Choosing Marketing Strategies for Hospitality Brands

If a GM called me today and said, “Scott, every marketing effort we’ve tried in 2025 is failing, and I need you to come in and fix it so we don't go through the same thing in 2026,” here’s exactly how I’d start creating real change. These are the first ten things I’d do starting today: 1️⃣ Audit the foundation. Before changing anything, I’d study every digital touchpoint. Website, booking engine, social media, CRM, and OTA listings. You cannot fix what you don’t understand. 2️⃣ End autopilot marketing. Too many hotels copy each other. I’d stop every cookie-cutter campaign and rebuild creative that actually connects with people. 3️⃣ Rebuild storytelling from the inside out. I’d get every department involved. Every housekeeper, bartender, and concierge has a story. Let them tell it. That’s how your brand becomes human again. 4️⃣ Go all in on video. Short-form, long-form, drone, behind the scenes, chef stories, real guest reactions, all of it. In 2026, video isn’t optional. It’s how people discover you. 5️⃣ Dominate your local market. I’d run micro-campaigns targeting locals with spa days, dining experiences, and staycations. When locals love you, they sell you better than any ad. 6️⃣ Make data your foundation. I’d stop guessing and start tracking. Every post, ad, and campaign must be built on data and analyzed weekly to find what truly drives revenue. 7️⃣ Reinvent influencer partnerships. I’d stop the free-stay culture and build real collaborations that measure reach, conversions, and storytelling impact. If it doesn’t drive ROI, it’s not marketing. 8️⃣ Turn guests into content creators. Every guest has a phone and an audience. I’d launch a campaign that encourages guests to tag, share, and co-create content. That’s authentic marketing you can’t buy. 9️⃣ Redefine internal marketing culture. I’d move meetings from the office to the lobby. Let ideas breathe in the energy of your guests. The best marketing ideas come from proximity to real hospitality. 🔟 Build for AI and voice search. Travelers are already asking AI where to stay. I’d optimize every piece of content so that your hotel is the one that shows up first. The hotels that start executing on these things now will dominate 2026. The ones that wait will spend the next five years trying to catch up. --- If you like the way I look at the world of hospitality, let’s chat: scott@mrscotteddy.com

Most hotels are missing a huge revenue channel by ignoring email marketing. Here's what we've learned building email strategies for hotels 👇🏻 While I've spent the last year showing you how to leverage social media, email marketing remains criminally underutilized in hospitality. Unlike social media followers, your email list is something you actually own. Email gives you direct access to potential guests, allowing you to: ✔️ Send targeted campaigns based on location ✔️ Retarget previous guests ✔️ Personalize messages ✔️ Drive bookings without constant ad spend But for hotels, email marketing has been a black box... Most industries have countless resources for email strategy. For hospitality? Almost non-existent. Even big brands are just running basic discount campaigns and bland promotional emails. Here's what's working in our email strategy: ✅ Building Our List There are two main drivers - previous guests and website sign-ups. For website sign-ups, we skipped the typical discount pop-ups that would cheapen our brand. We focused on value-driven offers like free stay giveaways to build our list while maintaining luxury positioning. ✅ Weekly Content Strategy Weekly emails strike the perfect balance–keeping guests engaged without overwhelming them. Unlike retail where customers buy monthly, hotel guests book a few times a year. We don’t need to flood guests with emails–we're playing the long game. Mix local activities, events, and property highlights. ✅ Personalization That Converts Targeted messaging helped our email strategy standout. We created campaigns for: ✔️ Local guests seeking quick getaways ✔️ Past guests reminiscing about their stays ✔️ Engaged subscribers ready to book All without paid ad costs. ✅ Email Flows That Drive Revenue This is where email marketing became a game-changer. We created automated sequences to: ✔️ Welcome new subscribers with our story ✔️ Re-engage guests who haven't booked in 9-12 months ✔️ Keep inactive subscribers engaged Here's exactly how to get started: 1. Choose Your Platform Klaviyo is our go-to. While there are many options, we've found it works best for hospitality and is easiest to use. 2. Build Your Foundation Start by compiling past guest emails from your PMS. Then create compelling sign-up offers and popup forms for new subscribers. 3. Set Up Your Flows Top priority: a welcome flow introducing your property's unique experience & story.  Then add: - Flows targeting previous guests - Re-engagement campaigns for inactive subs 4. Plan Weekly Content Map out a calendar mixing: - Local events and activity guides - Behind-the-scenes content - Strategic promotions (but keep them minimal) 5. Design Your Template Create a consistent look: - Clean header with logo and booking links - Mobile-optimized layout - Strategic CTA placement Every property's email list is unique. Test different approaches, analyze what resonates, and find what works best for your property.

