JCF Marketing, hihotels’ advertising agency, has more than 25 years of experience developing marketing campaigns for national hotel chains, as well as assisting economy hotels at a local level with strategic planning, advertising, public relations and graphic design.
Marketing Services
1.0 Strategic Planning for Local Marketing
2.0 Graphic Design for Sales & Promotional Materials
3.0 State & Local Listing & Marketing Opportunities
4.0 Media Planning & Placement
5.0 Public Relations
1.0 Strategic Planning for Local Marketing
Take the first steps toward building an effective marketing plan by developing an outline covering the key components. Here is an overview that can be adapted to your business and customer base.
1) Clearly state your objectives – what you need to accomplish
2) Define your target audiences and their needs
3) Outline strategies/opportunities
4) Develop a strong positioning platform
5) Implement the plan
Our Services:
This is just a brief outline with many more details needed to develop a comprehensive plan, but you need to start somewhere. Identify where your hotel is today, where you want to take it next year, and how to achieve your goals. Developing an effective plan will take time but will be worth it in the long run.
Processes and cost range:
Our team is here to help with creating and implementing cost-effective and impactful marketing campaigns. Depending on the scope of the project, preparing a plan can range from $1,000 to $3,000.
2.0 Graphic Design for Sales & Promotional Materials
Marketing opportunities:
Having sales & marketing materials that are on brand and professionally designed is important when trying to attract new guests. Whether they are displayed at your hotel, mailed, distributed at welcome centers and in feeder markets, shared at local businesses or posted online, each piece should showcase your hotel’s features with an engaging theme and be cohesive with each other.
- Rack cards
- Postcards
- Flyers
- Brochures
- PowerPoint presentations
- Billboards
- Print and online ads
Our Services
Creative development, design, layout, copywriting and final artwork.
Processes and cost range:
Let us know the type of project you would like help with and we can discuss the details, get your direction and then provide you with an estimate.
The cost to develop artwork for these materials depends on the level of services needed for each project and the amount of information and photos that you are able to provide or there will be an additional charge for stock photography. For instance, designing a rack card and preparing artwork will be about $130 and a more detailed tri-fold brochure will be about $325. Production/printing costs can be determined based on the quantities you need to have produced.
3.0 State & Local Listing & Marketing Opportunities
Tourism Marketing targeting travelers:
- There are listing opportunities on most local and state/province tourism sites, Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), Chamber of Commerce, and State/Province Hotel Association guides and sites.
- There are also marketing opportunities to place Hot Deals on websites, send press releases and participate in co-op advertising programs with many of the tourism marketing offices.
- You should be taking advantage of each marketing opportunity to increase your exposure and potential business.
Our Services:
- Review all the tourism offices and the listing and marketing opportunities they offer. You should already have received a summary we prepared for your State Division of Tourism office.
- Compile the information to present to you, including where your hotel is listed, where it can be listed, and other free and paid marketing options.
Processes and cost range:
- To prepare this marketing opportunities analysis, the cost will be $200.
- You can then take this information and coordinate all the listings and other opportunities yourself.
- The other option is for you to provide the content/information to us and we can handle coordination and placement at a cost of $100-$200.
- If you want to take advantage of the advertising opportunities, we can discuss the programs and costs too.
4.0 Media Planning & Placement
Media Opportunities:
There are a variety of other marketing opportunities for your hotel.
- Billboards on major highways leading to your location
- Highway logo boards
- Radio in major feeder markets
- Ads in state hotel association, Division of Tourism and Chamber of Commerce guides, websites and
newsletters - Online ads on travel websites
Our Services:
- Our team can investigate the different opportunities to increase your exposure, outline costs and provide this information to you.
- We can also create artwork for any of these media channels and place the schedules.
Processes and cost range:
- Our goal is to provide you with a menu of opportunities for you to review and make an educated decision by having all of the details.
- The estimated costs will depend on which services you require, so after we discuss your objectives and media options you are interested in pursuing, we can provide a quote for your review.
5.0 Public Relations
PR Opportunities:
Just as the name implies, public relations is developing positive relationships with your current guests, potential guests and the community in which you work and reside. The objectives of a PR program are to communicate a message, improve an image, build awareness, persuade a public, and increase business and revenue.
Our Services:
A solid PR strategy will generate positive media exposure, which makes your hotel a desirable destination.
Components include:
- Identifying contacts at all local and feeder market media sources and then developing relationships
- Continuing to make your hotel newsworthy
- Writing and sending press releases, then following up
- Partnering with other companies or organizations
Processes and cost range:
If you need us to develop and implement any of your PR campaigns, contact us and we can discuss topics and costs. Generally, it’s $200 to write a press release. The cost to create a local media list and distribute the release would depend on market size.
Contact Peter Frantz, pfrantz@jcfmarketing.com to discuss your marketing needs and how the JCF Marketing team can help take your hotel to the next level.