APEX_MarketingReportFinal

Marketing
Report
February 28
2016
Hazel Sy
Emily Baker
Patrick Praxmarer
Michael Battaglia
Jasmine Love
Alex Rich
Chan Mi Kvak
Anna Broughton
Madelaine Baklayan

MARKETING REPORT
APEX HOSPITALITY GROUP 2
Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...................................................................................................3
MISSION/VISION STATEMENT........................................................................................3
BRANDING........................................................................................................................4
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT..............................................................................................6
CUSTOMER PROFILES......................................................................................................8
KEY DEMOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN .............................................................................13
DIRECT MARKETING.....................................................................................................14
LEAD GENERATION.......................................................................................................15
MARKETING MIX ...........................................................................................................16
SWOT ANALYSIS............................................................................................................23
PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE...................................................................................................26
SALES STRATEGY..........................................................................................................28
DIRECT SALES................................................................................................................29
ADVERTISING.................................................................................................................30
TRADE SHOWS...............................................................................................................31
LOYALTY PROGRAMS...................................................................................................32
WEB INTEGRATION .......................................................................................................33
WEB INTEGRATION STRATEGY ...................................................................................33
WEB INTEGRATION TACTICS.......................................................................................35
SOCIAL MEDIA...............................................................................................................37
SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY...........................................................................................37
MOBILE MARKETING ....................................................................................................44
MOBILE MARKETING STRATEGY ................................................................................44
LOCAL PRESENCE..........................................................................................................46
LOCAL ADVERTISING STRATEGY ...............................................................................46
POP-UP RETAIL...............................................................................................................48
PRINT ADVERTISING.....................................................................................................49
SALES FORCE.................................................................................................................51
PUBLIC RELATIONS.......................................................................................................53
EMPLOYEE PROGRAMS.................................................................................................55
BIBLIOGRAPHY..............................................................................................................56

MARKETING REPORT
Executive Summary
The Grant Hotel, 1100 S. Michigan Ave, Chicago IL, is representative of a new age four-star
hotel. The property is extravagant, making guests feel “Chicago” throughout the duration of their
stay. The boutique property contains 282 large guest rooms, 22 junior suites, and two executive
suites. The Grant Hotel is comprised of multiple food and beverage outlets, a large fitness center,
pool and hot tub, steam room, and other high end amenities. The Grant Hotel will be a highly
profitable venture due our projected financial reports.
The Grant Hotel redefines quality hospitality services, by providing its guests with all that they
need and more in a way that is most convenient for them. The Grant’s friendly and
knowledgeable staff is always available to assist when needed and are focused on creating a
memorable Chicago experience for the guests. The Grant Hotel has an incredible location with
the ability to meet any of its guests Chicago “getaway” needs.
Every aspect of the hotel has been vetted by an experienced team of hospitality mogul’s. The
core foundation for the Grant Hotel’s plan is a combination of primary and secondary research,
upon which the hotel strategy and mission was contrived. Discussions and in person interviews
were held with a variety of individuals that relate to the overall project.
The Grant Hotel’s key elements and furniture and environment will reflect modern, Chicago
culture as we provide a comfortable stay away from home.
Mission/Vision Statement
 The Grant Hotel offers a unique hospitality experience for any person interested in
getting the full Chicago experience. At the Grant Hotel, customer satisfaction is our first
priority. We aim to provide modern Chicago culture while also fulfilling all of our guests
business and leisure needs. We offer high end service and quality for the traditional
traveler or the tech savvy business traveler. Satisfaction guaranteed.

MARKETING REPORT
Branding
 Upon entering the Grant Hotel guests are embraced with the feeling of Chicago.
Thoughtful artistry and design showcase and celebrate Chicago’s rich history and bring
modern Chicago culture to its guests. Creating a comfortable environment where self-
expression is not only accepted, but encouraged is an integral goal of the hotel, thus we
focus on functionality as an important aspect to compliment every guest’s experience.
From check in to the moment guests depart, our goal is to represent the epitome of
infamous Midwestern charm. The Grant Hotel’s combination of copious amenities,
cultural pride, and exemplary service simplifies our guest’s already complex lives, and
leaves every visitor feeling like a true Chicagoan.
 This is done by following our APEX five pillars of success
o Ability: Using our resources to the best of our ability to make our guests’ stay as
effortless as possible, through multi-functional departments and a versatile staff.
o Business: Making the most profit for our investors, treating our employees fairly,
and positively affecting the bottom line by being a completely business

MARKETING REPORT
o Community: Supporting local charities that coincide with the culture of the Grant
Hotel and taking our corporate social responsibility very seriously
o Design: Having a unique design that is simple, functional, technological, and
represents the feel of Chicago in an aesthetically appealing space
o Environment: Consciously taking care of the environment in a way that
incorporates most aspects of our hotel in a way that is non-intrusive to our guests

MARKETING REPORT
Business Development
 In order to successfully continue growth within the Grant, it’s business development team
will:
o Attend tradeshows
 Personally outreaching to potential consumers
 Handing out business cards and flyers to everyone
 Networking with anyone and everyone
o Form strategic partnerships and relationships
 Meeting professional contacts within target market to bring in new clients
 Be a strong supporter of education and hospitality focused schools such as
Kendall College
 Train business development staff to be professional, courteous, and
charming
o Understanding industry dynamics
 Follow trends within the industry
 Understanding what is popular and predicting what could be popular by
looking at Eater, Thrillist, the Red Eye
 Reading magazines with the latest hotel news such as Hotelier, Lodging
Magazine, Hotel Business Magazine, etc.
o Monitoring current events, macro-economics, and micro-economics
 Keeping up with current events by watching the news and reading the
Chicago Tribune
 Predicting slumps in the industry and how to combat it
 Understanding competition

MARKETING REPORT
 Monitoring ADR, RevPAR, and room rates in the industry
 Understanding Customer Journey
o Creating an easy to follow booking process
 Following up with the guest three days prior to arrival to ensure all of their
accommodations are set
o Making arriving to the hotel hassle free
 Having the guest use Uber through our App
 Sending a car to pick up the guest up
 Calling taxi or limousine services to pick up the guest
o Fast check-in
 Front desk ready with all that the guest needs to get right up to their room
 Bell boy available to help with bags
o Offering comfortable/safe rooms
 Luxury beds
 Soft bedding
 Adjustable lighting
 Hanging art
 Clean bathroom
 Fully stocked toiletries
 24/7 monitored lobby, elevators, and hallways
o Having a helpful and friendly staff
 Always a human answering the phone
 Quick to entertain guest’s needs
 Knowledgeable about the Grant Hotel, Chicago, the best ways to get
around the city, and the best places to visit
o Being a completely transparent company
 No hidden fees
 Openly sharing practices done within the hotel
 Well-known policies

MARKETING REPORT
Customer Profiles
Picture provided by Think with Google
 Male Individual Business Traveler (ages 30-40)
o Men are the largest market for business travelers in the United States at 67%
o More likely to change travel plans last minute, and want to be connected to
technology 24/7
o “This generation is collaborative. They are part of a social community, and they
like sharing things [with that community], whether it's about a cocktail they're out
having, or maybe what they're having for dinner or what they are doing this
weekend” ‘Millennials:’ the new face of business travel’ Daisy Carrington for
CNN
o Business travelers are most often considered assets in modern business. The use
of technology is integral to increasing productivity of the business trip.
 “The focus now is more on the traveler and the productivity of each trip,
so that travelers can have the greatest return on investment on each trip.”
(Mouawad 2015).
o While most business travelers have a smartphone and, according to a study by
Expedia, 78 percent of them have used it in some travel-planning capacity,
corporations still make it hard for their traveling employees to use current
technology and integrate their own travel management tools with company
programs. (Expedia)
o According to a study done by Expedia, mobile devices amount to 77% of the time
business travelers rely on to wake up on time.
o “When asked for the most important criterion on which they base airline, hotel
and car rental supplier selection, "lowest negotiable rate" outscored "highest
service level" by two to one.” (Campbell 2014)