The Secret of Luxury Hospitality Positioning 1/ Most hospitality brands think they're selling rooms. Hermès thinks they're selling dreams. Aman thinks they're selling transformation. The Ritz thinks they're selling legacy. Here's why 99% of hospitality brands will never understand true luxury positioning: 2/ The $600B hospitality industry has it backwards. They obsess over thread counts and marble bathrooms. But when a billionaire pays $2,000/night at Aman Tokyo, they're not buying a bed. They're buying 3 hours where the world can't find them. They're purchasing RELIEF. 3/ Hermès mastered this 187 years ago: Birkin bag cost breakdown: • Leather: $200 • Labor: $800 • The rest: POSITIONING You're not buying a bag. You're buying entry into a club your great-grandmother respected. Generational wealth buys IDENTITY, not amenities. 4/ The brands that "get it" understand 3 pillars: SCARCITY: Aman has 34 properties. They could have 340. They choose not to. LEGACY: Le Bristol Paris sells Hemingway's view, not just suites. IMMUNITY: While others chase trends, Aman perfects timeless sanctuary. 5/ What 90% of hospitality brands do wrong: ❌ Compete on features ❌ Chase Instagram moments ❌ Discount for occupancy ❌ Target "luxury travelers" What top-tier brands do: ✅ Create their own category ✅ Build generational rituals ✅ Never compromise positioning ✅ Target legacy builders 6/ Case study in positioning power: Four Seasons: "Exceptional service" St. Regis: "Bespoke luxury" Aman: "Sanctuary" One commands 3x the rate. Strategy isn't about better amenities. Strategy is about DIFFERENT MEANING. 7/ The psychology is profound: When stress costs $1M deals → peace becomes priceless When reputation spans generations → discretion becomes invaluable When time is finite → transformation becomes essential You're not selling hospitality. You're selling a story they'll tell their grandchildren. 8/ Luxury isn't a price point. Luxury is a CULTURE. The culture of anticipated needs, generational consistency, and effortless perfection. Culture can't be copied. Only cultivated. Ready to transform your hospitality brand from commodity to legacy? I help hotel brands discover their unique positioning and build generational meaning that commands premium rates. DM "POSITIONING" to explore how we can elevate your brand's story. RT if this changed how you think about hospitality positioning.

We’ve spent decades removing friction for guests. Maybe that’s now becoming a problem. Hospitality has been obsessed with “frictionless” service, streamlined check-ins, and polished efficiency. But here’s the catch: when everything is easy, nothing is memorable. Gen Z and younger luxury travelers are tired of skating across glossy surfaces. They crave meaning, stories, and belonging, and meaning often comes with a little effort. Cultural brands already get this. Bon Iver’s album launch sent fans smoked salmon with a poet’s insert, a candle that smelled like a winter cabin, and an app guiding them to intimate listening parties. Many entry points, each a breadcrumb leading you deeper. Some hotels are rewriting this playbook. Aman Tokyo’s tea ceremony is an intentionally slow, ritualized welcome. It’s not convenient, but that’s the point. The friction makes it sacred, and guests leave with a story that outlasts any room amenity. — 5 Ways to Design Joyful Friction in Hospitality 1. Name your rituals. Stop hiding magic behind generic labels. “Turndown service” becomes “Night Script.” The “welcome drink” becomes “The First Pour.” Language signals intention and gives small moments emotional weight. 2. Multi-sensory storytelling kits. Borrow from cultural launches: On arrival, offer a mini city-scent candle, a handwritten poem from a local artist, and a ticket to an intimate lobby performance. Guests engage through touch, scent, and story, each doorway into your brand narrative. 3. Ask, then delight. Have guests complete a three-question “mood card” pre-arrival. Match it with a curated in-room surprise, a book, cocktail, or soundtrack. Effort makes them feel seen (backed by the IKEA effect: effort increases attachment). 4. Create scarcity with care. Design one-hour windows of magic: a nightly martini ritual, a chef’s table for four, or a password-protected dessert. Scarcity raises perceived value while making participation feel earned. 5. Ladder your story over time. Instead of trying to impress all at once, let the brand unfold: Visit 1: A custom coaster. Visit 2: A staff pin unlocking a library room. Visit 3: A seat at the chef’s counter. Each stay deepens their connection and drives return intent. "When everything is effortless, nothing is extraordinary." — Why This Works Choice overload studies prove curated experiences are more satisfying than endless options: - The scarcity principle shows limited access elevates perceived worth. - The IKEA effect reveals guests value what they invest in. Luxury travelers aren’t chasing convenience anymore. They want layered experiences that feel personal, not packaged. — Final Thoughts Hotels that dare to introduce meaningful friction don’t feel cold or inaccessible; they feel alive. Because in hospitality, perfection isn’t about smoothing every edge. It’s about designing edges worth touching. #LuxuryHospitality #GuestExperience #BrandStorytelling #ExperienceDesign #EmotionalDesign

