Here’s How to Build Buyer Personas (and Why You Need Them)

in Marketing Topics by Hawthorn Editorial

hat’s a buyer persona, anyway?

You’ve probably heard that term floating around a lot, but do you actually know what a buyer persona is, how it’s constructed, and why it’s an important element of a smart marketing campaign? If you’re familiar with the concept but fuzzy on the details, pull up a chair. Let’s dig in

Buyer Persona Basics

Also known as customer avatars, buyer personas are fictional, generalized representations of your ideal customers. They’re created based on market research, data analysis, and real customer insights. These personas represent the common needs, preferences, motivations, and pain points of your various customer segments. They usually have a name and a (stock) photograph to represent them, and ideally, when you create your marketing strategy, it’s a form of one-on-one communication that seeks to empathize with that “person.”

Every buyer persona is created uniquely for a particular brand, but they all share some commonalities as a foundation, including:

Demographics: These include factors like age, gender, location, occupation, income level, education, and other relevant demographic information.
Goals and Motivations: What drives your customers to seek your types of products or services? Are they motivated by aspiration, a feeling of belonging, or even by fear? Understanding what drives them to hit the “Buy Now” button is invaluable, especially when you can use that information to truly empathize.
Challenges and Pain Points: This involves an examination of the issues your ideal customers face and the challenges they see as obstacles to purchase. It could be something physical like budget or distance, or something psychological like fear of trying a new technology, social media burnout, or feeling like there just aren’t enough hours in the day. Whatever your customers’ pain points are, you can use your marketing tactics as reassurance, confidence, or whatever else they seek.
Behavior and Interests: This includes information about how customers behave online and offline, as well as their hobbies and interests.
Buying Preferences: Are your ideal customers online shoppers, or do they prefer handling merchandise before buying it? Are they willing to shop from a social media platform? Understanding how and where your customers prefer to make purchases can inform not only your marketing messages, but also sales and distribution strategies.
Communication Preferences: Knowing which channels and formats resonate with customers enables businesses to effectively engage and communicate with them.

Where Do You Find the Information?

This is the hard part – collecting all of the relevant data. Creating a persona involves both quantitative (numbers) and qualitative (words) research and can include both first and second-person research.

To get the answers directly from your customers, you can conduct surveys, interviews, or focus groups, collaborate with your sales team to get their stories, or even take to social media to read comments and reviews. You can also form an online community where customers can discuss your products in an open forum.

For secondary research, things like industry reports and surveys, website and social media analytics, and even a competitor analysis can help round out the picture and fill in any gaps.

The good news is you don’t have to try and boil down a pile of disparate data into one persona. If your analysis is showing several different types of customers, then create an avatar for each one. With those in hand, it can help target your marketing even more.

Do Customer Personas Actually Help?

In a word, yes. Putting a “face” to your ideal customer creates a human connection that might otherwise be missed if you’re purely looking at data sets. It’s worth its weight in marketing gold to be able to speak to your customers directly about what their concerns are and answer them.

Once your buyer personas are complete, here are some ways to take full advantage of them:

Targeted Marketing: It goes without saying that understanding your customers’ needs and preferences makes it easy to tailor not only your marketing messages, but the channels on which they’re served.
Content Creation: Buyer personas are the heart and soul of content strategies – if they’re thorough, you may even find your marketing messages within those helping marketers create relevant and valuable content that attracts and engages their ideal customers.
Product Development: Although it’s only semi-related to marketing, having personas on hand and building products and services based on buyer personas’ preferences ensures better alignment with customer expectations.
A Customer-Centric Approach: By focusing on the needs and desires of specific buyer personas, you can improve customer satisfaction and loyalty throughout the entire customer journey.

Are the Rules the Same for Luxury Brands?

The basic rules are the same, but as with anything that deals with a niche customer base, there are some unique situations to consider. As a luxury brand, it’s important to also put these extra factors into play:

Research and Data Collection: As a luxury brand, you may be in the fortunate position to collaborate with a market research firm to help you with data collection. A good agency can also create customer surveys, conduct focus groups and interviews, and scour social media for valuable insights. If you choose to work with a research firm, be sure that they’re also giving you insights into the consumer behavior patterns, spending habits, and lifestyle choices of affluent customers.
Niche Audience Segments: While many brands across the board often have diverse customer bases, that term is defined a little differently for luxury brands. In this case, the term diverse includes high-net-worth individuals, aspirational luxury buyers, and other specific groups. And although the basic data may be the same – a smaller audience means it may be harder to pin down.
Motivations and Values: Luxury consumers’ motivations often go beyond functional needs – they also seek emotional and experiential value in their purchases. It’s important to fully understand the emotional drivers behind their desires for exclusivity, status, and prestige, because those things are often what guide their decision-making process.
Lifestyle and Interests: Much like the larger audience segments, luxury customers will have diverse lifestyles and interests, but within a niche. Understanding how your customers live and how they play can help you tailor your marketing messages to align with those preferences. Consider studying travel habits, fashion choices, leisure activities, and other similar demographics when creating your personas.

Without a doubt, buyer personas play a vital role in aligning marketing strategies with the needs and preferences of your ideal customer. Leveraging this information as often as possible can work across the board to improve not only sales, but customer engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty.

Want help with the heavy lifting of creating your brand personas? Hawthorn Creative has an expert staff of digital strategists, creatives, and analysts who will work with you every step of the way.

Personalization: How to Capitalize on the Current Hot Trends

ersonalization has been around in some form since the ’90s. But over the years, advances in machine learning, AI, and big data have evolved the concept from fun trend to must-have amenity. In 2023, receiving communications that address them by name, relevant trip recommendations, location-based updates and more are just something that travelers expect.

In fact, recent surveys reveal that 86 percent of travelers will be looking for personalization during their travel experiences. That’s no small slice of the hospitality pie. We put together a list of the most popular trends for 2023, and how you can ensure your property is always ahead of the game.

Guest preference tracking. There are so many opportunities to map your customers’ journeys, from the start of their research to a post-travel survey. It’s possible to collect information from every guest interaction, then use machine learning to create a personalized recommendation engine based on what they’ve told you their interests are. (One word of warning: Always use guest information safely and ethically.)
To reach the full potential of this trend, don’t forget to pay attention to repeat guests. Preference tracking is a great way to personalize rewards for returning customers as well. In a world where all of the good deals seem to be aimed at new business only, this can be a great way to build satisfaction and loyalty.
Hyper-personalization. As the name suggests, this trend goes beyond run-of-the-mill personalization. Hyper-personalization which focuses on individual travelers vs. traveler segments, delivers completely unique, tailored, and relevant experiences to individual travelers. By analyzing large volumes of data, advanced technology like AI, machine learning, and analytics can be used to create personalized experiences at a granular level. And this isn’t a nice-to-have. A recent study found that 71 percent of travelers expect personalized interactions, and 64 percent get frustrated when they don’t.
Real-time custom updates. This aspect of personalization focuses on delivering relevant experiences in the moment based on immediate user actions, behavior, location or context. This technology involves a combination of data analysis, predictive analytics, and automated decision-making to make relevant selections. (Do you know those moments where you get an ad or a recommendation and you say to yourself, “How did they know?” That’s real-time personalization at work.
Contextual personalization. This tactic is largely based on time and space, taking into account a user’s location, type of device, time of day or browsing behavior to deliver personalized recommendations. Understanding context allows you to deliver a much richer and more timely experience.
Omnichannel personalization. It can be overwhelming to choose which media channels to focus on for a marketing campaign, but the demand for seamless and consistent experiences across the board is growing. To win in this space, it’s essential to deliver tailored experiences across various touchpoints, such as websites, mobile apps, social media, email, and even physical stores if it applies. To take it a step further omnichannel means delivering a consistent message that fits the tone of each channel (Tiktok vs. Instagram, for example).

The benefits of personalization

Some of these tactics require a pretty significant investment, especially if it involves best-in-class tech. Is it worth it? A recent McKinsey study says yes: personalization can cut customer acquisition costs in half, increase revenue by up to 15 percent, and achieve up to 30 percent ROI. There are a number of ways to achieve those numbers, but they all have one thing in common – think about yourself as a consumer, and what causes you to make the leap from shopper to buyer.

Improved customer experience. Personalization enhances the customer experience by delivering tailored and relevant content, recommendations, and offers. When customers feel that a brand understands their needs and preferences, they are more likely to engage positively with the brand, leading to increased satisfaction and loyalty.
Increased customer engagement. By providing personalized experiences, brands can capture the attention of customers, increase their interaction and time spent with the brand’s content or offerings, and encourage them to take desired actions such as making a purchase, subscribing to a service, or sharing feedback.
Higher conversion rates and sales. Personal, relevant marketing messages and recommendations can have a significant impact on conversion rates and sales. Think about yourself as a customer: When you receive recommendations that align with your interests and needs, you’re more likely to hit the Book Now button.
Increased customer loyalty and retention. Brand loyalty can be a make-or-break purchase factor these days, and personalization plays a crucial role in fostering that relationship. By tailoring experiences to individual customers, brands can strengthen emotional connections and create a sense of being valued.
Enhanced customer lifetime value. Put all of this together and it leads to a higher customer lifetime value (CLV), which encompasses customer retention, repeat purchases, and upselling or cross-selling opportunities. And, at the end of the day, the foundation is just four words: “This brand (or hotel, or destination) gets me.”

Hearing from your customers directly

We as marketers are able to read trends, understand the science and make smart decisions, but at the end of the day, it’s what the customers want that matters. The McKinsey researchers wanted to know those answers, so they went straight to the source and asked. Here’s what more than 2,000 respondents said their top requests were:

“Give me relevant recommendations I wouldn’t have thought of myself.”
“Talk to me when I’m in shopping mode.”
“Remind me of things I want to know but might not be keeping track of.”
“Know me no matter where I interact with you.”

You can dig into the details of this research here.

