Archive for the ‘Tips and Trends Series’ Category
Five Great Messages I Saw at IMEX Frankfurt
Posted by Bob Prewitt | Filed under Design, Technology, Tips and Trends Series, Travel, Uncategorized
IMEX Frankfurt is a great tradeshow for the international meetings industry. A key element is that the show hosts meeting buyers (brings them in for free) and real business is done. Last year (2010), over $2.1 billion worth of meetings were booked. This year, the number will be even higher.
The show has terrific energy and is lots of fun. Everyone seems to understand that we are in the hospitality business and that it ought to be fun. Lots of great food and wine and smiles and laughs. But the backbone is that real business is being conducted.
I walked the floor nine different times and I decided to identify the five best messages (branding) put forth by Exhibitors. I chose them for their attention-grabbing quality and positive portrayal.
Here they are:
The Estonia booth: This Baltic State has created a stunning booth through the use of banners that float at seemingly random heights and make you feel like you are walking in a bucolic yet primeval forest. Some of the banners are high in the air and expand the sense of space in the booth significantly. Others are at ground level and thus create separate spaces – but not really. The whole thing works and, in comparison to some of the more complex structures, is affordable.
The Brazil booth: The backdrop of the booth is a very large – wide and tall – wooden matrix of square shelves. Within the shelves are displayed Brazilian artifacts – anthropological art, sculpture and traditional tools and utensils. Just beautiful in its simplicity. And then cocktail hour arrives and the booth turns into a celebration of the sensuality and sexuality that is inherent to Brazil. We all want to hang out there.
Congress Alliance’s “Orange Lady”: This one you have to see to believe. An attractive and stately woman is tinted orange from head to foot. It’s like a Day-Glo orange that seamlessly covers every inch of her – hat, face, dress, legs, shoes, etc. Weirdly appealing.
The Portugal booth: The combination of high tech and old-time artisanal makes for a perfect combination of modern messaging and cultural heritage. A large digital display that begins on the ground for five feet and then takes a vertical/right angle change of direction and goes six feet high shows graphic and photographic images and then announces the scheduling of various tastings of Portuguese products like olives, olive oil, bread and wine. The tastings are fun and informative.
The foie grois served at the Paris booth for lunch: Giant loaves of pate shaped exclusively from foie grois. The real thing. Absolutely delicious. With the right, minimalistic accompaniments. And Parisians hangin’ in the booth who acted like this is an everyday occurrence – no big deal.
We’re Spreading the News—Mary Dees Won a NYC Trip for Two!
Posted by Dana Communications | Filed under Dana News, Social Media, Tips and Trends Series
Our fan Mary Dees, Sales Manager at Golfweek, is the lucky winner of our NYC Getaway Contest. Mary says she’s looking forward to getting reacquainted with the Big Apple during her upcoming two-night stay.
She tells us she loves Broadway too, and this time, she’ll be staying right in the heart of it at the Millennium Broadway Hotel. There she’ll enjoy star treatment, a stylish guest room with a big-city view and easy access to theaters, Fifth Avenue shopping, museums and much more.
She and her companion will also dine at Apiary, a sophisticated sanctuary featuring a seasonal menu created by Executive Chef Scott Bryan and a 300-selection global wine list, an extensive micro-brew beer list and artisanal cocktails.
Mary promises to keep in touch and fill us in, so stay tuned for more details about her trip.
Tips and Trends—It’s a Wrap
Posted by Lynn Kaniper | Filed under Advertising, Social Media, Tips and Trends Series
Over the past year, these were the topics that really grabbed attention, based on open and click-through rates. Here’s your chance to catch any you missed.
Pink Socks & Pocket Protectors
(posted by Bob Prewitt, January 2010)
If I Knew Then…
(posted by Lynn Kaniper, July 2010)
Is It Really Brand Awareness versus ROI?
(posted by Mark D’Amico, July 2010)
And looking ahead:
Got loyalty in ’11?
