, etc</li>
</ul>
What do you feel are the best platforms to share that message
<ul>
<li>Share on Authority platforms with audiences Local News Social Accounts</li>
<li>Press releases to local and national online news sites: ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox (instantly recognizable trust triggers)</li>
<li>Local magazines, foodie magazines, travel magazines, blogs, local organizations</li>
<li>Books via Amazon (best seller) Kindle and Printable (print and ship on demand)</li>
</ul>
How using their intimate knowledge of the property and their authority could help lift hotel occupancy?
<ul>
<li>All these ideas are about positioning your hotel for SOMETHING. Take a stance and stand for something that is going to differentiate you from all the others and then market it.</li>
<li>Branding on different authority platforms shows you are always being talked about. People want to check out what’s hot and different and willing to pay more money for an experience</li>
</ul>
To learn more about Neil:
<ul>
<li>Web: <a href="http://theauthorityarchitect.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://TheAuthorityArchitect.com</a></li>
<li>Phone: (404) 428-1399</li>
</ul>
========================
<h2>In The Newsaroos:     </h2>
<ul>
<li>Airbnb to acquire online travel agency HotelTonight 
<a href="https://www.phocuswire.com/Airbnb-acquires-HotelTonight" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.phocuswire.com/Airbnb-acquires-HotelTonight</a></li>
<li>Hotels Piloting Translation Mode On Google Assistants 
<a href="https://www.blog.google/products/assistant/lost-translation-try-interpreter-mode-google-assistant/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.blog.google/products/assistant/lost-translation-try-interpreter-mode-google-assistant</a></li>
</ul>
========================
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a>.

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 107 – How Hotels Can Use Their Authority To Drive More Bookings

Assuming that you’ve been implementing all of the tips we’ve provided on the Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast thus far, your property is immaculate and your staff are super-friendly. That means that you don’t have a problem retaining guests. Your repeat visitor numbers are through the roof. However, you still have some soft spots throughout the year that you need to fill up, so you’re going to have to go find new people to stay in those rooms. In this episode, we look at some of the ways that you can spread the word about your property and earn the opportunity to win some new business.
If you like what you hear, please leave a comment below, share it with your friends, and also leave a review.
========================
SHOW NOTES
<h3>1. OTAs</h3>
OTAs get a bad rap in the hospitality industry. At best, they are “frenemies”, at worst they are “evil blood-sucking vampires who are destroying the industry”. The truth is, that if used properly, OTAs can be a useful source of new business for your hotel.. Their massive advertising campaigns encourage consumers to travel and there’s a large cross-section of the population who will start their vacation planning journey on an OTA site. If you don’t have a presence on these sites, then you run the risk of not being a part if the consideration set for the consumer. Put simply, you have no chance of winning this business unless yo
If you are lucky enough to be discovered on the OTA, there’s a good chance that the consumer will visit your website at least once prior to making a final decision. Your job is to make sure that you do everything you can to persuade that guest that 1. Your property is the right choice, and 2. That they should book direct vs. booking with a third-party. Remember that if you succeed with number 1 but fail with number 2, you still win the business and you’ll have a good shot at getting them to book next time if you follow these simple tips: <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/convert-ota-guests-to-in-house-bookings-5-ways-to-succeed/">Convert OTA Guests to In-House Bookings: 5 Ways to Succeed</a>
<h3>2. Influencer Marketing</h3>
The value in influencer marketing comes from the fact that the influencer has access to an audience that you don’t have access to. Not only that, but the followers of the influencer typically pay attention to what they have to say. One might say that the influencer has influence over their audience. Weird, huh? The best way to take advantage of this channel is to find influencers that align well with your business. Don’t go wasting money on big celebrity endorsements, rather find smaller communities of people who share interests with your current customer or your target customer. Examples would be to work with mom-bloggers if you’re targeting family travellers, or yoga instructors if you’re focused on health and wellness, or if your property is particularly eco-friendly, find communities of eco-minded people and reach out to content creators such as bloggers and youtubers. If you’d like to learn more about Influencer marketing, check out this recent podcast episode: <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-96-influencer-marketing-right-hotel/">Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 96 – What Is Influencer Marketing And Is It Right For My Hotel?</a>
<h3>3. Advocacy Marketing</h3>
This could be viewed as a subset of influencer marketing. In many ways it is the same, but the approach to maximizing its impact is very different. Think of advocacy marketing as the new-aged version of word-of-mouth. The concept is to turn your existing guests into advocates who go out into the world and become your property’s evangelists.
The reason that this is so effective is because a guest’s circle of influence often consists of  friends, family, and coworkers. These people are often very similar to your existing guest. You’ll be able to reach people of similar age, similar income brackets, similar interests, similar geographic location, etc. There’s not a more well-qualified target audience out there,
If you’re looking to take advantage of  this highly effective approach and you want to unlock this untapped audience, then look no further than our friends at Flip.to. Regardless of your property size, their turn-key advocacy platform automates the process and drives tremendous ROI. Learn more at <a href="https://www.flip.to/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.flip.to/</a>
<h3>4. Local Relationships</h3>
Regardless of your industry, partnering with other businesses and clubs in your area is a great idea. Reaching new guests is all about expanding your network. By being friendly and working collaboratively with your neighbors, you open up the potential for their employees, their customers, and their employees families to all become future guests. Perhaps you could offer a special discount to them, similar to Marriott’s “friends and family” rates? Perhaps you could offer them free meeting space, or allow them to host events within your property. These things build goodwill and provide your community with the opportunity to get to know your property. That way, the next time they have out of town guests coming to visit the area, they will more likely recommend you vs. your competition.