If personalization sounds like where you want to be but you aren’t sure how to get started, Hawthorn Creative has an expert staff of digital strategists, creatives, and analysts you can work with you every step of the way.

in Brand Strategy, Content Marketing, Destination Marketing Organizations, Event Venues, General Marketing Insights by Hawthorn Editorial

our brand story is the secret sauce that sets your business apart from others in your category or industry, so it’s crucial to develop a narrative that helps you connect with your target audience through shared values and emotional bonds. For luxury companies, whether event venues, hotels, medical spas, or others, a brand story is a combination of history, craftsmanship, exclusivity, and emotion, all woven together in a powerful story that speaks clearly to your discerning target audience.

Every luxury brand story is bespoke, but here are some common threads that can help you build a strong foundation:

Embrace Heritage and Tradition
Many luxury brands are built upon a rich heritage that spans decades or even centuries. This is your starting point for crafting a powerful story. (You’ve survived ages, and here’s why.) Delving into your historical roots is also the doorway to accentuating other elements that set luxury brands apart, like craftsmanship, expertise, and attention to detail. (More on that later.)

Embracing tradition also creates a sense of authenticity and exclusivity, which appeals to customers who appreciate the artistry and dedication behind each product. In addition, highlighting your brand’s mission and values, iconic historical design elements, or legendary figures associated with the brand can go a long way toward establishing an emotional connection through nostalgia and a sense of prestige.

Showcase Craftsmanship and Quality
When you think about your luxury brands and businesses, what comes to mind? Often, its unparalleled craftsmanship and uncompromising quality. A powerful brand story weaves a compelling tale about your company’s dedication to perfection through anecdotes about the premium materials, best-in-class service, advanced training, and artisanal dedication that goes into every step of your process.

By revealing the behind-the-scenes glimpses (which are trending under the hashtag #bts on social media), you can pique your target audience’s fascination and admiration for how much work goes into what you do. Highlighting attention to detail and the pursuit of excellence also creates a perception of value, reinforcing your brand’s luxury status and creating a unique selling proposition that justifies premium pricing.

Cultivate an Aspirational Lifestyle
Especially if your business is service-oriented, you’re selling a lot more than just products – you’re selling a lifestyle. By crafting a brand story that taps into the desires and dreams of your target audience, it’s possible to forge a deep and lasting emotional connection.

Some ways you can achieve this are by using carefully curated imagery, storytelling, influencer collaborations, and testimonials to showcase the experiences, values, and aesthetics associated with the brand. In the right combination, brand storytelling elements can transport potential customers into the world they want to experience, whether that’s aesthetic beauty, opulence, world-class service, or relaxation and refinement. If this all sounds like feelings, it is. Luxury brands, at the end of the day, are all about the experience.

Foster Personalization and Exclusivity
Luxury brands excel at providing personalized experiences and exclusivity, and these elements should be reflected in your brand story. Tailoring the narrative to your ideal customer’s desires and preferences creates a sense of exclusivity and makes them feel special. One way to understand the way they think is to use customer data, like location, preferences, and user history to paint a larger picture. With that information, you can then deliver targeted content that resonates deeply.

Another way to forward the idea of exclusivity is by focusing both on the exceptional customer service customers can expect during every interaction, and on exclusive offerings that they can’t get anywhere else, like limited-edition collections, bespoke services, and VIP events that enhance your brand’s allure.

How to Develop Your Brand Story

Ready to craft your brand’s narrative? We put together a 10-step guide to help you from beginning to end.

Understand your brand identity. Start by understanding your brand’s unique identity, values, and essence. What makes your luxury brand special? What are your core values, mission, and vision? Define your brand’s personality and the emotions you want to evoke in your customers.
Define your target audience. Identify your target audience and understand their desires, aspirations, and motivations. What are their lifestyle preferences? What are their needs and wants? Tailor your brand story to resonate with their aspirations and values.
Uncover your brand heritage. Luxury brands often have rich histories and legacies. Dig deep into your brand’s past and heritage. Identify key milestones, iconic designs, craftsmanship techniques, or brand ambassadors that define your brand. Incorporate these elements into your brand story to create a sense of tradition, authenticity, and craftsmanship.
Craft a compelling narrative. Develop a narrative that brings together your brand’s identity, heritage, and values into a captivating story. Consider using storytelling techniques such as a hero’s journey, a rags-to-riches narrative, or a tale of passion and dedication. Make sure the story is authentic, engaging, and aligns with your brand’s values.
Emphasize craftsmanship and quality. Luxury brands are known for their attention to detail, exquisite craftsmanship, and superior quality. Highlight these aspects in your brand story to demonstrate your commitment to excellence and to differentiate yourself from mass-market brands.
Create an emotional connection. Luxury brands often evoke emotions such as desire, aspiration, exclusivity, and status. Tap into these emotions when crafting your brand story. Use visuals, music, and language that elicit an emotional response from your audience, making them feel connected to your brand on a deeper level.
Ensure consistency across touchpoints. Ensure that your brand story is consistent across all touchpoints, including your website, social media, packaging, in-store experience, and customer service. Consistency helps reinforce your brand story and build trust with customers.
Engage influencers and brand ambassadors. Collaborate with influential personalities or brand ambassadors who align with your brand values and can help amplify your brand story. Their association can add credibility and reach to your storytelling efforts.
Evolve with your audience. Monitor the evolving preferences and aspirations of your target audience. Stay up to date with cultural trends, societal changes, and technological advancements. Continuously refine and adapt your brand story to stay relevant and maintain a strong connection with your audience.
Create an air of exclusivity. Luxury brands often cultivate an aura of exclusivity. Leverage this by creating limited editions, personalized experiences, or invitation-only events. Make your customers feel like they are part of an elite community, enhancing the allure of your brand story.

Finally, and this is a point we reiterate loudly and often – developing a brand story, marketing, and analysis is an ongoing process. It’s crucial to continuously evaluate the impact of your storytelling efforts, gather feedback from your customers, and refine, refine, refine based on what you learn.

Hawthorn Creative has years of experience helping luxury brands cultivate their brand stories, along with an expert staff who can lead you seamlessly through the entire process.

Our Top 10 Marketing TED Talks

in General Marketing Insights by Hawthorn Editorial

hese days, everyone knows what a TED Talk is. (Talk about a successful branding campaign!) The phrase has become a household name, and anyone who has a TED Talk is automatically considered a next-level expert in whatever subject they’re discussing.

In the field of marketing, TED speakers have helped the industry uncover new perspectives, discard old ones, and think outside the box. There seem to be new talks available every day, but we’ve put together a list of our top 10 must-watch marketing TED Talks from the past years, along with links to watch.

How Great Leaders Inspire Action

Simon Sinek, Author
Sinek speaks about the simple differences between world-changing leaders and everyone else. He explores the concept of the “Golden Circle” and how starting with one simple question – Why? – can change everything about the way you communicate.

Why we love it: Sinek’s examples go as far back as the Wright brothers, proving that while tactics and channels may change, the foundations of leadership and success in marketing remain the same.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp0HIF3SfI4&t=532s

Why Videos Go Viral

Kevin Allocca, Global Director of Trends & Culture at YouTube
Allocca, who is the author of Videocracy, talks about the three things that make a video viral – tastemakers, communities of participation, and unexpectedness.

Why we love it: Who among us doesn’t wish for our video marketing content to go viral? It seems impossible, but Allocca’s secret sauce (while we can’t completely control it) can give us some insight in how to create content people will notice.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpxVIwCbBK0&t=63s

Sweat the Small Stuff in Marketing

Rory Sutherland, Veteran Marketing Strategist and Author
In his talk, Sutherland challenges the traditional notions of value and demonstrates how small changes can have a significant impact on consumer behavior.

Why we love it: We sometimes get so focused on what we come up with in conference rooms that we forget what’s actually important to our customers. This is a great reminder that it’s about your audience, not you.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkLcwHmnPV4

The Four-Letter Code to Selling Anything

Derek Thompson, Podcaster, Journalist, and Author
Why do we like what we like? Is there a formula? Throughout time, philosophers and thought leaders have said yes – but times change, especially when it comes to marketing. Thompson talks about the one word that binds a common thread across all consumer platforms, and whether it actually works.

Why we love it: This is simply fascinating. A look into the psychology behind how modern humans think and what motivates us. A comment on the video sums it up perfectly: “Sometimes it takes someone to explain something that we already know before we can digest it. excellent talk.”

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pY7EjqD3QA&t=9s

Using Data to Shape Humanity

Talin Koutnouyan, Marketing Data Analytics Expert
Koutnouyan has led the way in marketing data analysis, inventing a methodology that helped drive up to 30% ROI for Fortune 500 companies. As she says, “Just because data is easy to measure, doesn’t mean it’s the right metric to use.

Why we love it: Koutnouyan is a unicorn – she has the left-brained superpowers of being able to sift through large amounts of data, and the right-brained artistic skill to turn it into a story.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIriiLEQvso&t=369s

What Physics Taught Me About Marketing

Dan Cobley, Keynote Speaker and Former Google Executive
Dan Cobley explains how the principles of physics can be applied to marketing, emphasizing the importance of understanding and adapting to the changing landscape. (Specifically, Newton’s second law, which states that the bigger something is, the more difficult it is to change it.)

Why we love it: Drawing connections between two seemingly opposite ideas (in this case, physics and marketing) is a wonderful way to gain new perspectives on something, especially when you’ve been working within the same guardrails for a long time.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cwW_S29faQ

How Your Brain Responds to Stories – and Why They’re Crucial for Leaders

Karen Eber, Leadership Consultant
Eber believes in the power of good storytelling, and how it can shape and impact people’s lives. And whether those stories are told through corporate communications, marketing, or interpersonal relationships, they are the gateway to common ground and understanding.

Why we love it: Marketing is all about storytelling. Whether you’re trying to entice visitors to your destination, or inform them about a cold event coming up, or encourage them to take the leap and visit your spa. Crafting a story that resonates with your target audience is so much more effective than straightforward information.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJfGby1C3C4

7 Tools for Building a Business People Trust

Marcos Aguiar, Core Member of BCG’s Technology, Media and Telecommunications and Global Advantage Practices
Why do we trust some companies and not others? Aguiar digs into this topic to not only dissect the qualities of trust, but also to offer companies ways to make sure that their building a business that is trustworthy.

