Marketing your property doesn’t have to break the bank! Check out a few ideas to get you started.
1. Create a marketing plan for your hotel
Before investing in advertising, outline clear objectives, strategies, and target audiences for your hotel. Identify your property’s current position, what you aim to achieve, and how you’ll meet and exceed guest needs. Highlight what sets your hotel apart and why guests should choose you. Select the most effective media channels—such as radio, social media, public relations, email, and/or online ads—based on where your audience engages, especially when working with a limited budget.
2. Leverage Social Media Creatively
These days, with social media, it’s all about likes, shares, and snapshots to reach more potential guests, engage with them, and be considered as a lodging choice. Travelers are looking for clean and comfortable rooms, quality service, and great value. Social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, X, and Facebook serve as your hotel’s window to the world.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Use short videos to highlight rooms, staff, amenities, and nearby attractions.
- Run contests and promotions that offer discounts, extended check-in and check-out times, and other offers to get people to take notice and come through your doors.
- Content created by guests—like photos, videos, or reviews—and running campaigns that encourage more guest content through specific hashtags are important. The goal is to build trust and community by showcasing authentic experiences, which can be shared on social media and the hotel’s website.
- Share customer testimonials describing what sets your hotel apart.
- Respond to messages and reviews on social media in a timely manner to engage one-to-one with customers.
3. Email Marketing
Email marketing is a cost-effective and highly measurable form of direct marketing that allows you to collect customer emails, nurture leads, send targeted campaigns, and drive sales. It can include items like special offers for initial stays and loyal guests.
You can also incorporate blog content—such as local guides, travel tips, and behind-the-scenes stories—that links back to your website, boosting organic traffic. All in all, email marketing is a great way to increase loyalty and repeat business through personalized and valuable content. There are numerous options to handle your setup, databases and campaigns, including Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and HubSpot.
4. State Division of Tourism Marketing Opportunities
The good news is you don’t have to do it all on your own. Consider leveraging the marketing power of the State Division of Tourism offices’ free and low-cost opportunities. For example, state tourism websites can offer free listings, PR assistance, and advertising opportunities to make the most of your marketing. One example is below.
5. Partner with a complementary business
Speaking of tapping into outside resources, why not partner up with another business in your area to share ad space in print, online, and in emails? Think about cross-promotion opportunities with nearby restaurants, attractions, or events. This will help you increase your exposure while decreasing your ad cost. You can also offer exclusive discounts for guests attending local festivals or conferences.
Boost Bookings on a Budget
Marketing your hotel in today’s world is a necessity, but it doesn’t have to mean breaking the bank.
Stay one step ahead of your competitors by using these five low-cost, high-impact strategies to reach your target audience where they’re at, attract new guests, and build lasting relationships, all while staying within budget.
Get creative, stay consistent, and watch your efforts turn into bookings.