Women Travelers Issues in Toronto Term Paper

Executive Summary of market Conditions

• Competitive Analysis & future development

Through well researched strategy, specific tactics, and a complete communication plan, Signature Hotel in Toronto will provide women business travelers a place to stay and return to.

• Travel intentions/forecasts

The forecast will be to at least garner 80% of the women traveler market-share through corporate tie-ups with businesses around the world. Corporate incentives will be the main strategy to lure corporate accounts providing women traveler staffs and executives freebies that include discounts or free use of spa facilities at certain accumulated points. Likewise, planned company conventions are also targeted.

• Purpose of travel, radius, geographic origins, modes of travel.

Mainly, purpose of travel for women are business-driven, provided for my companies who may use these travels as incentives as well as necessity in their operations. A global target or the international traveling market is targeted, including Canada itself. Main mode of travel is by air and land transport although cruises may be used in the tie-up for arranged travel & tours.

• Target segment assessment for Women travelers:

60% Corporate Traveler IT (individual traveler)

30% Group/Meetings Business

10% Leisure Business

The main Business Objectives are to:

1. Achieve 70% occupancy while maintaining price integrity

2. Generate repeat business from 40% of new customer

3. Achieve a #3 spot in hotel recall and as preferred hotel in 2008 business hotel study.

Executive Summary of consumer trends/behaviors

Trends that have recently affected consumer behaviors include the proliferation of Internet Communication. Most customers today use company websites that offer access to coupons, and a large number of community forum sites that allow consumers to share details on how to obtain good deals where to find hotel or travel promotions.

For Signature Hotel, it may use the most recent form of downloadable interactive media to facilitate personal, direct, easy, fast as well as timely and personalized form of information and promotion campaign. This form of communication with the target traveler is personalized in such a way as allowing direct messaging from her computer / end to Signature Hotel’s website administrator in order to provide personalized needs for corporate accounts. The most successful salespeople are those who work hard to understand their customers’ needs with the ultimate goal of ensuring that customer’s needs are satisfied at a high level. The interactive nature of personal selling makes it the most effective method for building relationships with customers, particularly for volume bookings or reservations in the business-to-business market. In the B to B market where one company sells products to another company, money spent to support the selling function far exceeds spending on advertising. The two-way form of communication allows account holder to make adjustments to address questions or concerns.

As earlier noted, trends in sales promotions have reached a much cluttered environment and the need for creativity and originality spawns new generations of promotional ideas. As advertisements compete with other ads for customers’ attention, so do sales promotions.

In high street, use of inserted coupon promotions may be included in mailing or printed media along with numerous other offerings from Signature Hotel. Tie-up with local tourist attractions will also provide an advantage for Signature hotel as a preferred accommodation by Women travelers. By integrating easy access to local attractions, there is an added bonus or reason why Women travelers must prefer to book at signature Hotel.

Executive Summary of Strategy

It is in getting the word out that requires creativity and synchronization to build an integrated communications plan. Signature Hotel must explore all communication channels, and consider all customer touch points when developing the plan to include

• A media plan to indicate the crux of a campaign which is to tie-up with local attractions to gain a more favorable booking / reservation from target clients. The media plan will use news releases to local and international travel magazines, newspapers, as well as internet media to emphasize the attractive package Signature Hotel Toronto offers.
• Explore partnerships with local attractions to tie-up travel packages and itineraries. With international booking agencies high street and online to provide a comprehensive presence online and high street.
• Schedule of a synchronized plan will integrate the campaigns within the tie-up process with local attractions, news releases, internet or website announcements, as well as use of promotional fliers, brochures or advertisements online, magazines, television ad radio.

Campaign Component Tactics

Target Audience Frequent Business / Women travelers. Women today are empowered not only as equal-opportunity staff and employees but also as executives if not the facilitators of their own businesses. They are also the partner in a relationship as married or single, and mother in families with a say in where her children may be best treated and comfortably accommodated. They are a growing market with the capacity to decide where they may stay, when and why.

Tie-up with local Toronto attractions

This will entail a lower package deal to be used by travelers who may visit or is destined to go to a certain location aside from signature Hotel. Customers of Signature Hotel, on the other hand may also take advantage of an arranged itinerary available during the booking period with flexible time usage. Toronto attractions that provide discounted rates or inclusion in destination or tour package for individuals and groups may include parks and gardens tours, use of spa facilities within or outside the hotel, participation in in-house or Toronto events such as food festivals, shopping and dining discounts, among other related spending and leisure activities.

For this market segment, it is necessary to use the internet as a new media.