A good way to get started is by getting involved in your local Chamber of Commerce and by joining local social clubs such as Rotary.
<h3>5. Local Directories</h3>
An increasing number of consumers are making last-minute travel decisions. Many of them wait until they are on-route to a destination before looking for accommodations. Similar to the situation with OTAs, you want to be a part of the guest’s decision set when this is the case. Seeing as the majority of these requests will be made via a mobile phone, and seeing as the results for both typed and voice queries are being overwhelmingly dominated by local directory or map results, it’s imperative that you put your best foot forward on these channels. Be sure to optimize your local listings in all of the major directories by updating your photos and by providing useful property information such as check-in time and descriptions of your amenities. Also, be sure to manage your reviews and any questions that may have been submitted through the directory as well,
If you want tips on how to optimize your Google My Business listing, check out this recent podcast episode: <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-91-8-ways-hotels-can-optimize-google-business/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 91 – 8 Ways Hotels Can Optimize Google My Business</a>
<h3>6. Non-Brand PPC</h3>
While it’s a good idea to run Google Ads on your own brand keywords, the reality is that this is considered more of a defensive play against the OTAs who are trying to capture folks who are already aware of your property. While this isn’t always the case, it is true that bookings coming from brand keywords tend to have a higher probability of being a past guest. The real opportunity for gaining new guests is in non-brand PPC and there are many ways you can go about this.
<ol>
<li>Geographic targeting &#8211; this is only effective when you have a highly desirable property  that stands out in the destination. Either you are brand new, you have outstanding amenities, premium location, or the customer has limited options. Otherwise, the ROI for these campaigns may not be high enough to make it worth your while.</li>
<li>Amenity Targeting &#8211; if you offer something unique and highly sought after such as a waterpark, a bowling alley, or in-room hot tubs, and there are only a handful of properties that offer something similar, then bidding on amenity-related keywords can place your property in front of a captive audience.</li>
<li>Event Targeting &#8211; from sporting events to music concerts, when people are coming in to town for a specific purpose, you have an opportunity to target them with custom messaging. By promoting your vicinity to the venue, by bundling tickets, or by offering special discounts, you can stand out from the crowd by getting in front of the consumer before they actually start shopping for their accommodations. Be warned though, you can’t target these keywords with generic ad copy and the same old landing page. You have to take a super-custom approach to each event.</li>
</ol>
For more tips on running effective PPC campaigns, check out this article: <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-86-10-things-need-successful-hotel-ppc-strategy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 86 – 10 Things You Need For A Successful Hotel PPC Strategy</a>
<h3>7. Social Advertising</h3>
There are so many options when it comes to social advertising. Looking at Facebook and Instagram as your primary channels, you can target by choosing people’s interests, location, age, gender, used devices, income level, etc. This means that you can get super granular with your advertising and craft campaigns to small groups of individuals with messaging that will resonate with them. The key is to really understand what motivates your existing guests and then applying that knowledge to crafting unique and remarkable social campaigns that will stand out from the crowd and really inspire people to travel to your property for the first time.
One method that can be effective is to promote niche events that will appeal to small audiences. You could bring in a top-notch chef and host cooking classes, or find a relatively famous yoga instructor or nutritionist and target local foodies or fitness enthusiasts. May you could host a craft brewing contest, or hold a family fun day. The options are limitless. The key is that you have to stand out within the noise of someone’s social feed. You’re competing with the chatter from their friends and families, so you really have to make sure that you targeting and your messaging are in perfect alignment.
NOTE: Though it’s less of a social media channel and more of a plain old media channel, we’re going to bundle YouTube advertising in this section. It’s relevant and effective for all of the same reasons that we mentioned above.
Here’s a good article to get you started running Facebook ads: https://adespresso.com/guides/facebook-ads-beginner/demographic-targeting/
<h3>8. Website Content</h3>
At the end of the day, for any of your marketing to be effective, you need great content. This is especially the case when you’re trying to attract new customers. Nowhere is this more important than on your own website. There are many purposes for your website content, including:
<ol>
<li>Allowing your site to be found via search engines</li>
<li>Inspiring the guest to travel</li>
<li>Educating the guest on your value proposition</li>
<li>Anticipating and addressing any questions the guest may have</li>
<li>Eliminating any doubts or fears that may be preventing a booking</li>
<li>Persuading the guest to take action</li>
<li>Convincing the guest that you are the right fit for them</li>
</ol>
Obviously, there are other purposes too, but the above list illustrates that it’s not black and white when it comes to content. Different pieces of content may fulfil different purposes. For this article, let’s focus on content that can help your find new guests. One of the best ways to do that is to build out content that is head and shoulders above the competition in terms of usefulness for the guest. You can start by creating area information guides that offer your own unique perspective on local restaurants and attractions or you can create tools to help people find the best deals on show and amusement tickets. The key is to be helpful and to be the authority on the subject. If you do that, you can start to show up for keywords that don’t necessarily pertain directly to your property. Once you have gained the visibility, you then need to make sure that your newly found traffic isn’t going to waste. Entice the audience to learn more about the property. Don’t necessarily go straight for the booking. Wine and dine them a little first. Maybe get them to sign up for your newsletter or follow your social channel. Just try not to let them leave before you’ve had a chance to get to know each other a little better.