Why we love it: When more and more millennial and Gen Z consumers are saying that the emotional connection they feel to a company is a deal-breaker, it’s more important than ever to run a business that builds trust.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJUrQKY_A5g

What Consumers Want

Joseph Pine, American author who coined the term “experience economy”
Authenticity in marketing is a hot topic these days, but what if there’s no such thing? Pine talks about the evolution from a commoditized economy to a service-based, experiential one and back again, and how everything we experience is authentic to us, even if it’s rendered.

Why we love it: This is an interesting way to examine the blurry line between authentic and artificial, and why it may not matter. The point is to create a meaningful experience that your consumers will resonate with, regardless of how it’s constructed.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RD0OZCyJCk

Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders

Sheryl Sandberg, Former COO of Meta and Founder of LeanIn.org
Sandberg’s talk touches on gender equality and the importance of empowering women in leadership roles, which can have implications for marketing strategies targeting diverse audiences.

Why we love it: Representation matters, especially when it comes to marketing. The more diverse your workforce is, the more likely you are to create a campaign that resonates with your target audience, even if they look or feel differently than you do.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18uDutylDa4

There’s a whole wide world of TED Talks out there, dating back as long as two decades ago. If you’d like to watch even more about marketing (or any topic that interests you,) you can find the entire archive at TED.com

Here’s Why Google My Business is One of the Most Important Tactics in Your Marketing Strategy

in General Marketing Insights, Search Marketing by Hawthorn Editorial

ven if you don’t know its formal name, you’ve seen it before. Practically every business has a Google My Business (GMB) page – a profile page that shows the name, address, contact information, hours, and other relevant business information whenever they come up in a search result.

In fact, GMB has become such a standard now that companies that don’t complete their pages are the ones that stand out – and not necessarily in a good way. And it does have its share of competitors (Yelp, Facebook Business, and Foursquare, for example), but a recent study revealed that Google owns 92.61 percent of the search engine market. That one statistic alone is your signal to ensure that your GMB profile is up to snuff.

Why is Google My Business Important?

Many of the reasons tie back to the massive amount of influence Google has over the world of online search. (It’s even become its own verb – to Google something). By updating and optimizing your GMB page, it helps you gain a bigger piece of that already huge pie. Here’s how:

Increased visibility. GMB is one of the smartest ways to increase your visibility online. When someone searches for a business or service related to your industry, a robust GMB page is more likely to push your business to the top of local search results (including Google Maps).
Improved customer engagement. GMB is an excellent way for businesses to interact directly with their customers by allowing them to leave reviews, post updates, and ask questions. Always remember, however, that engagement is a two-way street. (In other words, don’t post and run.)
Accurate information. This includes business hours, location, phone number, website, and maybe even your social channels. Provide as many ways as possible for customers to find and/or contact your business. Bonus points for including a photo of your front door – it’s an easy way to let customers know that they’ve reached the right spot.
Cost-effective advertising. This might be the best part about GMB – it’s completely free! That’s one seriously cost-effective way to widen your audience and increase organic growth.
Insights and analytics. Google My Business is about more than just front-end info and design. It also provides insights and analytics that can help you understand your audience and how they’re interacting with their online presence. (Spoiler alert: It’s not always what you think!) It can also help you identify areas for improvement and track the effectiveness of your marketing efforts.
Integration with Google Maps. This feature, which allows your business to pop up when someone conducts a “near me” search, is a great way to expand local presence.

How Do I Update My GMB Page?

If it’s been a minute since you’ve taken a look at your Google My Business profile, we put together an easy, three-step guide to help you get back on track:

First, sign in to your Google My Business account. If you don’t have an account, you can create one for free.
Once you’re signed in, click on the location or business you want to manage.
You’ll be taken to a dashboard where you can update your business information, such as your address, phone number, website, business hours, photos, and more. (Make sure to revisit this information periodically so it stays accurate.)

Do You Have Tips for Optimizing My GMB Page?

Let’s say you “technically” have a GMB page, but it’s been so long since you checked on it that you don’t remember the password. Knowing that it’s a smart way to promote your business, what can you do to get it up to snuff? Here are some ideas:

Complete your business information. Make sure that every blank that you can possibly fill in is filled in, and then double-check it to make sure everything is accurate.
Choose the right categories. You’ll have the option to select categories for your business, so be sure to make smart choices. Being in the right categories helps Google understand what your business is all about and improves its changes of appearing in related searches.
Add high-quality photos and videos. We don’t mean snaps from your phone here. Showcase your business, products and services in professional, clear images that let customers see exactly what you’re all about.
Encourage customer reviews. They’re a great way to increase your visibility and even more importantly, build trust with potential customers. For their convenience, you could even create business cards with a QR code linking directly to your review page.
Respond to those reviews. Whether good or not-so-good, be sure to respond to customer reviews ASAP. It’s a great way to say thanks, resolve potential issues before they escalate, and show other customers that you’re active and engaged. (It’s also a great way to use tone of voice and messaging to reinforce your brand identity, whether it’s elegant, playful, or somewhere in between.)
Use Google Posts. Posts are much like other social media channels. It’s an opportunity to share updates, promotions, and events with your customers. A few examples include alerting customers to changes in hours due to holidays, announcing upcoming events, or showcasing limited-time products.
Monitor and analyze your performance. GMB also offers insights and analytics for free. Keeping a regular eye on how your page is performing is an easy way to see where you’re excelling, and where you can identify areas for improvement.

Without a doubt, Google My Business is an essential tool for growing your online presence and reputation. If the process seems daunting to you, our expert staff can help you get started, optimize, and maintain your profile.

Want to Work With a Brand Agency? Here’s What to Expect

in General Marketing Insights by Hawthorn Editorial

hat do you picture when you hear the phrase “brand agency”? A fancy, high-rise office space on one of the coasts filled with young professionals coming up with Super Bowl ads? Or a Mad Men-style setup where executives smoke cigars while they decide the next great, soon-to-be household name?

In reality, brand agencies are a little bit of both. At their core, they specialize in developing, managing, and enhancing the brand identities and strategies for their clients. Those can range from Fortune 500s to nonprofit organizations to startups. And typically, they all offer some version of the same menu.

If you’re a luxury client, however, like a medical aesthetic spa, wedding venue, winery, or high-end real estate agent, it’s important to find a brand agency that has specialized expertise in helping luxury brands develop and maintain their reputation through copy that sets the tone for an exclusive design aesthetic. Let’s break down what services a brand agency typically offers, and what you should pay special attention to as a luxury client.

1. Research, Including Markets, Audiences, and Competitors

The first step toward developing a strong, smart brand is understanding what the current business market is like, whom it’s trying to reach, what it’s trying to say, and what the competition is up to. This may also include a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) to get a clearer picture of where the business stands relative to others in the industry.

Advice for luxury brands: One smart strategy here is to start at the end. What other luxury campaigns has a brand agency executed, and what were the final results? Success at the end of the day usually begins with diligent research and homework at the beginning. If you have a sit-down interview with a potential agency, ask them questions about your market, your likely audience, and your competition.

2. Brand Strategy Development

After all the market research is complete, it’s time to hone in on what the client’s goals are, including their brand positioning (luxury, eco-friendly, or adventurous, for example), target audience, messaging, and other key elements of their brand strategy.

Advice for luxury brands: You’ll likely have unique positioning and niche target audiences, and a brand agency can help you develop a brand strategy that reflects your values and speaks to your target market. After your partner agency conducts market research and identifies key opportunities, remember that you know your own brand best. Don’t be afraid to bring your expertise to the table to craft a strategy that feels right for your audience.

3. Brand Identity Design (Voice, Tone, Design)

This step in the process turns vision boards and plain text into logos, color schemes, fonts, and visual style. It’s also when a brand develops messaging that reinforces the visual style and resonates with its target audience. Examples of this include a tagline (BMW’s, for example, is “The ultimate driving machine”), as well as some early marketing messaging ideas, since one tends to lead to the other.

Advice for luxury brands: Campaigns for brands like yours often require a high level of craftsmanship and attention to detail in their brand identity and design. Here again, ensure that you’re developing your identity in partnership with your agency to develop a distinctive, elegant look and feel that will appeal to your target audience. Once you have your brand identity – show it off everywhere, from your website to your in-house signage and everywhere in between.

4. Brand Marketing and Communications

Brand agencies can help businesses develop and execute marketing and communications campaigns that effectively promote their brand and engage their target audience. Marketing campaigns can be executed several times a year and are most often tied to seasons, holidays, and new product launches.

Advice for luxury brands: Like other brands, digital channels are one of the largest ways to reach customers today. The key to success here, though, is knowing where your target customers are hanging out online. A good brand agency will be able to conduct that research and put together a strategy that leverages the latest trends, abides by best practices, and offers you a high ROI.

5. Post-Campaign Analysis

During and after marketing campaigns, brand agencies can help businesses gather and analyze data and insights about performance, engagement, and other KPIs that are determined at the start of the project. Analysis lets the client know what’s doing well, and where there’s an opportunity to tweak or try an additional tactic.

Advice for luxury brands: This is where a good brand agency’s expertise can help take your campaigns to the next level. Once they deliver this data to you, take a look through it and don’t be afraid to ask questions about the results you’re seeing. And remember, marketing campaigns are living creatures, so if you stumble on a road block, your agency will know how to adjust and get your back on the right path.

6. Brand and Reputation Management

This is a brand’s long-term maintenance plan: monitoring its presence and reputation online, ensuring consistency across all platforms, watching out for copyright infringements, and advice for when it may be time to change things up a little bit.
Altogether, this expertise can help businesses build a strong, memorable brand that sets them apart from the competition and resonates with their intended audience.

Advice for luxury brands: Perhaps more than others, luxury brands need to maintain a high level of consistency and quality in all aspects of their brand at all times – your guests expect no less. A brand agency has several ways to help ensure that your values and messaging are consistent and present in all the right places: One is monitoring your social media channels, and sometimes even handling responses to online comments. Another is public relations, a tactic used often by luxury clients to maintain their reputation. Whether an agency has this capability in-house or works with a trusted partner, a PR strategy that can connect you to the right media outlets, the right influencers, and the right event opportunities is an important part of your overall plan, and something typically exclusive to high-end brands.

