Business
Odysys CEO Kent Schnepp shares a solo podcast focused on 9 things properties can be working on during the pandemic to prepare for the return of guests. Check out the "Episodes" page on https://www.innspeakpodcast.com for the list of "9 things" along with links to resources to help you implement the 9 things. Understand your ideal guest - always true but because of the pandemic, your marketing can adapt by thinking about what those specific types of guests are going through during the pandemic and when they do decide to start traveling again, what are the things they’re going to be most concerned about? Cleanliness, social distance, etc Related resources: Identify Your Ideal Guests, Create Marketing Personas https://support.odysys.com/en/articles/3553645-identify-your-ideal-guests-create-marketing-personas Continue to invest in your organic search strategy - maintaining your google business listing, evaluating your strategy for getting and replying to reviews, developing a content and link strategy Related resources: How to rank better in google hotel search map results: https://support.odysys.com/en/articles/3780189-odysys-academy-march-2020-how-to-rank-better-in-google-s-hotel-search-map-results Ongoing SEO for traffic growth: https://support.odysys.com/en/articles/3547430-odysys-academy-ongoing-seo-for-traffic-growth Comarketing - work with your complimentary local businesses to identify comarketing opportunities for your destination and complimentary businesses Build an audience with content - you have time to work on your content calendar and create valuable content for your ideal guests Related resources: Blogging & Creating Content for Direct Bookings https://support.odysys.com/en/articles/3655153-odysys-academy-january-2020-blogging-content-for-direct-bookings Shift your mindset to providing value - what is going to set your property apart when your ideal guests are deciding which accommodations to choose. Related resources: Extras, Packages & Upsells https://support.odysys.com/en/articles/3528352-odysys-academy-extras-packages-upsells Tell your story - focus on your brand and value proposition for your 2-3 ideal guest types and make sure that’s clear on your website. Analytics - take the time to look at and understand your analytics and what it means to your property. Or if you aren’t getting transaction and booking information, work with your booking engine partner and your marketing partner to properly implement google analytics Related resources: https://support.odysys.com/en/articles/3300592-odysys-academy-september-2019-google-analytics-odysys-analytics https://www.odysys.com/learn/google-analytics-for-innkeepers/ Go on an information diet - there’s too much information and it keeps changing, so perhaps it’s better to limit your intake to authoritative resources and be prepared to take action when travel does start to pick up again. Learn a new skill - are there things you can implement to improve your business or your service or your value when guests do start coming back. Related resources: Setting your marketing goals and a realistic marketing budget https://support.odysys.com/en/articles/3661392-odysys-academy-set-marketing-goals-and-a-realistic-marketing-budget