Here are some handy articles that will help you get started with developing your content strategy:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-20-how-to-easily-create-amazing-content/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 20 – How to Easily Create Amazing Content</a></li>
<li><a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-97-8-great-ways-gain-bookings-destination-information/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 97 – 8 Great Ways to Gain More Bookings Through Destination Information</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>9. Third-Party Partnerships</h3>
Similarly to influencer marketing, you could partner with other businesses or brands to promote each other. This could be as simple as cross-promoting each other on social media, or you could take it up a notch by running combined contests. Say you’re in a beach destination, you could partner with a beach clothing brand and offer a all-inclusive vacation that includes a new wardrobe. Just be sure that the partners you pick make sense for your brand and your audience. Keep in mind that this approach is not only gaining you access to another company’s audience, but it’s also giving them access to yours. Pick a partner that makes sense and that provides value to your guests. If you’re a family-friendly property, it wouldn’t make sense to partner with an adult-oriented brand, or if you have an emphasis on health and wellness, partnering with a burger chain probably won’t win you any fans.
Once you’ve identified your partner or partners, be creative. Just be sure to focus on the value you’re providing and remember that the partnership could also go beyond cross promotion and could include actually cross-selling. You could partner with art galleries and sell their painting, or a mattress firm and sell their mattresses in exchange for a commission.
Finally, if the partnership is especially innovative or newsworthy, you can also benefit from a PR bump. The partnership could be so novel that your local press, or the media in the hospitality industry finds it interesting enough to write articles about it, thus exposing you to en entirely new audience. Here’s an example where an independent <a href="https://www.hotelbluemb.com/blog/hotel-blue-goes-pink-for-breast-cancer-awareness-month/">hotel in Myrtle Beach</a> partnered with a breast cancer awareness charity and turned itself pink. Not only did this raise money for a great cause, but the stunt was also picked up by several media outlets.
<h3>10. Travel Agents</h3>
The Internet all but eliminated the need for travel agents. However, there appears to be a resurgence in the field being cause by an increase in demand for unique travel experiences. With that in mind, if you’re property offers something special, this could be a great way to attract new visitors. The key is to offer the right incentives, to make it easy for the travel agents by providing useful information and making it easy for them to book and get paid, and by building strong relationships with the agent as well. In most cases, agents will ask for a 10% commission. Most properties would gladly pay that because it’s significantly lower than the OTAs. You may also want to sweeten the incentive by offering additional bonuses if the agent hits certain goals, or you could even offer them a free trip so that they can get even more familiar with your property. They key is to remember that this is not a set-it-and-forget-it channel. You need to invest time on an ongoing basis so that you remain top-of mind with the agent. You also need to ensure that the guests that they send are treated extra special, because their impression of the stay will be a reflection on the agent. If a guest is unhappy, the agent’s reputation will be harmed and they will be less likely to recommend your property to their next client. If you make the agent look good, they will continue to send you new business.
If you still have more budget to spend, here are some other honorable mentions:
<ul>
<li>Magazine Ads</li>
<li>TV/Radio commercials</li>
<li>Third-party email lists</li>
<li>Native advertising</li>
<li>Programmatic display advertising</li>
<li>In-App advertising</li>
</ul>
Hopefully there are some ideas in this episode that help you drive more new business to your property. Most importantly, always remember that it’s much easier to keep an existing guest than it is to find a new one, so ensure that each and every guests feels welcome and comfortable while staying with you. Never defer that much needed maintenance just to save a few pennies, never cut corners when it negatively impacts the guest, and never compromise when it comes to being the best inn keeper that you and your staff can be.
Listener Feedback:
Hi Fuel Team
Greetings from Singapore
I’ve been listening to your podcast for a few months now and wanted to say thanks for all the info you’re sharing
I currently work in a senior Commercial role for a global travel wholesaler, and also own a small 9 rooms cottage business in Margaret River Australia. It’s interesting hearing both be topical of late&#8230;
Anyway, I’ll keep listening and may come with some questions and ideas soon!
Andrew H
========================
<h2>In The Newsaroos:     </h2>
<ul>
<li>Alexa Not So Wanted by Hotel Guests 
<a href="https://www.phocuswire.com/alexa-unwanted-hotel-roommate?ajs_uid=6677F4186845G0A&amp;oly_enc_id=6677F4186845G0A&amp;ajs_trait_oebid=6012C3585790B5P" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.phocuswire.com/alexa-unwanted-hotel-roommate?ajs_uid=6677F4186845G0A&amp;oly_enc_id=6677F4186845G0A&amp;ajs_trait_oebid=6012C3585790B5P</a>M</li>
<li>arriott Discloses Cost of Data Breach 
<a href="https://www.phocuswire.com/marriott-full-year-results-2018?ajs_uid=6677F4186845G0A&amp;oly_enc_id=6677F4186845G0A&amp;ajs_trait_oebid=6012C3585790B5P" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.phocuswire.com/marriott-full-year-results-2018?ajs_uid=6677F4186845G0A&amp;oly_enc_id=6677F4186845G0A&amp;ajs_trait_oebid=6012C3585790B5P</a>I</li>
<li>llegal AirBnB Rental Scheme Busted in NYC 
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/23/nyregion/airbnb-nyc-law.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/23/nyregion/airbnb-nyc-law.html</a></li>
</ul>
========================
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a>.

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 106 – Top 10 Ways To Reach New Hotel Guests

Each year, we get inundated by articles containing the top 10 list of something. We thought we’d save you some time by combining 5 of our favorite top 10 lists for hotel marketing and summarize them in this handy-dandy episode.
If you like what you hear, please leave a comment below, share it with your friends, and also leave a review.