How to Select the Right Brand Agency

Now that you know what a good brand agency will be able to offer you as a client, here are some things to consider when choosing a partner:

Experience: Look for an agency with experience working with luxury brands or businesses in your industry. One that can demonstrate a proven track record in luxury branding will have a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities associated with this market.
Expertise: Assess expertise in areas such as brand strategy, messaging, design, and marketing. A strong agency should be able to present a team of experienced professionals from project management to accounting to creative.
Creative approach: Review their portfolio and assess their creative approach. Do you like what you see? Is their aesthetic one that you can envision for your brand? Look at their work from a consumer perspective, and ask yourself if it speaks to you.
Collaborative approach: Choose an agency that isn’t afraid of a collaborative approach to working with clients. In order to succeed together, they should be willing and able to listen to your needs, provide valuable insights and guidance, and work with you to develop a brand strategy that meets your goals.
Reputation: Can’t hurt to look up some reviews and testimonials from past clients. What’s the agency’s reputation in the industry? Excellent customer service is just as important as a world-class brand strategy, and a strong agency will agree.
Cost: Talk dollars and cents. How much will it cost to work with this agency? Ask them to deliver numbers, and ensure that their pricing aligns with both your budget and the value you expect to receive.

Hawthorn Creative has years of branding experience for luxury clients in a wide variety of spaces, including wedding venues, real estate, senior living communities, medical spas and more. Let’s sit down and talk about how we can help you outshine the competition.

Artificial Intelligence: How It’s Impacting the Travel Industry (and How to Use It Wisely)

in General Marketing Insights, Hotels & Resorts by Hawthorn Editorial

rtificial intelligence – it’s the hottest of hot topics lately, from ways that it’s helping make our lives easier, to ways that it’s… not.

For hotels and destinations, AI has the potential to not only enhance your customer experience but maybe even change the way you operate as a whole. This powerful tool has the capability to personalize, analyze, predict, and serve as a personal assistant for not only your guests, but also your staff. Here’s a look at just a few of the things this popular new tech can do.

6 Advantages Artificial Intelligence Can Offer

1. Personalized travel recommendations: One of the things we often lament are recommendation engines that don’t give good suggestions, but AI is changing all of that. AI can analyze massive amounts of traveler data in the blink of an eye and make relevant recommendations on the spot. It uses data points like travelers’ past behavior, preferences, searches, and social media history to understand what they’d like to do and how they’d like to do it.

2. Chatbot assistants: Much like the iconic Rose at the the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, hotels can empower chatbots to provide 24/7 customer assistance, resolve issues in real time, and answer FAQs. These don’t replace the job of a concierge, but rather free that position up to handle the more complicated requests.

3. Facial recognition: This application of AI is being used at some hotels to streamlining the check-in and check-out processes, prevent fraud and enhance security. Instead of digging through their belongings for ID, guests can simply stand in front of a camera for instant identity verification.

4. Robotics: Robots can complete a wide range of on-property tasks, from delivering room service to disinfecting rooms to pointing guests to the nearest restrooms or elevators. Check out this video of how robots at the Sheraton Los Angeles San Gabriel do everything from transport luggage to deliver a late-night snack.

5. Predictive analysis: Just like data can be used at the individual level to make recommendations, AI can also use analytics to make large-scale predictions, including weather reports, flight schedules, peak travel times, pricing, inventory management and more. Automating as many of these tasks as possible means a higher ROI, more efficiencies, and more focus on the complicated tasks that can’t be done without human smarts.

6. Local guides: Whether hotel guests are on property or haven’t arrived, yet, AI-powered programs can help them book flights, rent cars, make restaurant and attraction reservations, and more. It all adds up to an enhanced customer experience that they’re going to want to enjoy again and again.

Top 5 Challenges in Artificial Intelligence

That all sounds great, but AI isn’t perfect. Recent users of programs like chatGPT have reported some potentially serious issues, including a discovery that the technology “hallucinates,” coming up with completely wrong answers. Here are some other concerns about AI.

1. Privacy: Remember that “massive amount of data” we referenced earlier? That’s all personal, and all about you. Although ethical marketers use that data carefully to craft “you” as an anonymous shopper profile, it could wreak havoc in the wrong hands. Make sure that you have robust and strict privacy and data-collection policies in place before you work with any AI company.

2. Bias: Even though it’s “artificial intelligence,” the code is still written by humans, with human biases, preconceptions and preferences. Because of this, it’s still imperative to keep a living eye on your automated functions to ensure they’re giving customers the experience you want them to have. (In other words, chatbot concierges run amok.)

3. Technical difficulties: AI is not do-it-yourself. It’s a highly complex system that’s still in experimental and growth stages, which means that it not only comes with system bugs, it requires technical expertise to administer correctly. Always ensure that you have the right resources in place to deploy these types of systems in a controlled, effective manner.

4. Customer experience: This type of technology should enhance the customer experience, but if not executed correctly it can cause confusion and a million frustrations. (It’s like the next level of shouting “Representative!” at the phone). If you decide to implement AI to make recommendations, help with booking or perform other customer tasks, our advice is to be mindful of what your customers want, what they have responded well to in the past, and test, test, test to make sure the service runs smoothly.

5. Cost: This is the bottom line for so many business decisions, and AI isn’t cheap. As you head down this road, it’s important to weigh the potential benefits against the costs of development and adoption. Is it worth the investment? Or are other approaches more beneficial for your company?

AI is a Rapidly Growing Trend: 5 Ways to Level Up

Artificial intelligence has been around as a concept for decades, but in 2023, it’s not only reaching scale, it’s becoming an expected standard. A recent study found that 74 percent of travelers are interested in hotels using AI to tailor services and offers like room pricing, food suggestions, or discounts.

In other words, if you want to stay competitive in the hospitality game, AI is no longer a nice thought. If you’re ready to level-up your AI game, here are initial steps to get you on the the right path.

1. Define your goals: Specify the areas where you want to use AI to improve the hotel experience, either for guests or staff. The opportunities with AI are endless, so (especially where budgets are concerned) it’s important to focus your needs.

2. Do your homework: Research everything you can – all available solutions, the features they offer, the things other hoteliers have been saying about them, and the vendors who specialize in various services. The more information you have, the more you know not only what you do want, but what you don’t.

3. Develop a plan: What’s your timeline? Set realistic milestones for implementing any new technologies, determine a budget, and assign resources. Especially with emerging tech like AI, it’s also important to identify risks and potential bugs at the outset, along with a plan for mitigating any issues that arise. (A trusted vendor partner can be a life-saving help in this area.)

4. Train your staff: Everyone should be comfortable not only using any new technology, but be familiar with procedures and protocols. This is also a great time to ease any job-related fears that may arise.

5. Continuously monitor performance: AI is not a set-it-and-forget-it tech. It’s constantly evolving, which means it needs to be constantly under the watch of human eyes. This includes ensuring that it’s achieving goals and delivering an enhanced experience. Regular evaluations can determine what’s working, and where adjustments need to be made.

While it’s true that AI can be expensive, the cost of falling behind trends can be even more harmful. Coming up with a smart solution for your specific property is a matter of knowing what you want to improve using tech and creating a solid plan for how you’ll get there.

Summer Business Travel: Coworking Space Can Help You Increase Your Midweek Bookings

in Hotels & Resorts by Hawthorn Editorial

ummer equals weekend travel. Family vacations, girlfriend getaways, tropical adventures, and more. They’re wonderful for business, and properties often fill up their weekends months in advance.

But what about Monday through Thursday? Rooms often sit empty during those summer days, but you can increase your mid-week business by catering to business travelers.

What Is a Coworking Space?

Many hotels have business centers. The spaces usually contain a printer, some extra monitors, and high-speed internet connections that allow business travelers to get some work done while they’re on the road. But let’s be honest: Those rooms can be pretty small, and pretty sterile – not exactly the type of place you’d want to open your laptop, grab a cup of joe, and work the day away.

Enter the hotel-based coworking space, a trend that’s been growing in popularity lately, especially post-pandemic, when an estimated 12 percent of the American workforce is fully remote and another 28 percent is hybrid.

The concept is simple and follows the philosophy behind other, independent coworking spaces – give workers who don’t have a dedicated office a convenient, unique, and fun space to get comfy and get to work. The best coworking spaces offer common areas for collaboration, quiet booths for taking phone calls, private spaces with internet access, drinks, snacks, and most importantly, fast, reliable Wi-Fi.

One of the first hotel chains to imagine this idea was the Ace Hotel in New York, which converted its lobby into a workspace called, appropriately enough, “The Lobby.” (Today, it’s become a hugely popular meeting space for young professionals in the city.) They marketed it as a collaborative space for entrepreneurs, freelancers and other creative professionals, and the idea soon inspired others to follow.

Today, many hotels have joined the trend by converting their underused spaces, including lobbies, loungers and conference rooms, into coworking areas. Some properties have even branded these spaces (Wojo by AccorHotels in Europe, for example).

What Are the Benefits of a Coworking Space?

Adding coworking space benefits everyone. As a hotel owner, it allows you to generate additional revenue by not only using more of your space but attracting new clientele. At the same time, those traveling for work will gravitate toward coworking spaces. If that space is inside a hotel – win-win! Here’s a closer look at the benefits of adding coworking space to your property.

Attractive workspace: Many remote workers find themselves in independent coworking spaces or coffee shops because they’re comfortable, have character, and get them out of the four walls of their home offices – especially if good coffee and snacks are always available.

Additional revenue: By adding a coworking space, you can generate revenue in a number of ways. First and most obvious, your midweek bookings will increase because business travelers will be attracted to your property. Private workspaces are usually offered at a premium. And finally, it’s an opportunity to monetize spaces around the property that might otherwise just be sitting empty.

A unique, fun amenity: Offering this amenity (and making it highly visible in searches and marketing materials) is a way to make your property stand out from the competition. Imagine showing up at the top of the list on a third-party site when a traveler selects “coworking space” as a filter option

Networking opportunities: This is a two-pronged benefit. Not only can you give your business travelers a chance to connect and collaborate with others, you have the chance to connect with them as well. The unlikeliest of business partnerships have been formed in coworking spaces – you may just be opening the doors to an influencer who can take your property to the next level.