Just released, TripAdvisor’s annual travel trends survey* reveals that travelers are significantly less loyal to hotel brands than they were one year ago, with just 39% of travelers now faithful to one name—a significant drop from 59% in 2010. What strategies are you implementing to maintain and build loyalty for your brand?
The “staycation” may be gone for good (thank goodness)
But consumers are still value conscious, and before hitting the road for long-deferred trips, they’ll be searching the Internet for great deals. Are you ready with clever promotions, strategic placements and the right packages to attract these savvy travelers next year?
Reputation management is major
When guests rant about your property online, your reputation and brand promise are on the line. In this age of social networking, it’s essential to monitor social media, track guest satisfaction and optimize your online reputation. What’s your strategy to protect and build your brand?
Travelers will be packing their curiosity
Also from TripAdvisor’s annual survey*, we learn that “Top Vacation Activities for Next Year” include:
- Visiting a historic site – 85%
- Visiting a museum – 73%
- Visiting a national park – 46%
Compare that with water activities (38%), visiting a spa (33%) and gambling (29%). Is your destination promoting the activities people want to do most?
Let Dana help you capitalize on upcoming trends. Contact Bob Prewitt, President, at bprewitt@danacommunications.com or 609.644.2396.
*For more, visit http://www.tripadvisor.com/PressCenter-i329-c1-Press_Releases.html
Why We Love Moms
Posted by Bob Prewitt | Filed under Advertising, Social Media, Tips and Trends Series, Uncategorized
Unicast Reveals Tips for Holiday Advertising to Prized Demographic on Mom Blogger Sites
Posted by Marketwire on 12/2/10. Source: Unicast
According to leading industry research firm eMarketer, 32.3 million moms with children under 18 go online at least once a month. Furthermore, research shows these “Chief Home Officers” make 85% of all brand purchases in the U.S., and it is estimated that in less than 10 years, women will control two-thirds of all consumer wealth, with purchasing power soaring to $40 trillion. Considering this, marketers can’t afford to miss out on or make mistakes in reaching out to this demographic.
Following are Unicast’s tips for launching the most effective online ad campaign for household decision makers this holiday season:
1. Do not overlook the value of marketing to moms online. Moms in particular tend to do more activities online than women without children, including listen to music (62% moms vs. 42% women without children), watch TV or movies (56% vs. 46%) and look up entertainment options (60% vs. 40%) (per Unicast 2010 “What Women Want From the Web Report”). This means there is that much more opportunity for them to see your ad.
2. Understand the unique publisher of your ad. Because a lot of ads are done directly by the blogger, it takes a bit more effort than just using a network. Although there are some mom-specific ad networks out there, 91% of mommy bloggers sell ads on their sites, and 40% report self-powering them.
3. Create an experience versus a sales pitch. Women are hungry for content that they can relate to, and a lot of advertisers have become smarter about producing content that brings readers to a branded experience, not just a sales pitch for a product.
4. Ask “Why?” and “What?” All too often, marketers don’t consider the reasons moms actually come online when they develop their campaigns. But, “why” has a huge impact on “what” and “where” an ad should run. What women do online:
• 76% plan to connect with friends and family
• 67% will keep up with news
• 64% plan to shop for sales/compare prices
• 59% intend to entertain themselves (play games, listen to music or watch TV/movies)
• 48% will research travel/vacations
5. Target with care. Heather Flett of RookieMoms.com notes moms especially appreciate when ads are targeted correctly. When reaching moms at the appropriate time with the appropriate content, they are much more likely to click-through.
6. Offer incentives. Moms are still in a tough economic environment, so now more than ever they are looking for discounts, sales, free shipping offers and giveaways for holiday products that don’t break the budget. Offer these incentives and promotions so that they are more attractive.
