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Marketing to succeed in difficult times…
During tough times, is it appropriate to continue advertising? Is it smart? Do our guests and partners want to hear from us? Can we afford to keep talking?
As business and property owners, managers, sales people and marketers, we’re all asking ourselves these questions during tight economic times. As we budget to protect our revenues, can we afford to continue advertising? Would it be smart to take a break until the economy recovers?
According to Price Waterhouse Coopers, there will be a substantial number of underperforming hotels in the months ahead due to the current conditions. Likewise there will also be hotels that perform significantly above the Price Waterhouse Coopers ‘norms’. While occupancy and revenue for these hotels may dip, it will be significantly less than some competitors who are active in their marketing activities - and who will also capture more than their fair share of the market from those customers still travelling.
Click here to read more or scroll down to the bottom of page to continue reading.
Mardi Brown
Marketing Manager
Choice Hotels Australasia
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Choice Privileges™ goes Global!
(APAC Market)
Launching on Friday 27th March 2009 Choice Privileges goes global! This means that all domestic and internatioal guests can now earn and redeem Choice Privileges points at over 280 hotels throughout Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Singapore - AND now in over 5000 hotels worldwide!
To celebrate the launch, Choice Hotels Australasia ™ (CHA) is giving away half a million Choice Privileges points to one lucky winner and if your the lucky hotel the winner stayed at, your hotel will win a $1000 team social activity of your choice!
Australian & International Properties
New Zealand Properties
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Econo Lodge – coming to Australia!
(AUS Market)
Last year CHA announced that the Econo Lodge® brand was to be launched in Australia during 2009. The CHA Development team are currently in negotiations with a selection of properties that fit within the Econo Lodge product offering. Econo Lodge is an economy brand offering value for money accommodation, typically between the 3–3½ STAR range. In line with the upcoming launch of our first property in Australia, Choice Hotels Australasia is currently rebranding to include the fourth brand in the corporate logo and every communication piece that this may appear.
We look forward to announcing our first Econo Lodge property in the coming months.
To access information on all our brands including the new corporate four-brand identity, style guides and other details click here |
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Marketing Calendar
(APAC Market)
With the start of the New Year, CHA Marketing has been working hard to finalise our 2009 Marketing Calendar, locking in key dates and promotions with our Marketing Partners and confirming our own programs for the coming year. Recently we did communicate our current calendar to your property, which you can now also access here.
Please note that some of our partners have not locked in initiatives post 30th June. We will be looking at providing you with another Marketing Calendar early in the second half of the year once more partner initiatives are confirmed. |
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Velocity
Valentine’s Day
(AUS Market)
On the 28th February the Velocity Valentine’s Day Earn & Burn Promotion concluded.
This promotion's objective was to drive increased brand awareness of Choice Hotels and our respective brands and offerings. The EARN component of the promotion offered Velocity Members the ability to earn DOUBLE points on qualifying stays at all Choice Hotels across Australia. The BURN component of the promotion saw Velocity Members save on points when redeeming for a Choice Hotels Reward Certificate.
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25 Million Velocity Points Promotion
(AUS Market)
Recently all Australian properties will have received collateral marketing materials for the Velocity 25 Million Point Promotion. This promotion runs until the 30th June 2009 and is open to all Australian Velocity Members, with the lucky prizewinner receiving 25 Million Points, which can be used for a selection of prize offerings - including the signature prize of a trip into space on the new Virgin Galactic spaceship! As a partner of this promotion, CHA and Velocity ask that you display this collateral in public areas and in-room to capture the attention of your guests.
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Professional Property Photography
(APAC Market)
| Recently CHA Marketing reiterated the importance of professional property photographs and the huge role they play in marketing your property. CHA works hard in every instance to promote and expose your property via many national and international channels, however more and more; magazines, journalists, wholesalers and even our own PR Agency, decline the use of many of our hotel photographs, as they do not feel they are ‘media ready’ or of an acceptable standard for use in publications or stories. If you have recently received a communication from CHA regarding this we ask that you ensure you are ready for the 31st May submission deadline.
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Fly Buys New Zealand Update
(NZ Market)
30 Bonus Points promotion & CHA Property Prize competition
In early, February CHA communicated the launch of the '30 Bonus Points' promotion AND competition where your property and team could win up to $1000 to use towards a social team activity of your choice!
Click here for more information.
