Do you run a hotel and want to promote it? If YES, here is a sample hotel business marketing plan template, tips, strategies and ideas to attract customers. Okay, so we have considered all the requirements for starting a hotel.
We also took it further by providing an in-depth sample hotel business plan template. In this article, we will be analyzing and drafting a sample hotel marketing plan backed up by actionable guerrilla marketing ideas for hotel businesses. So put on your marketing hat and let’s proceed.
A Sample Hotel Marketing Plan Template
1. Our Present Business Situation
When we started with drawing up our business plan, we knew that one of the things that we have got to really adhere to was to stick with all the projections that we make. We can therefore categorically say that we are leaving no stone unturned in accomplishing all that we have spelt out in our plan for Sean and Sharon Hotel.
Our soon to be opened hotel is located in Florida, united states of America. Indeed it is a site to behold because we have put in loads of capital to see that our hotel can compete favorably with other five star hotels.
Presently, where we plan to operate from has quite a number of hotels in existence there. This is one of the reasons why we have come to be located there; because we want our fair share of the market. The facility where we plan to set out from wasn’t leased; as a matter of fact, it was erected by us.
We have gone ahead to get all permits and licenses and will fully open our business doors by the first week of January in the year 2023.
2. Our Product and Services
Sean and Sharon Hotel is set to operate a standard hotel service in Las Vegas, Nevada. The point that we want to become a force to reckon with in the hospitality industry means that we will provide our guests with fitness room, social room, and self-service laundry room and business center; for the purpose of business or leisure and more.
In all that we do, we will ensure that our guests leave with an unforgettable experience that will make them want to come back as well as recommend our hotel to their friends, family members and business partners. These are the services and amenities that will be made available to our guests;
- Lodging
- Meals (Local Delicacies, Chinese cuisines and intercontinental cuisines et al)
- Drinks (wines, beers, distilled spirits, martinis, beverages and non – alcoholic drinks)
- Swimming pool
- Gym
- Self – service laundry room
- Business center
- Mini mart
- Conference room
- Banquet venue
- Childcare
- Shuttle service
3. Our Mission and Vision Statement
Our vision is to open a standard hotel that will become the number one choice in Las Vegas.
Our mission is to deliver reliable, genuine, caring and excellent service superior to what our competition can offer in any location where our hotel will be situated and to ensure that our hotel enjoys over 90 percent occupancy in most parts of the calendar year.
Our Market Goals
We have taken our time to conduct some market research, and we have found that Hotel business is indeed a very lucrative one that can guarantee cash at all times.
As such, we want to be able to make Sean and Sharon Hotel known by all and sundry and one of the ways that we plan to do this is to have clear cut marketing goal. One that will yield results once we have to execute the plans that we have mapped out.
We know that to meet our market goals, we will need people who are like minded and who can buy into our vision without hassle to come on board. As a result we are poised to hire only employees who will handle all tasks within the business as though it was theirs.
When we have all these in place, then we know that of a truth our first three months would be that of immense profit. We have not relented in hiring consultants who knows their onions to help us analyze our chances in the industry. We have also asked them to help us develop some sales forecast. Hence, some of the things that we plan to achieve include;
- Have a minimum of 1000 visitors at our Hotel within the first two months of operations.
- Make sure that we have branches in five different cities within the first one year of operation.
- Have at least a minimum of 500 visitors at our mega night club weekly.
- To be listed among the top 5 hotels in the united states of America (within a 5 year benchmark)
- To become the number one choice when it comes to hotel services business in Florida
- To be a massive employer of labor and contribute to the growth of the economy of the United States of America.
4. Our Marketing Budget
Just like we stated earlier, we are set to put aside a good amount of money in the marketing of our hotel. Our market budget therefore is put at 9,500 US dollars for the first year of operating. This means that will adequately spread the capital that we have mentioned in the various advertising modes that we will talk about in the course of this plan.
As the day and business progresses, we will budget between 5 percent and 7.5 percent of our annual income towards marketing and promoting Sean and Sharon Hotel in the Florida. This campaign will also be carried out in other parts of the United States of America.