7. Prime your audience for engagement and interaction. Women notice ads for items they’re already interested in, but positioning and first reactions are key. Erin Taylor of themombuzz.com notes that eye-catching and interactive ads are a tried and true trend. In a survey of moms that read mom blogs, the top five descriptions for their favorite blogs were “budget oriented, informative, humorous, relatable and fast to read,” according to eMarketer.
8. Consider realistic timing. Know when moms will be in the height of the season to notice your online ad. For example, while Back-to-School and Black Friday are highlighted shopping seasons and designated days with deep discounts as a driver, don’t forget most shoppers will buy closer to the holidays.
To read this full article on Marketwire, click here.
Foursquare for Your Venue
Posted by David Friedberg | Filed under Advertising, Interactive, Social Media, Tips and Trends Series
Consumers are constantly digesting information in new ways, and when they’re always on the go, so must your marketing efforts be.
Enter Foursquare, a mobile application that encourages users to explore their neighborhoods and be more aware of what’s around them. It is a friend-finder, a social city guide and a game that challenges users to experience new things and rewards them for doing so.
What better way to put your venue’s name at the fingertips of your customers?
Foursquare lets users “check-in” to a place, tell friends where they are and track the history of where they’ve been. With sign-up, users can grant access to their own personal address book, Twitter followers and Facebook friends.
Using basic game mechanics with points, badges and discounts, Foursquare actually encourages customer loyalty and profit-driving consumer behavior that can increase your business. The app currently has over 4 million users worldwide and is being experimented and utilized by tens of thousands of venues.
As a business owner, you can use Foursquare to engage your increasingly mobile customers with Specials, which are discounts and prizes you can offer to loyal customers when they check-in at your venue. Additionally, you can track (for free!) how your venue is performing over time.
Search for your business at foursquare.com. The site has a simple self-service tool for creating different types of Specials and tracking the performance of each. This feature empowers business owners to create engaging, ongoing relationships with their customers. Specials for your customers can include:
Mayor Specials: The mayor is the user who has checked-in to your venue the most in the last 60 days. Mayor specials are available for just that one user who qualifies, and they can be something like a 20% discount on his/her order.
Check-In Specials: These specials are unlocked when users check-in to your venue a certain amount of times. (“Foursquare says you’ve been here 10 times? That’s a free drink for you!”)
Frequency-Based Specials: These are unlocked every X check-ins. For example, you could offer Foursquare users 20% off their bill of $50 or more with every 10th check-in.
Wildcard Specials: Wildcard Specials are always available, but you will need to verify some extra conditions (e.g., coupon codes) before users can receive them.
The Specials platform has been integrated into all of Foursquare’s official mobile clients—iPhone, Android and Blackberry. The service actively calls attention to venues that offer Specials for Foursquare users.
For example, when users are at your venue, Foursquare will tell them what they have to do to unlock a free snack or discounted drink. If they happen to be across the street or two blocks away, it lets them know that your business gives special treatment to Foursquare users and that they should swing by for a visit.
Foursquare also has a robust set of analytics that provide valuable real-time statistics for your business, including:
- Most recent visitors
- Most frequent visitors
- Time of day people check-in
- Total number of unique visitors
- Histogram of check-ins per day
- Gender breakdown
- Portion of Foursquare check-ins that are broadcasted to Twitter and Facebook
Interested in learning how to make Foursquare work for you? Dana is well versed on the use of this mobile application and others. Contact bprewitt@danacommunications.com.
Who can really speak for your brand?
Posted by Emily McDonough | Filed under Advertising, Interactive, Media, Social Media, Tips and Trends Series
I recently attended the PR News Online Digital PR Summit in New York City. A discussion of topic arose, and it centered on who is participating on behalf of brands across the various social media platforms. In other words, who is managing a brand’s voice?
In one case, Pizza Hut announced in April of 2009 the position of “Twittern,” an internship opportunity with the sole responsibility of posting on Pizza Hut’s social networks. This raises the question: Who has the authority to speak for your brand?
