About this Episode
In her second episode on The New Luxury, Bonnie Knutson, Professor at Michigan State University School of Hospitality Business talks about the importance of merchandising an experience in a way that makes it easy for travel shoppers to visualize themselves at your hotel. She also identifies what hoteliers can learn from department stores and the auto industry to successfully merchandise lifestyle online and entice travel shoppers to book.
Click for Video Details
- Episode #8
- Posted on September 14, 2009
- Duration: 13:20
- Captions:
new luxury for hotels is about the experience they deliver
With spending at a low, how can hotels stay competitive and win bookings?
New luxury translates the ‘thing’ into the ‘experience’ that it provides
department stores don’t sell items, they merchandise lifestyle
retailers incorporate the senses into displays to increase revenue
take the opportunity to enhance guest experience by merchandising
auto industry - merchandise cars to give consumers sense of how they fit their lifestyle
retail example – show consumers combinations of items to fit their lifestyle
hotels haven’t taken advantage of merchandising yet
Is there an opportunity to engage people with hotel experience before they book?
what can hoteliers do to leverage the internet?
hotels have to allow prospective guests to visualize themselves in that setting
showing empty rooms doesn’t let guests visualize themselves there
ask “how can I help prospective guests visualize themselves at the hotel?”
what matters is that consumers can experience the hotel online
consumers want to customize their own experience
differentiate by appealing to as many senses as you can online using video
any hotel can give consumers a sensory experience on their website
better merchandise online by engaging people with an experience
show people the hotel experience and how it will make their stay successful - Embed Link:
2 Comments
Some great ideas and alot of this makes sense. As a group hotel, it was a great reminder for future marketing direction.
We really have enjoyed listening to Bonnie. This is all information I was aware of but Bonnie has helped me to move these thoughts to action. We have recently purchased a beautiful Historic Hotel in the Blue Mountains in Australia. Everything about our hotel is related to a well rounded guest experience rather than any one specific thing. We will take on board what Bonnie has suggested and hopefully will step up to the next level and get our website to portray a far more depth of experience to our prospective guests and conference clients. Thanks Bonnie watch this space – http://www.hotelblue.com.au
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