Introduction
Marketing as a way of improving sales only becomes meaningful when it is done at the right place. The right place means the message concerning the available product is taken to people who are likely to have interest in the item. The 400-Room hotel located in the business part of downtown is likely to appeal to people who travel for business purposes.
The various means of marketing and their advantages and disadvantages
Getting involved in a Convention and Visitors Bureau
Getting involved in a convention and visitors bureau is a good way of marketing a downtown hotel. The advantage is that the expenses for carrying out this kind of marketing and customer search are not high. The disadvantage is that it cannot avail a sufficient number of clients to fill a 400 room downtown hotel.
Getting involved with the local chamber of commerce
This is also one of the possible marketing strategies. One of its advantages is that it is less expansive. But like the convention and visitors bureau move, it is not a good source of good numbers customers for such a high capacity hotel.
Placing advertisements in a local business journal or similar periodicals
This is one of the best ways to advertise the hotel. The advantage is that it reaches a wider market and therefore raises the chances of capturing a good number of customers. The disadvantage is that it may be expensive and it also lacks the much needed personal touch that enhances loyalty (Babib, Anderson, Mehta & Hair 2008, pp.76-77).
Hold a free mixer for administrative assistants in the local business district
This is equally a good way of marketing the hotel. It has a strong sense of personal selling in that the function is organized specifically for these assistants with the aim of marketing the hotel. One of its advantages is that it leads to strong loyalty from the customers (Anderson, Mehta, & Dubinsky 2006, pp.34-35). The disadvantage is that it can only bring in a small number of clients who cannot be economically beneficial considering the high capacity of the hotel.
Review previous contracts, contact key clients, and attempt to get referrals
This is one of the best ways to market the hotel because it is less expensive in that it makes use of already available contacts (Kerin & Pertons 2009, pp.87-90). The disadvantage is that it is not a method that can be relied upon since previous contracts may not be up for renewal.
Recommendation to the Hotel Owner on the Best way to market the hotel
Based on the above analysis of the various methods at the disposal of the marketing team, there are some methods that can be used to get a good number of customers thus raising the profit margin. There are also others that are both costly and unlikely to bring in a good number of customers. The following are the best methods that may be considered for marketing this hotel.
Placing advertisements in a local business journal or similar periodicals
This is the best method that can use to get customers for this hotel. The placement of advertisements in the local dailies and periodicals will reach as many people as possible meaning that most of the people looking for accommodation as they go about their businesses in the town can make use of the hotel. This method also provides the information to the local people who will be in a better position to guide any visitors who may be looking or accommodation. This is not something that can be done if a few business executives are invited to a function where they are given information about the hotel.
The other method is the utilization of referrals, renewing previous contracts and contacting key clients. This method is also credible in that previous contracts can be easily renewed if the relationship as good. It is also possible o contact key clients if they were treated well any time they made use of the facilities in question. Referrals are also based on known business relationships and this is likely to succeed in getting clients to come to the hotel.
References
Anderson, R., Mehta, R & Dubinsky, A., (2006). Personal Selling: Building Customer Relationships and Partnerships (2nd ed.).New York: Houghton Mifflin.
Babib, B., Anderson, R., Mehta, R & Hair, J., (2008). Sales Management: Building Customer Relationships and Partnerships (1st ed.).New York: South Western College Publishers.
Kerin, R & Peterson R., (2009).Strategic Marketing Problems: Cases and Comments (12th ed.).New York: Prentice Hall.