Use of the internet has been an emerging necessary if not an invaluable tool in reaching out to the target audience. Travel has entailed much reliance on the internet, from acquisition of information to the finalization of a travel execution including destination, itinerary, and more importantly for The TORONTO SIGNATURE Hotel, online bookings. New Media tactics today include downloadable upgrade and news tools to directly inform the target market what are the current room rates, available promotions, as well as exclusive tie-up events and freebies undertaken by the Toronto Signature for its clientele.

Tactic B- Sales Promotions

There are 3 types of sales promotions that may be applied for Signature Hotel that includes:

1. Consumer Market Directed. This is intended to the end consumer by exposing them to sales promotions nearly everyday. They are conditioned to look for Signature Hotel promotions or discounts prior to making travel and booking decisions.
2. Trade Market Directed. This target partners within the distribution channel through travel agencies on high street and online. Trade promotions are used to entice channel members to carry Signature Hotel bookings, and utilize promotions to strengthen the channel relationship. The travel agencies may be given discounted agent rates or packages to target a certain number of bookings per given period.
3. Business-to-Business Market Directed. Although this is considered small, Signature Hotel Toronto shall use this as the main and important set of sales promotions targeted to the business-to-business market. This strategy is to give corporate accounts travel or point incentives or discounts accrued within a given period or frequency of bookings to be used by executives and rank and file. Likewise, conventions, seminars and other company travel incentives are provided aside from the staple access and tie-up or discounts in other local Toronto destinations and attractions that include bars, events places, restaurants, shopping areas, relaxation areas and the in-house facilities of Signature Hotel.

It is to be noted that current trends in sales promotions are updated and become more competitive regularly between hotels. Delivery of promotions and information campaigns include

• Electronic Delivery that are internet and mobile technology-based, using cell phones. The combination of mobile devices and geographic positioning technology already permit marketers to target promotions to a customer’s physical location. This will Signature Hotel to issue sales promotions, such as electronic coupons, to a customer’s mobile device when they are near the location where the coupon can be used.

While websites already started offering access to coupons, and a large number of community forum sites allow consumers to share details on how to obtain good deals, where to find a sales promotions, Signature Hotel may also use the downloadable program that allows direct interaction between customer and Signature Hotel web administrator. Customers may now provide their feedbacks, comments, suggestions as well as request personal adjustment to their needs aside from the daily or regular promotional update, room and facilities rates, and other perks that the hotel are currently offering.

Another for of trend in Personal Selling that Signature Hotel in Toronto ay use is the “controlled word of mouth” where individuals are hired to spread positive information about Signature Hotel in a way that does not make it obvious to others that they are being paid to do so. This technique is used for building awareness of the new hotel in Toronto dubbed as “buzz” marketing. The hotel will form a team of word-of-mouth marketers who will visit travel and tour forums, blogs, and internet news outlets to “talk up” about the new “destination” in Toronto. They may post their own photos with “friends” in blogs and network sites but avoid directly disclosing that they are being compensated by the brewer for their efforts.

Another trend in personal selling is the Customer Information Sharing that involves the integration of customer relationship management (CRM) systems into the selling arena.

CRM is the name given to both the technology and the philosophy that drives companies to gain a better understanding of their customers with the goal of building stronger long-term relationships. This may be built through the downloadable or website communication messaging strategy for Signature Hotel.

The Mobile Technology & Web-Based Computing such as wireless internet (WiFi) and cellular Internet access, allow salespeople to retrieve needed information at any time as well as provide promotional information to their target clients. Salespersons can also quickly access company material to respond to questions such as the available facilities and room rates, if a reservation is placed. New generation cellphones or smartphones along with other handheld devices, such as personal digital assistants (PDA), lighten the burden of carrying laptop computers. These handheld devices are web-enabled and provide access to much of the same information as a standard computer.

Electronic Sales Presentations to corporate or group target accounts through audio/video conferencing allow Internet access speed; computing power and meeting software have made this method for reaching customers a practical alternative to face-to-face sales meetings. These options include: on-line video conferencing, web/phone conferencing as well as on-line text chat.

Communications / Media Strategy

It is very important to generate publicity through news media. In this instance, it has been effective to use a popular Signature Hotel executive or a popular regular client of Signature Hotel who may a member of the media, an admired politician, or even a Hollywood personality. These tactics will entail leadership and integrity image, confidence of target clients, creativity, caring, or even good advisor image, responsible, respected or even an environmentally conscious image for Signature Hotel (Module 1 lectures).