========================
SHOW NOTES
<ol>
<li>
<h3> Top 10 Social Media Marketing Tips For Hotels &#8211; Xotels</h3>
</li>
</ol>
<a href="https://www.xotels.com/en/marketing/top-10-social-media-marketing-tips-for-hotels" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.xotels.com/en/marketing/top-10-social-media-marketing-tips-for-hotels</a>
Summarized 10:
<ol>
<li>Have a Blog &#8211; Rinse and reuse content from blog across social platforms.</li>
<li>Brand Awareness/Reputation &#8211; Inviting guest to post reviews, responding to reviews, engaging with comments, etc.</li>
<li>Guest Photos &#8211; Invite guests to share their personal experience through posting photos to social</li>
<li>Local Links &#8211; Tagging local POIs on your page, not only gives guest better experience &amp; local insight, builds partnership with local biz (refer back to this podcast: <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-97-8-great-ways-gain-bookings-destination-information/">https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-97-8-great-ways-gain-bookings-destination-information/</a>)</li>
<li>Giveaway/Contests &#8211; Great for list building, incentives to book, etc.</li>
<li>Social Platform Check-ins &#8211; Incentivize checking in on FB &amp; other social platforms (ex: welcome cocktail)</li>
<li>Videos &#8211; sharing local POI/destination videos, remember to tag “producer”</li>
<li>Recycle Content &#8211; (take tips #1, 2, &amp; 3 and combine them by sharing, retweeting, etc. across all platforms)</li>
<li>Designated SM Team Member &#8211; They suggest young, tech savvy, who is personable &amp; creative</li>
<li>Originality &#8211; article says to be funny, we say be original based on your brand. Entertaining posts always win.</li>
</ol>
<ol start="2">
<li>
<h3> 10-Point Checklist for a Perfect Google Analytics Setup &#8211; Supermetrics</h3>
</li>
</ol>
<a href="https://supermetrics.com/blog/10-things-to-check-in-google-analytics-account" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://supermetrics.com/blog/10-things-to-check-in-google-analytics-account</a>
Summarized 10:
<ol>
<li>Account Structure &amp; Raw Data View &#8211; Set up one account with multiple reporting views, ALWAYS keep one view without filters or mods–raw data view.</li>
<li>Bot Filtering &#8211; turn bot filtering setting on, prevents showing irrelevant/unreal traffic</li>
<li>Goals &#8211; Set up action and conversion goals to record</li>
<li>Goal Value &#8211; Assign your goals with goal value to analyze performance across different channels</li>
<li>Personally Identifiable Info &#8211; No PII in Google Analytics, it’s grounds for terminating your account (they have <a href="https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6366371?hl=en">best practices link</a>).</li>
<li>Bounce Rate &#8211; Overall bound rate is around 20-30%</li>
<li>(Not Set) Values &#8211; Do you have (not set) checked as a value? High percentage could mean tracking issues. (Lists dimensions you should check)</li>
<li>Content Reports &#8211; Making sure “unique” URLs are accurate and not listing URLs with unique identifiers</li>
<li>Annotations &#8211; Track everything, the more you track the more information for your data analysis. GA makes it easy with annotations feature.</li>
<li>Traffic Sources (Source/Medium) &#8211; properly tracking campaigns with clean sources and mediums that you can digest</li>
</ol>
Link to campaign tracking blog post and URL builder: <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/common-pitfalls-google-analytics-campaign-tracking/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/common-pitfalls-google-analytics-campaign-tracking/</a>
<ol start="3">
<li>
<h3> 10 Things You Need For A Successful Hotel PPC Strategy &#8211; Fuel Travel</h3>
</li>
</ol>
<a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-86-10-things-need-successful-hotel-ppc-strategy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-86-10-things-need-successful-hotel-ppc-strategy/</a>
<ol>
<li>Monitor Search Terms &#8211; don’t waste money on KWs that are not relevant to your hotel or don’t convert</li>
<li>Add Negative Keywords &#8211; Look for KWs that could trigger your ads unintentionally and add to your negative keywords list</li>
<li>Use &amp; Test Your Extensions &#8211; Call outs, structured snippets, sitelinks, call extensions, etc.</li>
<li>Test Your Adcopy &#8211; See what’s working, what isn’t working, try related ads to search term, try using Official-Site or Lowest-Rate</li>
<li>Test Landing Pages &#8211; Test sending visitors to specific pages based on ad to see if it increases conversions</li>
<li>Monitor Performance by Device &#8211; Make bid adjustments as needed based on data</li>
<li>Monitor Your Keyword Bids &#8211; Keep competitive bids for your top keywords</li>
<li>Use Remarketing Lists &#8211; remarket email lists, create look-a-like audiences, retarget website visitors</li>
<li>Understand Geographic Targeting &#8211; see where traffic is coming from, test in-market audiences</li>
<li>Look At Your Opportunities &#8211; Google Ads &amp; Bing both offer opportunities showing insights, examine them and see what works best</li>
</ol>
<ol start="4">
<li>
<h3> Top 10 Techniques to Improve Your Marketing Communications &#8211; Hotel Marketing Association</h3>
</li>
</ol>
<a href="https://hotelmarketingassociation.com/blog/marketing-advice/improve-marketing-communications/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://hotelmarketingassociation.com/blog/marketing-advice/improve-marketing-communications/</a>
(This is actually the Top 5, he has a previous article “planning your next communications campaign that reviews 5 Tips to bear in mind)
Summarized 5:
<ol>
<li>The headline/visual combo &#8211; Headline and image should complement the each other and the message being conveyed</li>
<li>Headlines that get response &#8211; Use powerful action words</li>
<li>The importance of a powerful opening &#8211; start with your most powerful/persuasive/intriguing statement and get to the point</li>
<li>An effective ‘call to action’ &#8211; Summarize your proposition/incentive, give them compelling reason to act now.</li>
