As a hospitality marketing firm in Essex, we have seen first-hand how much the pandemic has affected the sector. Although COVID-19 has hit every business hard, there’s no doubting it has hit the hospitality industry even harder. Being stripped of months of revenue is a tough battle to overcome. Undoubtedly, the current climate has left lots of business in ruin.
At VerriBerri, we specialise in marketing and PR for the hospitality sector. The skillsets of our team are broad covering an array of services. These include SEO, social media management, event management, and even graphic design. Having helped a vast portfolio of brands, we truly believe there is no task too big for us to take on. Throughout this post, we hope to shine a light on how marketing can help get you back on your feet.
Is Marketing the Same as Advertising?
The above question is one we get asked on an almost daily basis. Is marketing the same as advertising? In short, no.
Admittedly, the end goal of both methods is the same – better brand recognition resulting in growth. This makes it all too easy for the lines between the two concepts to become blurred. Despite this, their approaches are very different. When we see advertisement, we know we’re being sold to. They make it glaringly obvious what their aim is. Think of marketing as being far more subtle. Marketing is a sneakier method, if you will, of promoting your products or services.
Which is better? Obviously, we have a biased view to this question; however, research would indicate a strong backing in our corner. Recently, the public have grown tired in seeing advertisements everywhere they go. As such, people have stopped giving in to them. Reportedly, nearly 3 in 4 individuals say there are too many ads. In addition, 44% of the UK population find advertisement irrelevant in correlation to their wants and needs.
The Most Important Marketing Methods in 2021
It’s hard to say exactly what marketing methods will be the most effective for you without a clearer idea on your business. The hospitality industry is broad covering everything from local restaurants to conglomerate hotel chains. Despite this, there are definitely a few aspects that stand out to us as vital for everyone in the sector. For more tailored advice, it’s always better to seek the help of professionals. In the meantime, let’s take a closer look at what we believe to be the most impactful methods.
Social Media Marketing
No matter your industry, there is just no escaping social media. Throughout 2020, the online world became a safety blanket for most of us. Even some of the older generations have become experimental with networking online. With this in mind, it seems naïve that any brand thinks they could survive without it.
When it comes to hospitality, there isn’t anyone who cannot benefit from utilising social platforms. The most important of the bunch being Instagram and Facebook. Whilst reviews may have once been the best way to vet companies, it seems that social media has quickly taken over. Nowadays, not being able to find a business on social media is a red flag. Maintaining a good online presence adds value by making your brand more credible.
In addition to the above, social media boasts far more benefits. It’s offer of better brand recognition and customer support, for example. In our opinion, you NEED social media to succeed. Should this not be your forte, our hospitality marketing firm in Essex would be happy to lend a helping hand.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
Arguably, for your site to be a valuable tool, you need to be implementing SEO. For those of you who are unfamiliar, SEO is a process that allows your website to rank better on Google.
In other words, it is a method for making your site more discoverable.
When searching for anything online, it’s likely you’re going to be met with thousands of results. What does one do with this much variety? They click the top option and ignore the rest. With this in mind, you can see how important it is that you’re ranking as high as you can be.
Within the hospitality sector, competition is rife. For those of you without an already established name, making noise may feel like an impossible task. Even for those of you who are market leaders, you need to watch your backs. Without SEO new customers aren’t able to discover your brand through the fog of your fellow competitors. With the help of our hospitality marketing firm in Essex, however, you’ll be climbing the rankings in no time.
Public Relations (PR)
PR is a broad topic but definitely one that gives a high ROI. The main areas to consider are media relations, influencer marketing and also, appearances on radio, TV and podcasts.
PR works by putting your brand right in front of your target demographic. It takes advantage of the sources around you and their already established audiences. In doing so, you’re guaranteed better brand visibility.
In order for PR to be successful, you need to tell a narrative that is emotive and engaging. Not every story is newsworthy and ignoring this advice will be detrimental. As specialists in this area, it’s our job to help you create an anecdote that is worth telling. Moreover, one that shines a light on your companies’ strengths.
Contact Our Hospitality Marketing Firm in Essex
There you have it. A run-down of the three marketing methods that we deem to be the most beneficial. Of course, having an all-round marketing strategy is always going to be your best option. However, for now, implementing these methods will put you in good stead when getting back on your feet. Most aspects of marketing are not advisable to attempt yourselves, SEO especially. If you’re looking for help in one (or all!) of the above areas, we can help! To reach our hospitality marketing firm in Essex, click here.