Power Switch

Marketing is changing. Back in the day, companies spent a pretty penny on controlling their image without much trouble (barring tough competition). Back then, if you had the money, you could build a marketing strategy strong enough to propel your brand into the mainstream public consciousness (regardless of the quality of the product being advertised). These days, the Internet has made it possible for anyone to reach the masses on the cheap. While this is a good thing in many ways, it also leaves hotels vulnerable to the whims of (sometimes angry) average joes, armed with laptops and decidedly not on the company payroll.

So how much stock do potential guests put into the musings and reviews of their peers? As one of those potential guests, I can say with confidence: we take peer reviews seriously. Case on point: next week I’m heading to Vegas, so I checked Yelp for restaurant reviews. I trust Yelp because real people (without agendas) provide honest, no-holds-barred reviews. I'm sure sometimes the system is abused, but it has yet to steer me wrong after several trips all over the country.

Like so many others, I check out the user-submitted (cell phone-quality) photos of the restaurant's eats before planning my meal. Ever find yourself thinking that the food you see on television never looks like real-life? Its amazing what you'll find when you strip the stylization out – the truth is revealed. Take, for example, the following two pictures. One is a professionally staged and stylized photo, while the other was snapped from a camera-phone and shows the real food one can expect.

There is no stopping the momentum change. Either accept that control is being shifted, or brace yourself for the consequences. Besides unappetizing photos from the restaurant for the world to see, hotel guests are reviewing the speediness of room service, the friendliness (or unfriendliness) of the staff, even the water pressure in the shower. Time has come for marketing to meet operations to ensure a positive brand image.

Because of this change, McConnell Marketing designed systems like reputation management, social media packages, and mobile marketing technologies to make interaction between guest and hotel easy to design, execute and monitor. Your guests are out there talking; do you want to join the conversation?

McConnell Marketing Monster Mash

Darkness falls across the land, the midnight hour is close at hand. Creatures from McConnell Marketing dance and sing to celebrate Halloween!

See our sweet dance moves at http://bit.ly/7nOYx

Speaking of Halloween treats, what is your favorite Halloween candy? And what was your best costume current or past?

Some of our favorite candy includes frozen Snickers, bottle caps, Kit Kat, Butterfinger, candy corn, and DOTS! Our best costumes include an Amish family, nightstand (complete with lamp), Ash from Evil Dead, Chipotle Burrito (wrapped in foil), pirates, and cowboys.

Happy Halloween from your friends at spooktacular McConnell Marketing.

Busy, not blogging

The absence of Mm blogs as of late is certainly not due to a lack of things to say. For anyone who knows our team, someone always has a comment about something. We’re busy. Yes, that’s right. We serve the struggling hi-end luxury hotel market and we’re very busy. Our clients have taken the strings off their wallets and are once again spending on marketing.

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that “Hotel investors seem to be betting the current, prolonged recession is creating a pent-up demand for travel that will push hotel occupancy rates and revenues to soar in the recovery that follows. Marriott's revenue per available room fell 19% in the third quarter, but its share price has gained 109% since the March 9 market bottom.”

The article went on to portray a bleak picture of the hotelier future, but we’re hopeful. With clients ranging from InterContinental to Best Western, in locations from Scottsdale to Orlando, it seems that there is some positive business momentum. Stalled projects have gotten legs and new proposals are being requested all the time. Kudos to our awesome Director of Business Development AND to those of you who’ve decided to march forward and market. We’re very blessed.

Dream Client

As a part of my internship here at McConnell Marketing, Eric gave me the task of compiling a list of local prospects, to whom I would send a packet and eventually try and set up a meeting with. This got me thinking, if I could pick from any company in the U.S. to work with, who would it be?


After some thought, I narrowed my list down to Under Armour. As a sport lover, it would be a dream come true to be able to work with such a company. So I ask you, what is your dream company to work with?

