The ideal marketing mix
While you are
building up your
name it makes
sense to use ours.
Recognising the need for a
multi-dimensional approach
to marketing accommodation
establishments, AA
Travel Guides has developed
a range of products aimed at
reaching the full pectrum of
travel buyers, from the international
travel trade to individual
travellers looking for a
weekend break.
An effective website
Having the best products at
your disposal alone will not
guarantee an effective website.
There are several other
factors that you need to be
cognisant of if you are to
have a functional and effective
website.
Active voice writing
Marketing your
establishment
starts with your
writing. The words
you use will
appear on
your website, in
your brochures
and in your ads.
Make it
compelling copy.
What is “active voice writing”
and why is it important to
your business? According to
Strunk and White in
Elements of Style, active
voice is more direct and vigorous
than passive voice. To
you, “active voice” means
writing in the present tense.
Websites:To translate or not to translate?
Is it worth
translating your
company’s web
site into a foreign
language? The
answer is yes if
your business is
not entirely
focused on the
South African
market. Read
what Gisela
Piercey,
Freelancentral
member and
English-German
translator has to
say about this.
You might think that your
website in English, as the
most important language in
the world, should be sufficient.
Think again. We forget
that one third of all internet
users do not speak English
and therefore our “international”
site is actually losing
out on potential clients.
“Give to get” marketing
When you’re up
against the
competition, how
do you make sure
prospective
guests remember
you?
We’re not about to discuss
advertising in print or on the
web, or even how you
should dress to impress, but
rather what they can walk
away with that will keep your
establishment top of mind.
You will most likely have
exhibited at some consumer
show, whether it was a small
show or a large one, and you
know that every exhibitor
handed out brochures by the hundreds.
New sectoral determination for the hospitality sector
The Department
of Labour
promulgated the
new Sectoral
Determination for
Hospitality Sector
on the 15th May
2007, and the final
draft was
gazetted and
came into effect
on the 1st July
2007.
There have been mixed
reactions to some of the
clauses, especially those
regarding minimum wages
and extra pay for workers
who regularly work on
Sundays. But as with everything
else, knowledge is the
key, and having the correct
information will provide you
with the tools to keep on top
of your employment practices.
Photo frenzy
High resolution,
low resolution, for
print, for internet,
300dpi – what do
all these things
mean?
And why do you
need to know?
Much of the work involved in
running a successful accommodation
establishment is
marketing the attributes to
the greater public. It is a well
known fact that in the hospitality
industry “a picture
speaks a thousand words”,
and that great images of
your establishment will go a
long way in attracting clientele.
Obviously, one of your first
marketing initiatives should
be to get fantastic pictures of your establishment;
bedrooms, bathrooms, any
unique design features and shots of how
your food is served. Not only that, but you
should have atmospheric images of the
surrounding areas, whether it be nature at
its best or the city skyline. Create ambience.
If you fancy yourself a bit of a photographer
then by all means take the pictures
yourself, but if you have the budget
then go with a professional photographer –
you’ll be amazed at how these pro’s can
transform the good into the magical!
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