Viral Marketing: Is it right for your business? Stacy Armijo Pierpont Communications June 18, 2008

A little about me… Public relations and marketing experience for companies of all types Strongly believe in the power of traditional marketing and communication tools Believe viral marketing presents new opportunities ripe for exploration

Public relations and marketing experience for companies of all types

Strongly believe in the power of traditional marketing and communication tools

Believe viral marketing presents new opportunities ripe for exploration

What is “viral marketing?” The short version: Any promotion that encourages people to pass along a marketing message voluntarily, typically through word-of-mouth or electronic media.

The short version:

Any promotion that encourages people to pass along a marketing message voluntarily, typically through word-of-mouth or electronic media.

Passing the smell test Hospitality is ideal for viral marketing because: A large portion of the target audience is already online It engages users around their passions (travel, parties, bargain hunting, luxury) Many properties can leverage existing networks for success

Hospitality is ideal for viral marketing because:

A large portion of the target audience is already online

It engages users around their passions (travel, parties, bargain hunting, luxury)

Many properties can leverage existing networks for success

How could you use it? Supplement existing membership programs Promote new or unique services Monitor consumer attitudes and opinions Expand the reach of your brand (Potentially) Drive traffic to your property

Supplement existing membership programs

Promote new or unique services

Monitor consumer attitudes and opinions

Expand the reach of your brand

(Potentially) Drive traffic to your property

What are the options? There are TONS! We’ll discuss… Web site Search engine optimization Blogs Social networking Mobile marketing

There are TONS! We’ll discuss…

Web site

Search engine optimization

Blogs

Social networking

Mobile marketing

Web Site 21 st Century storefront The destination of all of your marketing A must for every property

21 st Century storefront

The destination of all of your marketing

A must for every property

Web Site: The Basics Clean, appealing design Complete, accurate, up-to-date info Show us your personality

Clean, appealing design

Complete, accurate, up-to-date info

Show us your personality

Web Site: Kick it up a notch Virtual property tours Links / Searches for area attractions Regularly updated editorial features Videos from property staff

Virtual property tours

Links / Searches for area attractions

Regularly updated editorial features

Videos from property staff

Web Site: Rock ‘n’ Roll Online guest book Blogs by company representatives User-generated video and photo galleries Online forums for guests Live chat with customer service reps Make-your-own brochures Event planning wizards Interaction should increase with each evolution

Online guest book

Blogs by company representatives

User-generated video and photo galleries

Online forums for guests

Live chat with customer service reps

Make-your-own brochures

Event planning wizards

Search Engine Optimization Critical and highly competitive in hospitality Find unusual terms / search criteria Consider pay-per-click Recommend outsourcing

Critical and highly competitive in hospitality

Find unusual terms / search criteria

Consider pay-per-click

Recommend outsourcing

Blogs: Several Options Monitor and comment on existing blogs Write your own blog Empower your guests to blog

Monitor and comment on existing blogs

Write your own blog

Empower your guests to blog

Blogs: Comment on others No control over the message Company reps perceived as less credible Source is often unknown Far less time-consuming Frequency is up to you Potentially engages a new audience Keeps you apprised of consumer trends Cons: Pros:

No control over the message

Company reps perceived as less credible

Source is often unknown

Far less time-consuming

Frequency is up to you

Potentially engages a new audience

Keeps you apprised of consumer trends

Blogs: Write your own Very time-consuming (more than you think) Finding a well-suited author can be difficult Must have resources to moderate / keep active More control over the message Shows your personality Offers guests an opportunity to engage (via comments) Cons: Pros:

Very time-consuming (more than you think)

Finding a well-suited author can be difficult

Must have resources to moderate / keep active

More control over the message

Shows your personality

Offers guests an opportunity to engage (via comments)

Blogs: Empower guests Very time-consuming to recruit authors, manage Content may not be relevant Must manage critical and/or inappropriate postings Another way to create guest loyalty Offers a more personal view of your property Cons: Pros:

Very time-consuming to recruit authors, manage

Content may not be relevant

Must manage critical and/or inappropriate postings

Another way to create guest loyalty

Offers a more personal view of your property

Keys to blogging success Find the right author Find the right content Take a long-term view Show your personality

Find the right author

Find the right content

Take a long-term view

Show your personality

Social Networking

Social Networking: Jury is out Online communities for users with similar interests (Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace) Can create pages for your property and participate in the community Not seeing much success for hospitality yet (see page postings, but no participation) Consider participating around specific events or promotions

Online communities for users with similar interests (Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace)

Can create pages for your property and participate in the community

Not seeing much success for hospitality yet (see page postings, but no participation)

Consider participating around specific events or promotions

Mobile Marketing One of the newest additions to the marketer’s toolkit Currently, best for enhancing value for existing customers Example: Send guests texts regarding the complimentary cocktail hour or jazz performance that evening

One of the newest additions to the marketer’s toolkit

Currently, best for enhancing value for existing customers

Example: Send guests texts regarding the complimentary cocktail hour or jazz performance that evening

Who’s doing it great? Leverage existing networks for participation Requires a lot of time to launch, monitor, maintain Don’t be afraid to start small Traffic is good Buzz on other sites is good GP members really like it Biggest challenge now is connecting to sales Launched in March 2008 after two-year development Online forum for GP members to exchange info about travel destinations Enhance the value of Gold Passport membership. Lessons Results Program Purpose

Leverage existing networks for participation

Requires a lot of time to launch, monitor, maintain

Don’t be afraid to start small

Traffic is good

Buzz on other sites is good

GP members really like it

Biggest challenge now is connecting to sales

Launched in March 2008 after two-year development

Online forum for GP members to exchange info about travel destinations

Who’s doing it great? Create your own online “eBrochure” Customized messaging with consistent branding Ideal for business clients and event planners Could cut down on printing costs

Create your own online “eBrochure”

Customized messaging with consistent branding

Ideal for business clients and event planners

Could cut down on printing costs

Overwhelmed? Don’t know where to start?

Take it slow Start by observing: Follow a few blogs (RSS feeds are great) Check out MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn Implement one tactic at a time Dedicate appropriate resources Very little cash LOTS of time Remember, it’s all gravy!

Start by observing:

Follow a few blogs (RSS feeds are great)

Check out MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn

Implement one tactic at a time

Dedicate appropriate resources

Very little cash

LOTS of time

Remember, it’s all gravy!

Questions Stacy Armijo Vice President Pierpont Communications 512-448-4950 [email_address] www.piercom.com