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Partnership information
CHA Marketing recently reiterated the importance of the partnership with Fly Buys in NZ. Moving forward, this partnership continues to be an integral part of our marketing program in NZ for attracting new business to our properties and keeping existing business, as such it is very important to be aware of what the program offers for your property and the Fly Buys Members staying with your property. Additionally, CHA communicated the increased payment to property rates for Fly Buys point redemption bookings with your property. These payment to property rates became effective from Monday 16th February and feature increased payment rates to your property between 10-20%.
Click here for more information
More information about Marketing initiatives between Choice Hotels and Fly Buys
New Zealand will soon be communicated, so keep an eye out! |
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Commitment to Satisfaction program
(APAC Market)
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In the second quarter of 2009 CHA will be rolling out the ‘Commitment to Satisfaction’ program, being the replacement program for the ‘100% Satisfaction Guarantee’. The aim of this program is to create added value for the guest and reset expectations to more ‘reasonable’ levels. The benefits of it are that it has a simplified language and process for guest and franchisee alike, along with no mention of money back for the dissatisfaction of a guest’s experience. More information is coming your way soon.
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PR Activities
(APAC Market)
| CHA Marketing continues to work with our PR agency MG Media to promote our new properties, release important announcements such as Econo Lodge and Choice Privileges global launch and our involvement in such charities as Starlight Children’s Foundation and Tour de Cure.
If you have any questions regarding PR, please don’t hesitate to contact Suzanne O’Bree or Mardi Brown from the Marketing Team at head office on marketing@choicehotels.com.au
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Sponsorship
(AUS Market)
Tour De Cure
In 2009 CHA will once again be supporting Tour de Cure (TdC), a bike-riding charity who raise money for Camp Quality, Prostate Cancer Foundation, Breast Cancer Foundation, Cancer Council and the Leukaemia Foundation. This year TdC rides from Brisbane to Cairns, some 1500+ kms with the aim to raise $600,000+ for these causes. Click here to find out more information about TdC.
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ACA Masters
The ACA Masters, led by Darren Lehmann took on the New Zealand Masters cricket team in a Twenty20 match in Wellington on February 27th as a curtain-raiser to the BLACKCAPS international match against India. The Masters event featured a host of former greats of the game, including Stephen Fleming, Dion Nash, Simon Doull, Ian Healy, Darren Lehmann and Greg Blewett. CHA is a major supporter of the ACA and received prominent Marketing exposure including venue signage and player shirt logos as a result of this event.
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NZ V8 Supercar Team
(NZ Market)
CHA’s support of the Richards V8 Supercar Racing Team in NZ continues to drive greater brand recognition for CHA, primarily during racing season and during corporate events that the Richards team host. Branding is placed prominently within the vehicle, on the vehicle exterior, team uniforms as well as the workshop.
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Wholesale Newsletter
(APAC Market)
CHA’s ongoing relationship with domestic and international wholesalers continues to grow and be supported by some of the major wholesalers in key markets. CHA communicate to this market via an e-newsletter communication featuring a range of market-specific information. Most recently a survey completed by some of the newsletter recipients has provided Marketing with valuable feedback that now allows us to enhance the newsletter for 2009. The new version of the e-newsletter will be communicated to the database in the very near future.
Click here to see latest Wholesaler e-newsletter |
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Corporate Newsletter
(APAC Market)
CHA’s recently-launched Corporate e-newsletter is a valuable addition to our portfolio of communication pieces. The newsletter is communicated to our database of Corporate contacts across a range of industries and roles, with its content is aimed specifically at the Corporate traveller. Recently a survey completed by some of the newsletter recipients provided Marketing with valuable feedback on possible enhancements for information this traveller would like to see more of. The reviewed e-newsletter will be communicated to the database in coming weeks.
Click here to see latest Corporate e-newsletter |
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Conference & Meetings
(APAC Market)
CHA continues to grow and develop our Conferences & Meetings (C&M) market and database, communicating specifically to this market via a tailored e-newsletter with offers, venues, specials and important information for these contacts. As part of our ongoing development a survey recently completed by many contacts from this database has provided some very valuable insights. Marketing is reviewing this information in order to make enhancements to the e-newsletter communication to best cater for our recipients and the needs of the wider C&M market. We will be communicating the enhanced version out to the C&M market soon.
