It is a well known fact that the hospitality industry is among the worst impacted sector due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Even months after the pandemic hit, the industry still continues to stand on shaky ground. Studies say that the travel industry is not expected to return to pre-pandemic levels until at least 2022 and that consumer sentiments towards traveling will see improvements and declines as new safety protocols and practices emerges, weariness sets in as various countries around the world go through second and third waves of the virus.
Still, the hospitality industry has proven to be one of the most resilient industries and we can be quite certain that travelers will be back – booking tickets, checking in to hotels, booking Airbnbs and indulging in new travel experiences. Until then, here’s how your hospitality brand can stay in touch with consumers and market itself through Covid-19
- Re-evaluate your marketing assets – This slump is a good time to re-assess your USPs. Go through your past content, photographs, videos, blogs, presentations, articles. This is a great time to collate your data. Set aside the content you can use during these times. Study each piece diligently and analyze what got you the most hits on your website or the most views on your social media in the past. Studying data and your past content will give you a clear picture of what your audience love the most about your brand (and probably miss during these times).
- Record videos in the present time – Videos are excellent SEO silage. Besides, you never know what can come in handy in the future. Make videos of premises, of the staff, the Covid protocols being followed at your premises, embed videos in your blogs, choose the best quotes from the videos and turn them into individual posts for Instagram.
- Get feedback from customers and employees– Now would be an excellent time to get in touch with customers from your past seasons and employees of your establishment and get them to talk about your brand. You can record their interviews and use them for Instagram content.
- Create content that provides assurance and care – Given the current situation is not the best, customers might be apprehensive about booking a stay at your hotel. Make videos and specific posts about the sanitization of your area, social distancing on the premises, and how you abide by safety protocols and how you’re going above and beyond to ensure safety.
- Enhance your social media and digital marketing presence. Taking into consideration that people are spending more time on their devices since a lot of them are working from home. Looking into ways that will improve and boost your online presence. It’s important to remember that your tone of voice and message play a large part in making you appear thoughtful, caring or insensitive. Try not to solicit bookings and visits outright as this suggests that the brand cares more about bookings than safety and may be downplaying the seriousness of the pandemic. Rather, focus on what you do best at your property and let your audience decide whether it is safe for them to visit you.
- Revamp your website. While we are on the topic of social media, why not consider giving your website a facelift or get a new one? Get your hotel ready for the new “normal” season by revamping your site – something that a lot of brands put off indefinitely and never get around to.
- Do a professional photo shoot and video shoot – With little to no people visiting your establishment at the moment, it’s a great time to do a photo shoot. Photographers and videographers have also had a slump in business. This could serve two purposes and enhance business for the both of you.
- Revise your rates. Taking into consideration that people may not have the spending money they did before the Covid-19 Pandemic, maybe consider going through your rates and finding a balance that would help prospective clients. Look for add-ons you can provide to make your offerings more competitive when business resumes.
- Digital Marketing. If there are budget cuts you might want to consider PPC (Pay Per Click) Services. For hospitality brands that are looking to maximize ROI, PPC is the most effective as it targets people who are active searchers for the product or service you offer – rather than broadcasting a message to a large amount of people in the hopes that someone will make a booking.
Got questions on how to market your hospitality brand in Goa? Simply drop us a comment or email us and we’ll be happy to schedule a free consultation.