Beyond Spell-Check

I have a love-hate relationship with spell-check. On one hand, it’s the best. I am a notoriously bad speller. It was just never my strong suit, despite the fact that I always loved to write. My tiny second-grade-sized hands would fumble through our giant dictionary in search of correct spellings, dreaming of the day when I’d simply be able to push a button and get the correct spelling of words like “lieutenant,” “absorption” or “malaise.” I figured we’d get this spelling machine around the same time as flying cars.

But lo! We got a computer a couple years later, and on that computer was the magical spell-checker I’d always dreamt about. It was great! I’d type out my book report, hit “spell-check,” and I was off to the races. I was sure I’d get 100% on all my papers now. I mean, I had this machine to correct all my mistakes, what other score could the teacher possibly give me besides a perfect one?

After the first couple of papers, I realized I was still going to have to proofread. I was disenchanted. The spell-check feature on my word processing program wasn’t the cure-all I had imagined it to be. But even worse: it made me realize that I made OTHER mistakes. It was a very dark time for fourth-grade Sara.

Fast-forward to present day. Spell-check and I have learned to co-exist. Scratch that. I rely on spell-check to correct my many (many!) spelling errors, especially now that I work in a field where proofreading and spell-checking and Thesaurusing are part of everyday life.

However, in the same way spell-check provided my grade-school self with a false sense of perfection (and to a degree, encouraged sloppy, improper grammar), I think features like spell-check and auto-correcting grammar in today’s word processing software might inadvertently be causing more typos than if we all went about things the old-fashioned way.

As I was perusing the menu on a recent dinner date, I noticed about 20 typos. Now, it’s not like the guy writing the menu misspelled “hamburger” or anything. In fact, I didn’t see any spelling errors. No, the person writing the menu definitely used spell-check—but I think that’s where their proofreading stopped. The errors I saw were inconsistencies or flat-out mistakes. Run-on sentences, missing hyphens, prices listed in a variety of formats, cut-off food descriptions… you get the idea. A real mess. I nearly lost my appetite. Kidding! I got the prime rib.

This problem runs especially rampant in hotel marketing collateral. That is, it has the potential to be a nightmare without professional supervision. Just hitting spell-check and reading through something one time isn’t enough, especially when there are so many opportunities for inconsistencies. Is it in-room dining or room service? Neither one is wrong, but if you use both on five different pieces, your guests are probably going to notice.

The point is, each piece of marketing should be painstakingly scoured before it gets in front of guests. Even operational pieces like laundry forms and door hangers need to be proofed for errors. To abstain from doing so would be an erratum of magnanimous proportions (take that, spell-check!).

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

“You know, you don't have to look like everybody else to be acceptable and to feel acceptable.” Fred Rogers

Hold the Mayo

I recently read an article about the turkey club being the cornerstone of Marriott’s room service menu. The simple sandwich is a comforting go-to for weary travelers who aren’t likely to be adventurous with their final meal of the day.

It makes sense. The last thing I want to do after a long day of flying or business meetings is take a chance on room-service ceviche or cactus tamales. A tried-and-true sandwich heaped with turkey and bacon sounds just about right – but not everyone can be in that boat, right? When you finally plop down on your hotel room bed and reach for the in-room dining menu, what is your standard, no-nonsense order?

Hospitality Food Trends

Following a great meeting with a great hotel, the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower, I walked around their block and tried more cupcakes. The hotel’s PR and Marketing Manager did NOT lead me astray. Thanks Lisa! The delicious treat I sampled (as soon as I left the little shop) and the box full of miniatures that came back to Youngstown for my precious Olivia and Calvin were very much enjoyed.

I’m now onto another sweet endeavor: creating macaron boxes for the infamous macarons created in ADOUR at The St. Regis New York. And next on my to-list is packaging for our friend DT, DOSM at The Ritz-Carlton Central Park. A glimpse at their cupcake package is enough to make me look for flights.