5. MARKET ANALYSIS
- Our Target Market
We have specifically situated the Sean and Sharon Hotel in the part of Florida where we have because of the deeply rooted competition which is present there. In addition we dare say that there are lots of people who are in need of hotel services that can be wooed.
Apart from individuals who are tourists, there are also businesses that might be in need of us. We can therefore say that the geographical nature of Florida is extremely appropriate for the kind of services we render. Here is a list of people that we intend to target for our hospitality business;
- Celebrities in Florida
- Tourists in Florida
- Upwardly mobile men
- Upwardly mobile women
- Young Adults
- Businesses in and outside of Florida
- Government establishments
- Religious people
6. SWOT Analysis
Sean and Sharon Hotel is fully aware that they are coming into an industry that can be highly competitive which is why they have decided to pay attention to the SWOT analysis for the organization.
We know that once we are able to identify our strengths, our weaknesses, our threats and the opportunities that is available to us, we will be able to come up with good business strategies that will help us achieve all our business goals and objectives.
We know too well that one of the ways to build a successful business in the long run, is the ability to glean some lessons from the weak points we have found ourselves in and convert it to an area of strength.
In a case where there is little or nothing that can be done, we may also work so hard so that our areas of strength blossoms more, so that are weak area is very less visible. Here is a of the result we got from the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Sean and Sharon Hotel Las Vegas, Nevada;
- Strength:
Our area of strength cannot be farfetched; the location of our hotel is perfect for such business, our management team has robust experience in the industry, our customer’s services is second to none in the whole of Las Vegas and our facility is top notch
- Weakness:
Our perceived weakness could be that we are a new business, and we may not have the financial muscle to sustain the kind of publicity we want to give our business.
- Opportunities:
We are in one of the cities in the world that never goes to bed, plus the fact that Las Vegas is regarded as the world headquarter as far as casino business is concerned.
It means that loads of tourist, business executives and travelers would want to visit Las Vegas and we are well positioned to welcome them, because our hotel facility is just about 20 minute drive from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, and few minute drive from Mandalay Bay Event Center.
- Threat:
One of the threats that is likely going to confront us is; unfavorable government policies, downturn in the economy which is likely going to affect sales and perhaps the emergence of new hotels (competitors) within the same location where our hotel is located.
Our competitive advantage
The competitive edge of Sean and Sharon Hotel Las Vegas, Nevada is the excellent and customized service that we offer to all our guest irrespective of their status. We can boldly say that the location of our hotel is going to give us an edge over our competitors in Las Vegas.
We are in the middle of the happening city in Nevada. From the location of our hotel, you can connect any part of the city with little or no stress.
Another significant competitive advantage that we are bringing to the industry is the robust experience of our management team. We have a team that has a combination of 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry in United States and Canada. They are considered as core professionals in their own right.
7. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY
- Sources of Income
Sean and Sharon Hotel will generate income from the following service offerings;
- Lodgings
- Meals (Local Delicacies, Chinese cuisines and intercontinental cuisines et al)
- Drinks (wines, beers, distilled spirits, martinis, beverages and non – alcoholic drinks)
- Swimming pool
- Gym
- Laundry service
- Business center
- Mini mart
- Conference room
- Banquet venue
- Childcare
- Shuttle service
8. Sales Forecast
It is important to state that our sales forecast is based on the data gathered during our feasibility studies and also some of the assumptions readily available on the field. Below is the sales projection for Sean and Sharon Hotel, it is based on the location of our hotel and the services and products that we will be offering;
- First Year-: $600,000
- Second Year-: $900,000
- Third Year-: $1, 500,000
N.B-: This projection is done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there wouldn’t be any unfavorable government policy.
9. Our Pricing Strategy
Our pricing system is going to be based on what is obtainable in the industry, we don’t intend to charge more (except for premium and customized services) and we don’t intend to charge less than our competitors are offering in Las Vegas. Be that as it may, we have put plans in place to discount our products and services once in a while and also to reward our loyal customers.