<li>Straplines &#8211; do you need one? &#8211; Unless you don’t have a really great one that is on brand, you can scrap it.</li>
</ol>
<ol start="5">
<li>
<h3> Top 10 Ways to Drive Direct Bookings &#8211; Fuel Travel</h3>
</li>
</ol>
<a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-81-top-10-ways-drive-direct-bookings-2018/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-81-top-10-ways-drive-direct-bookings-2018/</a>
Summarized 18:
<ol>
<li>Fuel Podcast &#8211; you’re already nailing this one because you’re listening 🙂</li>
<li>Qualified Non-brand PPC</li>
<li>Advocacy Platform</li>
<li>Influencer marketing</li>
<li>Photography</li>
<li>Email Marketing</li>
<li>Facebook Advertising</li>
<li>OTAs, <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/services/hotel-meta-search/">hotel metasearch</a>, local profile, etc.</li>
<li>Guest experience on property</li>
<li>Data/Analytics</li>
<li>Loyalty/rewards</li>
<li>Technical SEO</li>
<li>Performance advertising &#8211; direct response</li>
<li>Brand PPC</li>
<li>Training staff</li>
<li>Content</li>
<li>Mobile</li>
<li>Rate parity</li>
</ol>
Listener Questions &amp; Feedback
Ariel Rodriguez arodriguez@wpsre.com
Hey Guys,Big fan of the podcast. I was wondering what your thoughts were on attribution models? I know that the last click model is the most popular, but it likely doesn&#8217;t give enough credit to ads aimed at folks higher in the funnel. It&#8217;s an active discussion we&#8217;re having in our team after an audit from a Google salesperson suggested that we change our model to time decay.Thanks,
RELATED ARTICLE:
https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-53-everything-hotel-needs-know-attribution-modelling/
========================
<h2>In The Newsaroos:     </h2>
SEJ Speaks On Importance of Local <a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/services/hotel-seo/">SEO for Hotels</a> 
<a href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/local-seo-for-hotels/292353/?ver=292353X3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.searchenginejournal.com/local-seo-for-hotels/292353/?ver=292353X3</a>
<ul>
<li>Stuff we have mentioned before but important to reiterate</li>
<li>KW Research to find what your guests are looking for</li>
<li>Create Better Local Content To Establish Relevance in Your Area</li>
<li>Optimized Title tags and meta descriptions</li>
<li>Optimize GMB</li>
<li>Page Load Speed</li>
</ul>
Does CTR Impact Rankings or Not? 
<a href="https://searchengineland.com/google-doc-rekindles-myth-that-click-through-rate-affects-rankings-312802" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://searchengineland.com/google-doc-rekindles-myth-that-click-through-rate-affects-rankings-312802</a>
<ul>
<li>Google continues to say that it doesn’t use CTR as a ranking factor</li>
<li>Britney Muller from Moz found a Google document that states “when you click a link in Google Search, Google considers your click when ranking that search result in future queries.”</li>
<li>We’ve seen this happen in real time at conferences when Rand had the entire crowd search and click a specific site. (Though these tests were only temporary. Likely a way for the algo to determine trending topics)</li>
<li>While it may not be a direct (long-term) ranking factor Google does use it to evaluate the quality of their results.</li>
<li>Welcome to the wonderful and confusing world of SEO</li>
</ul>
========================
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a>.

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 105 – Top List Of Top 10 Lists For Hotels in 2019

Guess what? It’s no longer the “Year of Mobile”. While it seems as if mobile has been the “trend for the past 5 years, I think it&#8217;s time to acknowledge the fact that mobile is the minimum ante to play these days. If you don’t have your mobile strategy figured out by now, you’re so far behind in terms of consumer expectations that you may be beyond help. Assuming you’re still with us, let’s discuss some of the real trends that you should be paying attention to in 2019.
If you like what you hear, please leave a comment below, share it with your friends, and also leave a review.
========================
SHOW NOTES
STAT OF THE WEEKffffff
20% of all Google searches are voice searches. Google predicts  that this could reach 50% by 2021
========================
<ol>
<li>
<h3>Voice Search Goes Mainstream</h3>
We’ve done an entire episode on Voice Search and how your hotel can prepare for this oncoming Tsunami. (<a href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/fuel-hotel-marketing-podcast-episode-87-voice-search-finally-killing-seo/">Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 87 – Is Voice Search Finally Killing SEO?</a>)
The bottom line is that how people interact with technology is fundamentally shifting. It won’t be long before we are living in a world where a combination of voice and an adaptive touch screen is the prefered method of controlling our computing devices.</li>
<li>
<h3>Demand Increases For In-Room IoT Devices</h3>
As consumers become accustomed to smart home devices such as lights and thermostats, not to mention being able to set alarms and timers with their voice, or telling the tv what show you want to watch, it’s not hard to imagine what happens next. Just like Wi-Fi was once an optional luxury that rapidly become as much of an expected utility as running water, so will be the case with smart rooms. It will start simple with TVs that have Netflix or Amazon Prime, but it won’t be long before Alexa’s or Google Homes are in every hotel room.</li>
<li>
<h3>More Hotels Will Test On-Property Guest Experience Technology</h3>
Technology is supposed to make our lives easier, right? That’s the idea, at least. Barely a day goes by before another property grabs headlines with some high-tech initiative that’s supposed to revolutionize the guest experience. We’ve now got self-serve kiosks, properties testing real-time translation devices, robots that  do everything from delivering room service and carrying luggage, to actually talking to guests and checking them in.