So what’s next? What’s coming from the left coast to replace the current confection craze? The LA Times featured a very interesting article about up and coming jelly shots. Yep, pretty close to familiar jell-o shots. Cheers to you, “J-E-L-L-O Bill Cosby.” That’s right high-end hotels, like Bar Nineteen 12 in the Beverly Hills Hotel, are now serving tasting menus of jelly shots. Cute! Curious to see when this sexy, sushi-inspired design makes its way east. Let’s just hope live nude sushi is a little farther behind.

The New Intern

On September 14, I became the new Intern here at McConnell Marketing. When I sat down to think of what to write for my very first blog, I thought it’d be best to give everyone a little information about myself.


I graduated from South Range High School, and I’m the youngest of three kids. I started my college life at Baldwin-Wallace College just outside of Cleveland. After one year I transferred back home to YSU to run track for the university, but after an injury that resulted in surgery my track days were over.


I grew up loving and playing all sports and never will pass up an invite for a round of golf. On Wednesday nights you can find me at a western bar called the Dusty Armadillo wearing my cowboy boots while line dancing. (That’s right, cowboy boots and line dancing) I’m always down for a good time no matter what it is, as long as I’m having fun.


Well that’s all I’ve got for now, time to start thinking for a new topic for next time.

Crystal Clear

I have been a high school speech coach six years, which means that every September I get back into “speech coach mode.” This means switching gears from account executive (serving the needs of my clients) to speech coach (serving the needs of a dozen hormonal teenagers). I’m not sure which is more challenging. 

Though these two aspects of my life have many differences, I often find that the same lessons I preach to the high school kids I coach are overflowing into the workplace. This week’s lesson? Clarity. I always knew the importance of clarity, and I stress that point to my speech kids every opportunity I get, but didn’t see how much of an impact it plays in my own life. 

This week I witnessed a seemingly innocent office discussion turn into a heated debate all over one or two misunderstandings. With the use of a few pronouns and assumptions (we all know what happens when we assume) and not specifics, everyone was on different pages with different interpretations of the original message. After we all took a step back, the problem was cleared up within a minute. 

I tend to ask the “who, what, where, when, why” all the time, even though I might know what is being discussed. In my own weird way, I suppose I’m trying to subtly show that things aren’t always as clear as they could be. By simply explaining what that “thing” is, or what “stuff” you’re referring to, it might lead to a lot less confusion and fewer unnecessary arguments.

Awards Show Geek

I’m not really one to watch award shows, but over the past two weeks I have watched the MTV Video Music Awards and the Primetime Emmys. What stood out to me was not the drunken antics of certain rappers, but the role social networking. From celebrity tweets live from the red carpet, to fans tweeting their disgust of the Kanye West debacle, MTV reported over 2.5 million tweets during their awards show. I noticed a similar situation during the Emmys as well. While perusing this morning’s news stories, I saw a blog written in real-time documenting the show. Anything you wanted to know from what the almighty Justin Timberlake had to say to Sarah Silverman’s fake mustache (actually a pretty humorous moment) was there in posts written every few minutes. You can see it here http://www.examiner.com/x-6593-NY-Theater-Examiner~y2009m9d20-Liveblogging-the-Emmys

Looks like social networking is working its way into everything, or maybe I’m just noticing it more.

"Life of a Hotel DOSM" Storybook

The life of a hotel Director of Sales and Marketing (DOSM) is a fascinating one. They’re the ones ultimately responsible for getting heads in the beds. But along the way, they often have a bunch of “characters” to deal with, each with different priorities.

So, to honor those noble DOSM’s out there, we put together a funny little story of the life of Mr. D.O. Essem, our heroic hotel DOSM and his collogues. Anyone who works at a hotel will surely enjoy.

AND, anyone who forwards the story on (Twitter via @mcconnellmktg) will automatically win a fun prize to prank his or her real-life “characters”!

PLUS, we will be giving away a FREE eBrochure – details at end of the story!

For easy tweeting: http://bit.ly/12YOf3

Enjoy!

