It's The Value, Stupid - By Madigan Pratt

Adweek Magazine was determined to find out. It surveyed nearly 1,500 advertising and marketing members of LinkedIn - the professional social network. The overwhelming answer - Value.

In fact, when offered a list of five choices the majority of marketers said 'It's the Value, Stupid.' Well, maybe not in those exact words, but 52% did say communications should 'focus on value.' Hospitality marketers should note only 8% of executives thought marketers should 'focus on price' - the lowest rated of all five choices.

Here's how the voting went

Now, one would assume hospitality marketing professionals would know value is the message, but you wouldn't know that based on a number of hotel email messages we have monitored recently. Here are some sample headlines:

- Receive a $400 Credit for a Four Night Stay

- $70.00 Off Our Sunday Champagne Brunch Package

- Arizona Vacation: Breakfast + Golf from $159

- South Carolina - Hilton Head $87 - $167

Looks as though quite a few hotels may need to rethink their marketing communications messages (if not their advertising agencies).

One smart hotel that understands 'It's The Value, Stupid' is 9 Beaches in Bermuda. Bam! The first thing you read on their web site is - '9 Beaches - Bermuda's Best Resort Value.' Copy then goes on to offer prospective travelers permission to believe it is indeed Bermuda's Best Resort Value.

A hotel chain that 'get's it' is Courtyard by Marriott. Over the weekend they ran a series of TV commercials which all have 'Value' as its main message. Nice.

What do you think? Few hotels will be able to get through this recession without some discounting. But do you feel hotels are focusing too much on price as opposed to communicating the value travelers will receive at their hotel?

Madigan Pratt is Managing Director of Madigan Pratt & Associates, Inc., an innovative CRM company dedicated to acquiring and retaining profitable customers for luxury hotels. Prior to founding MP&A in New York two decades ago he held senior management positions overseeing marketing communications for several Fortune 500 companies.

He has served on the Board and Executive Committee of the Caribbean Tourism Organization and is past Chairman of the Association of Travel Marketing Executives and writes a popular hospitality marketing blog -www.HospitalityMarketingBlog.com.

CONTACT
Madigan Pratt
Managing Director
Madigan Pratt & Associates, Inc.
3204 Ironbound Road - Suite D
Williamsburg, VA 23188
757-645-3113
www.MadiganPratt.com



Logos, product and company names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

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