5 Proven Ways Hotels can Stand Out Among Competitors

It can be difficult to distinguish yourselves from competitors, but there are some ways to do so and hoteliers must keep them in mind for their business’ sake.

Hotels are fighting for customers in any number of ways, and social media is a key way to help your brand stand out among others who would love to see you drag your feet.

Here are some ways to conceptualize efforts that should help you get in front of prospective customers, which is especially important given the all-too-familiar dependence on an algorithm that so many sectors of our hospitality sector now have. If you aren’t intentional as a business leader in distinguishing yourself, you will lose customers to businesses that are.

Consider video testimonials

Instagram is a hugely popular app among Americans both young and old, and its algorithm rewards video above anything else. It’s a small ask to have folks who enjoyed their stay talk about what they appreciated. If you feel odd about asking everyone formally, do so randomly or offer a discount to those who agree and successfully record one testimonial for you. The better your posts are doing on Instagram, the more likely people are to see them on the app. This doesn’t need to be an in-depth cinema production, even a 60-90 second clip describing their experience is fine. Customers are crawling on Instagram all of the time, and those people are all prospective folks who might choose you. If they respond well to video, that’s where you need to be. Any action to make that process easier is a smart move in any circumstance.

Consider alumni discounts

Fall and spring to a lesser extent are full of people traveling around the country to follow their student-athlete children or their favorite college sports teams. You should be able to cross-reference sports schedules so that when fans and alumni of certain teams come to town, you can incentivize them choosing your place by providing a discount steep enough to pique their interest. The wonderful aspect of this idea is that teams figure out their schedule months and years in advance. There is a case to be made that being proactive about setting up some sort of deal or hotel block is a savvy move for the hotelier who knows that a slew of folks are coming to town on a given weekend.

Think about an airport shuttle

As convenient as Uber and Lyft can be in this day and age, having a hotel shuttle can ease the travel concerns especially for older folks and those who can’t get around as easily. This may not be a good option for places that might be on the other side of town, but for those that can make the logistics work, it could be a good way to make your hotel look that much more attractive. Since many times you’re dealing with people who are not immediately familiar with the area, taking one of the concerns off their plate can go a long way toward making sure they look back fondly on their stay.

Make a point to frame yourself as an option in the community

There are plenty of people who might see fit to use hotel facilities even if they are not staying in a room at the time. People need places to take business meetings. Others might be looking for a place to host a wedding. In other words, a hotel is not necessarily just a hotel. There are limitless ways for you to let people know that for a reasonable price, there are alternate uses to the building that can be attractive in the right circumstance.

 Ease the process of online booking

People are looking for ways to find a room quickly and efficiently. Make sure whatever apparatus you use is intuitive and fluid given how quickly circumstances can change where room availability is concerned. Many companies are still not as active as they should be in finding a way to make this easy for customers, but if you can, they may choose you over and over in perpetuity.