Executives who lack a greater understanding of social media often assign the task of social participation to associates with an already full plate of responsibilities or pass them off to a junior-level associate who may or may not possess the skill set needed to properly represent your brand.
It basically comes down to this: Would you have this same individual write the content for your corporate website? The answer is probably no. In effect, this individual is creating the presence for your brand in the social media world. After all, a Google search on your brand name will likely produce the corporate website along with social media results such as Twitter postings and Facebook status updates. This content is being given more and more credibility in shaping one’s opinion about your brand.
Messaging, style and content should be consistently represented across all channels to maintain brand integrity. Although social media is the distribution means via which these messages are delivered, there is need for having a structure in place—one that is similar to any communications plan.
At Dana, we understand that our clients’ individual responsibilities have grown and that they are being asked to do more under the same job title. We offer a full suite of social media services, including robust implementation packages and ongoing support models, with proven track records.
Not sure where to begin? Dana can help you get started with social media or simply help you get more out of your current efforts. To find out more, contact bprewitt@danacommunications.com.
Why Gen Y?
Posted by Michele Clerici | Filed under Advertising, Social Media, Tips and Trends Series
Here at Dana, we often lecture on the importance of social media and mobile marketing. Be seen, be heard, be known! We recognize that these efforts are paramount to success in this digital age.
But with no other audience has this message been more relevant than with our very own Gen Y. Products of the 80s and 90s, this generation was born into a buzzing community of computers, smart phones and constant connectivity. Online is just a way of life for these so-called Millennials, and as they age, the world of marketing has begun to adapt to their culture.
This generational transition is apt to affect the travel industry in more ways than one. Baby Boomers are beginning to enter their retirement years, opening up new opportunities for Gen Y-ers to make their presence known. The difference? Gen Y-ers don’t seem to share the same conservative spending habits of their ancestral Boomers, and many of them have money to spare…because:
- Gen Y-ers are less likely to be bogged down with the major expenses of their Boomer counterparts.
- Many still dip into the wallets of their parents or live at home free of rent.
- Retirement is still far into their future, so they feel they have plenty of time to save down the road.
- They are too young to have been affected greatly by investment loss due to the recent recession.
- They have generally accrued less debt and, thus, a deeper well of disposable income.
And because Gen Y-ers have been wired since birth, technology in their world is a given, not a luxury. Which means marketing to them requires a major shift in message and medium. Following are some things to keep in mind when it comes to the Gen Y marketing experience:
- Remember, they are young! They’re drawn to fresher, bolder, more creative ideas, as opposed to stuffy, traditional ones.
- Brand image is crucial, so be sure you’re creating a brag-worthy one that will leave a lasting impression.
- Get to them where they are: on their iPhones, iPads, Kindles, laptops and BlackBerrys. This is where they spend most of their time, so grab their attention here.
- Be heard on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. But stay current, because the coolest thing today could be ultra passé tomorrow.
- Promote benefits that appeal directly to their lifestyles, e.g., wireless networks, iPod docking stations, etc.
- Gen Y-ers are known to spread their thoughts and opinions fast—on reviewer sites, social networking arenas, etc.—so make sure you’re on top of what’s being said about you.
Many Gen Y-ers may not be old enough to have a great deal of buying power just yet, but the time to begin marketing to them is now. They are fast becoming the future of your business, and when they do, you’ll want them to know you well.
Are You Being Served?
Posted by Mark D’Amico | Filed under Advertising, Social Media, Tips and Trends Series
The numbers don’t lie. Recent stats show that more than 500 million users are signed onto Facebook, and that your customers might be spending up to 25% of their online time there.
By now, you probably realize the power of the Facebook fan page for broadening brand awareness and engaging past and prospective customers. But did you know you could boost sales by actually peddling your goods there too?