Our Unique Selling Point; What Makes Our Hotel Superior to Our Competitions
Every business just like ours have got what it is that makes them stand out, as well as attract people to them. One of the ways that we have taken to arrive at our unique selling point is by being able to study other hotels in the area which we are located, and then adding a service and value that is deficient in theirs. Therefore, we came up with having one of the biggest clubs in the whole of Miami.
We noticed that a lot of folks love to unwind and party as the night comes. So, we have decided to give them a once in a lifetime experience with the way that can unwind. Our gigantic clubbing dome has the state of the art sound systems that can keep our visitors spell bound.
Yet another unique selling point we have come up with is the fact that we have made all our rooms ‘a home away from home’ kind of experience. This is so that our clients can be well pampered. We believe that when this happens, they will come back again, as well as refer people freely to us.
Benefits Our Clients Stand to Gain When They Patronize Our Hotel
We are in the hospitality business and this means that we have got to make people as comfortable as possible. It is vital to also say that we are in this business to make good profit. So, this means that as we look to make profit, we have to also give our clients the very best in services.
One of the ways at which we have been able to arrive at what will be best for our clients is by research. We have therefore carried out some thorough research, so as to come up with what will put a smile on the faces of those whom we deal with. Here are some of the benefits which our clients stand to gain when they come to us at all times;
- Excellent cuisine
- Highly competitive prices for all our services than they can get in the whole of the United States of America
- Good value for their money
- Wonderful experience
- Mind blowing reception from our employees
10. Guerrilla Marketing Strategies for Our Hotel
- Creating Brand Identity for Our Hotel
It is the duty of businesses that wants to grow beyond the corner of the street which they operate from, to utilize every available means (conventional and non – conventional means) to advertise and promote the business. This is also the case with our hotel business.
We have got strong plans in place to grow our business beyond Miami, Florida. This is one of the aims of fine tuning our brand via every available means. Below are the ways that we want to leverage on to promote and advertise our Hotel business;
- Inspire our loyal customers to help us adopt the good old Word of Mouth mode of advertisement (referrals)
- Advertise our hotel business in relevant magazines (tourism magazines), local newspaper, local TV stations and local radio station
- Promote our hotel business online via our official website
- List our hotel business on local directories (yellow pages ads)
- Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Google+, LinkedIn, Badoo, Facebook , twitter, et al to promote our business
- Install our Bill Boards on strategic locations around Miami and other key cities in Florida.
- Direct coupon mailing approach to introduce our hotel business to residents and companies
- Engage in road show from time to time to create awareness of our hotel business.
- Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas in Miami, and other key cities in Florida
- Maximize our company’s website to promote our business
Strategic Marketing Alliance with Our Competitors in the Hotel Industry
There are loads of travel agents that are scattered all over the United States of America. We know that more often than not they might be able to help refer travelers who might be coming down to Florida to our hotel. This is one of the reasons why we are forming a strategic alliance with such organizations. Also, there are a thousand and one visa and travel e-commerce businesses that we can partner with.
For instance; we are aware of some e-commerce travel agencies that can be approached for hotel bookings. This happens most especially when a visitor is visiting Florida for the first time. So, we plan to strategically form an alliance, so that we do not miss the goodies that chance plans to offer.
11. Our Customer Retention Strategies (Ways to Improve Our Customer Experience)
We are doing all we can to see that we adhere to our Business model, as well as serve all our clients in the most appropriate and satisfying ways. We believe that big brands have been able to keep most of their clients by doing just that.
This is one of the aims of wanting to do same. We also are aware that, if a company is able to achieve over 60 percent retention the company will sure experience huge turn over and such company can comfortably be classified as a thriving company.
As such, we have completed plans on how to improve our customer experience from time to time and to continue to improve on our customer’s retention. These are the methods we intend utilizing when it comes to improving our customer experience so that we can create a good impression and generate repeat business from them:
- Ensures that we render quality services at all times.
- Offer highly affordable prices available in the industry
- Ensure we get feedbacks from our customers at all times
- We will create a system where points will be awarded to loyal customers – a point-based system for redeemable rewards.
- Make use of effective customer relationship management (CRM) software to effectively manage our clientele base.
- Ensures that we carry our customers along when making decisions that directly affect them.