Waterless Printing

A recent viewing of Arctic Tale, combined with frequent visits to the Pittsburgh Zoo’s polar bear exhibit with my 2-year-old twins Calvin and Olivia, has reinvigorated my family to focus our energy on becoming a greener group. We’re unplugging unused electronics, adding paper to our list of “to-be-recycled” items and making a conscious effort to bring our cloth bags to the grocery store so we don’t have to choose between paper and plastic.

With this new drive to go green in every aspect of my life, it is somewhat conflicting when I come to work and find myself working on marketing proposals that include printed materials. We try to assist our clients in their digital marketing quest, but sometimes print collateral is a necessary component. We’re currently working on printed sales kits (pocket folders, capacity charts and rack brochures) for several Sheraton hotels, a result of Starwood updating their design specs. So as an environmentally conscious account executive, I have to ask myself, “If size, quantity and paper stock variables are fixed, how else can I soften the environmental footprint of this project?”

For this project we’ve opted to print with one of our printing vendors who is one of only 9 in the country to offer Waterless Printing. Visit the Waterless Printing Association’s site to peruse all the benefits, but here are some highlights…

• Many printers have been drawn to waterless printing because it eliminates dampening-related volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the printing process. Some VOCs have been linked to the deterioration of the earth's protective ozone layer and, consequently, to global warming. Now, with the release of water-washable inks, the waterless pressroom can be virtually VOC-free.

• In 1995, 92 percent of the global population had a sufficient supply of water. If the world continues to consume water at its current rate, it is projected that water sufficiency in 2050 will be only 58 percent. It is further predicted that nations will go to war over water supplies within the next two decades.

Oh, and there are design benefits too…

• Consistent Color: Eliminate the vagaries of the dampening system and you get more consistent color throughout the press run.

• Better Color Saturation: Four-color process ink densities have averaged 20% higher than SWOP standards. A benefit designers and print buyers love.

• Low Dot Gain, More Detail: The inherent low dot gain of waterless lets you run higher screen rulings for much better detail. Waterless works well, regardless of the screen rulings. Even if you run 175 line screens, you’ll print a better product

Industry sustainability leader, The Willard InterContinental Washington, D.C. found this process the perfect solution when partnering with us to print a piece showcasing their in-depth Sustainable Development program. Waterless printing has become a true different and better for McConnell Marketing (and our clients who utilize it).

When, Why and How to use eCollateral

• SUPPLEMENT STANDARD PRINTED PROPERTY BROCHURE(S): An eBrochure can be the same as your property brochure and sent to prospects when either a printed pieces isn’t necessary or logistically efficient.

• TARGETED PROPERTY BROCHURE(S): Create targeted brochure for specific guests, wedding, meetings, spa, golf, etc.,—inexpensively.

• SEASONAL PROMOTION INFORMATION: Packages, newsletters, event listings, and other timely news is most efficiently communicated electronically.

• BANQUET MENUS: Content and price change frequently enough on menus that when changes occur, eMenus can be redone without the extensive cost of reprinting.

• PREVIEW: Send a link to the eBrochure in any reservation confirmations. This is especially helpful to guests who come to you via Priceline. Hotwire, etc.

• STORY TELLING: Unlike a website, an eBrochure gives you control over the order in which the audience reviews your content.

• COLLABORATE: Easily combine brochures with sister properties to seamlessly share a wealth of information.

• SAVE IT: For those who wish to save your property’s information and/or print it, an eBrochure is more easily saved to hard-drive and printed than a website.

• VIRTUALLY ANY MARKETING COLLATERAL THAT YOU WOULD TYPICALLY DISTRIBUTE USING PAPER, INK AND POSTAGE: Direct mail campaigns, contests, internal newsletters, notices (ie construction/detours, property expansion), invitations.

• NEW: People are numb to websites. Hotel eCollateral is new. Be among the first who utilize it effectively.

