Your guests are your best advocates! Advocacy marketing- The new “word of mouth”
Word of mouth marketing still remains the most credible form of advertising among consumers. Advocacy marketing has been proven to yield a 650% ROI for every dollar invested. 92% of individuals say they trust advocacy marketing over all other forms of advertising, yet only a fraction of hotels are taking advantage of this powerful tool. The opportunities are plentiful and in plain sight, it just takes some understanding and motivation and if you’re not sure how to do this, Review My Room can help create and implement advocacy marketing strategies that will be sure to yield new reservations for your property.
Utilizing your previous guests as advocates through review collection is a no brainer. Advocates have already had a great experience and are most likely willing to share it. Once future guests read the reviews regarding their stay and the responses from the hotel, they will feel more confident to book. As the hotel owner you do what you do best, provide the best guest experience you can!
However, you want to ensure you are doing everything you can do ensure the reviews are posted on public review sites after check out. Using a review collection tool like Review My Room does all the work for you by automatically sending tailored review request links to guests upon check out specifically for your hotel. This way guests (or advocates) are able to post while their experience, ideally positive, is fresh in their minds! Advocates that feel appreciated will continue to spread the good word and potential guests will see that not only can you provide a quality stay but also, that you care to nurture the relationship between owner and guest.
Aside from sites such as TripAdvisor, Google and Expedia, reviews, comments and photos can also be posted on your property’s social media pages – if you have them. If you don’t, you need them! Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, provide limitless opportunities for advocates to post their experiences, memories and thoughts on their stay. The average social media user has around 400 – 600 friends and followers which give you the potential to reach guests you would never have been able to. Encourage your guests to take pictures and post reviews, hold photo contests and offering giveaways, are all ways to tap into the advocate market and make it work for you. Harnessing this information, that you received for FREE, is what will take you into the new decade, miles ahead of the competition.
And if all that seems too daunting, Review My Room can do it for you. We can create and manage your property’s social media pages, update the pages with custom, relevant content and craft responses to any reviews or mentions. This way your guests are always informed on what to expect when they arrive, like whether the pool is closed, or what time breakfast starts! A better guest experience will result in better reviews for your property. Remember, we are here not only to educate you on best advocacy marketing practices, but also, to help you win with your advocate! Contact us today for more information!