How Do I Get Started?

If you’d like to add your property to the growing list of travel-based coworking spaces, here are some steps to get you started:

1. Take a look at your available space: Is there an area of your property that will work? Consider underutilized conference rooms, lobbies, or other areas that can be transformed into a productive workspace. Remember, coworking aficionados are looking for comfort and unique experiences, not sterile spaces.

2. Understand your target audience: What type of traveler would you like to attract to your coworking space? The list can include remote workers, entrepreneurs, professionals who regularly travel as a part of their job, or all of the above. Understanding their needs will help greatly in designing a space that meets them.

3. Choose your amenities: What will you offer your coworking customers? (This question can be better answered once you understand No. 2 above.) Some things to consider include high-speed Wi-Fi, scanners, printers, a three-hole punch, paper cutter, and other extra office supplies, as well as coffee, snacks, and maybe even a fireplace and some cozy blankets for use if you’re in a cold-weather climate.

4. Promote, promote, promote! Once you’re ready to open your coworking space’s doors, make sure that you get the word out to as much of your target audience as possible. Tactics can include good real estate on your property’s website, social media, and target digital campaigns. It’s also important to update your profiles on sites like Hotels.com, Expedia and more to feature your new amenity.

Hotel-based coworking space is an idea that’s growing, but not yet saturated, which means it’s the perfect opportunity to create your space and set the trend.

From Chatbots to Connectivity: 6 Ways To Use Tech To Improve Your Guest Experience

in Hotels & Resorts by Hawthorn Editorial

ithout a doubt, technology has become so ingrained in our lives that we aren’t sure how to live without it. So many things that we used to do in person – banking, doctor’s appointments, shopping – have been completely reshaped because of tech.

In the travel and hospitality industry, the standards have been set for online reservations, customer service, and reviews. But how can your destination use tech to make the guest experience better than ever? Here are some ideas for ways you can use tech to stand out.

1. Mobile Check-in

This is a trend that caught on during the pandemic to offer touch-free check-ins and stuck around because guests really liked it. Enabling mobile check-in allows your guests to bypass the front desk and go directly to their rooms without waiting in line in the lobby, which allows your staff to focus on other essential administrative tasks.

But what about room keys? The answer is keyless entry – using tech like bluetooth or NFC and QR codes that let guests use their smartphones to unlock their room doors and exterior doors. This is a win-win because it keeps your traffic flowing smoothly, and also cuts down on trips to the front desk to replace a lost or deactivated key. (We’re willing to bet that more people misplace their room keys than they do their cell phones.)

A winning example: The Annex Hotel, an upscale Toronto boutique hotel, offers both mobile check-in and keyless room entry to rave reviews. They also use a digital concierge to help guests make the most of their stay (more on that later).

2. Chatbots and Virtual Assistants

When guests complete their mobile check-in, they receive a text from your property’s virtual chatbot, who can answer questions like “What time is breakfast?” and “What attractions are nearby?” Chatbots are a tremendous opportunity to give your hotel a personality and provide tremendous added value to your guests – all in the palm of their hand.

Chatbots are a great way for properties who don’t otherwise have concierge service to offer it to their guests. And for those that do, a digital concierge can serve as an enhancement to the experience, be available 24/7, and free up the human concierge for more complicated requests.

A winning example: The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas has a digital concierge named Rose who introduces herself to guests via text as the “Resident Mischief-Maker” after they check in. Her personality perfectly matches the style of this modern resort with messages like “P.S. When I’m in a good mood, I tend to be generous with friends.” and “As your virtual hook-up …” Rose also frequently talks about her human friends, positioning herself as an enhancement, not a replacement.

3. In-room Technology

Amenities aren’t all about thread counts and cocktail bars – these days, guests are also looking for high-speed internet, smart TVs, and streaming services like Netflix or Hulu. Other perks that bring the tech can include smart lighting and blinds, temperature controls, and wireless charging stations for all those electronics. (Imagine how cool it would be to say, “Alexa, lights off” from the comfort of your luxurious hotel bed.)

A winning example: The Loews Hotel 1000 in Seattle has rooms that are completely tricked out with tech, including a work desk with a connectivity panel, a VoIP phone service that lets you make calls anywhere in the world for free, and controls for customizing not only the room temperature, but also humidity, artwork, and music. Finally, infrared sensors let housekeeping staff know whether the rooms are occupied, which means no more knocking on the door when guests are still asleep.

4. Mobile Apps

How cool would it be if guests at your event venue could order a drink from the bar, get an alert when it’s ready to be picked up, and then pay online? Or make dinner reservations, book tours, check in and out of hotel rooms and even more? A robust, well-designed mobile app can provide a seamless experience from start to finish for not only your customers, but also your staff.

A winning example: Is there a larger, more well-known destination than Walt Disney World? The company’s mobile app, My Disney Experience, lets guests book fast passes, store their ticket information, see park hours, make dining reservations, order food, and more. It also offers real-time suggestions for rides and attractions that have short wait times, creates daily itineraries based on user interests, and even keeps track of where you parked your car. The list goes on and on, making it one of the most robust destination apps out there.

5. Personalized Communication

There’s just something about being addressed by your first name that feels special, and tech allows you the opportunity to do that for every guest with ease. The trend toward personalization began with adding a guest’s first name to email and text communications, but it’s since grown to include amenities like personalized recommendations and post-visit surveys. By gathering just a bit of information about your guest (are they traveling with kids, for example) you can create a recommendation engine that offers up the perfect restaurants and attractions for that traveler.

A winning example: Hotel Luganodante in Switzerland offers guests an amenity called MyPage, where they can choose from more than 150 options for their rooms, from room temperature to pillow types to what kind of drinks and snacks they’d like in the mini bar,

6. Augmented/Virtual Reality

This trend can serve as an extension of the virtual concierge, and can include virtual tours of local attractions, 360-degree views of available hotel rooms, and more. The possibilities here are only bound by your imagination, but here are two winning examples we love:

A winning example: Back to the Loews Hotel 1000 in Seattle, where the lobby includes a virtual golf club. Choose your favorite golf resort (there are more than 50 to choose from!), grab a cold adult beverage and swing away. A specially designed movie screen is designed to simulate your game based on where your ball hits.

Another winning example: You want to go on a cruise, but balcony rooms are expensive. Royal Caribbean gives guests in interior staterooms an outdoor experience with a virtual balcony, a floor-to-ceiling projection with real-time views of the ocean outside. Check out this YouTube video to get a feel for what it’s like.

Summer Travel 2023: 7 Hot Trends for Travelers

in Content Marketing, General Marketing Insights by Hawthorn Editorial

chools are winding down, the weather is getting nicer, and the nights are getting longer. It can only mean one thing: Summer travel season is right around the corner. Traveler priorities have shifted a lot over the past few years, so it’s important to stay on top of what’s trending as your customers hit the road.

What’s hot this summer? The need for slow, meaningful exploration, unique experiences and a feeling of health, wellness and safety.

Summer travel is returning to pre-pandemic popularity levels. According to the U.S. Travel Association, travelers spent $93 billion in February – that’s 5 percent higher than 2019 levels and 9 percent higher than spending in 2022. In addition, more than half of all travelers (55 percent) said they were planning to prioritize leisure travel spending (even over clothing, home improvements or eating out.)

If you own or manage a destination, this is exactly what you want to hear. And even better, another recent report revealed that luxury travel is on the minds of many travelers who want to make up for a few lost years: 80 percent of survey respondents between the ages of 18 and 34 are willing to pay to upgrade their experience. But travelers have seemingly endless options for how to spend their time. How can you ensure that they choose your destination? Here’s a look at the types of travel that are hot for summer.

1. Road Trips

Road trips have always been a popular way to travel, but they are now more popular than ever. With the pandemic still a concern and airline prices that are still cost-prohibitive, people are opting to hit the road. Although it may take longer to reach their destination, travelers love having more control and flexibility over their travel experience.

How to win: To welcome them (and their car), offer local maps that highlight all of the interesting locations in the area that are easily drivable.

2. Outdoor Adventure

Perhaps as a reaction to Covid concerns, outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, and camping are continuing to gain popularity. Travelers are seeking out destinations that offer opportunities to connect with nature and experience adventure, including national parks, mountain ranges, and coastal destinations.

How to win: If your destination is near an outdoor hotspot, shout it out loud! Offer directions, partnership discounts, and a luxurious place for weary travelers to rest after a day of adventure.

3. Sustainable Travel

According to a recent article, 70 percent of travelers think traveling sustainably equals a better experience – especially for Gen Z, who are well aware of the impact that tourism has on the environment. They’re looking for ways to travel responsibly, which includes choosing eco-friendly accommodations, supporting local businesses, and reducing their carbon footprint.

How to win: Ask yourself, are your green initiatives at standard, or do you have room for improvement? In areas that your destination does its part to save the environment, be sure to let your guests know. And if your list is short, it’s important to understand that for the up-and-coming generation of travelers, sustainability can be a deal-breaker.

4. Digital Detox

As technology continues to infiltrate every aspect of our lives, travelers are seeking out destinations where they can disconnect and unplug. (In fact, as many as 36 percent of travelers say they would give up social media for a year if it meant they could take their dream vacation.) This trend is known as a digital detox, and it involves taking a break from technology and immersing oneself in nature or other activities. Destinations such as remote cabins, yoga retreats, and meditation centers are popular choices.

How to win: Create a social media campaign that’s focused on unwinding, unplugging, and getting back to the basics. Even if you’re located in the heart of a bustling city, it’s possible to find moments of peace.

5. Multi-Generational Travel

Multi-generational travel is becoming more popular as families look for ways to reconnect and spend quality time together. With the pandemic highlighting the importance of family and community, multi-generational travel offers an opportunity to strengthen bonds and create lasting memories.

How to win: Create sample itineraries and trip inspiration ideas that highlight all of the family-friendly activities in your area, like the one we put together for the Lakes Region Tourism Development Association. Your large groups of travelers will appreciate all the hard work that you did to bring them recommendations.

