Is your social media a needy toddler craving attention? Unsure how to nail promos and upselling? The struggle is real.
But according to Che-René Pines, Strategic Marketing Manager at Litchi Hospitality, giving your marketing a little bit of love every day will pay off – and it’s easier to do than you imagined.
“Social media promos get attention, upselling works to boost revenue, and researching competitors’ offerings, pricing, and guest resonance provides unique insights to help you stand out,” Che-René says.
The good news? You don’t have to go full-blown social media manager or research wizard to reap the rewards.
Here’s Che-René’s expert tips to grow your business:
Get your social media act together.
In the hospitality world, you’ve got to be on Facebook and Instagram – they’re a power duo you can’t ignore. Start by setting them up so any new Instagram posts automatically share on your Facebook page, suggests Che-René. Bam, double impact with one quick step!
But just posting isn’t enough. You need strategic hashtags to grab attention. Adding your posts to popular location or experience feeds puts your property’s highlights directly in front of travellers actively searching those terms.
“Hashtags are a free way to expand your reach and get discovered,” says Che-René.
She recommends using 7 – 18 varied hashtags per post in this order:
- Your property’s name (e.g. #HoutBayLodge).
- What’s literally featured in the photo/video (e.g. #BeachHorseRides).
- Your geographic location (e.g. #HoutBay).
- General travel hashtags (e.g. #WesternCapeWayOfLife).
Pro tip: See what hashtags your nearby competitors, local tourism boards, or bloggers are using, too. The more targeted, the better!
Get your rates and content in order.
When rates and details are inconsistent across distribution channels, at best, it creates a disjointed brand experience. At worst, it means losing out on high-value bookings or even tanking your search ranking on online travel agents (OTAs). Nip this in the bud with a simple routine:
- First, Google your property name and scroll through the listing preview panes and site links that populate on the right-hand side. This quickly surfaces everywhere your property appears online.
- Next, spot-check 3 – 5 of the most high-impact channels, such as OTA listings and your own booking engine. Ensure that rates, photos, amenity descriptions, policies, and other promotional information are 100% aligned and accurate.
“Maintaining rate parity protects your ranking on online travel agent platforms, while content parity ensures guests get an accurate, appealing preview of what to expect before booking,” says Che-René. “Outdated info and photos can cost you bookings.”
Spot promotional opportunity gaps.
Why run the same generic promo as every other property when OTA data can reveal exactly what’s moving the needle and resonating with consumers? Use this simple tactic to create targeted offers designed to maximise bookings.
Here’s how: log into your OTAs (like Booking.com, Expedia, and Airbnb) and pull up custom analytics reports filtering for your specific competitive set. Che-René suggests you take a close look at the following:
- The most popular rates, packages, and promotions.
- Typical booking lead times (e.g. 30 days out, 60 days, etc.).
- What minimums/lengths of stay are trending.
If you spot a hot trend, like your competitor set consistently scoring lots of two-night bookings 30+ days out, you know an early bird offer for two-night stays could be a big winner.
Pro tip: If your analytics show competitors leaning toward non-refundable rates, you can model a promotion that incentivises that policy.
Wow guests on a budget.
Once you’ve nailed down that competitive set, it’s time to get scrappy with simple yet memorable touches that feel premium without breaking the bank. Complimentary water or snacks, turndown service and personalised welcome notes are all great examples. “The small touches earn you rave reviews and loyal, repeat guests,” says Che-René.
Pro tip: Ask your staff for other low-cost amenity ideas guests would love. A local wine sample? Fancy soap? Their insights from interacting with guests day-to-day are pure gold.
