Leadership Lessons Blog

Starting a New Business

 

In Part 3 of my conversation with Ann Manion, President of Hotel Advantage, she shares some of the marketing techniques.

 

Missed Part 1? Read Spotlight on an Entrepreneur: Starting A New Business

Missed Part 2:  Read Spotlight on an Entrepreneur:  Lessons Learned Starting a Business

 

 

Celia:  How are you marketing your new company and what decisions did you have to make as it relates to social media?

 

Ann:  Right now, the reputation of Hotel Advantage is my reputation. Thus, promoting Hotel Advantage today means marketing Ann Manion's hospitality and reputation management expertise. That is why we put my picture on the home page of the web site. This felt unnatural to me since I am a "behind the curtains person". But it was the right thing to do strategically for my business.

 

Building a strong network with the right people is key. You can invest a lot of time networking, but if you are not in front of people that can hire you, than you should probably be somewhere else. Be selective about your networking venues.

 

Social media is increasingly the centerpiece of how companies connect with customers today. When anyone considers a social media initiative, they should ask and answer these 2 questions before jumping into a platform: 

 

#1. What is my business objective?

#2. What is the online behavior of my ideal client?

 

I see examples everyday of companies that start a social media project that flops. This happens because they had no plan. If you think a college intern who knows Facebook can manage your online reputation, you're crazy.

 

If you have a Facebook business page, you should have a marketing plan for that page. A company that wants to start a blog, needs a well defined blog Social media has no entry fee, so companies jump in too quick and later fail because they didn't deploy the talent, resources, or time to seal a successful outcome. 

 

I market Hotel Advantage by keeping my business name in front of the people I want to do business with as often as I think appropriate. Michael Katz of Blue Penguin Development taught me the value of marketing to the people that you know. Specific things I do:

 

(1) A monthly e-newsletter to a highly targeted list of clients, strategic partners, and prospects. I deliver free, valuable content, reminding my audience of my expertise in hotel reputation management. I use myemma.com and love their product and customer service. Here's a look at the April 2010 edition of Advantage Newsletter. It presents an engaging, story-inspired case of Brand Brilliance:

http://app.e2ma.net/campaign/35315.90cabe4fae0664e642b3120c8a23dfb1

 

(2) My philosophy is that the most important thing is what the hotel guest thinks. Our Facebook business page connects hotels guests with property management teams. My business objective is to create an online space for hotels to connect with what guests really think. My clients gain access to high quality feedback (in real time!) from a targeted audience. The Facebook page allows me to reinforce that Hotel Advantage is the source for finding out what hotel guests really think. I love looking at my wall. It makes me happy to see a colorful mosaic of pictures, postings, and videos shared between guests, hotels, and Hotel Advantage. My role is simply to facilitate dialogue, and contribute resources that spark conversation. I invite blog readers to become a fan at http://www.facebook.com/HotelAdvantage

 

(3) Linked In is an excellent tool to build a professional network. I update my profile regularly, and the number and quality of my connections grow stronger each month. Every business person should be on Linked In, no exceptions. http://www.linkedin.com/in/annmanion

 

(4) I just started Twitter and am using it as a pointer to my web site, newsletter, and Facebook postings. http://twitter.com/annmanion. Tweetdeck is also a service I recommend - it helps me operate more efficiently in World 2.0.

 

(5) I patronize hospitality operations in Boston and blog about my experiences on  Yelp. This helps me connect with online contributors and serves as a feeder for the Facebook business page. It also serves as a place to underscore my expertise in guest experience consulting , another core service of Hotel Advantage. http://annmanion.yelp.com/ 

 

Right now my plans include podcasting Advantage Newsletter, and contributing visual content via YouTube and Flicker to develop a stronger online visual reputation for the company. I am using many social media tools to grow my business, and serve as a role model for my clients.

Celia:  If you had to identify 5 key players, activities, or things to consider if you had to do this again in the future, what would they be? 

 

Ann: Hotel Advantage launched in October of 2009, and was a result of a rebranding of an existing marketing company. It's too soon to know what strategies are working best and which ones are less effective.

 

The market is still sluggish, and hotels are faced with great challenges and more limited resources. My job is to show them the practical ways Hotel Advantage can bring them more customers and help them strengthen their property's most important asset: their reputation.

 

I can't say it's been easy starting a company in this economy. Hotels have been particularly hard hit. And, social media has presented operators with a brave new world of change and challenge. My job is to be an excellent listener, and show my clients measureable results in the form of more customers. This grows their business, and that is what it is all about.

 

I care what my clients think, and try to listen to all their needs. I've got two ears and one mouth and do my best try to use them proportionally (I read that somewhere, and it stuck).