Many marketing tasks in today’s world are improved with the appropriate amount of technology seasoning. Websites, as an example, are by definition a solution where the technology usually becomes the backbone of a company’s digital marketing presence. Stated another way, a company’s marketing presence may include a website. Given the competition, the website requires a base level of functionality to perform well and meet the needs of the necessary segments within a marketplace.
A deeper review of this website example shows that a typical website for the hotel industry has multiple components that make it work. A website may include:
| Content Management System | Email & Social Marketing |
| Digital Asset Management | Content Marketing & Blog |
| Content Distribution | Multi-screen Responsiveness |
| Internet Booking Engine | Marketing Reporting & Analytics |
| Group Booking Functionality | Property Performance Data |
| Guest Surveys, Feedback and Reviews | Pricing Data |
Whether you manage this internally, rely upon a brand or hire an agency, it still requires a fair amount of oversight by the various people responsible for the performance of the property. When considering a website, another system, or all technologies required to make a hotel operate efficiently, there are many details to manage.
Furthermore, the advent of new technologies may present unique opportunities for competitive advantage, even if only for a matter of months or a few years. During the last 20 years the industry has seen this occur multiple times. Companies and properties created strategies to reap the benefits of each instance.
Email arrived in force in the corporate sector in the mid 1990’s. Websites became prevalent shortly thereafter. Subsequently, online travel agencies began providing new distribution capabilities. And more recently, hotel companies are better leveraging the features of social and mobile for their business. It is important for hotel marketers to stay aware of changes and address the opportunities appropriate for their hotel, brand and the customer experience they want to provide to the marketplace.
The question any business needs to ask themselves is what are the market opportunities for the industry and how will this marketing team take advantage of them to continuously improve its sales and marketing performance. Today, the answer to this question may require an investment in marketing technology. Now is the time to prepare for tomorrow’s marketing opportunities.