Stop copying big hotels. It’s killing boutique hotels. Big hotels win with volume. Boutique hotels win with value. Yet too many boutique owners keep chasing “perfect occupancy” like it’s the goal. It’s not. Revenue is the goal. And revenue ≠ occupancy. Here’s the uncomfortable truth: - ADR is your steering wheel. Not room nights. - A slightly lower occupancy with a stronger ADR often beats “full” rooms sold cheap. - Scarcity is part of the boutique product. If everything is always available, you’re training the market to treat you like a commodity. - You don’t benchmark against the 300-room resort. Different engine, different cost structure, different guest expectations, different promise. The boutique move is simple (and disciplined): 1. Pick your guest identity (who you’re not for matters). 2. Price for value and experience, not fear. 3. Control inventory strategically to signal demand and protect rate. 4. Compete with boutiques not with big-box hotels playing another game. If you’re running a boutique hotel and still measuring success by “how full we were”… you’re optimizing the wrong metric. Question: Are you building a boutique brand or operating a small version of a big hotel? #BoutiqueHotel #HotelRevenue #ADR #HotelStrategy #Positioning #HospitalityLeadership #RevenueManagement #BrandStrategy #MELIORTEMPUS

What Capella Hotels and Resorts teaches about building a luxury brand that grows through word of mouth Context if you’re new to the brand: Capella is a design-led luxury group, named Travel + Leisure’s Best Hotel Brand for multiple consecutive years, with several Forbes 5-Star properties and entries in the World’s 50 Best Hotels. I’ve been studying how Capella built its reputation, and there are some very smart things they do that any hotel can learn from: 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗮 “𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿,” 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲. Their Culturist program, the way they curate experiences, that Living Room concept. These aren’t just marketing lines. They’re moments that stick with guests and get retold at dinner. Every hotel should have at least one signature thing only they do. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. It’s easy to put values on a website, but Capella weaves theirs into everything. How staff greet guests, how rooms are set up, the food they serve. If your brand pillars don’t change how you operate day to day, they’re just decoration. 𝗚𝗼 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽. They have fewer rooms but a stronger sense of place. Not every hotel can shrink its footprint, but you can always get more specific about your location. Lean into local design, partner with neighborhood spots, tell stories that only make sense where you are. 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 (𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆). They’re good at spotting strong user-generated content and asking permission to use it. Treat those guest posts and stories like valuable assets. Organize them and repurpose them in your advertising and sales materials. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲.When your team sticks around and genuinely cares, service becomes consistent. And consistency is what makes people recommend you without thinking twice. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹𝘁𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀. Those “World’s Best” awards and magazine features create social proof people want to share. Sometimes being exclusive and newsworthy works better than a traditional rewards program. I’ve been thinking about putting together a deeper analysis of their approach. Maybe some templates and practical examples for hotels that want to try similar strategies. If that sounds useful, let me know and I’ll work on it.

Hotels don’t create demand. Destinations do. If your marketing starts with room size, mattress brand, or buffet variety… you’re competing on commodities. Guests don’t travel for thread count. They travel for meaning. They don’t wake up dreaming of a “deluxe category.” They dream of a sunrise over a historic skyline. A street that smells of jasmine and coffee. A moment that becomes a story. A hotel is the stage. The destination is the hero. Think about it. When someone says Paris, you see romance and the Eiffel Tower glowing at night. When someone says Kyoto, you imagine shrines and cherry blossoms. When someone says Dubai, you picture ambition rising beside the Burj Khalifa. The city creates desire. The hotel fulfills it. Yet in many emerging markets, we reverse the equation. We build beautiful hotels… Then ask why occupancy is soft. Because guests don’t travel to hotels. They travel through them. If I’m marketing Chennai, I’m not leading with a lobby render. I’m leading with: • Marina Beach at dawn • Temple trails and spiritual circuits • December music season • The revival of Pallikaranai marshland • A city that moved from colonial Madras to global tech hub The hotel becomes the gateway, not the headline. Here’s the strategic truth: Destination branding drives: ✔ Higher ADR ✔ Longer stays ✔ Stronger emotional loyalty ✔ Repeat visitation When guests fall in love with a place, they return. When they fall in love only with a property, they compare. The future of hospitality is not inventory. It is narrative. Tourism boards, hoteliers, airlines, artists, chefs, storytellers — we must co-create ecosystems, not isolated buildings. Because in the end, no one remembers the pillow menu. They remember how the destination made them feel. So here’s the leadership question: Are you selling rooms? Or are you selling a reason to travel? #HospitalityLeadership #DestinationStrategy #ExperienceEconomy #TourismGrowth

