Hospitality marketing takes collaboration to another level
When we say “sleeves rolled up”, we mean it…
Hospitality is one of our most cherished industries in the UK. We turn to it for our free time, our family time, our best times. So, our expectations are high and rising all the time.
It’s a tall order to meet and smash those expectations, given all the business challenges piling up for the industry. But as one of our specialist sectors at Tigerbond, it’s our job to help make it happen.
I’ve worked with hospitality brands across the UK for 20 years, from Hilton, Fairmont and IHG to Turnberry, NYX and Crieff Hydro. I love the industry, so I’m biased, but there is surely no other sector where there’s as much collaboration between us as an agency and a client’s in-house marketing, comms, commercial, people and operations teams.
We don’t simply run PR, social and digital strategies for our hospitality clients – we become part of their very fabric. In fact, I’ve set tables, poured drinks, vacuumed and made beds for some of the best hotels in the country.
One reason we get so thoroughly under the skin of our hospitality clients is that marketing can’t do it all (don’t tell the boss).
Hospitality needs to achieve ‘the trifecta’ to bring guests in and – crucially – keep them coming back, and it’s truly a group effort…
Great stories, well told – it can’t just be about the stay itself, guests demand more. They want to know who they’re staying with and what they’re made of. Emotional connection is just an important as transactional satisfaction.
Great facilities, always improving – the experience when guests visit has to be all they hoped it would be, and there must always be something to come back for. Marketing can tee up the visit, but it must match the hype.
Great service, consistently – not just during the stay, but across the entire pre, during and post visit, giving guests that addictive feeling of effortlessness and being well looked after. That means marketing and operations working together to get this right from end to end.
When we work closely with our clients to achieve these three pillars, magic happens…
Discoverability – stories blend with technical know-how to make sure our clients show up, wherever potential guests are looking. That might be in AI search, social scrolling, targeted marketing or word of mouth.
Belonging – we create a community that centres around the client, whether IRL or online. People see and share experiences and want to feel part of the moments we bring to life.
Habits – when the journey feels seamless and special, guests want more, driving repetition and loyalty.
So, what tools can we use to help make all of this happen? The list is endless, but we might look to…
Experiences – trending packages, unique offerings, insights turned into must-dos
Partnerships – building a network of awareness and value-adds
Community engagement – authentically embedding our clients into their local areas
Flawless UX – goes without saying, but a minefield in hospitality
People power – hospitality firms’ secret comms weapon is often their teams’ own stories and expertise
Wow moments – call me old-fashioned, but nothing beats a great event, stunt or set piece PR campaign
And it always helps to be able to pull a good pint, just in case. Really knowing your client beyond the marketing function is priceless, and that ultra-close collaboration is gratifying, but also super effective for supercharged hospitality marketing.
