oas seminar leverage the power of social media to grow ... semina… · b2c and b2b companies...

Using the Power of Social Media to Grow your Hotel Business

OAS Caribbean Small Hotel ForumJuly 12, 2012. St. Johns - Antigua

Copyright © 2012 Ernesto Sosa. All rights reserved.

Agenda

Social media and its impact on businesses

Understanding the new business environment and new way of doing businessg y g

How social media is transforming the hotel industry

Making social media work for your hotel businessMaking social media work for your hotel business

Case studies

Q & A

2Copyright © 2012 Ernesto Sosa. All rights reserved.

The Social Web


What is Social Media?

Social Media - [Definition]

It’s a set of technologies, tools and platforms facilitating the

discovery, participation and sharing of content. It is transforming

l ( t ) i t di l ( t ) dmonologues (one to many) into dialogues (many to many) and

turning readers into publishers.


Types of Social Media

1) Content-based Social Media

Focuses on the content to be postedFocuses on the content to be posted and passed around: blogs, videos, photos, news stories, podcastsOr bookmarks to the contentFeeds viral marketing

2) Personality-based Social Media

B2C and B2B companies create f fcharacter profiles and fan pages

Professionals and businesses create profiles and fan pages


Types of Social Media

3) Location-based Social Media

Communities form around branded locations such as restaurants, cafés, museums, parks, retail stores, among othersStill a lot of opportunities for smartStill a lot of opportunities for smart Marketers as technologies evolveIt is powering Mobile commerce

4) Interest-based Social Media

Communities form around topics ofCommunities form around topics of interest, such as message boards and specialty search enginesMarketers MUST get into these


conversations and participate

Why is Social Media important for any Business?

Connecting all of these tools and using them in the most effective, i ibl d h d h l b ild hstrategic ways possible extends your reach and helps build the

community that supports your organization.

Connect Discover Collaborate PublishConnect Discover Collaborate Publish

Fig 1 / The Social Media ContinuumFig. 1 / The Social Media Continuum


The Future… The Social Business

Ten years ago it was e-Business, ten years later business evolves again with the coming of age for social business as social computing and social

di i t t d i t t i d imedia are integrated into enterprise design.

What is a Social Business? A business that embraces and cultivates a spirit of collaboration and community throughout its organization – both p y g ginternally and externally. It has 3 distinctive characteristics:

1. Engaged - deeply connecting people to be involved in productive, efficient waysefficient ways

2. Transparent - removing boundaries to information, experts and assets to align every action to business results

3. Nimble - speeding up business proactively with information and insight to anticipate and address evolving opportunities


Source: IBM

How are Organizations using these Platforms?

Develop Market ResearchImprove Marketing Communications / PRG t L d + S lGenerate Leads + SalesDrive On- and Off-lineTrafficEnhance Brand Presence and LoyaltyCustomer ServiceCompetitive IntelligenceSupport On/Off-line EventsSupport On/Off line EventsEnable 2-way customer conversationsDeliver valuable content in real-timeCreate b aro nd prod cts & ser icesCreate buzz around products & servicesListen to the market and learnConnect with customers at a personal level


Crowdsourcing (Mass Collaboration)

Agenda





Case studies

Q & A


New Realities, New Business Environment

Is your business playing by the new rules?by the new rules?


The New Rules of Marketing & PR

Marketing is about your company MAKING $$$

Companies MUST drive people into the purchasing process withl t l bl li t t t j t d ti irelevant, valuable online content, not just advertising

Blogs, podcasts, eBooks, webinars, twitter chats, live streaming and other forms ofonline content let organizations communicate directly with buyers in waysthey do appreciate

People want AUTHENTICITY and PARTICIPATION

Marketing is now about delivering the right content, at the right time whenyour audiences need it, forget “old-school” one-way interruption

Evolve from maintream marketing to reaching many underserved audiencesEvolve from maintream marketing to reaching many underserved audiences

Content, content, content…You are what you publish (and how you engage)

Your audience is now a global audience


Your audience is now a global audience

From Website to Online Presence

Multiplatform Cross-Promotion through selected Channels


The New Website Components

Main FeaturesBusiness & Marketing Strategy-based

Good web-design based on standards (W3C)

Usability, Conversion and User Behavior-optimized

Content content contentContent, content, content

Scalable CMS

SEO/SEM

Social Media powered

Mobile ready

Integrated to offline marketing, PR and sales initiatives

Measurable (Web + Social Analytics)

Main Goal: Turn Browsers into Buyers and Prospects into Leads


Main Goal: Turn Browsers into Buyers and Prospects into Leads

Agenda





Case studies

Q & A


How Social Media is transforming the Hotel Industry

Enabling One-to-One relationships between Hotels

and Travellersand Travellers

Shaping how consumers view and experience

Hotels

Expanding brand reach and awareness to a global

audience

Creating new ways to gain new clients and reinforce

loyalty from current ones

Improving customer serviceImproving customer service


The New Type of Traveller is born…


SOURCE: Lab42

The New Tech-powered Traveller


SOURCE: Lab42



SOURCE: Lab42

Most Common Uses of Social Media for Hotels

The “Information Concierge”

Discounts

Contest, Sweepstakes and Giveawaysp y

Gaining + Maintaining Business

Lead Generation

Social Intelligence


Social Media & Marketing Trends in the Travel Industry

Social Networking is becoming more private with selective content sharing options

Entire companies are becoming involved in socialmarketing

Mobile photo sharing went mainstream

Ni h i l t k ( Pi t t) b l blNiche social networks (ex. Pinterest) became valuable branding tools

G t i (UGC) b i t tGuestsourcing (UGC) became even more important

The rise of the review economy


Semantic technologies made sentiment analysis smarter

Social Media & Marketing Trends in the Travel Industry

Increasing blur of “online” and “offline” worlds

Real-world events and “Advertainment” is now critical for branding

L ti b d k ti d ti i iLocation-based marketing adoption is growing

Branding became paramount

Systems for constant improvement are being created


Agenda





Case studies

Q & A


But… Where do I start?


