Hotel marketing materials targeting family reunion groups

What allows one hotel complex to thrive while another declines in the background, even when both are in the same neighborhood? Much has to do with the efforts in target marketing and the accuracy of the advertising campaign. While advertising to individuals may attract some potential business, the most effective method that produces greater market appeal is group-targeted campaigns.

orientation groups

The hospitality market is divided into many consumer groups with diverse needs, wants, backgrounds, incomes, and buying habits. That said, targeting groups that are looking for ideal locations to meet those particular needs is key. While there are a number of groups that can support a hotel/resort each season, there are some that are dependent year-round. The following is a quick list of the seasonal groups that a hotel/resort marketing team typically targets.

• Family Reunion Groups

• Corporate Vacation Groups

• Wedding party

• Club members

• Sport teams

Promote local attractions

Local attractions in the vicinity of the resort have a lot to do with the decision to book one hotel/resort over another. That means the potential guest will see both the lodging facility and the surrounding area as their “destination.” Nearby attractions are a high priority for these groups and this should be a primary consideration when designing marketing materials. Therefore, the key to successfully marketing your hospitality venue has a lot to do with promoting these hot spots in your materials.

Promotion of group events

While some hotels and resorts focus on quality cosmetics and services, others go a step further and choose to specialize in key market niches to establish a competitive advantage. Doing so can only improve market penetration and attract more seasonal customers. Still, how does a marketing team accomplish this? Let’s focus on the growing interest in planning family reunion events and see how the presentation of more personalized marketing materials can attract more and larger groups. So we can see how other niche segments of the market can be penetrated.

Family Reunion Event Planning

Family reunion event planners/coordinators or committees often need to consider narrowing down a list of possible locations to host the event. This has a lot to do with the theme and the activities selected. Meeting planners will often take the time to research potential venues and visit them. How can your marketing materials attract more of these visitors? Design materials to aid decision-making by family reunion planners and committees. The material should focus on listing a variety of meeting topics and associated activities. The material should allow the reader to determine the facilities most compatible with the selected topics and activities.

Make use of event planning guides

A hotel marketing department saw the potential for targeted marketing in a particular family reunion planning guide. While there are several popular guides, this one contained several custom recall features.

A book property signature page, event details page, journal, recipe log, and genealogy research form. The Book helps the planner/committee walk through each step of family reunion planning, narrowing down possible locations based on selected topics and activities. All that was needed was a slight modification that would present facilities, services and nearby attractions ideal for the needs of that particular group. This was achieved by simply slipping a booklet between the pages of the book. The hotel/resort manager chose to add a personally signed letter attached to the first page of the guide. Additional content can highlight services that fit the profile and demographics of attendees, such as:

• Park places

• Museum visits

• Festivals and other outdoor events

• Boat rides

• To fish

• Theater shows with dinner

• Symphony Orchestra Shows

• Jazz concerts

“Souvenir Event Planning” Marketing Materials Promotion

The resort’s hospitality team may give away the guide to guests who visit and choose to rate or review the facility. The event planning guide can be compiled in e-book or PDF format, ordered from online bookstores, or available from local retail bookstores. The guide can be designed for the individual planner/coordinator or the event planning committee. Such a personalized souvenir gift given to a group touring the facility can go a long way in winning business from customers, as well as building gratitude, trust, and the resulting customer loyalty.