TECHNOLOGY : MOBILE
While many hoteliers continue to operate at a competitive disadvantage to online travel agencies in terms of their mobile outreach , some are taking definitive action to be ahead of the game in mobile marketing . Examples of this include using mobile for social engagement to improve on-property spend , utilizing virtual wallets , installing Bluetooth LE-based guestroom door locks and integrating responsive design into hotel websites .
GETTING
SOCIAL
Traditional tactics to boost on-property food and beverage spending include drink specials , sponsored brand events , giveaways , booking popular local bands or waiving cover charges .
However , mobile technologies can also be used , and Loren Gray , director of ecommerce at Ocean Properties Ltd . & Affiliates , Delray Beach , Florida , does just that for Ocean Properties ’ Boston ’ s on the Beach restaurant , located adjacent to its Marriott Delray Beach . The restaurant needed to re-establish its postdinner crowd that was being lost to competitors , and Gray engaged the hotel ’ s more than 11,000 active Facebook followers using a geographically fenced promotion for those located within 10 miles ( 16 km ) of the restaurant ’ s zip code . The offer of free valet parking was extended to active followers and friends of active followers , plus a demographically similar look-alike audience .
Using Facebook ’ s precise targeting capabilities , this group was filtered down to include only single women ages 26 to 34 who enjoy live music , plus users of various hashtags . The messages were delivered in a staggered roll from 5 p . m . to 8 p . m . on a Friday night via Facebook using dark-posts that would not display as status updates on the hotel ’ s timeline .
Given Facebook ’ s high mobile usage , not only people sitting in front of a computer saw the promotion , and in fact the offer had to be pulled within 45 minutes of launching , as the valet parking lot was full . The offer was then changed on the fly to a free second drink for patrons arriving later . That produced a line outside waiting to enter when the band started at 10 p . m .
In addition to the direct and immediate business lift , Ocean Properties received more than 300 new followers for the restaurant ’ s web page and more than 100 new registrations for the restaurant ’ s newsletter . The Facebook-exclusive campaign was repeated , with consistent results over a six-week period .
Although overuse of such specific targeting could result in negative sentiment and be copied by competitors , in limited doses Gray says it is very effective . “ The use of variable offers to diverse audience segments across a variety of social and / or location-based platforms for an assortment of events and activities is a viable tool for targeted , event-specific proximity marketing ,” Gray says . “ Due to the multiplicity of the variables and platforms available , it also keeps competitors from being able to react to and neutralize your efforts .” www . hotelsmag . com April 2014 HOTELS 47