MARKETING REPORT
o Main concern: Connect-ability
 Male business travelers rely heavily on their devices socially and for
business. Often have itinerary’s, uber, and hotel and airline applications
 The use of technology is integrated into the DNA of the male business
traveler
o In a survey conducted by Cvent Hospitality Marketing, the question was asked to
male business travelers “In addition to getting a good night’s sleep and the hotel’s
location relative to your needs, what other factors are important in the selection of
a hotel room for a business stay”
o Most Important
 High Speed Internet access
 Friendly, courteous service at check-in
 Bottled water (complimentary)
 Being recognized at check-in
 Express check-out
 National newspaper, delivered in the morning
 High quality towels
 Ability to check in early and check out late
 Prompt room serve breakfast
 In room coffee
o Least Important
 Room security
 Top quality toiletries
 Map of running trails
 Turn down service
 In-room promotions or events at hotel
 Pay movies
 Cd, radio, or IPhone player
 Mini-bar
 Hotel Store catalog and order form
 In-room magazines
 Female Business Traveler (ages 30-40)
o Women are the fastest growing market of business travelers in the United States,
and account for nearly half of all business travelers (Corporate Travelers)
o "Women are nearing half of all business travelers, and they make up 85% of
purchase choices in the household," says Carolyn Pearson, the founder of Maiden-
Voyage.com, a website that connects female business travelers across the globe
and rates femme-friendly hotel brands (Carrington)
o Main concern: safety
 Need more than “substandard security and closed-circuit TV systems and
inadequate lighting in parking areas” (Stoller)
 Staff should be well-trained to spot and defuse any potentially unpleasant
situation that can make their female guests uncomfortable (World Luxury
Tourism)

MARKETING REPORT
 Privacy at Check-in
 Staff trained to not announce room numbers at bar or loudly during check-
in
 Habitually more loyal to hotels that provide safety (World Luxury
Tourism)
o Comfort
 Heat, light, sound and color contribute to perceptions of relaxation
 “Eighty percent of the women surveyed believed that sleep was a valuable
use of their time, compared to only thirty percent of men.” (Corporate
Traveler)
o Empowerment
 Want travel experience to contribute to professional advancement
 Create a world view through unique experiences
o Appreciate the small details that hotels give that recognize them
 Examples: fresh flowers in the room, women geared toiletries
 Need a helpful staff
 Convenience
 Comfort
o "We've found that approximately 80% of all business travel decisions are made by
females," "Whether it's a family trip, and mom is deciding what hotel to stay in, or
it's a travel agent -- most of whom happen to be female. There's a rise of female
travel globally, especially in China, where more and more women are traveling
every day." Kristine Rose, Hyatt's vice president of brands (Carrington)
o Desire to be able to connect to family and loved ones while away
o Want to have the ability to bring family along, although can be stressful after a
long day of work
 "but I'm much less lonely and feel like I get more support” says Kathryn
Alice, vice president in the publishing industry (Stoller)
 "Travel has enhanced our life greatly in many ways," she says. "Sharing
travel with my spouse and family has given us precious time together —
special memories that we can share and laugh and reminisce about when
we're home." Says Carol Margolis, owner of websites
SmartWomenTravelers.com and BusinessTravelSuccess.com; has traveled
frequently on business for more than 25 years and spent more than 100
nights this year in hotels (Stoller)
 Upper Middle Class Leisure (Dual Income No Kids- DINKs)
o “According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2014, 47.6-percent of women ages 15
to 44 had no kids. That is the highest percentage since the Bureau started keeping
track in 1976.” (Bach)
o Reasons for travel: escape, relaxation, adventure, culture, quality time
o More disposable income than couples with children
 More likely to utilize amenities
 Spend significant amounts on experiences and “fun purchases” (Bach)
o Trusting in the opinions of others

MARKETING REPORT
 Base travel decisions on views from friends, family, and acquaintances
 Image seeking
 Look at sites such as Yelp, TripAdvisor, Lonely Planet, and Facebook
o Enjoy the ability to experience anything at anytime
 Chinese Travelers (ages 25-34)
o Chinese inbound tourism only got started in 2008 after the U.S. was named to
Approved Destination Status by the Chinese government, China is projected to be
the third largest inbound tourism market in the U.S. by 2019. (Travel Pulse)
o The U.S. Department of Commerce Forecast estimates that the number of visitors
from China will grow by 172 percent to 3.1 million by 2019. (Travel Pulse )
 “Tourism from China jumped by 15.3 percent last year [2013] to 128,000
travelers, more than any other country. By 2020, Choose Chicago
estimates, annual visitation to the United States from China will increase
to 5 million people from just under 2 million today.” (Ecker)
o Chinese travelers are ranked among the top spenders both per trip and number of
nights. It is expected that as Chinese households move towards the middle and
upper classes, there will be a higher demand for long-haul leisure trips together
with more luxurious accommodation and shopping. (We Forum)
 “That projection, combined with Choose Chicago's assertion that Chinese
visitors stay an average of 9.8 days per trip to the city and spend more than
$5,000 per person, has been the basis for the city's increased marketing
spend in the country.” (Ecker)
o Travel with Friends or Groups
 Chinese have closely knit families and younger Chinese travelers tend to
bring their parents. They are highly family oriented, like to travel as
families and are in the market for ways to make family travel comfortable,
easy and fun (Travel Pulse)
 Traditionally, the Chinese tourist has preferred to travel with family or a
group of close friends. Having friends and family along allows them to
share their experiences while they are exploring a different culture. They
like the security of having a planned itinerary and often choose to be part
of a tour group (hmghotelsblog)
o Authenticity & Accommodation
 Chinese travelers want authenticity, local experiences that other Chinese
travelers won’t have (ehotelier)
 Hotels remain the most popular type of accommodation amongst Chinese
travelers, having increased in popularity since last year (from 74 per cent
to 84 per cent choosing this as their preferred option). More than half (57
per cent) are likely to book 3 or 4-star hotels when they travel abroad with
a further 17 per cent electing for a 5-star property and seven per cent
preferring all-inclusive resorts (Press Hotels)
 Chinese Female Business Traveler
o Like most travelers, Asian women business travelers want safe journeys, value for
money products and services, comfort and convenience, and an opportunity to use

MARKETING REPORT
our travels to meet new friends, business contacts and even romantic interests
(Amadeus)
o Chinese woman travelers are typically not able to have the time for themselves to
travel and let go a little of the culturally conditioned rules, diving deep into this
psyche gains the female business traveler (Amadeus)
o Asian female business travelers in general have big spending power, a big
disposable income
 Used to pamper themselves, family, and friends
 Utilize travel time to go to a spa, visit tourist spots, and shop
 Good service means recommendations to our social circle (Prime
Sarmiento is a Southeast Asia-based travel, science journalist and co-
founder of The Gypsygals)
o The difference in gender, although small, shows that Chinese female business
travelers are more likely than male to stay in an environmentally-conscious hotel
at a cost of paying 10 percent extra. (travel-cnn)
o Chinese women travel lightly more frequently for leisure than Chinese men, 4.86
trips abroad vs. 4.49 for men in the past five years (press.hotels)
o Sightseeing, dining and shopping are particularly popular amongst Chinese
female travelers (sightseeing 74 per cent vs. 72 per cent, dining 67 per cent vs. 61
per cent and shopping 60 per cent vs. 51 per cent) (Press-hotels)

MARKETING REPORT
Key Demographic Breakdown
 The largest segment in sales will be coming from business men. Majority of the amenities
and marketing efforts, will draw in a larger male audience, focusing on the psychographic
needs of a male business man ages 30-40.
o Business men desire to have access to technology 24/7, the Grant provides that
with the business lounge and the Grant Hotel app
 The second largest segment in sales will be business women
o Business women desire a larger need for safety, which is a main priority for the
Grant Hotel
o Small details such as large vanity mirrors and fresh flowers cater toward a
feminine clientele
o Women are increasingly starting to travel for business and are catching up to the
male business traveler
 DINKs are the third largest part of the breakdown
o DINKs are the main category of leisure customers the Grant is focusing on
o We expect a lot of DINKs to attend on the weekends as that is the best time to get
away and the most common time that weddings are held; we average 1.5
weddings per weekend year round
o As DINKs appreciate experiences, they will enjoy the modern Chicago
experience that the Grant is providing
o Also, all of the Grant’s offered amenities will play a large role in choosing the
Grant over the competitor
35%
30%
10%
25%
BREAKDOWN OF SALES BY TARGET MARKET
Business Men Business Women Chinese DINKs

