Hotel Marketing Q&A

HEY...Johnnie me boy! Great to hear from you.

So.....your "Ring Of Cards" (Cards in EVERY ROOM of hotels).....I've found is a "Waste of Time"!

I started out in the "Reaching Tourists" biz many yars ago....I found that local Hotels did NOT have the SAME TV Channels as their Guests renting rooms in a DIFFERENT TV Channel area. So....Channel 9 in Oregon is NOT the same as Channel 9 in Arkansas or Colorado or whereever.

So....I made up a 6 x 9 Card I called "TV Channel Guide". On the front at top was info about the Hotel they were staying in.....then 3 columns of TV Channels then....at the bottom....an Ad (with Photo) of a Pizza Delivery Co.

And....on backside were 6 Ads.....2 across and 3 down of local biz that wanted to reach TOURISTS!.....STAYING IN THIS HOTEL!

So.....this went well for a few yrs UNTIL.....I wanted to reach a LARGER SHARE OF THE TARGET MARKET!

So....as I've usually done with ALL of my money-making projects (I do NOT look for a "J.O.B".....I Look for OPPORTUNITIES!).....I went over to the most popular Hotel in my town and....grabbed a cup of coffee and a newspaper and sat myself down in an easy chair.....and WATCHED what went on!

As I noticed that Guest after Guest was asking the Clerk......the SAME question; "WHERE DO WE EAT?" or...."CAN YOU SUGGEST ANY LOCAL RESTAURANTS?"

Now.....the folks checiking into THIS hotel;
1) Had Money
2) Had a CellPhone
3) Were HUNGRY (affluent travelers do NOT carry lunch bags with them)

So.....as I watched this for about 2 hours.....an idea struck me: WHAT IF THERE WAS A DISPLAY ON THE COUNTER NEXT TO WHERE THEY WERE CHECKING IN THAT ASKED A QUESTION; "LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO EAT?.....SCAN HERE!...with a picture of a Pizza or Plate of food!

.....and when they finished Registering....THE CLERK WOULD MENTION; "HEY FOLKS! IF YER HUNGRY....SCAN THE DISPLAY TO FIND A RESTAURANT DIRECTORY!

YOU KIDDIN' ME! THEY ALL WHIPPED OUT THEIR MOBILE.....AIMED IT AT MY DISPLAY....SNAPPED A PHOTO AND....WHALA.....UP CAME MY MOBILE WEB DIRECTORY!

Now.....question is; "Will local Restaurants and other biz be willing to PAY.... little ol ME to be ON This Directory?

YOU BETCHER BANNANAS....KEMOSABE!

So.....I began with a display that I showed on the other Thread (FREE Pizza) and when that was PROVEN to get biz for my pizza guy.....I upgraded to including ALL Categories of Cuisine and.....OFFERING AN EXCLUSIVE for THEIR Cuisine Niche!

WHY? Cause I was doing this for ONE Reason.....MONEY!

So.....yes....I could do a "General" Directory showing MANY biz in each category HOWEVER.....I did NOT want to be a "Yellow Pages" type of thingee charging $50 or $60 a month.....I wanted to appeal to the "GREED GLANDS" of biz owners in ANY Category;

ONE "Thai Rest".....ONE "Mexican"....ONE "Gift Shop"....ONE "Realtor".....ONE "Car Wash".....etc

So.....in my Sales Presentations I could work on the EMOTIONS of Biz Owners!

Hey!.....when I tell a italian Restaurant owner that HE.....HIS Restaurant will be the ONLY Italian Restaurant in my Driectory.....ya....sure....when I HIT him with my price (for an exclusive).....they usually go into parapathetic shock.... and I usually have to wait a minute or 2 for them to get their composure AND, when they recover.....and they've had a minute to consider.....their next response is.....WHO DO I MAKE MY CHECK TO!

THIS.....my fine feathered friends who are learning the ins and outs of "HOW TO SELL YER STUFF!"....will someday come to understand that EMOTION..... APPEALING TO EMOTION.....will help you be HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL in anything you do!

ASIDE: Until the Liberals take over our country where everyone is EQUAL.... the MOST POWERFUL EMOTION of......GREED.....is what MOTIVATES!

So.....I've attached a photo of the Front Desk Display I started with (for my Pizza Guy) and.....you can capture this and make something similar.....take a sample to 10 local Hotels/Motels......ask the manager (Pay CLOSE ATTENTION to how I get their Permission!)

"Hi Mr Mgr.....my name is Don Alm.....I have created a Website Directory of local Restaurants, Gift Shops, Attractions etc.....for Tourists/Travelers who would like to find Places to Eat and Shop and Find Local Attractions to enjoy themselves while in town. All they have to do is take out their Mobile Device and Scan the Code....and they can Log Into my Directory!

Now.....this is totally FREE to you and....will show that YOU really care about providing your Guests with the UTMOST Care, Concern & Convenience! So, would YOU have any Objection to my placing this Display on your Front Desk?"

I hope YOU who are reading this SEE what I'm doing.....I am NOT asking for a "YES!".....I'm asking for a "NO!" response....."NO!"....meaning "No Objection"!

Can you see the Psychology here?

Great.....now GO OUT AND DO IT!

Don Alm.....long-time Doer and STILL doin