Our advice is to start simple with things like a mobile app for express check-in, or a chatbot that actually helps answer the guests questions. Be sure to think through the entire journey from the guest’s perspective and be sure that your staff are trained and know how to manage the knew technology appropriately.
This trend of testing new guest experience technology will no doubt intensify, but there’s a cautionary tale. A Japanese property just laid off half of it’s automated workforce because it was causing more problems than it solved: <a href="https://www.hotelmanagement.net/tech/japan-s-henn-na-hotel-fires-half-its-robot-workforce" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.hotelmanagement.net/tech/japan-s-henn-na-hotel-fires-half-its-robot-workforce</a></li>
<li>
<h3>AI Powered MarTech and Operations Software Makes Us All Smarter</h3>
Despite not being a fan of the portmanteau “MarTech”, it’s the best word we have to sum up a category of software suppliers that perform an important role in the hospitality industry. Many suppliers, including Fuel Travel, are investing heavily in Machine Learning tools that augment marketers and Revenue Managers to enable them to make smarter decisions and outperform their competitors.  At Fuel, we’re using AI to help improve personalization within our Fuel CRM product. This is allowing us to target guests on an individual level with the precise content on the device of choice at the optimal time. Early testing shows this having a tremendous impact on revenue and guests are the ones benefiting. Bur Fuel isn’t leading the charge on our own, there are vendors in every one of these categories that are actively leveraging AI to make their products do things that weren’t possible a year ago:
<ul>
<li>REVENUE OPTIMIZATION</li>
<li>BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE</li>
<li>CHANNEL DISTRIBUTION</li>
<li>DATA SYNCHRONIZATION</li>
<li>ONLINE REPUTATION</li>
<li>GUEST ADVOCACY</li>
<li>CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS</li>
<li>ATTRIBUTION MODELLING</li>
<li>VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS &amp; CHATBOTS</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<h3>VR/AR Begins To Show Niche Promise</h3>
It seems like folks have been speaking about Virtual and Augmented Reality for almost as long as they have been talking about mobile. The real reality is that neither VR or AR has made a meaningful impact on travel. Don’t count them out just yet though. There seems to be a push towards these technologies being able to solve unique problems and serve a real purpose. While it’s unlikely that the average consumer is going to strap on a VR headset and walk through a  hotel before making a booking for this year’s vacation, there’s a real possibility that group sales could provide prospects with a better taste of what their specific event will actually look like, How cool would it be as an event planner if you could not only see the set up for your conference, but that the setup also included your logos and your colors. That small touch could be what seals the deal.
Another real application of AR is Wayfinding. Several startups are embarking on creating resellable solutions in this space.
There are also startups doing more novel things such as virtually controlled drones, enabling prospective guests to fly around and view the property before they visit. While this may be more of a gimmick, early adopters will no doubt benefit from the PR buzz that such an offering will creat.</li>
<li>
<h3>Internal Infrastructure Overhauls Begin</h3>
The hospitality industry isn’t famous for it’s cutting edge approach to technology. Looking at some of the largest players in the industry, they are stuck on legacy systems that are antiquated and cumbersome. Many of these systems have grown organically over the past few decades, making them hard to modify and harder to replace. In our 2018 Tech Study, the industry overwhelmingly indicated that ‘a lack of integration’ was the biggest tech challenge that we faced. 2019 is the year when we are finally in a position to start fixing that problem. The fact that there’s a lot of compliance pressure regarding security, accessibility and privacy is going to help push this along. Given that companies are going to have to invest heavily in infrastructure anyway, they may as well do it the right way. That’s why we’re beginning to see both hoteliers and vendors move to the cloud, with Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud leading the pack  This is a long overdue but much welcomed shift as it will make systems more scalable and will breed moe innovation as large organizations will be freed up to make more rapid change</li>
</ol>
So, there you have it 6 technology trends that are shaping up to change the way things are done. These trends will impact you to varying degrees depending on your organization’s size, but you should pay attention to all of them nonetheless. As a society, many people believe that AI, especially, is going to be more disruptive than the internet itself. Are You ready?
<h3>SNEAK PEEK AT 2020 Trends:</h3>
<ul>
<li>5G Will DELIVER STUPID FAST CONNECTIVITY</li>
<li>QUANTUM COMPUTING MAY BREAK EVERYTHIN</li>
</ul>
========================
<h2>In The Newsaroos:     </h2>
Disney Minimizing Marketing Dollars Toward New Star Wars Land: 
<a href="https://skift.com/2019/02/06/disney-doesnt-plan-to-spend-a-fortune-promoting-new-star-wars-attractions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://skift.com/2019/02/06/disney-doesnt-plan-to-spend-a-fortune-promoting-new-star-wars-attractions/</a>
English People Putting An End to “Only One Room Left” 
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/feb/06/hotel-booking-sites-forced-to-end-misleading-sales-tactics" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/feb/06/hotel-booking-sites-forced-to-end-misleading-sales-tactics</a>
========================
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a>.

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 104 – 6 Game Changing Tech Trends in 2019

Today on the Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast we are going to cover how to make the most of your marketing efforts by setting up a schedule of continual proofing to guarantee your hotel’s site is ready to convert guests to its fullest.  How you ask? Simple, by ensuring your systems actually work as designed, track as they should, and trigger followups as expected.