MARKETING REPORT
 Chinese are the smallest segment in the demographic breakdown, because there are some
other hotels that already have a hold on the Chinese market, but we will accommodate
their needs and advertise to them as much as possible to gain a larger portion of the
market
o The Grant Hotel will always have at least one Mandarin speaking employee on
duty with the ability to translate if needed
o Chinese tourism is increasingly be promoted by Choose Chicago (one of the
Grant Hotel’s marketing partners
 Choose Chicago ended contracts with sales agents in 2014 in Frankfurt,
Sao Paulo, London, Tokyo, and the Netherlands to focus more on the
market in China, Mexico, and Canada (Ecker)
o The main reason that Chinese travelers will choose the Grant Hotel is the location,
as it is near many points of interest
 In 2015, Choose Chicago promotes cultural programming and featured
events throughout Chicago, one of which was at the Field Museum; which
the Grant is in close proximity of
 Chinese stay of average 9.8 days, so we promote comfort and activities for
guests, as well as make it easy to access activities to do outside of the
hotel by the concierge
Direct Marketing
 Direct Marketing is about making direct contact with potential customers to promote the
service and the brand. Unlike media advertising, it enables you to target people with a
more personalized message.
 In the Grant Hotel, the sales force plans to use a Customer Resource Management
program. A large benefit from using the program, is its versatility.
o We are able to use this resource, to link together some of our marketing
departments. This will further our departmental communication. A large part of
our direct marketing is going to be our customer database. The information Grant
Hotel will keep in their Customer Resource Management database can tell the
hotel marketing staff; customers’ buying habits, age, gender, and location of
residents.
o This data can be used to segment our customers and prospects into smaller, more
refined, groups that can be attracted by a more personal message. This segmented
grouping will help us with our online and mobile application.

MARKETING REPORT
Lead Generation
 A professional hotel Customer Relationship Management program, also known as CRM,
will track the leads generated. A CRM can export information for outgoing sales
purposes. The program will track contact information, likes, wants and needs. This will
help the Grant Hotel marketing team create a more personalized sales opportunity.
Image from crmnext.com

MARKETING REPORT
Marketing Mix
 Price
o Value
 The Grant creates value by giving its guests the best experience for the
dollar amount they are paying. Premium amenities come at no additional
fee.
o Competitive advantages
 Independent brand sets prices for its rooms
o Special offers
 Early booking offers
 Social media contests for free rooms
 Point system
o Rooms pricing depends on season, adapting room rate accordingly
 Product
o Types of rooms
 Standard
 ADA Accessible Standard
 Family double
 Junior Suite
 Full Suite
o Amenities
 Complimentary Wi-Fi
 Parking garage/valet parking
 In-house dry cleaning services
 Large fitness center
 Pool and hot tub
 Steam room
 24-hour business lounge
 Concierge
 “Drew a Blank Box”
 Turndown service
o Meeting and banquet space
 The Rooftop at the Grant
 The Second Floor Banquet Hall
 Private dining area
 Meeting rooms: 4
o Food and Beverage outlets
 MC Prime House
 The Crossing
 Banquets
o Perceived quality
 Guests will be able to see quality from the moment they arrive at the Grant
Hotel. As most guests have had prior experience staying at competing

MARKETING REPORT
hotels, it is our job to create an experience better than the rest and have
them believe that they are getting the most value out of their stay.
 Promotion
o Online and offline
o Google ads and Search Engine Optimization
o Guest reviews
 Yelp, Travelocity
o The Grant Hotel website
o Social media
 Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest
o Events
 The Opening Party at the Rooftop at the Grant
 The opening party will be to introduce the Grant Hotel as well as
show-off the Rooftop at the Grant. The Grant will offer food and
beverages, live music, and offer a 20% portion of proceeds to go to
one of the charities (see above) that represent the Grant. This will
give guests a chance to see the Rooftop and possibly inquire about
hosting parties there and excite them for the opening.
o Packages
 Weddings and Group Events
 The Rooftop at the Grant
o The glass enclosed Rooftop at the Grant is the premier
wedding and special events space in the city overlooking
Grant Park. The Rooftop also features an accessible
unenclosed terrace through glass doors where guests can
enjoy bonfires, drinks, and just hangout outside with a view
of Grant Park. The Rooftop also features a full bar that is
available upon request, but has the ability to be hidden.
o The second option for weddings and group events is
located on the second floor. With a veranda that overlooks
MC Prime House and the lounge, the second floor banquet
space is definitely unique.
o The food and beverage department features a menu of pre-
made menus for the guest to choose from. Guests have the
option to take out items from the menu of their choice or to
merge different menus for a more unique food experience.
If the guest desires to create a more customized menu with
the chef, that option is also available, but will cost extra.
o Guests have the option for an open bar, cash bar, or ticket
bar at their banquet. They all have varying prices
depending on the number of guests, which option is chosen,
and for how long the guest would like the bar to be open.
Prices will be made in one of two way. Either there will be
a set price per head (below) or the bartender will keep a tab

MARKETING REPORT
of all beverages consumed, the host will put a down
payment of $500 and the remaining will be paid at the end.
If the guests do not consume $500 worth of alcohol, the
remaining will be returned to the host.
 Premium full bar: Large variety of premium liquors,
champagne, wine, beer, soft drinks, and juices- $40
per head
 Well liquor full bar: Large variety of well liquors,
wine, beer, soft drinks, and juices- $30 per head
 Wine only bar: Moderate selection of red, white,
rose, and sparkling wines $30 per head
 Limited bar: Limited selection of well liquors, few
wines, soft drinks, and juices $20 per head
 Wine and Beer: Moderate selection of wine, beer,
soft drinks and juice $20 per head
 Alcohol free bar: Soft drinks and juices only $10
per head
 Custom bar: Guests have the option to completely
customize the bar offerings for their event. Our
beverage director will even work with the host to
come up with a “Signature Drink” for the event.
Price negotiable
 Room Blocks
o Discounted room rates available for weddings and groups
o When a guest books four or more rooms on one credit card,
a 1-night room and tax deposit will be taken on each room.
 Weddings (Specific)
o Weddings will be used as a primary form of revenue for the
Grant
o Bridal shows will be our first form of promotion
 Sections of the Rooftop will be rent out to various
types of wedding vendors (i.e. florists, wedding
dress shops, entertainment, photo booth vendors,
etc.), essentially this will cost the Grant very little
money as it will provide only the space, beverages
and small hors d’evours
 Brides will have the chance to see the Rooftop and
inquire about weddings at the spot
 Word of mouth advertisement will play a large role
o In 2014, couples on average in the United States spent
$31,213 with the most money going toward the venue
(Vasel)
o In Chicago

MARKETING REPORT
 Average wedding cost was $50,934 in 2014
(Chicago Tribune)
 Average guest list is 198-208 people (The Wedding
Report)
 Chicago has the 5th highest wedding cost in the
United States (Chicago Tribune)
o Wedding Pricing
 Set venue price for the Rooftop at the Grant:
$15,000
 Set venue price for the second floor banquet hall:
$10,000
 Prices are then adjusted based on additives by the
party
 Food and Beverage (See above)
 Catering
 No outside catering through MC Prime House. Reservations for
private dining events within MC Prime House made through the
private events department at MC Prime House.
 Participation in vendor events outside of the hotel will be the only
catering outside of the Grant.
 Valentine’s Day Package
 Junior Suite: One bottle of champagne, half a dozen chocolate
covered strawberries, a dozen roses: $399
 Full Suite: One bottle of champagne, a dozen chocolate covered
strawberries, a dozen roses, scattered rose petals, bath package
(bath bubbles, spa masks, essential oils, and rubber ducky) $699
 Holiday Packages (Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas)
 Standard Room: One night stay and brunch for two: $385
 Junior Suite: One night stay and brunch for four: $580
 Full Suite: One night stay and brunch for four: $680
 New Year’s Eve Package
 All New Year’s Eve packages include tickets for two to a three-
course banquet style dinner in the second floor banquet hall and a
fireworks show, countdown, and a pay bar at the Rooftop at the
Grant.
 Standard Room: $445
 Junior Suite: $550
 Full Suite: $650
 Add-on Packages
 When guests make a reservation on our website, they have the
ability to add additional amenities to enhance their stay.
o Example: Guests may add tickets to popular tourist
attractions, such as the Willis Tower. The price of the ticket