Buzz about buzz

I consider myself a roller coaster enthusiast. I try to ride as many coasters as possible during the glorious Ohio summer months. Luckily, a coaster-Mecca is just north of Cleveland: Cedar Point Amusement Park and Resort. This place has 17 coasters and has been voted best amusement park for 12 consecutive years by Amusement Today, a highly respected trade publication. Cedar Point knows the business better than any other, and their recent marketing efforts are keeping buzz for the park alive and well.

Cedar Point recently announced a new family-friendly water ride (Shoot the Rapids) that will debut in the spring. But before the announcement, the park employed smart marketing to prompt buzz for the mystery project.

The marketing team at Cedar Point posted a link on their Twitter that led to a website called Whyte Lightning. This site was a teaser for the new ride (themed around a moonshine distillery) and kept their audience guessing. A very clever promotional direct mail piece also fueled interest in the mystery attraction. One of the recipients even posted a video of the ride on You Tube.

All of this was expertly designed and implemented to get people talking before a ride announcement was even made. From effectively leveraging social media sites, to promo sites and packages, Cedar Point generated cheap and highly effective buzz.

How has your property used social media to generate buzz about recent packages or other developments? Sound off in the comments!

Best Western's Pet Morphing App, Great Marketing

Best Western recently introduced “Best Western Friends Forever Inseparator,” a web app that allows owners to merge their photo with an image of their pet. The image results are a little quirky, but the marketing concept is brilliant. What better way to communicate the pet-friendly aspects of your brand? It’s fun even if you have to pretend you have a pet lion.

1. Visit bwff.com

2. Upload a photo of yourself

3. Upload your pet’s photo

4. Highlight the areas of both photos to be merged

5. Watch as your face is instantly merged with your pet, creating one unique and new photo

6. Share via e-mail with your friends and family, or post for others to view on the “Friends Forever Inseparator” site

Read the full article at hotelmarketing.com.

Marketing Gone Green

http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2009/03/06/AR2009030602857.html

This article outlines what five major hotel companies are doing to “go green” The green movement is no longer a novelty, or something that a quirky boutique hotel might do—it’s a necessity.

That doesn’t necessarily mean ponying up for a huge renovation—even something as simple as switching out lightbulbs or changing to recycled paper goods helps.

Another way you can go green without breaking the bank is by adjusting the way you look at marketing. HTML emails, printing on FSC-certified papers and using waterless ink in printed materials are ways you can painlessly switch your current marketing efforts to more sustainable methods.

What are some ways your hotel is going green?

Identity Crisis

Don’t think your company’s “identity” is important? Don’t think people notice minor details like fonts, colors, size, etc? Well they do… and Ikea learned this the hard way. Changing your font from Futura to Verdana doesn’t seem like a big deal, right? When a company has a set identity (ahem, most hotels) and then they stray from it, it can sometimes receive a negative response (New Coke anyone?).

In Ikea’s case, their outraged customers immediately took to Twitter to share their disgust of the font. Not only are we getting a lesson about brand identity, but also social networking. So next time you don’t think anyone will notice your minor changes, remember Fontgate 2009.

Go here to read the full story http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1919127,00.html?cnn=yes

 

19th Annual Fred Perry Benefit Run for Kids

I married into a biker family. Tattoos, chaps and beards. Loud motorcycles. Lots of leather. Rough around the edges (at least that’s what my perception was at first). I’ve learned what saddlebags, ape hangers and drag pipes are. I’ve learned that men with beards and tattoos aren’t nearly as mean as they look. But 10 years ago when I was first introduced to this culture I was clueless. I was expecting fit men and women in short shorts, sports bras and Adidas to arrive at the first “run” my husband (fiancé at the time) asked that I help work.

A week and a half ago, my husband’s family and many friends coordinated the 19^th Annual Fred Perry Benefit Motorcycle Run for Kids. It is the largest motorcycle run—an organized motorcycle ride—in Northeast Ohio. The event usually attracts nearly 1,000 bikes and raises more than $10,000, which is donated to children in the area with medical needs. Check out their site to read more.