If you like what you hear, please leave a comment below, share it with your friends, and also leave a review.
========================
SHOW NOTES
STAT OF THE WEEK 
None this week
========================
In this episode we are going over what you need to proof (and more aptly… reproof) on a monthly basis.
<h3>#1: Does Your Booking Engine Actually Work?</h3>
Do we really have to say this?  Unfortunately we do. We find it far too common that the booking process at an independent hotel is way too cumbersome.  In fact, most hotels do not pay much, if any, attention to the of the minutiae of the booking and check out process. However, our data proves that this is a tragic mistake.  We suggest going through the entire booking process, with a real credit card, at least once per month. It’s even better to bring an outsider in and watch them complete the process.  Is your shopping and checkout process the best it can be?
<h3>#2: Are Your Rates Beating The OTAs?</h3>
Okay, you should be testing this one more than once a month.  However it is imperative that you are constantly checking to make sure your daily unrestricted rate is always the best option for customers.  You do not, ever, want a guest to find a better rate for your property via the OTAs. How can you do this?
<ol>
<li>Simply search several OTAs for several dates and make sure that your revenue team is always putting their best foot, and rate, forward.</li>
<li>Use one of several monitoring tools, such as TripTease, to monitor all rates and update your direct rate to be the best.</li>
</ol>
TripTease data shows that hotels are being beaten by the OTAs 27% of the time.  If this is you, it means you are actively discouraging your guest from booking with you directly.
This should be an ongoing process of testing and optimization for your revenue team.  For you, you should be personally checking at least once per month to make sure you’re not missing a single booking to an OTA.
<h3>#3: Do Your Forms Do What You Expect?</h3>
It is so important to proof your conversion events on an ongoing basis.  Very often a site update or software change can turn what was once a conversion in to a dead end.  When reviewing a new client’s existing site that more often than not one or more forms do not work as expected.  In some cases the form will submit but the notification does not go anywhere. In other cases the form can not be submitted at all.
In the case of form testing, it is important to go through the entire process with a fresh set of eyes and submit as if you were a customer.  This means using real content, a real email, and testing that everything works as it should.
Oddly enough, the most common form we see issues with is the actual contact us form.  In many cases it’s the forgotten form that’s relegated to a single link in the footer. That’s followed closely by the email signup, which often times doesn’t add the email to the proper mailing list.
<h3>#4: Are Your Email Triggers… Triggering? </h3>
Your email triggers are often closely related to your forms and you should be testing these monthly to guarantee your guests are getting the messages they should.  While you are checking your forms, your booking engine, and the rest of your marketing, look out for the following:
<ul>
<li>Thank you emails triggering, and triggering quickly</li>
<li>Do you have any drip campaigns for guest history, booking anniversary, etc?</li>
<li>Are all form notifications to the staff going out as they should and to the best person on your staff to respond to guests?</li>
</ul>
<h3>#5: Is Your Content Still Relevant?</h3>
Managing content on a site is not a set it and forget it process and even your evergreen content can start looking a bit dated if you don’t make updates.  We recommend going through your site on a monthly basis to update and remove content. A good checklist would include:
<ul>
<li>Check any events calendars to ensure they are up to date</li>
<li>Review all posted special offers</li>
<li>Review photography for dated clothing or where items are no longer at the property</li>
<li>Review your news and articles and update as needed</li>
<li>Make sure you main promotions are still accurate</li>
<li>Review your automated email content</li>
</ul>
<h3>#6: Is Your Mobile Experience What Your Guests Demand?</h3>
We’ve past the mobile tipping point years ago, and many would say nearly passing the second mobile tipping point.  But if you are like most hoteliers, you are only looking at your site on the giant monitor on your office desk. Unlike you, your guests are making their buying decision on the screen that’s in their pocket.
Once you are finished proofing all the five items we have already covered, start over and test them again on your phone as well.  You are very likely to find that what works great on your big monitor either doesn’t work at all, or is very difficult on a phone.
<h3>BONUS:</h3>
Some other things you should be constantly re-evaluating:
<ul>
<li>Google Ads ad copy and negative keyword list</li>
<li>ADA compliance scans</li>
<li>Analytics campaign tracking &#8211; RELATED: <a title="Permalink to Common Pitfalls of Google Analytics Campaign Tracking" href="https://admin.travelboommarketing.com/blog/common-pitfalls-google-analytics-campaign-tracking/" rel="bookmark">Common Pitfalls of Google Analytics Campaign Tracking </a></li>
<li>Google Search Console SEO errors and recommendations</li>
<li>Privacy and cookie policies</li>
</ul>
<h3></h3>
<h3>In Conclusion:</h3>
Your site and marketing is a living and breathing organism that needs regular check-ups to confirm everything is working well.  And if you follow this checklist on a monthly basis you can be sure the money you are investing in marketing has a chance of converting when they get to your site.
<h3>Listener Question: Marc on Twitter asks:</h3>
Hey @FuelTravel, been looking around on information on how much occupancy and ADR decrease/increase during a hotel renovation and have not found anything useful from the Revenue Managers point of view.
Robert Cole’s Answer:
Tough question.  No tangible data studies that I am familiar with. Don’t most revenue managers just trust their Ouija boards to come up with the right pricing strategy anyway…?
Seriously, I think it&#8217;s highly situational depending on the extent and disruption of the renovation.
Long ago, I know a property in Maui had a problem with trying to raise rates to reduce demand so they could refresh a floor at a time. It didn&#8217;t work. People kept paying the higher rates, which made it harder to justify closing off the inventory.