MARKETING REPORT
with tax is added to the Guest’s room bill and the ticket will
be ready upon arrival at the front desk and will be given at
check-in.
 Place
o Location: 1100 S. Michigan Avenue
o Accessibility
 The site is easily accessible from all directions. All surrounding streets are
two-way.
 Closest CTA bus stops all within three blocks of the site
 1,3,4,18 on S. Michigan Avenue
 29, 62, 146 on S. State Street
 12, 18, 29, 62 on E. Roosevelt Road
 Nearest CTA subway (red, orange, and green line): Head south on
Michigan Avenue and turn right onto Roosevelt, it is 0.2 miles away.
 Closest highway is I-90 W/I-94 W, exit 52B for Roosevelt. Exit is
approximately 1.4 miles from site. Arrival will be to the north side of the
site where the main entrance is located.
 Second closest highway is the I-290 E. The highway converts into
Congress Parkway, then turn right onto Michigan Avenue. Arrival will be
on the east side of the site. For accessibility to the parking garage, guest
will only have to turn right onto Michigan Avenue. It is 4.6 miles away.
o Parking
 Parking garage
 1101 S. Wabash Avenue, west of the Grant Hotel directly beside
and connected. This parking lot is used for guests staying in the
hotel and available for guests shopping in our pop-up retail outlet
on the first floor
 Parking Lot:
 0.1 miles away on S. Wabash Street between Eleven City Diner
Half and Fruve Xpress Juicery
 1 block from the site on the north side at the corner of S. Wabash
Avenue and E. 11th Street
 Street parking
 E. 11th Street
o Local attractions
 McCormick Place: Walking approximately 33 minutes, 1.6 miles away
down Michigan Avenue south or take the 3 bus approximately 13 minutes
toward 95th/CSU, 11 stops
 Grant Park: Walking approximately 5 min, 0.2 miles down Michigan
Avenue, or take the 1, 3, or 4 bus approximately 4 minutes
 Merchandise Mart: Walking approximately 38 minutes, 1.9 miles or the 3
bus to the brown line (Michigan and Monroe) 21 minutes total

MARKETING REPORT
 Millennium Park: Walking approximately 23 minutes, 1.1 miles down
Michigan Avenue or the 4 bus straight down Michigan Avenue
approximately 14 minutes
 Museum Campus: Walking approximately 15 minutes, 0.9 miles south on
Michigan avenue, the right on Roosevelt or the 146 bus for 11 minutes
 Soldier Field: Walking approximately 14 minutes, 0.8 miles taking
Roosevelt, or the 146 bus for 14 minutes
o Distance to airports
 Midway International Airport is approximately 24 minutes away while
driving on the I-55 South. Public transportation is another option. Walk
0.2 miles from the hotel (approximately 5 minutes) and take the Roosevelt
orange line toward Midway. Midway is 7 stops away, approximately 19
minutes.
 O’Hare International Airport is approximately 34 minutes while driving
on the I-90 W Public transportation is another option. Walk 0.2 miles from
the hotel (approximately 5 minutes) and take the Roosevelt green line
toward Harlem for 4 stops, approximately 8 minutes. Get off at Clark and
Lake and transfer to the Blue line toward O’Hare. It will take 16 stops,
approximately 39 minutes to arrive at O’Hare airport
o Visibility
 North: Facing the site from the north is the view from 11th Street. This is
where the main entrance to the hotel and the entrance to the restaurant are
located. In view is the lobby and front desk area. This view of the site is
visible if going south on Michigan Avenue and east or west on 11th Street.
In the opposite direction of 11th Street is a Columbia College building.
 East: Facing the site from the east is the street view from Michigan
Avenue. Seen is the inside of the restaurant/coffee shop. This is the main
point of visibility for the site. This view of the site is visible coming north
or south on Michigan Avenue.
 South: Facing the site from the south, the site is only visible if moving
north on Michigan Avenue. The top six floors of the hotel are in view.
 West: Facing the site from the west only the room floors are in view. The
visibility of the ground level is blocked by the parking garage. The floors
with rooms in the site are the only visible part of the building.

MARKETING REPORT
Views of the Current Hotel Residing at 1100 S. Michigan Avenue
Although the current hotel at the site will be torn down in order to begin the Grant Hotel project;
it is in our best interest to use it as a model as the Grant Hotel will follow similar dimensions.

MARKETING REPORT
SWOT Analysis
 Strengths
o Close proximity to major large capacity demand generators in the city
 McCormick Place
 In 2015 McCormick Place brought 2.4 million visitors to Chicago
(McCormick Place)
 Soldier Field
 Chicago Park District’s second largest revenue generator
 Hosts sporting events, concerts, charity events, fests
 Grant Park
 The beginning of the historic “Route 66”
 Brings in thousands of people with festivals
o Ex. Lollapalooza brought over 300,000 guests in 2015
(Rosenbaum)
 Museum campus
o Jaw dropping views
 All suites view east overlooking Grant Park
o Functional by design
 Designed to assist guests to accomplish all of their goals
 Business lounge equipped with everything a business person may
need
o Computers, printers, copying/faxing machine, paper, pens,
highlighters, sticky notes, etc.
o High construction area
 The South Loop is working to be the next big thing in Chicago’s housing
market
 Capability for higher pricing
 “Four developers announced plans recently for high-rise apartment
buildings at the south end of Grant Park along South Michigan Avenue,
including a striking 86-story tower” (Channick)
 “Other lofty rental projects include a 76-story tower and two nearly 50-
story buildings that, if approved, will flood the South Loop with some
2,000 upscale apartments over several years. On top of that, hundreds of
condominium units also are on the drawing board.” (Channick)
o Creatively unique, non-intrusive service
 A the Grant Hotel we understand that sometimes guests just need some
alone time, we would like to make your stay as effortless and relaxing as
possible, so we will be as involved as the guest would like to be able to do
just that
 Midwestern charm showcases Chicago hospitality
 Weaknesses
o No brand affiliation
 Unrecognized business entity

MARKETING REPORT
 In order to compete we must build a strong brand that guests will begin to
connect with and that they will think of for future visits to Chicago
 Large brands such as Hilton and Marriot have thousands of hotels
throughout the world
 They are easily recognized and associated with quality
 They already have guest loyalty and memberships
o Less experience
 New system implementations
 Staff must get used to new hotel and new policies
 Compared to big branded hotels who already have a protocol for
everything, the Grant will need to develop this on its own
 Young, but seasoned hotel management will aid in overcoming this
weakness
o High possibility of unseen variables effecting day to day logistics in the first year
 May interrupt business
 New hotels have a high rate of failure
 The Grant is going to hope for the best but plan for the worst, every
department in the hotel is equipped with an intelligent and willing staff
that is able to combat any unforeseen circumstances
 Opportunities
o New hotel
 Opportunity to create a completely new brand
 Creative freedom
 Ability to gain traction through consumer to consumer marketing
o Creative marketing platform
 Implementation of old and new marketing efforts
 Bringing in young fresh minds for creativity
o The incorporation of technology into our concept
 The Grant Hotel App
 Website
o Original concept-- targeting a new market that has new potential
 No other concepts similar to the Grant Hotel in Chicago
 Huge potential for growth
o Creative business model
 Completely transparent in business practices
 Young experienced management
o New creative sales channels
 Knowledgeable sales people
 Threats
o Competition
 Within a 1.5-mile radius there are four hotels that are similar in size, star
rating, and age. Our strengths must be taken advantage of and used as a
competitive advantage in order to compete

