We interviewed leading hospitality industry expert and President of HSMAI, Bob Gilbert and discussed how hotel recovery is unfolding and where it goes from here and how you can gain customer confidence and bookings. Key takeaways included: • Crisis recovery growth framework • Key consumer trends and what they indicate for hotel marketing strategy • Why pivoting marketing strategy makes sense with business and convention disappearing • What the new normal marketing funnel looks like and how to identify right customer and market to them • What should we package to meet customer needs and specific recovery tactics • Questions and Answers with Bob Gilbert

1. HSMAI CEO Bob
Gilbert and
Milestone on
Managing Hotel
Reopening and
Recovery
June 10, 2020
MilestoneInternet.com | +1 408-200-2211 | @MilestoneMktg

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YOUR SPEAKERS
Tammie Carlisle
Head of Hospitality
Milestone
Robert Gilbert
President and CEO
Hotel Sales and Marketing Association International
HSMAI
2

3. Confidentialwww.milestoneinternet.com | 1-408-200-2211
1. CRG Framework
2. Hotel Recovery Trends
3. New Marketing Funnel
4. Making the Case for Your Hotel
5. Specific Recovery Tactics
6. Questions & Answers
TODAY'SAGENDA

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CRGFRAMEWORK
Milestone’s
Crisis-Recovery-Growth (CRG)
framework

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ASMARKETSRECOVER, NEWOPPORTUNITIES EMERGE
“open hotels” search query
Source: Google Trends search query data on travel sector
Pent-up demand in 30 days
“Open hotels”
“Family hotels”

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HOTELDEMANDAND
OCCUPANCYINCREASING
ACROSSSTATES

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Business travelers in survey looking for:
1. Upgraded cleaning standards
2. Employees wearing masks
3. Additional staff training
4. Require guests to wear masks and physical distance
5. Housekeeping on request
6. Communication and signage as reminders
If you are a business hotel, diversify your client base by appealing to leisure and families in targeting,
messaging, imagery, and offers. Start adjusting now for coming months.
https://www.gbta.org/blog/gbta-study-finds-more-than-half-of-companies-considering-resuming-travel-in-near-future/
BUSINESS TRAVELDOWNANDEVENTSAREPAUSED
But 41% of companies in a GBTAsurvey of 1,740 companies plan to resume business travel in the near future

8. Confidentialwww.milestoneinternet.com | 1-408-200-2211
AIRBNBPROVIDING GUIDANCETOHOSTS
To disinfect and provide safe remote and local experiences

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• Hotels are cleaned every day and
now much more often
• Only hospitals are cleaned more
Meet and exceed cleaning standards
and remind your guests throughout
the discovery, booking, and stay
HOTELSARECLEANERTHANMOST HOUSES

10. Confidentialwww.milestoneinternet.com | 1-408-200-2211 @MILESTONEMKTG
PENTUPDEMAND,LET’SACTNOW
02
03
0405
06
01
Lack of paid activity
is an opportunity
Seeking leisure travel
within driving distance
Demand is rapidly growing Audience is local
Concerns around safety Local activities and
packages are important

11. Confidentialwww.milestoneinternet.com | 1-408-200-2211
MILESTONE HOTELRECOVERYFUNNEL
BUILDING CONFIDENCE
Visibility and presence
✓ Home page banner and messaging
✓ New “care” page focusing on safety & commitment
✓ Covid 19 - advanced attributes
✓ Robust Schema, FAQ & blog content
✓ Social media postings
BUILDING DEMAND
Visits and Traffic
✓ “Go local” power page and package
✓ Cross promote special offers – local and social
✓ Email campaigns to local customers
✓ Custom targeting based on geography & audience interest
✓ Retargeting existing or recent customers
DRIVING
CONVERSIONS
✓ Flexible policies
✓ Special offers – LTO, book now and pay later
✓ Bundles with restaurants & local attractions
✓ Enhanced paid strategies
BUILDING
TRUST
✓ Customer testimonials on social media
✓ Create stories
✓ Signage within the facility

12. Audit process
Building Confidence

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AHLAGUIDELINES
FORCLEANING
ANDSOCIAL
DISTANCING

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HOME PAGE MESSAGING –SAFEANDCLEAN

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ANSWER QUESTIONS INDETAILTOMITIGATE CONCERNS-FAQS

16. Audit process
Building Demand

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ON-SITE "GOLOCAL" PAGE

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AUGMENTINGWITHPAIDSTRATEGIES
Display Ads
SEARCH ADS WITH NEW MESSAGING
Social Carousel Ads

19. Audit processDriving Conversions

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PACKAGEDININGOPTIONS,UPDATEWEBSITE,LOCAL&SOCIALCHANNELS

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EXPERIENCES &DISCOVERING LOCAL

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LIMITED-TIME OFFERS
Other LTOs could be around
• Father’s Day
• Local events
• Other occasions
• Family events
(combined with the book
now, pay later combo)

23. Audit process
Building Trust

24. Confidentialwww.milestoneinternet.com | 1-408-200-2211
Signage can improve
customer experience – from
the front desk to the room
and in shared facilities
@MILESTONEMKTG
SIGNAGE INTHEFACILITYCANIMPROVE CUSTOMER TRUST

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MORE CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES FROM HSMAIANDMILESTONE
https://global.hsmai.org/insights/coronavirus-resources/
https://www.milestoneinternet.com/covid-19-resource-center
Or contact us at sales@milestoneinternet.com

26. Confidentialwww.milestoneinternet.com | 1-408-200-2211
Audit processQuestions for Bob Gilbert