The media strategy is a part of the Public Relations campaign to build good relationships with the company’s various publics, obtaining favorable publicity, building up a good “corporate image” and handling or heading off unfavorable rumors, stories and events.

The role of Public Relations include raising the public’s consciousness about a product, service, individual or issue; manage the Hotel’s public image that helps the public understand the company and it’s products; PR can use all the same communications tools as in other areas of Marketing.

An integral part of the Marketing Plan, the Media Strategy should be planned, executed carefully and measured to ensure success. It is to be noted, however that all communications to the outside world and within the organization: creates an impression, causes an emotional reaction, makes a statement about who the people behind Signature Hotel are and what values they hold dear.

• Publicity aims to create interest in a person, product, idea organization or business establishment generally through the generation of favorable stories in the news media that include the Newspapers, Magazines, Television and Radio, and Online Affiliates.
• It is to be noted that publicity relies solely on the quality of content to persuade others to get the message out; and that a good publicity helps journalists find and report legitimate news that is important to their audience; earn the respect of media in order to establish an effective PR campaign.

In using Publicity, an effective press release is used through distribution in a regular basis to established press contacts and editors of industry journals, magazines and trade publications. The Signature Hotel must maintain relationships with press contacts in order to have insider information on upcoming features as well as be asked to submit information.

Integrated Communications Schedule with Budget

Business levels forecasted for 2008 dictate a conservative approach financially. The budget for this Q1 initiative is $150,000 for creative, media and PR efforts. This does not include the salaries or staff involved or direct sales effort

Creative Strategy: Approach/Messaging Rationale

It is generally recognized that successful creative themes tend to have consistency so that the target audience instantly connects to an advertisers’ message. Signature Hotel Toronto will build buzz on its travel and tour packages constantly promoting not only what the hotel itself offers through comfortable hotel rooms, spa and facilities but also direct and felt discount and package rate in availing local itinerary, dining, shopping and on-going events and festivals. This way, there will be a constant recall that a Signature Hotel Toronto reservation has its own added perks at a very reasonable cost for women travelers. Meeting people as well as enjoying a tour has become exciting and an added bonus if not a necessity in stress-related business travels.

Consistency in terms of timing, executions, media and promotional tools shall have a “homey” impact as well as recall among clients. Retention of images and experience is gained through consistency thereby automatically connecting Signature Hotel to exciting and unforgettable travel memories and experiences.

Signature Hotel will involve consistency across:

• Time with a year-round availability of reservation bonus and perks
• Creative executions – provision of internet images of destination in the website as well as downloadable and interactive media will generate excitement and “feel” on target consumer about what lies ahead with a Signature Hotel Toronto booking.
• Advertising media – The booking packages shall all be included in the print, online and other forms of advertisement to retain as well as provide a comprehensive campaign.
• Promotional tools – include the internet/website, online marketing team of bloggers and forum visitors, posting of photos, messages, and creation of buzz.

Creative Execution/Creative/examples/ different mediums

Posters & Magazine Print Ads/Discount Coupons & 3 Online and Travel Magazine Advertisements:

Get Dining Discounts at the Taste of the Danforth

August ___ to ____ 2008!

Get a “Taste of the Danforth” discounts. Discount Coupons to more than 50 GreekTown restaurants available to all paid reservations starting January until June 30, 2008! Make your Summer Reservation at Signature Hotel now!

Website /Interactive Media Announcement from November 2007 to June 30, 2008/ Internet banner advertisements:

Pamper yourself while on business tour in Toronto. Delight in Signature Hotel’s spa and other surprise treats. Comes free with your reservation now!

Blogging / Forum and News Releases starting February 2008 until June 15 2008.

“The sights overlooking from Signature Hotel in Toronto is simply magnificent! Check this out! And I can’t believe my reservation entitled me those sumptuous dinners at Mr. Greenjeans! Then, there’s the total bargain at Funtasia where I rummaged through rare toys for my kids!”

It is necessary to measure return of investment in Signature Hotel marketing as this will:

• Track Incremental Sales/Market Share
• Measure Creative response (pre/post campaign)
• Track response to Media choices
• Program Costs vs. Return (ROI)
• Brand perceptions and preferences.

Through interviews as well as customer response measured through bookings and inquiries (first-time online customers were asked how did they learn about Signature Hotel). As budget is limited to this form of measurement, it was nevertheless satisfactory considering that operations have just started.

For Signature Hotel, factors that influenced the Budget Decision are:

1. Market Potential and
2. Market Share Goals.

Our main objective was to at least gain women travelers at 60% Corporate Traveler IT (individual traveler), 30% Group/Meetings Business, and 10% Leisure Business.