|
Intensifying competition, the proliferation of video and changing travel shopper behavior are a few key drivers encouraging hotel owners and marketers to rethink their existing approaches to online revenue generating activities. Put
yourself in the shoes of an active online travel shopper looking to
book a
hotel in downtown New York for a weekend getaway with friends. As you
search
the Internet for hotels that meet your buying criteria - price point,
room
size, amenities, proximity to attractions, shopping and nightlife, you
find
several comparable hotels and struggle to choose the "right one." What
is
it that motivates you to choose one hotel over the others? I would
argue (and
merchandising strategy supports), that how well a hotel best conveys
the
expected experience you're looking for during your stay is what
ultimately
motivates you to book. The
retail industry has long understood that product presentation impacts
sales.
The hotel industry, however, isn't using merchandising strategies to
their full
advantage online. There are valuable opportunities for hoteliers to
enhance
their online presence, making their hotels more visually compelling and
more
engaging than the competition. By
understanding and implementing the fundamentals of online hotel
merchandising,
hoteliers can leverage the Internet as a cost effective sales and
marketing
channel by capturing shoppers' attention and motivating them to book. Download
the article
to learn six simple ways hotels can use online merchandising
to their advantage.  Author: Paolo Boni, President & Chief Executive Officer, VFM Leonardo, Inc. Paolo has been leading VFM Leonardo's vision and strategic direction since 2001 and is a recognized travel industry expert on subjects relating to online travel marketing, online hotel merchandising and rich media. He is also a contributing member of the HotelExecutive.com Editorial Board. |