MARKETING REPORT
 There are also many surrounding hotels in the immediate area, that are not
similar, but are still considered competition
o Concept imitation from other new hospitality entities
 Although the Grant Hotel concept is original, it can easily be replicated
o Market saturation with increased competition
 The market is growing, but so is the number of rooms in Chicago are also
growing; creating pressure points on our successThere is a 20% increase
in hotel rooms in the next five years and not enough guests to make up for
the increase (TR Mandigo)
Photo provided by TR Mandigo
Property Name
Address/
Neighborhood
Distance
from Site (in
miles)
Number of
Rooms
Date Opened
Star
Rating ADR
Renaissance
Blackstone
636 S. Michigan
Ave./
South Loop
0.3 332 March 2008 4 220
Hyatt Regency
51 E Upper
Wacker Dr,
Chicago, IL
0.9 257 April 2015 4 208
Radisson Blu
Aqua
221 N. Columbus
Dr./ Downtown
1.2 334 October 2011 4 308
Kimpton Hotel
Palomar
505 N. State St./
Downtown
1.5 261 March 2010 4 233

MARKETING REPORT
Product Life Cycle (Marketing)
 Product Development
 During the product development stage, the product is not even tangible. Most key
decisions for the hotel may not be in place. At this point, the marketing mix is in the
planning phase, so rather than implementing strategies, APEX Hospitality Group will be
conducting research on different marketing methods. The marketing goal at this stage is
to create a network in the industry and conduct research for a viable plan.
 Introduction
o The introduction stage is where the Grant Hotel will be first introduced to the
Chicago hotel market. The goal of the introduction stage in the product life cycle
is to meet customers needs with quality service at the lowest cost possible in order
to receive the highest financial return.
 APEX Hospitality Group has a five step plan to achieve that goal.
o Idea Validation – Looking for potential holes in the Chicago hotel market--
identifying market opportunities, who will be the most viable target market, what
the primary benefits of the hotel will be, and how the hotel will be used on a day
to day basis
o Conceptual Design – Style, price, vision, environment, interior and exterior
design mock ups
o Hotel Specification – Nearing open, final marketing questions are answered,
marketing team is responsible for minimum and maximum sales estimates,
competition analysis, and market share estimates
o Prototype & Testing - Design, vision established, marketing strategies
established, conducting consumer focus groups to find out how to further meet
our clients’ needs
o Marketing Ramp up! – Hotel is in the ‘red zone’ and approaching open day,
strong marketing push
 Growth
o At the growth stage in the hotel product life cycle, APEX Hospitality Group and
Sapmo Development Agency will decide whether to pursuit a larger market share
or higher profit margins. This is the boom stage for any product or service. Sales
and profit revenue will build momentum and competition will rise as the hotel
awareness builds. The goal for the APEX Hospitality Group’s marketing team is
ultimately to stay in this stage of the product life cycle.
 Maturity
o At the maturity stage, defending market share becomes the main marketing
priority. The marketing budget will rise to conjure more potential business. The
inevitable decline stage is looming.
 Decline
o At the decline stage, the Grant Hotel will be passed the point of being
profitability. For any business in any industry, the decline stage will occur. At this
stage however, marketing efforts shift to developing a new concept, mission, and
vision for the new Grant Hotel.

MARKETING REPORT
Product Life Cycle (Marketing)
Figure taken from busops.com
Product
Developement
Introduction
GrowthMaturity
Decline

MARKETING REPORT
Sales Strategy
 Analyze company data in competitive set
o Define how the Grant’s ADR compares to competitors
o Constantly reevaluate competitive set to ensure accuracy
o Anticipate new projects of competitors
o Monitor data and look for trends
 Define one-year company vision
o Where will the Grant Hotel be after one year of opening?
 20% ROE
 At least 10% of customers become regulars and participate in point system
 200 app downloads
 73% occupancy rate
 Increase in RevPAR
 Large word of mouth advertising
 Average of 1.5 weddings per weekend
 Set goals
o List what needs to be accomplished in the next quarter and how it will be
accomplished
 Review and update target market
o Are the people we are aiming for actually staying at the Grant? Do we need to
change the way we market?
o Use reservation information help guide advertisement campaigns
 Document our buyer’s journey
o Identify a guest’s motivations, objective, and main questions
o Plot every interaction guests have with the Grant
 Tradeshows, group events, social media, website/online, third party
booking agents, other forms of advertisements
 Confirm differentiators
o Talk to guests on why they chose the Grant over competitors
 Survey upon check-out
 Constant review of website/online marketing
o Adapting to new trends
o Making sure the website is still relevant
o Comparing to competitors
o Constant improvement by asking questions
 How can this be faster? How can we make this easier? How many guests
actually utilize this part of the website? Is this website attracting our target
market? Is this engaging the right audience?
 Track progress and adapt
o Review and document changes to sales goals
o Hold individual team members responsible for their tasks
o Set team meetings on a regular basis to keep everyone on the same page
 Review progress, set deadlines, alignment between teams

MARKETING REPORT
 ROI Analysis—Cross Channels
o Cross channel attribution
 Understanding the causes of behaviors and events
 Taking into account online, offline, and non-media factors (ex. Weather or
current events)
 “Top tier attribution technology can sync with media buying engines to
help companies instantly adjust their media spending to match the
analytical insights they generate.” (Kehrer)
Direct Sales
 The Chicago Hotel industry is presently characterized by a massive market shift. An
increase in demand over the past few years are currently making hotel marketing teams
think differently. APEX Hospitality Group plans to take advantage of direct sales as one
of their primary marketing tools for the Grant Hotel.
 Lesser known hotels such as the Grant Hotel actually have a tremendous opportunity. The
Grant Hotel has the opportunity to define our niche, and offer more catered attention to
our clients needs.
 The Grant Hotel plans to use six key lines of direct sales:
o Advertising
o Trade Shows and Seminars
o Customer Referrals
o Loyalty Programs
o Customer Retention

MARKETING REPORT
Advertising
 Advertising Milestones
Advertising Start Date End Date Budget Manager Department
Contract
Media Space
3/1/2018 6/1/2018 20,000 Brad Marketing
Ad Agency
Liaison Print
ad Material
3/1/2018 5/28/18 11,000 Brad Marketing
Dispatch/
Monitor
Campaign
Results
8/1/2018 11/1/2018 2,000 Courtney Marketing
Total
Advertising
Budget
N/A N/A 33,000 Courtney Marketing

MARKETING REPORT
Trade Shows
 Creating relationships is an important aspect of direct marketing. By participating and
attending in trade shows, it opens up your market to tremendous possibilities. The
marketing goals for trade shows are to create business opportunities with people who
would not be familiar about the Grant Hotel. As a boutique hotel with zero name
recognition, it is an extremely vital part in the marketing mix. APEX Hospitality Group
has representatives for the Grant Hotel already participating/attending in trade shows
prior to opening. Highlighted below are just a few examples of the events our staff is
participating in.
o The 2016 Annual Hospitality Law Conference, presented by
HospitalityLawer.com in conjunction with HVS Hotel Management and HVS
Asset Management - Newport, will take place on February 22-24, 2016. This
conference converges the legal, risk, development, and finance sectors of the
industry in an effort to educate and innovate.
o The Business Travel Show provides Europe’s only high quality, conference
program designed to meet the knowledge requirements of the entire business
travel buying and booking community with the simple aim of enabling them to
buy and manage travel better. This will be a great opportunity to begin creating
relationships on a multi-national level. The conference will consist of more than
70 thought-provoking sessions shaped by corporate travel experts with decades of
buying experience, including those on the event’s newly appointed Advisory
Board, provide in-depth and practical information to buyers, bookers and
managers.

