Points based programs will always have a role in a hotel's overall loyalty marketing strategy, but the true value of the programs is in the behavioral rich transactional detail that can give marketers insight into the attitudes, preferences and opinions of their customers. Using this data to create strategic and tactical marketing programs is a must for success and differentiation. READ MORE

In today's fast-paced and technology-loaded business and personal environment we often forget that it is human beings who are experiencing our services. There are so many articles, websites, resources that help companies promote and market their services through technology. We hear all the time - Do you have an app for that? But there's no app to replace customer service in human interaction. As important as it is to be at the cutting-edge with the technology that supports and advances your business, in the end it's the PEOPLE, your customers, and what they experience that matters. Human interaction, feeling good and safe cannot be replaced with any app. READ MORE

Do you feel like the way you're selling lately isn't as effective as, say, two or three years ago? You're not alone. What's going on out there, and what can suppliers do about it? Shawna Suckow, CMP, a 20-year veteran planner and author of Planner Pet Peeves, sheds light on what planners are thinking these days, and why they're cutting themselves off from suppliers who use traditional marketing methods. It's not a numbers game anymore - suppliers have to use the tools that planners clearly respond to, and those tools have changed. READ MORE

Every minute of every day millions of people are online sharing all kinds of information, from family news to opinions on global issues to comments on where they stayed recently. In fact, travelers are talking about your hotel on an onslaught of travel sites such as TripAdvisor, Yelp, Expedia, Priceline and Travelocity and ever-prevalent social media channels like YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter. With the growing importance of real time media, it is critical to keep in mind that what you say and what is said about your hotel can impact not just your reputation, but also your bottom line. READ MORE

International social media. Despite the benefits, it's a field that very few hotel marketers are exploring due to the perceived—and actual—landmines. Interacting with diverse foreign audiences on social networks potentially means world-spanning customer engagement, increased online search rankings and ultimately higher booking revenue. While it entails some unique challenges, taking your social program global is achievable. From preserving your brand's identity across multiple languages and social platforms to interacting with multilingual fans in near-real time, international social media requires careful planning and localization know-how. READ MORE