I’m proud to be involved with such a great organization. And proud to be part of Mm, an organization that requires we give back 1 day per month. What a great requirement!

Everyone is a marketer

My latest two trips landed me in Chicago and New York, where I chatted with (and befriended) many incredible hoteliers. In both cities I also encountered highly effective panhandlers who’s approach was far more effective than the cliché call for spare change.

In Chicago, a man who I would later come to know as “The Shoe Shine King” approached me and pointed to my doggie bag from Giordanos. He began our chat by complimenting me on my pizza choice. Then he took notice of my rain soaked, dirty shoes. Since he had already dropped my guard with friendly conversation, I didn’t automatically reject his offer to help with my shoes. Before I knew what was happening, he was on his knees scrubbing my shoes. At this point I felt it was too late to turn back, so we enjoyed a chat about the upcoming Cleveland Cavaliers season. After he was finished, my shoes were bright white, and my wallet was $20 lighter as he charged $8 per shoe.

In New York, on the shuttle from Grand Central to Times Square, I met a man sitting in the middle of the car, with two drums at his feet. As the train rocked forward, he began musical poem about the simple act of smiling. His message was ignored at first, but one by one people (including me) began to listen to his uplifting poem.

His message was simple: smile more. Be happy that you’re alive and don’t sweat the small stuff. He had the charisma of a great preacher, and the musical talents, for both his rhythmic words and drumbeats, able to lull one into a near trance. Almost all the passengers watched, sat back, and grooved with the tunes.

As the train came to a stop, I expected the call to action – a demand for spare change. But instead, he politely requested that if you were moved to show a smile back. He never openly asked for money. But as people paraded past, at least a dozen people dropped off folded bills.

It reminded me of another effective panhandler’s story recalled by marketing guru Seth Godin on his blog. These stories show that we are all marketers, and that the approach is always critical. Successful marketers tell a story after they intrigue their audience. We are all inundated with similar messages, but these marketers broke through the noise with a unique catch, and topped it all off with a great service. Combine a unique catch with great service, and you cash in.

Sweet Suites vs. Roughin' It

Hotel room rates can range from dirt-cheap to sky-high. While the thought of paying for a luxury penthouse in this economic climate might give the rest of us heartburn, the super-rich are still in search of a luxury experience.

$1 million novelty packages not included, here are 2009’s top ten most expensive hotel suites in the world:

1. Royal Penthouse Suite, President Wilson Hotel, Geneva ($65k/night)
http://www.fivestaralliance.com/luxury-hotels/geneva/hotel-president-wilson

2. Ty Warner Penthouse, Four Seasons Hotel, New York ($35k/night)
http://www.fourseasons.com/newyorkfs/guest_rooms_and_suites/ty_warner_penthouse.html

3. Presidential Suite, Hotel Cala di Volpe, Costa Smeralda, Sardinia ($34k/night)
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/luxury/property/rooms/room_class_detail.html?propertyID=59&roomClassId=83120035

4. Villa La Cupola Suite, Westin Excelsior, Rome ($31k/night)
http://excelsior.hotelinroma.com/zoom/?param[lang]=en&param[loc_country]=ITA&param[loc]=HIRM&param[idhtl]=491&page=rooms&image_url=suite-cupola8.jpg

5. Presidential Suite, Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo ($25k/night)
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Tokyo/Rooms/Default.htm

6. The Bridge Suite, The Atlantis, Bahamas ($22k/night)
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/TRAVEL/10/12/ultimate.hotelsuite/index.html

7. Imperial Suite, Park Hyatt, Vendome, Paris ($20k/night)
http://paris.vendome.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/rooms/room-description.jsp?chooseLocale=&start=13

8. Royal Suite, Burj Al Arab, Dubai ($19.6k/night)
http://www.jumeirah.com/en/Hotels-and-Resorts/Destinations/Dubai/Burj-Al-Arab/Suites/Royal-Suite/

9. Royal Armleder Suite, Le Richemond, Geneva ($18.9k/night)
http://www.lerichemond.com/rooms__suites/suites.htm

10. Ritz-Carlton Suite, Ritz-Carlton Moscow ($16.5k/night)
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Moscow/Rooms/Default.htm

Too rich for your blood? Maybe this is a little more up your alley:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/08/07/california.room.without.bed/

Even if you had the cash, would you pony up to stay in one of the ten ridiculously posh penthouses listed? Or do you think you'd be alright with a B.Y.O.T.P.-type situation?