MARKETING REPORT
o This is the first event of its kind in North America to bring together the savviest
digital pioneers from across industries such as travel, retail, airports, airlines,
ground transportation and hospitality to discuss how to provide a seamlessly
connected, intelligent travel experience.
o China’s leading food and hospitality tradeshow. Hofex 2017 is the largest show
ever in history, providing a platform for 2,400 international exhibitors to connect
with over 40,000 international buyers. This is a fantastic opportunity; the Grant
Hotel is putting a heavy stress on Chinese business travelers. This will help create
relationships for networking purposes down the road.
Loyalty Program
 The Grant Hotel follows a point system that guests earn the more they stay in the hotel.
Different point amounts generate incentives for the guest to continually stay within the
Grant. This system is used to create loyal guests, encourage frequent stays, and be a fun
way to earn incentives.
o Point earning activities:
 QR code scanning: 50 points with each code
 “Like” the Grant Facebook, follow the Grant on Instagram, Twitter, and
pintrest: 75 points each
 Each night’s stay: 100 points
 App download: 200 points

MARKETING REPORT
 Social media “check-in” while staying in the hotel: 150 points
 Dining at MC Prime House: 100 points
 Dining at the Crossing: 50 points
o Incentives:
 Complimentary bath kit: 200 points
 Free coffee at the Crossing: 300 points
 Free room service up to $50: 500 points
 Free day at the Museum of Science and Industry or the Shedd aquarium:
800 points
 Free dinner at MC Prime House: 1000 points
 Room upgrade: 1500 points
 One free night in the hotel: 2000 points
Web Integration
 In past generations of marketing, it was all about how much could be made and it was
truly all about the money. Currently, marketing is based on time and attention. The best
marketing is designed around keeping the conversation going. It is about engaging with
an audience that want to be constantly connected.
 Our ultimate goal is is to make our mobile and web presence to be a two-way outlet. We
want to be able to give the customer a voice and truly connect and interact with them.
 You will be able to track and control every aspect of your stay through the mobile
application or the online platforms.
o Itinerary
o Financial Balance
o Hotel Amenities
Web Integration Strategy
 Content Marketing
o Costing begins at $2,500 using Visual.ly, a content marketing company
 Infographics, videos, E-books, social media micro content, interactive
microsites, reports and presentations
o Benefits
 Increased total page views
 Longer visit duration
 Social metrics
 i.e. video views, content shares, positive comments, interaction
o Infographics
 Using visually appealing, graphs, statistics, and charts to share
sustainability actions, charity/community work, in our yearly CSR report,
and to show transparency in our company
 Easily shared on social media platforms
o Video

MARKETING REPORT
 Video will be used as a way to introduce the Grant Hotel and APEX
Hospitality Group
 Display values and culture
 Showcase the design of the hotel
o Lobby, rooms, F&B outlets, fitness center, business center,
the Rooftop at the Grant
 Present our brand
o Interactive microsites
 Used as a way to gain new guests: primarily in opening process
 Marketing for opening party
 Different microsites may be used throughout the life of the hotel to
highlight specific events within the hotel apart from the main
website
o Attracts newer, younger audiences
 Engages users
 Easy to use
 Eye catching
 Conveys information in a creative way
 Highlights the hotel, launches promotions, or augment a marketing
campaign in a way that full websites or more traditional marketing cannot
o Reports and Presentations
 Creative and interactive reports
 Set benchmarks for the upcoming year, show trends and benchmarks
 Paid Search Presence
o Pay-per-click
 Pay-per-click advertising allows the Grant Hotel to bid on commonly
searched terms in Google or Bing. Advertisers bid on keywords, which
translate to how early the Grant Hotel page will come up in a search.
Keywords will be highly relevant to the Grant Hotel business model.
 Key words that would be example would be:
 Grant Park
 Business travel Chicago
 Modern Chicago Hotel Culture
 Modern Hotel
 Four Star Hotel Chicago

MARKETING REPORT
Chart Providedby Hachman Consultants
o Search engine optimization (SEO Marketing)
 Chicago SEO Firm: $5,000 project, $400 monthly retainer (Prices taken
by looking at averages throughout the world and approximating given the
size, location, and distribution of the hotel) (Fishkin)
 Structuring the Grant website in a way that search engines understand to
drive traffic, increase awareness, and improve rankings
 Using unique titles for different pages on the website
 Briefly, but informatively describe titles
 Accurately describe content
Web Integration Advertising Tactics
 Internet Advertising
o Online advertising is of dominating importance for the Grant Hotel marketing
team. Today, people are constantly on the internet. If something can be done
online, it will be. The internet is extremely diverse. A large portion of the
advertising budget will be dedicated to internet advertising. This opportunity is to
expand our reach.
o Internet Ads
 The marketing team plans to create ads that are:

MARKETING REPORT
 Visually appealing – The image needs to be compelling enough to
click on the advertisement, which will direct guests to the Grant
Hotel website
 Simple – The message needs to be clear, direct, and
understandable
 Action based advertising – Make it clear what the viewer is
getting into when they click on our advertisement
 Pandora Radio Ads
o Engaged listeners
o 80 Million active users each month
o Specifically targeted demographic based on channeled listeners
o Over 500 listener segments to advertise
o Great way to stay in the ear of the Grant Hotel’s target customer
 Third Party Agencies
o Recommendations
 Maiden Voyage website: dedicated to women travelers: rank hotels
according to safety, and allows female business travelers to network
according to cities
 Yelp
 Travelocity
o Booking
 Hotels.com: “I often book hotels through hotels.com due to the Rewards
Program and ease of searching, booking, mapping, etc.” (Think with
Google)
 Kayak
 Travelocity
 Hotels.com
o Online Travel Agencies (OTAs)
 Expedia, Orbitz, Booking.com, Tablet, Hotel Tonight, Get-A-Room,
Jetsetter, Mr & Mrs Smith, Priceline, Travelweb, Hotwire.
 Bringing in new definition of service
 Dealing with Online Reviews

MARKETING REPORT
o Reviews online can make or break the Grant Hotel. Our main target market is
very connected to technology.
o Our customer will read online before making purchasing decisions.
o Negative reviews can transcend into a positive response depending on how upper
management deals with the review. “It’s not the review, its how you handle the
review, that response is what will stick in the minds of potential guests. A poor
review without a response, sends a message that you just don’t care enough about
taking care of your guests needs” (Rob Watson).
o The marketing team has to be sure to service the client even after they leave, if
they have a poor review, we will do what we can to sort it out.
Social Media
 Social Media
o In today’s marketing world, utilizing social media is an absolute must. The Grant
Hotel has a specific social media advertising plan. Our customer is always
connected, constantly sharing, and checking in on their friends. Social media is a
good way to tap into that aspect of our customer’s lives. The ultimate goal of the
social media advertising department is to generate likes, the Grant Hotel Mobile
application downloads, and the availability for post engagement with our
customer. This will in turn create a buzz about The Grant Hotel. Social media is a
very inexpensive way to reach a large audience.
Social Media Strategy
 Social Presence
o Active on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest
 Constant updates
 Picture feed of events with the hotel and food and beverage outlets
 Active social media responses to guests and followers
 Social media only deals
 Contests to win a free night in the hotel, a free meal in MC Prime
House or the Crossing, a day at the museum, tickets to a concert,
tickets to Broadway in Chicago, and many more
 Content Marketing
o Social media micro content
 Short clips on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter displaying activities
going on in the Grant
 Picture sharing
 Social posts getting guests involved
 User Experience
o Show guests that we are available through real human interaction on social media
platforms
o Connection and Networking events held within the Grant

MARKETING REPORT
o “Check-in” on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram for a complimentary drink at MC
Prime House or Coffee bar or 100 points
 ROI Analysis—Cross Channels
o Social Media/online
 Measure engagement across multiple networks and compare performance
to learn what’s working best on what network
 Branding through multiple platforms
 Challenges associated with accessing, aggregating, and standardizing
social data on social media and online presence
 Measuring data
 Monitoring size and growth of social network
 Observing mentions—check-ins on social media, page shares,
hashtags with key words
 Engagement—page views, time spent on page, hover time
 Monitoring social impressions
o Tweet activity dashboard on Twitter:
 “See how people engage with your Tweets in real
time
 Compare your Tweet activity and followers, and see
how they trend over time
 Click on any Tweet to get a detailed view of the
number of Retweets, replies, likes, follows, or
clicks it receives
 Get detailed insights into who your audience is,
especially those who engage with your Tweets
 Download your Tweet metrics” (Twitter)
 Available through Analytics.Twitter.com
completely free with account

MARKETING REPORT
Breakdown of Social Media Usage by Social Media by Age
Picture provided by Business Insider