6. Wellness Travel

Wellness travel is a trend that has been growing over the past few years and is set to continue in 2023. Travelers are seeking out destinations that offer opportunities for relaxation, rejuvenation, and self-care. This includes spa retreats, yoga retreats, and meditation centers.

How to win: Invest in sponsored ads that put your destination’s wellness spa front and center, then use smart targeting to reach your ideal clients. Or, if you’re beachside, bring in a yoga instructor to hold sunrise classes on the sand.

7. Slow Travel

This up-and-coming travel trend involves ditching the hustle and bustle of a planned vacation for deep immersion in a destination. Travelers want to go out of the tourist areas, leave the marked trails and experience the local culture and way of life, and connect with the people and places around them. Sounds wonderful to us!

How to win: Create a series of videos that position your destination as an experience. Create an atmosphere that puts your traveler into the picture with a feeling of belonging and peace. (We put together a list of great examples to inspire you.)

The Seven Best SEO Tools To Help Optimize Your Website

in Content Marketing by Hawthorn Editorial

hat is SEO exactly? In simple terms, SEO (search engine optimization) is the way that you get your pages to pop up first when someone conducts a Google search that’s relevant to your content. When someone types in “family friendly hotels,” for example, a search engine’s crawlers will go out looking for blog posts, websites and other pieces of content that contain both that exact phrase and others that are similar.

SEO comes in different flavors, including on-page, off-page and technical. They all focus on different areas but work together to help improve your rankings:

On-page SEO: This type of SEO is all about the words on your website, including page titles, internal links, content, and more. Optimizing here helps your site rank higher in search results.
Off-page SEO: These are tactics that you use in places other than your webpage, including social media marketing, link building, and more.
Technical SEO: This is SEO work that you do in the back office (so to speak) to help your rankings. It can include tactics like improving your site’s download speed, creating a site that’s mobile-responsive, and eliminating duplicate content.

Keywords Are Key

The No.1 way to increase your search rankings is to have a strong keyword strategy. Keywords are the words and phrases that people use to make queries in your industry. Hawthorn Creative is a marketing agency, for example, so relevant keywords might include “content marketing” “social media marketing” “copywriting,” and longer phrases like “marketing agencies with experience in hospitality.” (Those are called long-tail keywords.)

When searching for keywords, it’s important to find the right balance of the most popular, the least popular, and keywords that rank somewhere in the middle. If there’s too much competition out there, it’s not likely to affect your ranking. But if you can find the sweet spot within an area of specialization, you can reach your target audience.

Most of the SEO tools on our list below offer keyword services, but here are two that focus specifically on that task:

Keywords Everywhere is a browser extension that turns your Google results page into an analytics dashboard. When you make a query, it offers similar suggestions and gives you information on those keywords and phrases rank. It’s a fantastic tool and free to use.
QuestionDB is a tool that looks for question-based searches in your industry, but it goes well beyond Google. It also crawls sites like Reddit and Quora as well to bring back not only keyword suggestions, but content suggestions as well.

If your SEO contains the right mix of keywords in these key areas, it will shoot to the top of the list – and that’s where you want to be. According to recent research, most users don’t even scroll to the bottom of the first search results page, let alone move to the next one.

So, how do you find the right keywords? It’s part knowing your audience and part using the right keyword tools. We’ve put together a list of our top 7 SEO tools, and how each one of them can help:

No. 1 Google Analytics

Google is by far the most used search engine (it has over 90 percent of the market share), so their tools are worth two spots on our list. The first is Google Analytics, which measures metrics like where your site viewers are coming from, what content they’re interacting with most, and how long they spend on your site. It also includes audience demographics, traffic-drivers, and conversion rates. Best of all? It’s free.

No. 2 Google Search Console

This companion program, also free, allows you to monitor your presence in search results and fix issues if they arise. You can find out which queries brought users to your site (those can be turned into keyword phrases) and submit your site map to Google for the crawlers.

No. 3 SEMrush

SEMrush is a paid tool that gives you access to more than 55 types of reports, including insights into your competitors’ SEO strategies. The tool helps you select the right keywords and optimize for a local audience, and it even offers suggestions for improving your on-page SEO.

No. 4 Ahrefs

Ahrefs is a comprehensive paid tool that’s been trending lately. Its features include auditing tools for your site, competitor analysis, rank tracker, keyword progress, and something we especially love – a content explorer, which lists the top-performing content pieces in your niche.

No. 5 Moz Pro

Moz is a long-standing SEO tool that’s been building its reputation for a long time. The Pro version is the choice for most marketers, because it comes not only with rank tracking, keyword suggestions, and content optimization, it also includes a crawler that will dig through your site to find issues with your technical SEO and a robust analytics and reporting dashboard.

No. 6 Yoast SEO

Yoast SEO stands out from the crowd because it was specifically built to be a WordPress plug-in. It works in conjunction with the popular website builder to optimize on-page SEO, giving users a green, yellow or red light to indicate the status of their SEO efforts. It also works on your technical SEO and helps improve readability.

No. 7 Screaming Frog

Screaming Frog is a desktop-based site crawler that focuses on technical SEO, working behind the scenes to help you optimize your site. Features include finding broken links, duplicate content, analyzing page titles and metadata, and more. It’s a more technical tool versus one that offers keywords, but it’s equally as important.

The Luxury Customer Journey: How to Reach Luxury Customers at Every Touch Point

in Content Marketing by Hawthorn Editorial

oday’s luxury travelers may only represent 27 percent of the travel population as a whole, but they’re likely to spend $2,000 more than the typical traveler – that’s one seriously desirable demographic. How do you attract these spendy travelers to your destination? Learn to speak luxury.

If your goal is to cater to travelers who want nothing but the best and have the money to achieve it, it’s important to get inside their heads and understand not only what they’re seeking from their travel, but why. Once you have that information, you can get down to the how.

We put together a step-by-step plan for helping you understand your luxury customers and engage with them in a way that will resonate at every touch point.

Step 1. Do Your Homework

Conduct research to find out as much as you can about your ideal customers’ demographics, travel preferences, and expectations. If you don’t have an analytics company that you work with, this can be accomplished through customer surveys, reading through online reviews, and studying your social media to see what travelers are saying about your destination.

In general, today’s luxury travelers skew male (but not by much) and are a bit older than other travel audiences, have young children, are well educated, and see food/cuisine as a top priority when choosing a destination. Your audience may look different, so it’s important to do some digging.

Step 2. Create a Roadmap

What stages do luxury customers go through when they decide to go on a trip? Defining the stages of travel is the next step, because those are the points where you have the opportunity to engage. Most typically, these include:

Inspiration and research: Where do they want to go, what attracts them to a location, what would they like to do while they’re visiting?
Booking: It’s decision time. At this stage, customers will finalize their transportation and lodging.
Pre-trip planning: After a trip is booked, it’s time to start working on the details like choosing tours and attractions, booking time at the spa and researching the area’s dining options.
Arrival: In a word, this stage of their journey should be seamless. Luxury travelers expect amenities like valet parking, easy check-in, a warm welcome, and bellhops handy to help with bags. To make the experience even better, invest in technology like mobile check-in and keyless room entry.
On-site experience: This is your opportunity to let your travelers know that they made the right choice with your property. Attention to detail is key here, from personalized recommendations to concierge services that can include booking spa and dining appointments.
Departure: When you say goodbye, let your customers know that you’ll miss them as much as they’ll miss you. Consider leaving a little parting gift inside their room (high-end snacks and bottled water for the road, for example), and once again be ready to help them with their luggage.

Step 3. Identify Touch Points for Each Stage

Now that you have the roadmap, it’s time to determine how your customers interact during each stage of their journey. For example, what resources do they use for planning and research? Research shows that 32 percent of luxury travelers used an official destination website to plan travel in the past year. They also frequently turn to agents and advisers to help with planning. Understanding this type of information makes it clear where you need to engage these customers and make sure your property is featured.

The booking stage is the perfect opportunity to offer personalization options and begin offering added value, like trip inspiration and information on exclusive tours, personalized service, and envy-inducing photo opportunities.

When they arrive, your luxury customers should feel like you’ve been expecting them. Be sure to greet them by name, and consider creating a full-color brochure or gated web page that outlines all of the special perks (and photo spots) that are only available to them.

By taking the time to dig into each stage of your roadmap, you’ll be able to create a thorough list of all the ways that customers might interact with your property, and vice versa. From there, you can develop a strategy for personalized communication every step of the way.

Step 4. Make It Emotional

A large part of any trip is how it makes you feel, and many of the purchase decisions we make in all areas of life are based on emotion. Ask yourself: What emotions are luxury travelers feeling at each touch point? Are they excited when they’re planning, tired when they finally arrive, and sad to leave? These tidbits of information, known as psychographics, can help you create customer personas and really get a feel for how their journey will affect them emotionally.

Keep in mind that the emotions experienced by luxury travelers are likely very different from those traveling on a budget. In addition to the excitement that everyone feels when they travel, luxury customers might also feel a sense of accomplishment and exclusivity – and it’s your job to create a customer experience that reflects that. (One way is to put together an experiential video that focuses on moments rather than amenities. Here’s a look at some of our favorites.)

Step 5. Exceed Expectations

Luxury travelers have certain expectations when they travel, including high-end accommodations, upgrades, exceptional spas, fine dining options (and no problem making a reservation), attention to detail, and exclusive experiences that aren’t available to the general public.

They also crave personalization at every touch point, from welcome messages to being greeted by name at check-in, to personalized recommendations for on-site and off-site activities. Consider a handwritten note to welcome them upon arrival, or one to bid them farewell and thank them for their stay.

Step 6. Measure the Results

How can you tell if your customer journey map is correct? Metrics like repeat bookings and referrals are good indicators, along with online reviews – little gems of information that can tell you so much about what you’re doing right (and what you need to work on). While the errant review might just reflect someone who’s angry at the moment, take the repeated feedback seriously. It’s a great way to get inside your customers’ heads.

