You know that your property is the best place to stay in your area. But how do you boil down your lodge marketing and growth strategy to a formula that works? In short, make your lodge the destination for a traveler—not just a place to stay. With a push for more convenience and less interaction on the potential guests’ end, promoting your business may be more of a challenge. At Q4Launch, we make it easy for you!
Lodge marketing, like B&B marketing or any other niche marketing, requires an expert who understands your needs. At Q4Launch, we’ve assembled a team of dedicated individuals that want to see your business prosper. Our digital marketing strategy has proven effective for lodges with a combination of:
- SEO implementation.
- Content marketing strategies.
- Website design.
- Targeted pay-per-click ads.
- Social media management.
- Effective lead generation.
Everything You Need to Know to Improve Your Lodge Marketing Plans & Our Expert Tips for Increasing Occupancy
Are you looking for help or need some lodge marketing ideas? Review our insights below for more information on how you can make your property the destination for various travelers.
1. Know Your Audience
Who are you trying to attract to your lodge? Millennials? Families? Couples? Whomever your preferred guest may be, one aspect of your marketing should tailor to those particular demographics. Other tactics should encourage guest diversity. This delicate balance of need versus the desire to grow your business must begin by deciding who your target demographic is.
After you’ve assessed, grow your guest profile with the help of high-quality content. From blog posts to landing pages to the homepage itself, every page of your site should create an experience that tailors to all demographics. Use your content to convince a millennial couple that their experience will be different from that of a family, and vice versa.
Our content team is comprised of professional writers that specialize in creating more targeted copy to attract future guests, all while keeping customer voice intact. Read on to see how we use that team in implementing lodge marketing strategies.
2. Promote Convenience
Besides highlighting your amenities, tell your audience how your lodge offers everything they’ll need in one convenient place. Whether you boast a luxurious atmosphere, a decadent restaurant, an indulgent spa, transportation, or all of the above, they need to know!
Redfish Lake Lodge does just that. Maintaining a collection of on-site amenities, many guests at this mountainside resort feel as though they never have to leave. The property is nestled on Redfish Lake in Central Idaho. It proudly boasts:
- The General Store
- Three restaurants
- A marina
- Aquatic rentals
- Bike rentals
- Redfish Corrals (horseback riding)
“Teaming up with Q4Launch was a huge leap of faith for us…our bookings were strong and business was very good. There was a need for us to better define our Lodge in the marketplace and we felt scattered in our marketing efforts. In less than a year’s time, we have seen unpredictably strong growth and have complete confidence in the direction of our plan. If there were any regrets, it would be that we did not get on board sooner. They are a great professional team with strong and visionary leadership and incredibly responsive consultants.”
– Jeff from Redfish Lake Lodge
3. Oversell Your Amenities
When you’re making changes to your lodge marketing strategy, highlight your amenities. Create landing pages, social media posts, and emails centered around what makes your lodge special. Your amenities should be marketed to supplement the experience of a guest. In some cases, it may present itself as a deciding factor. Begin with the beauty of your area and enlighten potential guests on how your amenities will add to their experience.
4. Create Customized Packages
Although your lodge may offer many conveniences and amenities, travelers to a new area may wish to see more of your region. After someone books a stay with you, seize the opportunity to supplement to their experience. We encourage our lodge customers to cultivate and foster relationships with local businesses. This tactic maintains a two-prong approach where your lodge and the local company are both benefitting financially.
Is your area is known for hiking and other outdoor-oriented activities? Create a package in combination with a local guide or adventure company. Or, if you’re region boasts world-class cuisine, partner with restaurants and eateries to create the ultimate culinary experience.
These are just two examples of how you can differentiate your lodge from others in their area and allow your guests to feel closer to the local culture.
5. Your Online Presence Needs to Be Appealing
In our always evolving, modern world, the focus of interpersonal communication and word of mouth has shifted to electronic modes of communication. Before you increase your online presence in directories, social media, and search, start with your own online presence.
Think of your website as your online home. If it’s slow to load or difficult to navigate, new visitors you attract will associate frustration with their experience. Potentially, they may choose to book their stay at another property or through another platform. Don’t let a poor booking experience leave a negative impression of your business caused by:
- Unattractive or not mobile-friendly design
- Photography not representative of your property’s experience
- Poorly written content
Your lodge marketing strategy should focus on web design. A specialty at Q4Launch, our team of designers offers a particular set of skills that will transform any ordinary site into something extraordinary. Customizable layouts, intuitive designs, and beautiful graphics are all included in your marketing plan with Q4Launch. After all, your site is one of the most pivotal places to stand out amongst your competition.
6. Be Social with Guests via Social Media and Email Marketing
The use of social media marketing and email marketing continues to change the way users book their experience online. Whether you create engaging content, include compelling photos, or promote features of your property, it’s important to capture your audience. These two helpful platforms bridge the gap in communication by conveniently bringing the best of your property to the potential guest.
In order to market lodges effectively, you’ll need a team of experts on the case. Luckily, Q4Launch provides you with that service. From social media management to email marketing strategies for your lodge, our innovative company has the proven knowledge and expertise to add value to your bottom line and bring more business to your front door.
7. Invest in Pay-Per-Click Advertising
In coordination with social media and email marketing, we recommend investing in pay-per-click ads. Often referred to as PPC campaigns, these digital advertisements are the perfect addition to an effective lodge marketing strategy. Some may hesitate to create these ads, but consider this: there is a potential guest out there who wants to stay at your lodge, but they don’t know that yet. These ads are a simple solution to engage more people. Tailor them to long-tail queries and intention-based keywords. A well-performing ad can statistically provide a more than double increase in clicks to your page in a search engine result page like Google. We also recommend optimizing these ads for mobile devices to relay your message at someone else’s convenience.
8. Always Remember: Develop a Relationship With Your Guests
Whether your guest enjoys casual conversation or wants to email you photos of their stay, treat your guests with the utmost care and respect. A simple act of kindness can make a lasting impression on visitors. For example:
- Answering a message promptly.
- Accommodating a special diet.
- Offering an inviting atmosphere.
- Or, even recommending local attractions.
In a perfect world, these expressions will lead to more return customers and even customer-based referrals.
9. Hospitality Review Management
Managing your reviews are becoming more and more important to the buyer’s experience. High-quality and consistent new reviews of your property will help future potential guests researching a visit more confident in their decision. Keep an eye on and strategically handle your hospitality review management on TripAdvisor, Google, Facebook, Yelp, and several others.
Team Up With Q4Launch to Grow Your Lodge Marketing Efforts
There are many lodge marketing approaches to try, and Q4Launch offers a unique strategy for your property. Our digital marketing company provides a full-service approach, offering services including:
- Lead generation
- Content marketing creation
- Email marketing
- Search engine optimization
- Website design
And other services, all to help you grow your business. If you’re interested in revolutionizing your marketing with us, request a complimentary Marketing Grader Report. This free scorecard will highlight the areas in Google Analytics where you’re performing well and will tell you where you can improve. Learn more about working with Q4Launch and our dedication to your goals by speaking with a team member today!