MARKETING REPORT
Social Media Tactics
 Facebook
o Facebook is constantly experimenting with new advertising models to connect
with their user base. Facebook is currently focusing most of their efforts on
mobile advertising opportunities. “Out of the estimated 1.39 billion currently
using Facebook, 1.19 Billion of them are using them on their mobile devices”
(Kolowich 2015). This is a great way for the Grant Hotel to get its name in the
traveling mix. Facebook is an absolute must in the advertising platform for the
Grant Hotel.
o Key Statistics
 Businesses are paying 122% more per ad unit of Facebook than they were
in 2014
Grant Hotel Social Medial
Platform
Instagram
Facebook

MARKETING REPORT
 Facebook has 1.39 billion active accounts
 The average Facebook user spends approximately 40 minutes a day using
the service
 Facebook amounts for more than 9% of total digital ad spending and
18.4% of global mobile advertising
 92% of marketers use Facebook for advertising
 30 million businesses have a Facebook page; 1.5 million businesses pay
for ads (Kolowich 2015)
o Facebook is a multi-faceted marketing tool. To be clear about how we plan to use
Facebook, a breakdown is listed below:
 Instagram has gone from a trendy application, to a massive social media network. As
Instagram grows its mobile and web presence, there is no sign that the growth of the
social network will stop anytime soon. Instagram provides the Grant Hotel a new
advertising opportunity. The main message in Instagram is displayed through art and self-
expression. The Grant Hotel can share updated photos of rooms, and share events
happening at the hotel. This is a key way to reach potential customers.
Advertising Usage Percentage of Efforts Description
Post Engagement 25% This will create a way for our sales force to
stay in touch with past guests, create new
business, and keep a personalized way of
contact.
Page Likes 30% Creating a successful Facebook page is
extremely important; without followers, there
is no point.
Website Clicks 25% The Grant Hotel wants to direct people to our
Website. This will have more information and
photographs to enhance the visions of
potential guests for their stay.
Web Conversion 10% Web conversion is crucial. One must be on
top of keeping the link from Facebook
followers, to sales.
Other 10%

MARKETING REPORT
o Key Statistics
 75 million users daily, 400 million monthly active users monthly
 20% of internet users claim to be active on Instagram
 41% of Instagram users are between the age of 25-35
 60 million photos are updated each day (Smith 2015)
 28% of Marketers use Instagram
o Similar to Facebook, Instagram is multifaceted. The Grant Hotel will be able to
advertise through Instagram by contests, last minute offers, news updates, our
pop-up retail shops, and hotel events. The Grant Hotel has a plan for the
utilization of Instagram.
 Connect hotel social channels through the use of hashtags
 Post Quality Visuals – hire professional photographer that will appreciate
modern Chicago culture
 Post about upcoming hotel events in a timely manner
 Respond to comments
o Similar to Twitter, Instagram has promoted posts that will allow the hotel to reach
more potential guests. Sponsored ads need to be captivating enough to pull
intrigue from the viewer to investigate the Grant Hotel.
o Pictured below, is an example from Banana Republic’s Instagram page. Notice it
is intriguing, yet straight to the point.

MARKETING REPORT

MARKETING REPORT
Mobile Marketing
 At the Grant Hotel our customer’s appreciate technology, and instant gratification. To
help meet the needs of our customers we are launching the Grant Hotel Mobile
Application. This application will be your travel guide, itinerary, front desk, and even
your wedding planner from the point of booking.
 This application gives the Grant Hotel the ability to serve its guests on a new level. The
application will be multifaceted and very useful. The goal of the application is to create a
way to meet the guest’s needs, before they even need them. If our guests are local or from
out of town, it will be a useful vacation tool for them!
Mobile Marketing Strategy
 Mobile Presence
o Mobile friendly website
 Ability to book hotel stay
 Easy check-in/check-out
o QR code advertising
 Guests earn points by scanning QR code throughout the city at popular
tourist attractions and our pop-up retail shop

MARKETING REPORT
 the Bean, Millennium Park, Navy Pier, the Field Museum, the
Museum of Science and Industry, Water Tower, and the John
Hancock Building, the Shedd Aquarium
 Free code generator and reader through 2D Barcode Generator and
2D Barcode Reader
o Hotel app for frequent guests
 200 points just for downloading
 Ability to create a profile
 Book hotel stay
 Check-in and get keyless entry
 Late check-out and bell hop services
 Store itinerary
 View wedding and group events packages
 Keep track of rooms stayed in, meals ordered, and hotel receipts
 Inform hotel of special requests
 Instant connection with concierge
 Easily contact Uber
o Uber tab easy to access from start of app
o Seamlessly get rides from Midway and O’Hare to the
Grant, or all over Chicago
o View top Chicago local spots to visit—nightlife and
restaurants
 Pre-order from MC Prime House and the Crossing
 Be the first to know about pop-up retail shops
 Day only discounts
o Example: Free appetizer at MC Prime House today only!
o Opt-in text message list
 Guests have the option upon booking to get text message reminders
 Room confirmation text
 Guests have the ability to set reminders for whatever they want on the
Grant Hotel website on days during their stay in an interactive calendar
 Local Chicago events such as block parties, fests, movies in the
park, and other activities will also be on the calendar if they are
interested in going to and would like a reminder

MARKETING REPORT
Local Presence
 Local Presence
o Recruit student interns and staff from Chicago colleges
o Promote within hotel
o Support charities that represent modern Chicago culture
 Chicago Botanic Garden
 Windy City Harvest program operates at 14 locations around
Chicagoland, provides transitional jobs, training, and access to
freshly grown food
 July 2016 will open Regenstein Foundation Learning Campus
educating students from preschool through doctorate level in
everything from horticulture to sustainability
 Chicago Public Library Foundation
 Works to enrich the collections and programs at the Chicago
Public Library
 Teacher in the Library program provided 85,296 hours of free
homework help to Chicago kids during the 2014-2015 school year
 Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
 Single largest employer of Chicago actors (Clifford)
 Highly market pop-up retail shop towards locals
Local Advertising Strategy
 Outdoor Advertising
o The Grant Hotel is an independent hotel, with that comes a limited marketing
budget. Due to budget limitations, outdoor advertising will be limited the city of
Chicago. The outdoor advertising plan will have two major parts. CTA transit
advertising, and billboards throughout the city.
o The Grant Hotel is choosing these two lines of outdoor advertising because they
are reasonably priced, yet reach a large audience. More importantly, the “shelf
life” of the advertisement is much longer than social media, television, even
newspaper, and magazine advertising. The goal is to create a buzz throughout the
city about the Grant Hotel.
o Advertising on the CTA
 A great way to subliminally enter the thoughts of millions of people each
day is to advertise on bus and rail ways in the city
 There is a diverse mix of media forms on the CTA
 Transit advertising generates repeated Grant Hotel brand exposures
everyday
 Grow brand awareness
 Ads will have the Grant Hotel website, and a hashtag
 Perhaps reach an audience not in the target market

MARKETING REPORT
Picture provided by transitchicago.com
o Billboard and Sign Advertising
 Another transit way of marketing
 Diverse mix
 Ability to target specific neighborhoods and demographics
 Strong brand presence throughout the city
Picture takenfromadvertisechicago.com

MARKETING REPORT
Picture taken from advertisechicago.com
Pop-Up Retail
 Pop-up retail shops are becoming increasingly popular
 This creates the opportunity for small businesses and online only businesses to showcase
their items in a different setting
o Online businesses that already have loyal customers will advertise their pop-up
shop on their websites/social media platforms—completely free for us and gets
the word out
 Creates business for the hotel as well as themselves
 Target market: Local residents, hotel guests, tourists
o Local residents are the main target market for the pop-up retail shop because they
have large spending power. The average income for a South Loop resident is
averaging a little over $100,000 per year, and is only increasing due to the amount
of construction in the area as mentioned earlier.
o The same local residents are looking for hip new trends, especially that of the
millennial generation that attends nearby colleges such as Columbia.
o Hotel guests are a part of the market as they will be in close proximity of the retail
establishment, and it adds to the Chicago culture that we are striving to achieve.
o Tourists travel to experience all that their destination has to offer, and what is
more experiential than a Chicago based retailer show casing their own designs?
 Benefits
o “There are a number of benefits for a retailer or brand to do a pop-up. Among the
top benefits, outside of sales, can include brand awareness with press, media,
influencers and customers, customer education – such as allowing you to give
customers a more in-depth education of your value proposition and product
offerings” (Melissa Gonzalez, CEO of The Lionesque Group)
o This aids to the culture of the hotel as it reflects locality and can enhance the
guests’ understanding of what modern Chicago culture entails and encourages the
idea of self-expression
 Advertising