They finally bit the bullet after about three years as the hotel was visibly tired and expensive &#8211; this was pre-TripAdvisor, so wouldn&#8217;t have taken as long today to reach that decision.
I often see retail discounts in the 25% realm for relatively extensive renovations that are prominently disclosed on the website. That said, some properties will also dump inventory on opaque websites at radical discounts, which can be risky from a review/satisfaction perspective.
========================
<h2>In The Newsaroos:     </h2>
Hotel Marketing Changed Its Design And It Really Grinds My Gears: 
<a href="http://www.hotelmarketing.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.hotelmarketing.com/</a>
Are We On The Verge Of A Price Parity Nightmare: 
<a href="https://www.triptease.com/blog/booking-basic-parity-wholesale/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.triptease.com/blog/booking-basic-parity-wholesale/</a>
========================
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a>.

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 103 – 6 Hotel Website Audits That Will Save You From Losing Money

In this episode, we take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly in terms of how hotels are responding to their online reviews. We discuss best practices and give advice on how to avoid the pitfalls by leaving emotion out of it and by considering that you’re not just responding to the single individual, but to every potential future guest.
If you like what you hear, please leave a comment below, share it with your friends, and also leave a review.
========================
SHOW NOTES
STAT OF THE WEEK 
None this week
Here are some examples reviews with varying responses:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g255068-d256687-r177603885-Stamford_Plaza_Brisbane-Brisbane_Brisbane_Region_Queensland.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stamford Plaza Brisbane</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g54359-d1163912-r523573879-Hilton_Garden_Inn_Myrtle_Beach_Coastal_Grand_Mall-Myrtle_Beach_South_Carolina.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hilton Garden Inn Myrtle Beach/Coastal Grand Mall</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g214506-d625953-r290474588-Hotel_Doolin-Doolin_The_Burren_County_Clare.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hotel Doolin</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g644267-d640364-r361149994-Grand_Hotel_Paradiso-Passo_del_Tonale_Province_of_Trento_Trentino_Alto_Adige.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grand Hotel Paradiso</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g54578-d74150-r141763825-The_Hickok_House_Hotel-Deadwood_South_Dakota.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hickok House Hotel</a></li>
</ul>
Here are some general guidelines that you should follow when writing a response to a negative review:
<ol>
<li>Don&#8217;t take it personally </li>
<li>Don’t make the guest feel unwanted</li>
<li>Understand the guest and address their concerns</li>
<li>Show empathy and be apologetic</li>
<li>Show that their review made an impact </li>
</ol>
========================
<h2>In The Newsaroos:     </h2>
Marriott &#8211; Expedia Rate Negotiations Targeting 10% 
<a href="https://www.phocuswire.com/marriott-expedia-commission-negotiations" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.phocuswire.com/marriott-expedia-commission-negotiations</a>
New hotel booking platform offers cryptocurrency rebates for travelers 
<a href="https://www.phocuswire.com/BTU-Hotel-blockchain-booking-platform?utm_source=eNL&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Daily" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.phocuswire.com/BTU-Hotel-blockchain-booking-platform?utm_source=eNL&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Daily</a>
========================
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a>.

Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast: Episode 102 – How to Respond to Bad Hotel Reviews

In this episode, we take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly in terms of how hotels are responding to their online reviews. We discuss best practices and give advice on how to avoid the pitfalls by leaving emotion out of it and by considering that you’re not just responding to the single individual, but to every potential future guest.
If you like what you hear, please leave a comment below, share it with your friends, and also leave a review.
========================
SHOW NOTES
STAT OF THE WEEK None this week
Here are some examples reviews with varying responses:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g255068-d256687-r177603885-Stamford_Plaza_Brisbane-Brisbane_Brisbane_Region_Queensland.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stamford Plaza Brisbane</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g54359-d1163912-r523573879-Hilton_Garden_Inn_Myrtle_Beach_Coastal_Grand_Mall-Myrtle_Beach_South_Carolina.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hilton Garden Inn Myrtle Beach/Coastal Grand Mall</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g214506-d625953-r290474588-Hotel_Doolin-Doolin_The_Burren_County_Clare.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hotel Doolin</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g644267-d640364-r361149994-Grand_Hotel_Paradiso-Passo_del_Tonale_Province_of_Trento_Trentino_Alto_Adige.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grand Hotel Paradiso</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g54578-d74150-r141763825-The_Hickok_House_Hotel-Deadwood_South_Dakota.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hickok House Hotel</a></li>
</ul>
Here are some general guidelines that you should follow when writing a response to a negative review:
<ol>
<li>Don&#8217;t take it personally </li>
<li>Don’t make the guest feel unwanted</li>
<li>Understand the guest and address their concerns</li>
<li>Show empathy and be apologetic</li>
<li>Show that their review made an impact </li>
</ol>
========================
<h2>In The Newsaroos:     </h2>
Marriott &#8211; Expedia Rate Negotiations Targeting 10% <a href="https://www.phocuswire.com/marriott-expedia-commission-negotiations" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.phocuswire.com/marriott-expedia-commission-negotiations</a>
New hotel booking platform offers cryptocurrency rebates for travelers <a href="https://www.phocuswire.com/BTU-Hotel-blockchain-booking-platform?utm_source=eNL&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Daily" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.phocuswire.com/BTU-Hotel-blockchain-booking-platform?utm_source=eNL&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Daily</a>
========================
Submit your questions and topic ideas on Twitter to <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fueltravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@_travelboom</a>.

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