Are you embracing the power of the internet in 2010?

by mcallegari on December 16, 2009

Talking to a campus conference facility in the west country this week sadly reinforced the view that online marketing is still, for some in the meetings industry anyway, a long way off.
‘We haven’t received any enquiries from Venuhub.com’ was the claim.
But taking a closer look, it became apparent that they had not updated their listing with enriched data for planners to view or use.
In fact, there wasn’t  even a picture or info on their meeting rooms!
Information about their facilities on their own web site was also lacking –  certainly conspicuous by its absence.
‘But, we have allocated all our marketing budget’ said the conference manager.
Perhaps a review of their marketing strategy and budget allocation may have diverted just £16 per month to attract a full audience of planners for a whole year.
Double and treble this to use six professional online services that generate enquiries and bookings and what do you get?
Yes, that’s right, a real presence for your facilities across internet venue  services costing just £100 pm.
Or, if you prefer, the price of a month’s promotional gimmicks.
Are you prioritising and embracing the power of the internet in 2010 and do you know how to?

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Traditional Marketing vs the Internet

by admin on December 1, 2009

Will the cut backs that have greatly affected marketing spend and activity throughout 2009 now provide an opportunity for hotels and venues to examine the value and ROI of all traditional marketing methods planned for 2010?

What has been the price of generating a sale enquiry created by each activity of the traditional marketing mix?

Up until now ROI has largely been the barrier imposed by marketeers when asked to embrace ‘the internet’.
Knowing that the internet has become today’s most powerful media,* available to the conference and meetings industry, will hotels and venues in 2010 now complement other marketing activity by fully harnessing the power of the internet and take advantage of internet services that are specifically built to drive on-line enquiries and meeting room reservations?  Especially, as the cost of using these web search services is minimal compared to traditional marketing methods **.

*Online accounts for 23.5% of all advertising budgets – ahead of TV and Press.
**The Study also reports a strong growth of paid-for Search Listings.
Source: IAB 2009 UK Online Ad Spend Study.

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