Fearless Collaboration

Mm associations spent an afternoon working on 2010 marketing plans of our own. Taking a break from positioning and strategy sessions gave all chance to check iPhones and most-importantly compete in the first Summer 2009 MM Cannonball Competition. Eric took 1st place. Congratulations!

Taste of the Road Vol. I -- Pizza

This summer has been a whirlwind tour of the country where I visited with great DOSMs at amazing hotels. The travel has introduced me to so many new friends, and also allowed me to indulge in the cuisine of the various cities. I'm what could be considered a "foody" given my passion for all that is food. So, naturally, I got hooked into the battle between New York's thin crust versus Chicago's deep-dish pizza. Having experienced both, I now know why this battle persists. It is a battle of two very different philosophies of what pizza is; a snack or a major meal. Both are incredible, but only one can be considered king!

While in New York I decided to visit the original, very first pizza place in the country: Lombardi's Pizza. I went with the traditional Gennaro's Original which included red sauce, fresh mozzarella and strips of basil. It was large and simple - just the taste of high-quality ingredients in complete harmony. The crust was golden and crusty on the outside with an airy inside, and a hint of smoke due to the coal oven. I cherished every bite knowing I was experiencing a masterpiece in the pizza world. Despite eating the entire pizza, I was left longing for more. Because the pizza is topped sparingly and simply, it isn't a true meal by itself. The focus of this pizza is clearly simplicity, inviting one to enjoy every aspect of the pie in moderation.

Vote: A+

In Chicago I decided to follow the Yelp recommendation and headed to Giordanos for stuffed pizza. I decided on the original with sausage, green peppers, mushrooms, and onions. In addition to the abundant toppings was a CRAZY amount of oozing, gooey cheese. I absolutely adore cheese, but even I was intimidated by the sheer amount of cheese I was about to devour. Not to even mention the size of this pie was immense even though I bought a small! The pizza was interesting as the cheese is on the bottom with the toppings, while the sauce is on top. Unlike Lombardi's, at Giordano's the crust, which is similar to a cracker in consistency, takes a back seat to the toppings. I ended up eating only 2 slices before throwing in the towel, giving me an extra 2 slices for a snack later. The focus on this pizza is excess and cheese.

Vote: A+

So, which pizza is actually best? The battle is only fair in that both are technically pizza, but comparing them is like comparing a Poodle to a Rottweiler - both are dogs, but they are completely different. That said, if I was given both pizzas and had choose only one, it would be Giordanos. I'm just a glutton for cheese!

Blogging about Blogging

As all of us at McConnell Marketing are about to do, I found myself sitting down at my computer to write my first blog, staring at a blank document—and I couldn’t quite make my fingers move. Maybe it’s because I’m getting the funniest commentary ever from Sara who is on the phone next to me but more likely… I’m not sure what an appropriate topic is.

To a degree, blogging is supposed to be freeform and random—but there must be some rules to successful blogging, right? Figuring that others might have the same questions I did, I hit up Google to explore the ins and outs of blogging. Here’s what I found:

Post Regularly. Readers will be more likely to follow your blog if you have a regular posting schedule (McConnell Marketing has addressed this potential issue with a $5 late fee for blogs that are, ahem, belated).

Niche It. Clearly define who your audience is and speak to them—and only them— directly (hope you like marketing… and hotels).

Write Well. Make your post long, make it short, make it mid-length, but by all means, write well.

Market Your Blog. Don’t post it and forget it. This is your chance to use sexy marketing like social networking. Market your posts on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, etc.

