It’s not easy being in the hospitality industry right now. Heck, it’s not easy being a human right now! As a marketing agency specializing in the hospitality industry, we understand the fear and angst that is happening right now with our clients and industry peers. As fellow members of the human race, we also understand that these are scary times for everyone.
Empathy Marketing: The Key to Success
Knowing what to do at the moment feels tricky. How can you support your community, keep your staff employed, and stay solvent? All important yet heavy decisions. We are right there with you, asking the same questions.
TAKE CONTROL
Don’t become a victim of this virus, instead shift your mindset to serving your local community. We need each other for survival. We have come up with some ways you can serve your community and potentially stay afloat during these crazy times.
START WITH EMPATHY MARKETING
What is empathy marketing? Empathy marketing goes beyond relevance and authenticity to a deep-down relational approach. It goes beyond just “what would I do if I were in their shoes” by actually digging deep, talking to your clients and getting the true scope of their vision, hopes, and fears.
Why empathy marketing? Empathy marketing is beneficial for several reasons. We will dig into two reasons here. First, empathy marketing gives your business a true authenticity. Not the trendy “fad” of being authentic by sounding good but truly offering your customers community-minded, authentic solutions that bring them value. Second, the only way to truly navigate empathy marketing is to genuinely engage with and build relationships with your customers. This not only builds a trusted relationship but it also gives a foundation for a loyal customer base that has value beyond today.
How do I implement empathy marketing? Although the current situation is hard, the hidden blessing is that you likely have time to reach out to your current and potential customers. By reaching out to them personally, you are able to hear the genuine voice behind their needs and fears. Walking through this unsure time alongside your community members and potential future clients from outside your community increases the level of trust and loyalty for future sales.
SHARE YOUR MESSAGE
Reassure current and future guests the actions your property has taken to keep them safe. What have you learned from this situation that they can benefit from? How is this changing how you do business in the future?
By sharing your story, you can also get back to your roots. Why are you in the hospitality industry? What is your vision for the future? Humanizing your business is more important now than ever.
REACH OUT TO LOCALS
The drive market is your friend during this crisis. After being shut in their homes for weeks, an outlet may be exactly what they need to refresh and refocus to see this thing through. Vacationers are bound to turn into staycationers. Consider what you can offer and how you can entice them to your property.
OPEN UP YOUR SPACE
Do you have ample room for social distancing? Let locals know! Think of how your open spaces can benefit community members. Hiking trails, outdoor lounging areas, and tennis courts are perfect options to offer things for community members to do while practicing social distancing. Even ballrooms and large open lobbies can be a safe place to “congregate” while staying safely distant. You may have exactly what your community needs!
VIRTUAL WORKERS
As many workers are facing the transition to work virtually, do you have space that you can open up as social distancing compliant virtual workspaces?
REMOTE CONFERENCE MEETINGS
So many conferences and conventions are being canceled but there may be a better solution. Have you considered opening up your space for conference and convention planners to use?
You already have the AV equipment and a beautiful location. Encourage planners to move forward with their meetings virtually. Set up a virtual package for them that includes some links for how to host a meeting or convention online and train your staff to answer any questions they may have. It’s easy to practice social distancing when you just have a handful of speakers that need to attend.
RENOVATE
If you have been considering a renovation project, this just might be the perfect time to pull the trigger and do it. Renovations cannot be ignored. If your hotel is slow or even closed, why not renovate now so that you don’t have to close again in the near future?
As a boutique sales and marketing agency whose clients are mostly hospitality-based, we understand the fear and uncertainty of the current situation. We also know that every challenge is an opportunity. At Lure Agency we want to help you maneuver these challenging times with confidence and wisdom knowing there is tremendous hope for the future.
Feel free to reach out to us, should you need any guidance or support.