One Word: Strategy

“Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and thenwhile defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.”

Sun Tzu – The Art of War


The 4 Pillars of Social Media Marketing Strategy

4 Categories of Audience Engagement

1. Communication

2. Collaboration

3 Education3. Education

4. Entertainment


Pillar #1 / Communication

Social Media for Business is about enabling two-way authentic, real, relevant conversations among your audiences and markets with specific business purposes (informing selling collaborating researching(informing, selling, collaborating, researching, educating, listening, among others) to build a community of fans, not just clients.

Y i fl (NOT t l th ) dYou can influence (NOT control them) and measure those conversations to tailor effective communication strategies that really connect with digital consumers.co ec d g a co su e s


Pillar #2 / Collaboration

Social Media for Business is about enabling true, innovation-powered collaborationbetween employees, partners and clients to tap into and leverage the collective wisdom for the benefit of your organizationfor the benefit of your organization.

Your own think-tank, research department and product development unit to create next next generation solutions, products and services.


Pillar #3 / Education

Social Media for Business is about a unique opportunity to educate your employees, partners and clients on your products and services in ways they appreciate. You are now a publisher and content curatornow a publisher and content curator.

It additionally gives you an enormous business power to position yourself as an

t i fi ld d l ff tiexpert in your field and leverage an effective sales pull later.


Pillar #4 / Entertainment

Social Media for Business is about connecting with your audiences’ mindshare in innovative, interesting, compelling ways to build and reinforce your brand positioning.

Let your creativity lead!


How to create a Social Media Plan

The Social Media Plan Structure:

Social Media ObjectivesSocial Media Objectives

Target Audiences (Buyer Personas)

Social Media Mix

Key Initiatives

Communication

Competition

Context

People

Social Media PolicySocial Media Policy

Metrics

Required Investment per Channel


Social Media Marketing Calendar

Agenda





Case studies

Q & A


Case Study 1 / The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel (NH)

Need/Objective: Increase bookings and position the hotel as a top resort to visit in New Hampshire.

Social Strategy:Social Strategy: ‘InnBedded Resorter’ campaign to find the 1st –ever “resorter” who would live for 2 months at the hotel and share all experiences on SM channelsBlog + Twitter + Facebook + YouTube + DiggConversational/experiential approach to connect with potential guestsSupport by Canadian SM Travel stars Alex and Luke

Results:Results:20% increase in bookings in AugustIncreased brand awareness


Images Source: The Balsams

Case Study 2 / CitizenM Hotels (London/NY/Paris/Amsterdam)

Need/Objective: Position a new, fresh hotel concept“affordable luxury for mobile citizens”

Social Strategy:Social Strategy: Create a social personality to be spread among a specific online persona “mobile citizens”Facebook, Twitter, G+, Foursquare and Digital MagazineTargeted content marketing with social monitoring/analyticsPermanent research to identify trends and new, better communication

channels with guests

Results:Improved customer service which led to betterReviews, + WOM, + businessSt li it f 14 900 d


Strong online community of 14,900 engaged brand advocates

Images Source: CitizenM

Case Study 3 / The Motor Lodge (Prescott, AZ)

Need/Objective: Get the word out to successfully re-launch and get more business for a revitalized motel

Social Strategy: Promote user generated content (UGC)Facebook, Twitter, G+ and Yelp/Embedded Tripadvisor ReviewsCon ersational approach ith follo ersConversational approach with followersQuality establishment with enhanced customer service + content marketing

Results:1,800 engaged fans on FacebookIncreased business and brand awareness Must read local information center focused on why you must come to Prescott


why you must come to Prescott

Images Source: The Motor Lodge

Questions & Answers


Thank You

Ernesto Sosa@ [email protected]

Twitter: @ernestososaLinkedIn: ernestososa

Twitter Hashtag: #OASStep


About Ernesto Sosa

Ernesto Sosa has devoted his professional career for almost two decades to helping startups, SMBs and large companies in LATAM and the US improve business and marketing performance through effective marketing, business development, public relations and business innovation programs, while bridging thedevelopment, public relations and business innovation programs, while bridging the gap between marketing, technology, information and innovation. He is president at SOWEB a leading interactive marketing agency that helps businesses grow by connecting them with the new digital consumers and founder/CEO of the Hispanic Social Media Institute (HSMI). His work focus is on marketing strategy, Hispanic marketing, international business development, strategic public relations, competitive intelligence, innovation management, and web/social business architecture.Ernesto also serves as Director at Asesoranet, a business consulting firm that specializes in international business development; and National Board Director at LATISM (Latinos in Social Media). He served in the past as Director and SFL Coordinator at AIIM (The Enterprise Content Management Association); COO at GACoordinator at AIIM (The Enterprise Content Management Association); COO at GA Technologies, Vice-Chairman and CEO for Avanxis, an International ECM Company; Vice-Chairman for Grupo Archicentro, a Document Management Company and Director at Cavedatos (Cámara Venezolana de Empresas de Electrónica y Tecnologías de Información).Ernesto holds a degree in Business Administration from Universidad CatólicagAndrés Bello (Venezuela) and professional certifications in marketing and information technologies.


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