Click here to see latest C&M e-newsletter |
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OUTthere - in-flight magazine of REX,
Skywest and Air North airlines
(AUS Market)
In 2009 CHA have continued our advertising campaign with OUTthere. OUTthere is a monthly magazine and is the sole in-flight magazine for REX (QLD/NSW/VIC/TAS/SA), SkyWest (WA) and AirNorth (NT) airlines. This publication represents a worthwhile opportunity to expose regional locations especially those located along or close to the flight paths of these regional airlines.
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Out & About with Kids - family travel magazine
(AUS Market)
CHA Marketing advertised in the summer edition of the Out & About with Kids family travel magazine. The advert offered CHA a great exposure opportunity to families looking to travel with a primary focus on Australia and CHA’s range of accommodation options across the country.
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Advertising & Communications
Tourism Australia
(International – AUS Market)
CHA has committed in 2009 to once again participate in the ‘Aussie Specialist’ e-newsletter campaign run via Tourism Australia, with the e-newsletters targeting Travel Agents/Wholesalers and other industry specific representatives who sell Australia. In 2009 these communications will occur within the first quarter of the year and again mid-year. These will be adapted to the specific market and language with communications translated to German, Italian, French, Chinese and Korean. English-speaking UK and European contacts, plus New Zealand and North America will receive communications on the Australian Choice Hotels network. In addition to this CHA also took out a banner advertisement for the month of February on the Aussie Specialist North American Page. CHA also featured prominently on a page dedicated to Australia where agents from the Americas can access information on Australia. |
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AMG Magazine - New Zealand
(International - AUS Market)
CHA is advertising in the March/April, May/June and July/August editions of New Zealand’s AMG (Accommodation Managers Guide) Magazine. The focus of the ad is to demonstrate the benefits of properties joining the CHA network and attract new member properties to the group. |
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Wholesale Brochures
(AUS - NZ Market)
As part of our strong relationship with Wholesale organisations, CHA feature prominently in many travel brochures, specifically aimed at the inbound markets for Australia and New Zealand with a strong focus on selling the HotelPass (inbound) product and the CHA network's range of brands, locations and experiences. |
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Online Update
(APAC Market)
Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
CHA Marketing has already seen significant growth from our increased SEM on Google.
In 2009 the objective is to increase bookings and revenue generating clicks to choicehotels.com.au/co.nz
SEM allows CHA to do this by selecting and buying quality search terms, expand market share and target specific audiences. Results are now showing that choicehotels.com.au has grown online market share by more than 150% within the Travel category over corresponding period 2008 and against our nearest competitor. |
New CHA website – coming soon…
CHA will soon be launching an all-new website with easier navigation and enhancements to the site, benefiting properties and consumers alike. Currently user testing and research is being conducted for successful implementation of the new website, which is estimated to be operational mid-year 2009. |
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Online Brand Style Guides & logos
Recently CHA Marketing released a website as a valuable resource tool for all hotels and suppliers. The site allows you to download:
- All brand logos
- Style & Stationery Guides
- Signage Guides
- Hotel website design standards and supplier details
All items are easily downloadable, click here to visit the website now. CHA Marketing recommends you save the website to your favourites list for quick reference.
This website link can also be provided to any supplier you are using for any branded property. |
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Co-Op Marketing
The first round of Regional Co-Op meetings is complete for all regions, with the exception of Victoria. Various initiatives were discussed for 2009 regional campaigns and more information through property advices will be released to your region soon. Download the 2009 Co-Op Regional Meetings and Training Calendar by clicking here
If you have any questions regarding Co-Op Marketing, please don’t hesitate to contact
Suzanne O’Bree, Manager – Regional Co-Op Marketing via email coopmarketing@choicehotels.com.au or on +61 3 9243 2448.
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Marketing Update continued
So, what does that mean for our local and national advertising efforts?
Try not to slash the marketing that is working for you – Be conservative, use cost efficiencies, look outside the box, but keep talking! Those who stop talking to their customers in a downturn, leave space in consumers’ minds for our more aggressive competitors to make strong inroads.
Communicate value – Your guests and partners are currently looking to get the most value they can from every dollar they spend. Value, therefore is an important message to build into your marketing messages.
Create emotional appeal – This is especially important when marketing your properties to general consumers/leisure guests. Use emotional appeals; paint a picture, emphasise the need for that emotional release or getting away from the rat race.
And finally, keep talking - Our guests and partners want to hear from us. They want to know that we care about those things that are important to them. This is the time to strengthen our current relationships and make new ones!
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Our telephone:
+61 3 9243 2400
Copyright (C) 2008 Choice Hotels Australasia. All rights reserved.
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