Internet Marketing Instruction

About two months ago an invitation to attend a marketing meeting and discussion in Edinburgh came across my desk. the event was organized by Best loved Hotels, a publication we have worked with over the years and normally such meetings are held in March or April, a time I have found it difficult to escape the hotel so a November date on the face of it seemed more suitable. I then accepted the invitation but as usual the date crept closer and the diary filled up so it was a quick dash there and back.

Whilst we have been with Best Loved for a number of years their emphasis, from a publisher of paper print, whilst not abandoned has shifted to different startegies on the internet and emarketing. Whilst this is a subject which 10 years ago we had to know little about nowadays a hotelmanager is expected to be able to see the wood from the trees when proposals to spend the marketing budget are made a little bit of knowledge should go a long way, or if you work with me , be a very dangerous tool!! Although when we hear of the payoff the head of Yahoo will gain when he steps down today, maybe we have gone into the wrong business!!

Anyway although the day was mostly a one way conversation with them presenting details and concepts it also offered the opportunity for us to both ask them questions and also ask each other questions. It seemed to interest most although I could see a few glazed faces by the end with internet overload. It is however so far from our normal tasks of serving the guests in the hotel and insuring that their stay is as faultless as we can manage, however without the initial contact then we would have no guests to look after.

So it is now back to the drawing board to see what ideas we can put in place at Eriska and also what suggestions are impractical and then monitor the results we get. Surprisingly November seems the perfect time for this sort of instruction as we now have the winter to fine tune our plans and what better time to try new methods than when the recession is upon us! We will just have to wait and see!