It’s All About the Experience: 5 Marketing Examples That Travel and Hospitality Marketers Use to Entice Guests

in Content Marketing, Hotels & Resorts by Hawthorn Editorial

t has probably already been drilled into your head: Now, more than ever, consumers crave experiences over material things. Since 1987, the amount of money that US consumers have spent on live experiences has increased by 70%, and much of that is led by millennials. In fact, 72% of millennials said they would rather spend their money on experiences than material goods.

This means that hotel brands now have a unique opportunity to connect and make an impactful impression on consumers by capitalizing on this “experience economy.” So, yes, while it’s great to show off a resort’s gorgeous property and unique amenities on a website, in email campaigns, and on social media, it’s just as important to market the destination. And we’ve got just the experiential marketing examples – several of which we’ve written for our clients (just think of us as your friendly experiential marketing agency) – that are quenching consumers’ thirst for fulfillment – and more importantly: driving bookings and visits.

Ideas That Spark Wanderlust

Some travel destinations just get stuck in your head, like the best daydream ever. Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is one of those places for us. With its majestic peaks, breathtaking views, and nonstop activities, it’s one of the top destinations for skiers (and even non-skiers). But a visit there is about more than just the slopes – you’ll find opportunities to snowmobile, dogsled, and even go whitewater rafting in the warm summer months.

The Snow King Resort Hotel, a Benchmark Property, wanted to let its visitors know that their picturesque destination has unlimited adventures on offer, so they worked with Hawthorn Creative to spark some wanderlust. This digital guide offers resort visitors the ultimate look at what Snow King has to offer, both on-property and in the surrounding area. The Adventurist offers adrenaline-pumping adventures, while Flavor Of… highlights the area’s best cuisine. The guide rounds out with a locals guide, a weekend itinerary suggestion, and even a digital map that pinpoints every one of the guide’s recommendations, giving visitors everything they need to craft an action-packed trip to the Grand Tetons.

Destination-Focused Email Campaigns

Scattered up and down the Eastern Seaboard from Bar Harbor, Maine, to Key West, Florida, Opal Collection comprises 26 luxury waterside resort properties and recognizes the need to capitalize on their respective resort destination experiences. And that they do: not just with a custom blog site we built for them – Opal Unpacked (for which we still manage copy, imagery sourcing and selection, and content loading) but by pushing out those various valuable pieces of destination content marketing in the form of three email campaign types.

The first is an “Opal-wide” campaign, which delivers monthly to blog subscribers and past resort guests to share a hand-selected assortment of content that cross-promotes the different resort destinations. The second is a “property-specific” campaign, sent out twice a year to past guests for each of the 26 properties, which pushes out content about new happenings, attractions, and ways to maximize their time during an upcoming visit. And, lastly, the “pre-arrival” campaigns. Scheduled to fire within a week of guests’ booked visits, the campaign utilizes content that serves as inspiration for how to truly take advantage of their upcoming vacation. In a nutshell, it’s a strategy that positions Opal Collection as the utmost expert on how to best experience the destinations.

Digital Concierge

Encircled by the famous Topa Topa mountain range in Southern California’s upscale bohemian village of Ojai, the 220-acre Ojai Valley Inn is quite the destination in itself, offering cooking classes with celeb chefs, beekeeping and honey tastings, horseback riding, yoga, golf – the list goes on. To help guests best take advantage of the dizzying array of activities offered on-site and beyond, in 2017 the resort unveiled its Discover Ojai Center, a one-stop vacation planning hub located on the grounds. Here, guests work with “experience planners” who provide hands-on immediate planning. But it’s not merely limited to folks already on-site – a comprehensive digital version of the center also lives on the resort’s website, giving potential consumers a peek at all that is at their fingertips. For those who eventually book, an experience planner works with guests prior to arrival to help create custom itineraries and make any necessary activity reservations. The result is a finely tuned visit, where the best of the valley is tailored to each guest’s individual taste.

Online Guide

Having been recently restored to its original 1920s art deco grandeur with palazzo-inspired architecture, lofty chandeliers, an upscale restaurant, and a lavish spa, Hotel Saranac is something of the marquee hotel in downtown Saranac Lake, New York. But another draw to this property that it wisely capitalizes on? The fact that it’s located in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains and uniquely positioned to take advantage of all the iconic attractions that call this place home: 46 famous 4,000-foot peaks, all located within an hour’s drive; the neighboring Olympic village of Lake Placid; and scores of arts, culture, and gastronomic gems.

Enter Field Guide, a trusted local resource written and built by Hawthorn Creative that lives on the hotel’s property website to showcase all there is to do in the destination. Divided into four separate categories (Adventure, Explore, Drink & Dine, and Unwind), the guide is easily navigable based on interests, and, once a user clicks into a category, showcases an array of locally vetted activities, highlights, and reasons to visit paired with punchy copy and engaging web design. The benefit to the client is twofold: If a potential guest is googling “things to do in the Adirondacks,” Hotel Saranac is in a prime position to populate and deliver that info – and that, my friend, leads to conversion. Additionally, if someone is considering booking the hotel, but isn’t quite sold yet, this type of things-to-do content often helps tip the scale so they feel confident that they’re not just booking a hotel, they’re booking an experience.

Destination Content Integrated on Landing Page

Surrounded by more than 5,000 acres of countryside and forested areas in Amenia, New York, the newly renovated Troutbeck offers upscale lodging in an eighteenth-century estate where Mark Twain, Henry David Thoreau, and Ralph Waldo Emerson all once stayed. But rather than focus exclusively on this Hudson Valley hideaway’s historic, low-key, and luxurious accommodations on the hotel’s landing page, it integrates experiential content in the form of clickable tiles that showcase the local hiking, skiing, fishing, and horseback-riding scenes, among others. The message? That Troutbeck is an estate for an escape with all the activities an outdoor enthusiast could ask for, just two hours north of New York City.

Top 7 Metrics to Pay Attention to in Google Analytics

in Event Venues by Hawthorn Editorial

he only thing constant about website data analytics is that they’re always changing – not just the numbers you’re crunching, but also the numbers that programs like Google Analytics decide are important. And while the amount of data for your site is seemingly endless, it can be overwhelming if you’re not used to it.

To help you narrow your focus, we’ve put together a list of the most important data points right now according to Google Analytics, and why they matter.

1. Conversion Rate and Goal Completions

Number one with a bullet! This has got to be your number one KPI; after all, it’s tracking the most important actions you want your users to take on the site. The goals are yours to define (sales, bookings, form submissions, newsletter signups, etc.), but they’re extremely important to track as they reflect your overall business and marketing goals. So get these bad boys established and start tracking.

2. Pages Per Session

This metric tracks the amount of browsing someone does once they’ve found your website, and will tell you whether people are taking a quick glimpse at your homepage then bouncing, or digging in for more. This matters because it measures how interesting your content is. Is your site engaging enough to bring viewers in beyond the first click? If you’re finding that people come and stay awhile, that’s great! If they’re not, it could be an indication that it’s time to revisit your copy and messaging.

3. Time on Site

This ties in with pages per session as an indicator of how much time people are spending with your content. This is useful on several fronts: if your site has a blog (like this one!), time on site will tell you how long readers spend looking at your content and clicking links to related articles. For eCommerce sites, it can tell you things like how much time visitors spend browsing your inventory. In either case, the more time spent on site, the more useful your content is as a whole (vs. just one page).

4. Location of User

Why does it matter where users are coming from if something is online? It’s part of understanding who your customers are, especially if you have products for sale. Where you’re located can have a big impact on how customers shop and what they buy – think about Wisconsin vs. Florida in January, for example. Google Analytics takes an in-depth look at location-specific user information that includes demographics, so it’s possible to get a clear picture of who is visiting your site.

5. Landing Pages

In this case, “landing page” means the first page that visitors encounter when they come to your site. This ties in with number 6, below, to show which pages are performing well based on a number of factors like social media targeting, SEO, and digital campaigns. If your top landing page is the destination for the CTA in your Facebook ad, it’s a good indication that the campaign is effective. If people are landing on individual blog posts first, that’s a good sign that you’re doing well at optimizing for SEO. If your top landing pages seem random, however, it may be a sign to reevaluate your current tactics.

6. Demographics

Demographics are the characteristics that paint a picture of who you are – age, gender, income, location, education, and so on. These are the first types of marketing metrics you learn about in school – and some of the most important, because demographics tell you who your customers are. You can use them to create customer personas, target advertising, and so much more. In Google Analytics, demographics can also include interests.

7. Source/Medium and Referrals

Knowing how your audience is finding you is key to understanding how your marketing channels are driving traffic. Putting a lot of effort into social media and seeing a lack of traffic coming from Facebook? Time to reassess. Same goes with SEO or any marketing tactics that are going to show results over time. In order to understand whether your efforts, budget, or time is paying off, you’re going to want to keep a sharp eye on where your web traffic is coming from.

This list isn’t exhaustive of the data you can find in programs like Google Analytics by any means, but if you keep an eye on these seven areas – not just in real time but as trends over time – they can give you a good idea of the overall health of your website and associated marketing campaigns.

Case Study: AW Plastic Surgery Converts with High-Quality Blog Posts

in Medical Aesthetic Spas, Practices & Suppliers by Hawthorn Editorial

W Plastic Surgery is a Portsmouth, New Hampshire–based surgery center that turned to Hawthorn Creative to help them improve their overall website visibility, user experience, and conversion rate. We were happy to partner with them, because high-quality, well-written, informative, and purposeful blog content is like going fishing with the best bait imaginable. Not only are you going to attract more fish to your line (yes, an analogy for visitors to your website), but they’re going to stick around, do some exploring, and try a few nibbles until you eventually hook ’em (read: convert).

Since the start of our partnership in 2020, our work with this boutique practice has included restructuring their website to make it more user-friendly (also improving their path to conversion), search marketing (including on-page SEO and ongoing SEO to bring more traffic in), and organic social media management. In this post, we’re going to look at their blog performance in particular – and how realigning their strategy vastly improved the number of “contact us now” clicks they saw.

Does Blog Content Still Matter in 2023?

In a word, yes! We’ve been tracking the metrics for AW Plastics for several years now and the trends are clear – having a great company website is good, but it’s not enough for a well-rounded marketing campaign. Think of it like this: Your beautiful landing page is the final destination, but your SEO-optimized blog posts are the path that gets visitors there. Not many people can pull a URL out of their head and go directly to a site, but if they google “Is plastic surgery right for me?” and reach your blog post, it’s the gateway to your site.