If a guest lands on your site pre-opening and finds nothing… you’ve lost them before you even opened your doors. So many luxury hotels miss their biggest moment. The pre-opening. Over the past few weeks, we’ve been diving into hotels set to open in 2025 more and more. And far too many of their websites, the very place future guests go first still have blank spaces where their story should be, which is quite shocking, and quite honestly doesn't scream luxury hospitality as it should. Take The Lake Como EDITION, one of Europe’s most anticipated launches. The design is set, the buzz is there… but on their website; their hub, their home, they are falling short. But what if instead, you hooked them in? 👉 Invite them to sign up for sneak peeks 👉 Offer exclusive “behind the curtain” access 👉 Send email drops every time there’s an update Because the pre-opening window isn’t just about waiting until doors open it’s about building momentum, excitement and a future guest list before you switch on the lights in the lobby. Here’s five ways we would have shaped that journey had we been hired at For Digital Sakes for the pre opening strategy: 1. Micro-stories Short interviews with the GM, designers, or chefs shaping the vision. Why? Human voices build connection and authenticity. Value: Turns a faceless brand into a story people can emotionally invest in. 2. Single-frame videos Five-second clips; the ripple of Lake Como at dawn, a candle lit in the lobby, a door just about to open. Why? Minimalist, cinematic teasers spark curiosity. Value: Builds anticipation without giving too much away, drawing visitors back. 3. Windows into the future Shots from a gues troom window, an empty terrace, an unfinished corner of the property. Why? Bridges the gap between “not yet open” and “soon to be yours.” Value: Invites guests to imagine themselves in the story. 4. Material and textured close-ups Fabrics, textures, and architectural details captured in intimate frames. Why? Tactility can be translated digitally, showcasing craftsmanship. Value: Elevates the sense of quality and sets the hotel apart from stock visuals. 5. Digital breadcrumbs A steady flow of small content drops instead of one big reveal. Why? Consistency builds awareness and momentum. Value: Keeps the brand top-of-mind and ensures bookings the moment doors open. Pre-opening is when curiosity is at its peak. The smartest hotels turn silence into anticipation, demand and loyalty longggg before the first guest checks in. Ps is "Complimentary bottled water daily" something worth adding onto your site for a luxury property as I was surprised to see this as one of three text lines on the website? Is this not expected? What do you think? #hotelopening #ThelakecomoEDITION #EDITIONhotels #preopeningstrategy ______________________________________ We are The Agency for Hospitality. | Tune in to The Digital Concierge 🎙️ | Visit www.fordigitalsakes.com 🎥✨| Set the 🔔 for me in the 🔝 right

Smart luxury hotels are playing a short & long term game with their new marketing strategies. While most travel brands obsess over immediate ROI, luxury properties like Rosewood Mayakoba are hosting content-worthy, elaborate dinner experiences that cost thousands to produce but generate minimal short-term revenue. This defies every digital marketing principle we've been taught, but it’s great. Here's what's brilliant about this strategy: These hotels are building emotional equity with guests who spend thousands per stay and return year after year, whilst banking world-class experiential content that fuels future performance marketing. A guest who spends $2,000 per night and returns annually for a decade represents $20,000+ in revenue. That's worth investing in for the long term. Skift recently covered how this strategy is from an age old playbook that completely flips the traditional travel marketing playbook. Instead of broad reach, they're going deep with their highest-value customers. The brands playing the long game… investing in memorable, relationship-building experiences rather than conversion optimization will own the luxury traveler's loyalty AND attract new customers with great, content-driven marketing.

#Hospitality Building a Hospitality Brand That Lasts ! Some strategies transcend industries and in hospitality, they can transform an ordinary hotel into a lasting legacy. 1. Conscious Discipline Before launching or relaunching, take the time to study the market, co-create with guests, and build credibility through transparency. Revenue can wait a strong foundation cannot. 2. Controlled Boldness Offer something unique and unexpected from day one, but save your signature experience for a strategic reveal to create anticipation. 3. Emotional Control When competitors make aggressive moves, stay the course. Focus on your ideal guest and the value you deliver, not on market noise. 4. Team Spirit Surround yourself with experts. Create an advisory group to guide decisions, and invest heavily in your “hero feature”, whether it’s a signature suite, a destination restaurant, or an event space. 5. Initiative Leverage technology not just for convenience, but to personalize, streamline, and enhance the guest journey. 6. Brand Philosophy Prioritize quality and credibility over speed and quantity. Build with the intention to endure, crafting a brand that becomes a reference in hospitality. Legacy in hospitality isn’t built overnight. It’s the result of strategic patience, relentless quality, and the courage to stay true to your vision. #HospitalityLeadership #HotelManagement #LuxuryHospitality #HospitalityExcellence #GuestExperience