HOW TO INCREASE YOUR HOTEL REVENUE BY 9% - The Power of Star Ratings
Recent statistics show that “star ratings” can increase or decrease your revenue by an average of 9% for each star! Think about that. The loss of one star on Trip Advisor means that enough people will chose to go elsewhere so your revenue can fall by 9%! --- *HBR
IT’S ALL ABOUT REPUTATION
Your online reputation matters and can make or break your hotel business! There is an old saying “it takes a lifetime to build a good reputation and a single bad moment to ruin it.” We find that many establishments in the hospitality industry do not fully appreciate the real power of an online reputation and as such, have yet to capitalize on the power of social media marketing as a tool to optimize their good reputations.
Hotel operators should implement a powerful reputation management system to cultivate a stellar online presence that addresses poor reviews and also works to promote the company’s image and personality to the world.
SOME HELPFUL TIPS:
Systematically addressing your online reputation is critical and should be a regular part of your daily business operations. Here are some simple tips to help you do that.
1. Be Easy to Find and Interesting.
Make sure you have a page for your hospitality business on all the major review websites. Have a clear description of your services, philosophy and what makes you special. This promotes your brand image in a positive light.
2. Be Present and Engaged.
Create a system to monitor your reviews daily and respond to negative reviews within 24 hours. Be courteous and find a way to appease the situation. If you were wrong, admit it. Include what you are working on to fix the problem. People are very forgiving if they believe you care.
3. Make Your Best Customers “Stars”.
Respond to particularly good reviews! Thank the customers for their kind reviews and ask for permission to include it in your marketing campaigns. They will love it. (Remember---Everyone wants to be a star or see a star!)
4. Keep Your Social Media/Websites Full with Fresh Reviews.
Create a system to acquire reviews from every guest, such as when they check out of the hotel. Give them an incentive to do so (free drinks, a coupon or an entry into a drawing). This means you will always have a fresh supply of reviews to fill in for the 80% of satisfied customers who don’t post good reviews!
5. No One Can Resist “Before and After” Stories.
Write a before/after case study and publish it on your blog. Highlight the bad review and tell the story of how you fixed it. People love to hear stories about a business that values customer input. This will attract new customers. These are just a few tips to get your creative juices flowing. There are many things you can do to bolster your online reputation if put your mind to it. Most require minimal cost and effort. The result is that your revenue and visibility will increase. Both you and your customers will feel like a star and you will have the 5 star rating to prove it!
About The Author:
John Jordan is a digital marketing expert with 18+ years experience in both digital marketing and the hospitality industry. He has written extensively on the subject of digital marketing trends to positively impact online business.
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*Source: Harvard Business Review