Through innovative new merchant platforms, you can create a fully branded Facebook storefront. Meaning: you’ll get noticed. Unlike past storefront versions, you retain control, and you don’t have to compromise crucial elements like your brand identity. Your customers receive direct access to your store, and they can even complete their transaction without leaving your application or Facebook.
Tap into your fanbase to spread the word. When their trusted opinions go viral, they also go a long way to increase your visit rates and to influence booking and buying decisions. Follow through by sending trackable coupons to fans, and encourage them to share relevant targeted offers with their friends.
Together, we can discover how to put this nifty new tool to lucrative use. Let’s start exploring! Contact mdamico@danacommunications.com.
Going Places
Posted by Emily McDonough | Filed under Advertising, Hospitality News, Interactive, Social Media, Tips and Trends Series
Location, location, location. It’s an essential component of all travel and hospitality business. And now it’s a permanent fixture in the world of social media…
Facebook recently announced its own location-based application, Facebook Places. Now you can check-in to bars, restaurants, museums or any other place you frequent and tag your friends in updates. You can share where you are and the friends you’re with in real time from your mobile device.
Facebook Places presents a unique opportunity for travel and hospitality businesses to expand their social media platform. Utilizing the application, you can leverage your brand presence by offering specific promotions to Facebook users who check-in to your hotel, resort, destination, etc., and then share their experiences with their friends.
At Dana, we strongly advocate—and implement for our clients—the use of Facebook as a brand awareness tool. For example, we’ve recently enhanced the Facebook Fan Page for Turtle Bay Resort by creating an avenue for users to receive exclusive offers simply by choosing to “Like” the resort. Click here to check it out.
Does your business have a Facebook Fan Page, or have you created a Place for people to check-in? To explore more ways to connect socially, contact mdamico@danacommunications.com.
How’s Your Image?
Posted by Jamie Smith | Filed under Advertising, Design, Tips and Trends Series
Creating a library of impressive images is challenging, exciting and ultimately rewarding. The creative services of an experienced Art Director will help you every step of the way and insure your investment pays off in striking images that showcase your property.
Select Your Photographer
- Start with the websites of photographers who specialize in travel and hospitality. Look for photos that show what’s unique and express a mood—do you see the romance of a ballroom, feel the challenge of a golf course?
- Ask your Art Director for recommendations. Over the years at Dana, we’ve developed relationships with photographers who don’t just create incredible photos—they’re also great to work with and make the process efficient.
- Decide which photographers’ creative and working styles are the right “fit” for your property, then contact those to discuss your project in depth.
Prepare for the Shoot
- List the interior and exterior shots you want, together with the services/amenities you want to communicate about each.
- Schedule a site visit or scout with your Art Director and photographer, if possible, so they can take quick snapshots and work through any questions or concerns.
- Discuss the “housekeeping” checklist. Thoroughly cleaned rooms and public areas are a given, but you may also need to spruce up other areas, like landscaping that will be seen through windows, for example.
- Decide whether you’ll feature people or not. It’s a complex decision. Using them can attract your market segments, like couples, but can also “date” your shots. Your Art Director and photographer can suggest subtle ways to bring people and emotion into shots without dating them.
Stay Involved During the Process
- Understand that getting the right atmosphere—with perfect lighting and props—requires patience and long days. Smooth the process by allocating staff to help move furniture, prepare flowers, etc.
- Expect that timing and schedules will change (depending on the sun, property traffic, etc.) but try to stick close to your initial schedule to keep the pace moving.
- Stay flexible so your photographer can bring inspiration to your shot list. An image reflected in your spa pool may be unexpected but perfect.
- Collaborate and share your opinions. If you think the sky over the terrace isn’t quite bright enough, say so. While you can’t change the weather, your photographer can use techniques and editing software to enhance your images.
Let Dana Communications assist you with everything from creative direction to the fine points of negotiating a contract with your photographer. We invite you to enjoy the results of Dana’s recent photo shoots below. Our clients love this work, and we are proud to have helped make their image shine.
