Jan
4
Happy New Year!
Over the past few weeks, lots of emails have landed in my inbox from people offering their opinions on all sorts of subjects. From what trading conditions are going to be like for 2010, through to their top ten "do's" or "don'ts" depending on their point of view.
There's no reason why 2010 should be a bad year for your hotel business. You've just got to get a few fundamental things right -and one thing in particular...
...you've probably heard the story before - but it goes something like this:
Two men are walking through the African savannah when a great big lion steps into their path and eyes them hungrily. One man sits down, takes his boots off and starts to put on a pair of running shoes. His companion says to him,
"What are you doing that for?? You'll never run faster than a lion even if you're wearing running shoes!!!"
"Ah, but I don't need to run faster than the lion", the first man replied,
"I only need to run faster than you!"
--
Regardless of what happens to the economy, you can't overcome it directly (you can't run faster than the lion).
BUT - you can be quicker than your competitors. You can deliver better value, you can promote better, be more relevant, be the solution to people's problems, offer things people want to buy.
Answer one basic question and it can be like putting on your own pair of running shoes. What's the question? It's in the title of this blog post:
"What am I going to get?"
You see, very few of your competitors actually answer this question. It's right there, front and centre, in the mind of your prospective customer. But too many hotels are too busy talking about themselves - their sympathetic architecture, their locally sourced produce, their tasteful decor and their price.
If you're one of the few to bother with the simple task of answering the question - you'll be a few yards ahead of the competition when the lion starts to chase you - and you can stay there long after they've been chewed up and spat out.
People want to know what they're going to get for their money: What will it feel like?; what will it taste like?; will I feel good as a result?
So thet's my tip for 2010.
Answer the question.
Over the past few weeks, lots of emails have landed in my inbox from people offering their opinions on all sorts of subjects. From what trading conditions are going to be like for 2010, through to their top ten "do's" or "don'ts" depending on their point of view.
There's no reason why 2010 should be a bad year for your hotel business. You've just got to get a few fundamental things right -and one thing in particular...
...you've probably heard the story before - but it goes something like this:
Two men are walking through the African savannah when a great big lion steps into their path and eyes them hungrily. One man sits down, takes his boots off and starts to put on a pair of running shoes. His companion says to him,
"What are you doing that for?? You'll never run faster than a lion even if you're wearing running shoes!!!"
"Ah, but I don't need to run faster than the lion", the first man replied,
"I only need to run faster than you!"
--
Regardless of what happens to the economy, you can't overcome it directly (you can't run faster than the lion).
BUT - you can be quicker than your competitors. You can deliver better value, you can promote better, be more relevant, be the solution to people's problems, offer things people want to buy.
Answer one basic question and it can be like putting on your own pair of running shoes. What's the question? It's in the title of this blog post:
"What am I going to get?"
You see, very few of your competitors actually answer this question. It's right there, front and centre, in the mind of your prospective customer. But too many hotels are too busy talking about themselves - their sympathetic architecture, their locally sourced produce, their tasteful decor and their price.
If you're one of the few to bother with the simple task of answering the question - you'll be a few yards ahead of the competition when the lion starts to chase you - and you can stay there long after they've been chewed up and spat out.
People want to know what they're going to get for their money: What will it feel like?; what will it taste like?; will I feel good as a result?
So thet's my tip for 2010.
Answer the question.
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