Don’t Give Up. Blogging is tedious, boring, monotonous and downright draining at times.

I totally went meta with this blog. Blogging about blogging—it’s enough to give an AE a headache.

Making Leftovers

Mark’s blog about eCollateral (HERE) got me thinking: when your budget’s stretched to the brink, why not get more out of the stuff you’ve already got. It’s like turning last night’s meatloaf dinner into a tasty meatloaf sandwich for lunch – think of it as Marketing Leftovers. A few examples include:

• brochures to EBROCHURES.
• Convert an ad to an HTML email or a poster
• HTML emails to email signatures and animated GIFs

Now, you’re not going to be able to just send a PDF of your most recent ad to Kinko’s and have them spit out a poster. But you can send that ad (or fact sheet, or HTML) to an agency and have them use it as a basis for other applications. It’ll be cheaper than starting from scratch, and it gives your marketing a campaign feel. For more information, contact us.

Eco-Friendly eCollateral “Shoots the Gap”

The PDF file format began a shift away from printed hotel collateral. Printed materials aren’t environmentally friendly, and can be expensive (especially for communications that change frequently, like a newsletter).

But PDF files can be a bit “clunky” (for lack of a better word). One issue is file size. Send a prospective client a 4-megabyte PDF, and you may “constipate” his or her email for awhile. And PDFs just aren’t viewer friendly (too much scrolling and downloading).

The solution is eCollateral. Take an existing PDF… a newsletter, brochure, menu or whatever – and transform it into an interactive electronic document (like this) that’s way less than half its original size. Email it, link it to your website, and make it part of your email signature. And the price is right, too. Want to know more? Contact us.

Build Your Own eMail Marketing List

Obtaining good lists for marketing-oriented snail mail’s relatively easy. But obtaining getting email lists of comparable quality is virtually impossible. So what’s a tech-savvy marketer to do? Start by finding creative ways to capture the email addresses of everyone who comes on property.

With overnight guests, your reservation system makes that pretty easy. But what about the thousands of locals who visit your bars, restaurants, and function rooms? Those are known users, the single best source of future business.

The recipe for successful capture has two ingredients… effective communication and attractive bait. And since you don’t have their emails (yet), traditional communication tools (signs, check stuffers, table tents) are your only option. But without a strong incentive, expect a weak response.

Catch our next blog for specifics on offers that appear to be working.

Budget Stretching

Our very own Eric Morrison, ready and willing

to stretch your budget and tighten those abs.

We know how important sticking to a budget is. When you don't have much moolah to work with, it's tempting to just do something run-of-the-mill and (let's be honest) painstakingly average. Here at McConnell Marketing, we don't do average. We know how to stretch your baby budget and make your projects look like a million bucks.

Collateral Damage

Avoid "unnecessary" use of quotation marks...

In tough times it's tempting to take marketing into your own hands, especially for things that change often, like seasonal events. But sometimes, DIY marketing does more harm than good. Poor-quality pieces damage your brand equity and turn guests off.

Nothing bugs me more than walking into a four-star hotel lobby and seeing black-and-white clipart (and typo) laden inkjet flyers sitting in an acrylic on the front desk. Cheap doesn't have to be cheap-looking. With some planning and up-front investment, you can get the most for your marketing buck. For example:

• Instead of printing off 500 flyers every time you have a brunch or a wine tasting, print full-color shells at the beginning of the year and overprint with each event's details. The economy of printing a large quantity up front makes the per-piece costs next to nothing.

• Send an email. Settle on a template, then just change the 'guts' to reflect your latest offer.

• Social marketing. Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, TripAdvisor; if you're not active on these sites, you should be. The investment here is time, but other than that, maintaining a presence on these social networking sites is free. Just be sure you're giving people a reason to be your Internet friend (offers and constantly updated content help.

So take Kinko's off speed dial and trash that clip art folder off your hard drive. With a little planning, you can have marketing materials that reflect your property AND are cost effective.