With Beacons, Your Guest’s Phone Does The Upselling
HOW FACEBOOK BEACONS WILL CHANGE THE HOTEL INDUSTRY
As a hotelier, you want to heighten your guest’s experience. And, in a nice way of course, to upsell as many services as you possibly can. Now you don’t have to leave this challenge to the concierge, or the typical ensuite TV channel or brochure. With Facebook Beacons, guests will be prompted on their cellphone screen. When guests are logged into Facebook, they will be prompted with special events, dining and recreational suggestions from the hotel. This will take place–live–as they walk around the hotel. The reason? You’re using “Place Tips,” and you’re part of the wave of the future: Proximity Marketing.
Related Article: Take Your Customers, And Your Profits, Back From The OTA’s. Find Them On Social Media
BEACONS ARE CHANGING THE UPSELL, USING SOCIAL
The guest’s tale: You have checked into the hotel both literally at the front desk and figuratively on Facebook, especially if you’re the type who loves to share–e.g. brag to your friends. As you walk to your room, you look at Facebook again to update your status about your vacation and check what’s new with friends. Facebook then suggests the hotel’s luxury spa. You click and see that your Facebook friends love it and that you’re entitled to a discount. Later, on the way to the ice machine, you go back on Facebook to share a photo of the beautiful view from your room and you see in your news feed that there’s a rooftop lounge upstairs, that friends hang out there, and a free signature cocktail awaits. Just a few examples of the many ways “Place Tips” from Facebook will transform hospitality, particularly for upselling the young affluent.
NOT A FAD–IT’S THE FUTURE
It can be hard to discern which developments are simply “cool,” and which are worthwhile. Beacons are important, and they’re free. The fact that Facebook will send you a free piece of equipment to take advantage (has been rolling out in the US over the past 6 months) tells you that it’s big. The difference from the past? A potential customer no longer has to have prior knowledge of your business or to perform web searches. They also see recommendations from Facebook friends, which beats any Yelp or 4-Square review in terms of relevance and believability.
MESSAGE, DEVICE AND TIMING. ALL WORKING ON YOUR SIDE
Place Tips are already in operation for iPhone6 and Android. Most cellphone users have Location turned on in their Privacy settings–so they’ll see your Place Tips. Marketing may now be moving away from Content Is King, and toward Relevant Message, Now.
EASILY PUT IN PLACE
Beacons setup is a piece of cake. See it explained clearly at: https://www.facebook.com/business/a/facebook-bluetooth-beacons.
BONUS TIP: OTHER WAYS OF USING SOCIAL TO RECOGNIZE YOUR FRIENDS AND FANS
If you’re interested as a hotelier, or even as a guest, to see who is “location tagging” your hotel, it’s easy. On Instagram: Go to the Magnifying Glass/Search icon at bottom, choose Places, and type in your hotel’s name. On Facebook, click Notifications at the top of your Page, and click Activity in the left column. If you’re not sure how to perform these simple check-ups, go to the Help pages of either app. And by the way, there’s no reason hoteliers like you couldn’t contact the taggers directly with a special offer. Your social marketing person/agency should be able do this.
Stay tuned for more of our blogs.
Isaac Brody (aka“Ike”) is the owner and CEO of Socialike, a Manhattan-based creative agency that specializes in social and digital marketing. Isaac comments on trends in marketing. Socialike’s clients, whether they’re in natural products, hospitality or any other industry, get concepts that differentiate them–along with trackable results.
