The ultimate goal of any company is always economic. So whatever tactics you use to make yourself known to your potential customers, whatever value proposition sets you apart, is the way you market.
Obviously, merchandise and consumer behavior have changed a lot over time. The digital revolution boosted online marketing for the hotel sector. And recently, the emergence of inbound marketing is changing the way we work, but traditional strategies still remain. So you may be wondering… should I choose between online marketing or traditional marketing?
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Now the answer is no. We will see in the future. So if you want to know why, you need to understand these clues:
Consumer behavior is changing
Understanding consumption patterns is sometimes difficult, because you have to constantly analyze the steps consumers take in the traveler’s journey to optimize your strategy.
Nowadays, users are not so tolerant and have no difficulty in giving their opinion about products and services that do not meet their expectations. Not only that, but they compare and research before deciding to buy. In addition, they will take more into account the opinion of others about you than what you say about yourself.
Travelers are looking for value. It is very important to take care of your reputation and your content offer, so that you are not just a product or service, but you are of interest to them. And be aware of all those changing patterns, which are sure to make you revise your methodology.
Traditional marketing is still alive
Although the digital revolution has helped change consumer behavior, there is still a sector that is consuming content in traditional communication channels and ultimately booking in travel agencies.
For that reason, you need to consider whether you are approaching your potential customers correctly. You have to think about creating the right content, depending on the platform, whether they are consuming it through traditional channels or from new social networks. You have to be where your potential customers are.
They say that outbound marketing is obsolete. This is not true. It is not always that simple.
Traditional marketing that controls the message the company shares needs to evolve in order to adapt to consumer preferences. Traditional offline tactics can still reach a considerable amount of potential customers when done well.
In addition, the sales department does not disappear, you just have to consider its integration with the marketing department to create a good Smarketing team that works together.
On the other hand, outbound online marketing techniques such as PPC or SEM are necessary in the first stage of Attraction, especially when your company cannot dedicate time to an SEO-relevant content strategy.
Advantages and disadvantages of Inbound Marketing
This new type of online marketing focuses on the Conversion stage to generate qualified leads that will close as customers when they are ready. Very important!
This methodology is based on the analysis of buyer personas (the different travelers) and all the strategies implemented in the traveler’s journey. It is cheaper than traditional marketing and is proven to be effective.
But it takes time. On the one hand, you need to spend time analyzing, creating relevant content and nurturing leads. It’s easier when automated, but it’s still an investment. Also, if you want results immediately, you will not get them, because this is a method that works in the medium term, although it works wonders.
As you can see, it is necessary to invest the right money and time. And it doesn’t matter what you choose between the two, because you can mix their techniques and incorporate them into your methodology. Tailor marketing to your needs!