MARKETING REPORT
o The pop-up retail shop will depend highly on word of mouth consumer to consumer
advertising
 We will gain this through handing out print ads to Columbia College
Students and people on the street and through our opening party, where
attendees will have the first opportunity to check out the retail space
 We will also utilize social media platforms, our website, and our mobile app
 Partnership
o We are going to partner with PopUp Republic, an online pop-up retail consultant
company to advertise our space to people who would like the rent it
o This will be the easiest way to advertise our space
o They already have an existing platform and a database of pop-up retailers
 Types of retail shops
o Typically online only shops that would like to feature their clothing or other
products (ex. Etsy users)
o Local artists (ex. Gallery, Paintings, drawings, sculptures, etc.)
o Farmer’s market
o Dinner clubs
Print Advertising
 Magazine Advertising
o The Grant Hotel has a limited marketing budget, therefore will not be directing
too much funding into print advertising. However, the Grant Hotel will have a
three-year advertising deal with all four of the magazines listed below.
o Each magazine was chosen because their main demographic of reader lines up
directly with our main target market, male and female business travelers.
o The Grant Hotel marketing team is directly targeting the business traveler with
print advertising. This is the opportunity for the hotel to get recognition and
attention from all over the world.

MARKETING REPORT
Picture takenfrombustraveler.com Picture taken fromskymall.com
Picture takenfromsuccessmagazine.com Picture taken formentrepreneurmag.com

MARKETING REPORT
Sales Force
 Creating a well-greased, fully operational sales force is very difficult for independent
hotels. They have to compete against extremely large marketing budgets that can swallow
them. There is a strict order of operations to creating a successful sales force. First steps
are designing and structuring the entire sales force. Next is recruiting and selecting key
employees. Followed by training the sales staff, then supervising them. Creating a clear
hierarchy is very important. Creating clear roles will remove static logistically.
 The Grant Hotel sales force has three sales teams; business sales, leisure sales, and
business development. For the business and leisure sales teams, there will be three
representatives and a sales assistant. For business development, there will be the director,
one sales representative, and a business development assistant.
Job Title Salary Sick Days Vacation Days Eligible for
bonus
Executive Sales
Manager
$115,095 3 7 Yes
Sales Director $45,000 base
salary plus
commission
3 5 Yes
Sales Assistant $41,000 2 3 No
Business
Development
Director
$48,000 base
salary plus
commission
3 7 Yes
Executive Sales
Manager
Director of
Domestic Business
Sales
Sales
Representative
Sales
Representative
Sales
Representative
Sales Assistant
Director of Leisure
Sales
Sales
Representative
Sales
Represenatative
Sales
Representative
Sales Assistant
Business
Developement
Director
Sales
Representative
Business
Developer
Assistant

MARKETING REPORT
 Sales Offices Overseas
o The Grant Hotel is specifically marketing toward Chinese travelers. When
deciding our sales offices overseas, our target customer was the main deciding
factor.
Implementation Schedule
Contract
Media Space
Ad Agency
liaison print ad
material
3/1/2018 6/1/2018 11,000 Tim Marketing
Dispatch/moni
tor campaign
results
Total
Advertising
Budget
N/A N/A 33,000 Brad Marketing
PR Start Date End Date Budget Manager Marketing
Public
Relations
functions to
schedule
4/1/2018 5/1/2018 0 Courtney Marketing
Evaluate
sponsorship
requests
6/1/18 7/1/2018 0 Brad Marketing
Establish list
of sponsorship
events/compan
ies
Total PR
Budget
N/A N/A 6,000 Courtney Marketing

MARKETING REPORT
Direct
Marketing
Start Date End Date Budget Brad Marketing
Direct Mail
lists to
purchase/prepa
re
4/1/18 5/1/18 6,000 Brad Marketing
Ad agency
liaison on
direct mail
material
6/1/17 6/1/18 7,000 Brad Marketing
Total
Marketing
Budget
N/A N/A 13,000 Brad Marketing
Web
Development
Start Date End Date Budget Tim Marketing
Homepage Re-
Design
3/1/2018 3/15/18 1,000 Tim Marketing
Printable
Brochures
3/1/2018 3/15/18 2,000 Tim Marketing
Online
Reservations
3/1/2018 3/15/18 6,000 Tim Marketing
Total Web
Development
Budget
N/A N/A 9,000 Tim Marketing
Totals N/A N/A 61,000 Tim Marketing
Public Relations
 Special Events
o The Opening Party on the Rooftop at the Grant
 The opening party will be to introduce the Grant Hotel as well as show off
the Rooftop at the Grant. The Grant will offer food and beverages, live

MARKETING REPORT
music, and 20% of the money received from tickets sales will go to one of
the charities (see above) that represent the Grant Hotel culture. This will
give guests a chance to see the Rooftop, inquire about hosting parties
there, as well as excite them for the opening.
o Holidays
 Standard Room: One-night stay and brunch for two: $385
Junior Suite: One-night stay and brunch for four: $580
Full Suite: One-night stay and brunch for four: $680
 The Sales/Marketing and Guest Services team will be creating unique
events for every month
 January- New Year’s brunch
 February- Valentine’s Day packages
 March-View the St. Patty’s Day parade from the Roof, Dying of the river
 May- Mother’s Day brunch, NRA show special room rates
 June- high season
 July- Fourth of July party on the Roof, Taste of Chicago, Lollapalooza
 September- Chicago Jazz Festival, College Students returning to school
 October- Halloween decorations, night in the “haunted hotel”
 November- Thanksgiving feast
 December- Christmas dinner, New Year’s Eve party and fireworks
 Featured Articles/Spotlights
o Grant Hotel Prides itself on being very seen in the market, we have partnered up
and have defined our company in some of Chicago’s most elaborate Articles
 Crain’s Chicago
 Choose Chicago
 TripAdvisor Green Leaders certification
 Corporate Social Responsibility Program
o It is our responsibility to be a fair and transparent company
 Publicly posting yearly CSR report
o We commit ourselves to taking care of our community, employees, the earth, and
making a positive impact
 We celebrate our diversity and inclusion, we are committed to valuing and
encouraging diverse viewpoints
 This brings in our foreign business by having employees who can
communicate and make them feel the comfort of home
o Employees
 We want to make sure our company is one that our employees are proud to
work for
 Happy employees do the best job and lessen turnover
o Sustainability
 Sustainability is one of the top trends in Hospitality industry for today,
guests care about the environment more than in the past five years

MARKETING REPORT
 Our hotel will go for TripAdvisor Green Leaders certification; it does not
cost anything for Grant Hotel but we will still be recognized as a green
hotel
 It will bring for us very valuable competitive advantage, customer
satisfaction, and retention
Employee Programs
 Incentive Programs
o Employee of the month
 Every month the Grant Hotel will recognize a special employee that has
gone above and beyond their job in some way. Whether it is taking extra
time to help a guest, contributing to the success of the hotel, or any other
good act, we want to retain employ satisfaction and let our employees
know that they are appreciated.
o Discount on Hotel Room/ F& B outlets
 All of our employees will receive a special rate for themselves as well as a
friends and family rate on hotel rooms for being a valued employee of the
company after three months. We will also offer an F&B outlet discount
which will differ between each of the outlets.
o Employee Outings
 The Grant Hotel knows the importance of having a happy work
environment where co-workers are comfortable with each other. To
achieve this, the Grant will host various get social events every four
months to allow employees to socialize and mingle with different
departments.
 Wine tastings for the F&B outlets will be for our employees to have be
well educated on wines served within the hotel and be able to
communicate these well with the guest.

MARKETING REPORT
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