Possible Ways We Intend Offering Incentives to Our Customers/Clients (Bonus, Discounts, etc)
One of the tricks that could cause a business to continue to have repeat customers at all times is hinged on the benefits which the people get from it.
One of those benefits is the bonuses and incentives that is gotten. We are aware of this and that is why we are in sync with the trend. As such, we will definitely offer discounts, coupons, and bonuses from time to time to our existing and long standing customers.
Part of the incentives that we intend dishing out to our highly honored customers is to give them discount on all our service offerings- this is especially if they have consistently employed our services for a period of 6 months and above.
We are even resolute to offer our services at half the price for exceptional customers who spend certain amount on our services within the period of 12 months and beyond. So, the amount that is expected to be spent by a customer before they can qualify for 50 percent discount will be determined by our management.
There will also be a loyalty plan that will enable us reward our loyal customers who are able to refer our services to their family members, friends and colleagues. Rewarding them could be in the form of discounts anytime they patronize us and also giving those gifts during special occasions like Christmas, New Year, Thanksgiving, Independence Celebrations and Easter et al.
- After Sales Service and Customer Support Services
The hotel business with all sincerity is such that should have an active after sales and customer support services. This is because of the fact that doing this will sure make the customers who patronize us more endeared to us. This is the reason why we will maximize our customer relationship management software applications so as to keep in touch with all our customers to make sure we carry them along when we have any promo or freebie in the offing
Possible Questions We Intend Asking Our Customers During Our Market Survey
These are the 10 possible questions we are going to put forward when conducting marketing survey on our customers/clients:
- Are you satisfied with the quality and standard of the physical structure we have put together for our hotel?
- Do you think that the services that we render says well of us?
- Aside from the hospitality services that we render, what other related services would you like us to offer?
- Do you think our employees are prompt and friendly?
- Would you want to freely recommend clients to us?
- Do you think our hotel promotes the American dream to tourists?
- How would you want us to communicate to you when we want to pass useful information that will be of benefit to you or someone you know? Through letters, text messages, e – mail, or via mobile apps (BBM, twitter, 2Go, WeChat, WhatsApp et al)
- What is the highest amount you will be willing to pay for a service?
- What is the lowest amount you will be willing to pay for a service?
- Can you comfortably recommend our Hotel to your family members, friends and colleagues?
12. Actionable Marketing ideas for Our Hotel
Cost Effective Ways We Intend to Advertise/Promote Our Hotel Company without Using the Internet
- Place adverts on both print ( local newspapers and Tourism magazines) and electronic (radio and TV) media platforms
- Sponsor relevant community based programs
- Attend local and intentional hospitality fairs/expos
- List our business on yellow pages
- Place our bill boards in strategic locations
- Distribute our fliers and handbills in targeted areas/estates from time to time
Low Cost Ways We Intend to Advertise/Promote Our Hotel on the Internet
There are a myriad of clients that can be gotten from the internet by all standards. This is because of the way the internet technology has evolved overtime.
We do not want to be caught napping in this regard, this is why we are ready to tap into all the goodies which the internet have got to offer our hotel business. Here are they ways we intending leveraging on the internet to advertise / promote our hotel company:
- Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Pinterest, , Tumblr, WordPress, Facebook, twitter, YouTube, Google+, and Snapchat to promote our hotel business brand to all and sundry
- Design an interactive corporate website and we will make use the platform to promote The Comfort- Arena Hotel
- Place adverts on high traffic websites (Craigslist, travel and other relevant websites)
- Engage in blogging and make use of the platform to promote our hotel company
- Leverage on email marketing strategy to advertise and promote our hotel company
Creative Marketing ideas Specific to Our Hotel
It is true that every business engage in the marketing activity to make more money. However, there are some that think outside the box to come up with excellent ideas which they can adopt for marketing that can translate to more clients.
We know of this, that is why part of our creative marketing strategy is to have people come into our hotel for free and demand whatever service they want. Why is this so? This is so that potential customers who haven’t had a taste of our services can come see what we are all about.
We believe that doing this will help expose our uniqueness and soon people can refer other people and organizations to us.