In today’s online marketplace, the launch of your Website is only the beginning. Though it currently remains the cornerstone of your business, the effort you or your Marketing Firm makes after the initial launch of your Website will be what determines the success of your business.
- Ongoing Marketing can be a Scary and Confusing Subject -
Many Innkeepers find themselves shying away from wanting to be involved in any way. They know they need to do “something” but unsure what that “something” should be, they go about searching for a Marketing Firm that will take the responsibility completely off their shoulders.
But as much as you might prefer to concentrate all your time on the day-to-day operations at your Inn, handing over your Marketing Keys “Lock, Stock and Barrel” is one of the worst decisions you can make.
- There is no ONE PATH to Marketing Success -
Innkeepers everywhere struggle daily on how much BUDGET they have available vs. how much TIME they want to be involved in their on-going marketing plan.
For the majority of Smaller Inns, this decision is most often already made for them. As that smaller Inns typically have smaller or virtually no marketing budget available, they quickly discover if they want to stay afloat, they have to learn how to do the majority of the on-going marketing tasks themselves.
For the majority of Larger Inns, this decision is more likely to be an easy one for the Innkeeper / Owner to make. Larger Inns typically have the budget to hire a Marketing Firm to complete the necessary ongoing marketing tasks required to grow their business.
Finally there are those Inns that have some budget to enlist professional marketing help, but they quickly realize it isn’t going to be enough to cover all the marketing tasks that must be done, so they find themselves learning to do some of the marketing work themselves, in addition to paying a Marketing Firm to do the tasks they are not comfortable with. An ala carte plan will typically best fit the needs of this type of Innkeeper. And truth be told, often times these Innkeepers find they actually enjoy the tasks they have chosen to do, as they know their business better than anyone else.
Any of these PATHS can lead to Marketing Success, as long as the Innkeeper / Owner stays involved. They cannot hand over the Keys to their Ongoing Marketing Plan and walk away and expect to be successful.
A Quality Marketing Firm Will:
- Customize a Marketing Plan especially for your business.
- Schedule meetings with you on an on-going basis to keep you informed of changes in the marketplace that are going to affect your success.
- Will require you, and will work with you, to be completely aware of your Revenue on a month-to-month, and year-to-year basis. Not estimated traffic data but actual Revenue.
- Review what marketing work they have done that directly contributed to your success, what work is a supporting factor of that success and adjust your plan as needed as you learn together what efforts are working well and those that need to be adjusted.
- A One-Size-Fits-All Generic Marketing Plan will NOT work over time -
No two Inns are the same, and their marketing plans should not be either. This type of marketing support does not come cheap. There is a LOT of WORK involved in successfully marketing an Inn. That’s why you as an Innkeeper needs to evaluate your budget, and decide where you fall in to place on the Infographic above.
- Acorn Internet Services offers a variety of Integrated Marketing Plans -
- For Inns with an Ample Marketing Budget
We offer a Full Service Deluxe Marketing and Monitoring plan where our Client Services team does all the necessary marketing “work” and we keep you involved in the ongoing planning, monitoring and account maintenance for your own property. Learn More...
- For Inns with Some Marketing BudgetWe offer our Basic and Standard Marketing plans where we work together to decide what tasks you are comfortable performing, and what ones you need us to do. These are our ala carte plans based on your specific needs. Learn More...
- For Inns with Little or No Marketing Budget
We offer our Acorn University Education and On-Going Support for Innkeepers that find they have to “Do-It-Yourself” (DIY) their own marketing work. We provide current and up to date sessions on the most important marketing strategies being used in today’s online world, and monthly Club 60 classes to share what’s on the verge of impacting their business or is brand new in our industry.
For any of these types of budgets, we highly recommend that Innkeepers remain in the “KNOW” whether they are physically completing the marketing tasks or not. You simply cannot hand over your marketing keys to a Marketing Firm and hope for the best. That’s why Acorn University Education is NOT just for the DIY Innkeeper, but is a highly successful way for all types of Innkeepers to staying abreast of our ever changing marketing landscape.
“If you are not measuring it, you can't manage it.” -- Kevin, Whale Walk Inn & Spa
Whether you have the budget to pay for a full service Marketing Plan, or you have to DIY, it’s your awareness, involvement and effort that will make the difference in your future success.
Contact us at 877-226-7699 to learn more how Acorn Internet Services can work with you to improve your business.
