One size does not fit all when marketing across multiple generations. Personalization is paramount. For the DOSM marketing the next AAA package, you cannot afford to simply have one advertisement created and distributed to the masses. Rather, you should become familiar with your audience - know their demographics and psychographics - and then consider creating separate messages tailored for each generation you are targeting. READ MORE

There is a perception that green hotels are more expensive for hotel guests than conventional hotels, and many survey results say that guests are willing to pay more - up to 10% more - to stay in a green hotel (e.g., LEED certified). As a hotel guest, would you be willing to pay more money per night to stay in a green hotel? As a hotel manager, would you be willing to charge your guests more to stay in your green hotel? Or, perhaps the question is, are hotel managers taking advantage of the opportunity to charge more (since guests are willing to pay more) for their green hotels? Read on to find out… READ MORE

Hoteliers often find it desirable to classify certain workers as independent contractors. Payroll tax benefits, labor cost reduction and business expense management are enticing for many companies to take the risk of classifying an individual as an independent contractor when the independent contractor/employee distinction is blurred. Employers that hire independent contractors must be extra cautious to ensure that these workers are classified correctly, because federal and state governments have signaled their intent to more seriously investigate misclassification issues. Employers that run afoul of the relevant statutes and regulations will face regulatory fines, back tax implications, wage and hour claims, workers' compensation issues and a host of other problems. The following article provides a background on what conditions must be satisfied to properly classify an individual as an independent contractor. READ MORE

Like it or hate it, social media is here to stay and is becoming one of the leading ways for companies to engage customers. You can put your head in the sand and hope that this “social media madness” will go away, but that is not going to happen any time soon. Instead, embrace the genre, find someone who is great at it, and start engaging. Social media is the perfect way to stay in touch with a guest once they have checked out and to motivate and inspire guests to come plan a stay with you in the future. And once you start the conversation, you may be pleasantly surprised at the results. READ MORE

It's the age-old question for a sales person…where do I invest my time to get the biggest return? While the local market sales effort is still high on the list, there are now many online efforts that must be addressed as well. It is imperative that hotels look at all of their online and offline sales and marketing initiatives and prioritize them. Then employ the 80/20 rule. Spend your time on the 20% of the accounts that give you 80% of your business. READ MORE