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The hospitality industry is a competitive landscape, so effective promotion can be the difference between success and failure. In order to stand out in a crowded marketplace, it's vital for hospitality operators to gain a full understanding of what types of promotions are being used so they can make the best choices for their business.
Effective promotion means your business connects and communicates effectively with guests, attracts new visitors and provides relevant and timely information which fully optimises the potential of deals and offers. Here are a few top tips for effectively promoting your hospitality business:
Curb appeal
It may be old-fashioned but curb appeal isn't going anywhere when it comes to promoting your venue. Ensure your business always looks pristine from the outside and entrance, gives off all the right signals to guests and offers information that is up-to-date and correct. Make it clear from the start just what sort of experience guests can expect. First impressions count.
Get social
These days, if you're not using social media to promote yourself, you're losing business. Experiment with different platforms to find the channel that best resonates with your customer base and works for your concept. Post photos, interact with your community, use relevant hashtags and always respond professionally to online reviews.
Walk in a guest's shoes. Walk through your venue in the guest's shoes to see exactly what they see. In-house signage and menus can generate a huge amount of business - scrutinising your venue from a guest's perspective will ensure merchandising is readable and displayed in the right places to grab as much attention as possible.
Focus on staff training
Popular promotional methods include the use of vouchers, loyalty cards, discounts and special offers. However, it's essential that staff are fully trained and informed on any offers you have going on as well as fully familiar with the processes. Otherwise it could cause disappointment or embarrassment on behalf of your guests.
Promoting your business and offering in the right way will attract guests to give you a try; you just need to make sure that the experience lives up to the promise.
