Hospitality marketing - Essay Example

Product positioning is an important marketing strategy that must be utilized by managers to increase the demand for a product or service. Product positioning creates an image differentiating a product and promising a benefit in the minds of the customers (Shoemaker & Shaw). It also provides the customer with at perception about the product or service offering. Companies in the hospitality industry can greatly benefit from the use of product positioning. A positioning statement for a company in the hospitality industry is: To provide the customers with a unique once in a lifetime experience that will be remembered forever.

There are different strategies that hotels can utilize to position the firm so that the business can thrive and become profitable. A way for hotels to optimize their usage is by offering lower prices for its idle rooms during weak visiting seasons. This can be achieved by using an online strategy that matches the customer desire price with the offerings of the hotel. The use of various marketing channels such as the written press, online ads, and cellular advertising can help companies ensure that customers visit the facilities of the hotel.

Online advertising has become the hottest and most cost effective advertising strategy marketers are using today. To strengthen a company’s position the brand of the firm must be well recognized by the general public. The use of online advertising is a very effective way to get the word out about the services the company offers. It is imperative for companies to have professional websites that have lots of pictures of the hotel, provides the firm’s prices, and enables users to make sales and reservations online.

In the United States e-commerce sales are expected to reach $269.8 billion by 2015 (Plunkettresearchonline). Companies in the hospitality industry must position its services to take advantage of holidays and special events. The use of cellular advertising can be use to let the local customers know of a special sale event such as half price rooms during Valentine’s Day. Keeping a database of the addresses and phone numbers of customers can be very beneficial in the marketing efforts of the company Based on Pareto’s rule 80% of firm’s business comes from 20% of its customers.

Achieving a higher customer retention rate in the hospitality industry is critical to its success. Another way to improve the positioning of a hotel is by having superb customer service and food services. The quality of the food of the restaurant of the hotel must be outstanding in order to provide the customers with a great experience they will remember. Work Cited PagePlunkettresearchonline.com. 13 February 2012. “E-commerce and Internet Business Overview.” 2 December 2012. Shoemaker, Stowe, and Margaret Shaw.

Marketing Essentials in Hospitality and Tourism: Foundations and Practice. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 2008.