The more blog content you have and continually add, the more opportunity for your company to show up in search engine results that drive traffic to your website in organic search – and that, in turn, means more visibility. (Not to mention, Google recognizes the frequent posting of quality content and rewards it with higher search rankings.)

So How Do You Create Blog Content That Converts Traffic into Leads?

In the case of AW Plastic Surgery, they had a previous blog managed by another agency that was producing regular posts – and they were actually seeing a good amount of traffic. But when it came to conversion, the issue wasn’t solely tied to traffic; it was the bounce rates, time spent on page, pages per session, and average time per session. They were too low, a sign of low engagement that was a result of dry copy, lack of CTAs, or links to additional relevant blog posts.

After taking over the management of AW’s blog content (where an on-staff content writer with a background in journalism and years of writing for the web began cranking out new monthly blog posts for the brand), we were able to see a vast improvement in our new content over the content created by the previous agency in just four months. Here’s a look at the latest numbers:

Higher Overall Session Time – On average, a session duration of 2:51 versus the previous agency’s 0:29.
Users Exploring More Pages Per Session – On average, 1.69 pages per session versus the previous agency’s 1.13.

This means that, after entering the site via our blog posts, users are engaging and exploring more of our client’s site over longer periods of time more often than they were through the posts produced by the former agency. It also showed that, in that same span of time (July through November), our content was producing more conversions – which, in this case, was someone eventually filling out the “contact us” form after initially landing on the website from one of our blog posts.

So How Did We Do It?

To be honest, the previous agency had good subject potential and keyword research (which is why their posts saw a good amount of traffic), but it lacked the following four critical elements that make for good content that engages a user for a longer period of time and encourages them to spend more time exploring the overall site:

1. COPY THAT SETS UP AW AS THE AUTHORITY

While the past agency worked with AW to develop the blog’s content angles, they didn’t actually interview anyone at the practice before writing. They simply researched the subject and wrote it, sending the content to Dr. Anthony Wilson to review and edit prior to posting.

“I used to have to do a lot of rewriting,” says Dr. Wilson. “I don’t do that with Hawthorn. Their writers and editors are skilled, taking the time to personally communicate with either me or the appropriate member of my team to truly understand the treatment we’re talking about – from surgery to skincare – and the target audience. The result is carefully crafted, purposeful material that’s well worth the investment.”

For example, on-staff experts are always quoted directly in the content, like in this “Your Essential Fall Skincare Checklist” post that features insight from Tracy Thaden, a clinical aesthetician and medical assistant at the practice. Not only does this put a face to the very staff members that potential patients would be interacting with at AW, but it builds the entire practice as a trusted interpreter to digest and distill the latest trends for them – and that’s key to keeping them coming back.

2. WELL-WRITTEN, ENGAGING COPY

Since AW is a practice offering cosmetic surgeries as well as non-invasive treatments, to some degree, you can expect the copy to read a little “medical.” And while that’s certainly okay, it doesn’t mean you can’t add some flavor to the content, particularly to the headlines, excerpt, and intro.

See an example of one of our posts, “How to Get Rid of Jowls: 4 Treatments for 4 Stages of Sagging” versus an older post like “Why Are Women Electing Smaller Breast Implants?” We’re selecting these two posts because, from September (when our post first went live) to the end of October, both of these posts saw roughly the same number of sessions. However, our post saw an average bounce rate of 59%, with 2.48 pages per session, and session duration of 1:27, while the other saw an average bounce rate of 86%, 1.23 pages per session, and session duration of 0:16. Our post also earned AW three conversions in this time frame, while the other saw 0.

3. BLOG CTAs (CALL TO ACTION)

Within all of our posts, we design and include a “button” that uses snappy copy to instruct a user to take a certain desired action – i.e., read more about Dr. Anthony Wilson on the About page like in this post, or book a consult related to the topic like in this post. The previous content did not do this, and therefore missed out on a vital opportunity to encourage users to engage with other parts of the website.

4. IN-TEXT LINKS AND CONCLUDING “ADDITIONAL READING” SECTION

Similar to the concept above, if you want users to stay on your website and look around, you’ve got to give them the means to do so. Therefore, we always include text links to other sections on the website wherever it makes sense (for example, if we mention a skincare product or a service, we link to where you can find more info about it under the skincare store page or services pages). Lastly, at the end of each article, we always provide a list of “related reading,” essentially three additional articles on related topics to encourage visitors to keep reading.

Next Up: We Refresh Their Older Content

When it comes to the posts created by the previous agency, we’re not about to throw the baby out with the bathwater. After all, many of these posts had good angles and subject potential that were clearly drawing readers in through organic traffic. So in addition to continuing to generate new blog content, we are also revising and refreshing AW’s older pieces of blog content that have higher traffic and pageviews, but lower engagement. That way, we can ensure that readers are truly getting the informative read they want, while AW – a leading medical aesthetics practice on the New Hampshire Seacoast – continues to get the leads they deserve.

Day Trippin’: 7 Ways to Help Your Hotel Become the Focal Point for a Fun Itinerary

in Content Marketing, Hotels & Resorts by Hawthorn Editorial

ith airfare skyrocketing and stories about mishandled flights bombarding the headlines, many people are asking themselves, “Where can we go that’s driveable?” It’s the perfect opportunity to position your hotel as not only a place to rest their heads, but the basecamp for everything on your local area’s must-see list.

Suggested itineraries are something we see quite often from tourism departments, online travel sites, and other destination-based businesses, but it may not be something you think of as a resort amenity. However, offering up packed itinerary options filled with exciting adventures goes to the very heart of hospitality – showing your guests that you care about their entire experience, whether they’re on-property or out sightseeing. But how do you go about planning the perfect day for a wide range of visitors? We put together a step-by-step guide for creating craveable itineraries.

1. Create a map of local points of interest

Borrowing an idea from tourist-destination cities like Boston and St. Augustine, one great way to visualize all there is to offer in your area is to make a map. Whether you do this as an internal exercise or turn it into a public-facing piece, marking all the local attractions, restaurants, and must-see spots helps you get a good idea of how close various stops on your itinerary are. The map can simply include locator pins, or extra information like the mileage from your hotel to the destination or other information about the point of interest.

Hawthorn Creative put together a number of different itineraries for the Lakes Region Tourism Association of New Hampshire, including ideas for older couples, wellness seekers, foliage viewers, and more. Every itinerary was created based on visitor profiles to the region, and it’s something that translates perfectly to a specific hotel or resort.

2. Develop various guest profiles

Who are the guests that book stays at your property? Are they families, spring break revelers, honeymooning couples, business travelers, or a little bit of everything? Understanding your audience is important here, because you can put together itineraries for them that you know will appeal. And you don’t have to choose just one. You can create versions for adventure, fun for all ages, wellness and relaxation – let your guest profiles lead the way.

For example, The Snow King Resort in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, has created a Wanderlust guide that includes ideas for foodies, adventurers, weekend warriors, and more.

3. Mix and match for a variety of options

Once you know who your audiences are and what’s available around you, it’s time to put your itineraries together. Most commonly, visitors arrive for a weekend getaway at check-in time on Friday and leave at check-out on Sunday, so begin with a Friday-night activity and end with something for Sunday around noon.

In addition, you can create itineraries that are more loosely constructed – a general one-day itinerary, for example, could cover all of the area’s most popular highlights for travelers who are on a limited timeframe. For business travelers, highlight after-work activities and open-late restaurants. The better you know your guest profiles, the more fun you can have.

4. Make your hotel a focal point of the itinerary

While the point of this exercise is to give your guests a guide to getting out, it’s also important to bring them back to the hotel to enjoy your amenities! For example, a weekend itinerary could include “Saturday afternoon poolside” or kick off Friday night with “drinks and dinner at our award-winning on-site restaurant.”

That said, if your resort is all inclusive or packed with amenities, you could also offer an itinerary that takes place entirely on-property. This can be especially helpful for guests who are looking for a weekend escape from the grind.

5. Partner with other local businesses

Everyone loves added value and perks, and one of the best ways to offer those to your guests is to partner with businesses in the area. If you have a family-friendly property, for example, reach out to the local indoor golf or arcade and see if they’d be willing to offer discounts to hotel guests. If you don’t offer any late-night dining options, see if a local pizza place will do the same.

This differs from individual partnerships that you may have already established that include these businesses in your itineraries. Here’s an example:

For a family-friendly weekend itinerary:
Saturday afternoon: Get your golf on! It’s kids vs. grown-ups at this exciting arcade, where you can bowl, play laser tag, play retro pinball, and more. Mention that you’re staying at our resort for a free round of mini-golf.

6. Ask your guests for feedback

One thing we’ve learned in our years of marketing is that sometimes what we think is the perfect solution isn’t even close to what our audience is looking for. (You may think a pottery studio is a great family activity, for example, but discover that it’s not something your guests find engaging.)

The best way to avoid missteps and incorrect assumptions as you’re planning your itineraries is simple: ask your guests what they’ve been up to. This can be a simple question as they’re checking out – “What did you do while you were in town?” – or a more formal survey that you send via email once their stay is complete.

7. Treat your employees to some fun team-building

If you aren’t sure that you want to recommend a local restaurant or have never been to the brand-new rock-climbing facility, there’s no better way to check it out than inviting your staff members to an afternoon getaway.

How to Create Social Media Content Pillars That Fuel Your Overall Strategy

in Event Venues, Social Media Marketing by Hawthorn Editorial

reating a social media strategy that reaches your target audiences effectively is only the beginning. While an overall campaign looks at your big goals, objectives, and KPIs, it includes a lot of moving parts that must all function together like cogs in a wheel.

One of the most important elements of a solid campaign is your content strategy: deciding what messages you want to deliver, how you want to deliver them, and to whom. This can be a complex process, especially if you have multiple messages and a diverse range of target markets.

An effective way to keep all your disparate messages organized and on track is to separate them into content marketing pillars, or buckets. Each pillar represents a key topic or theme that serves as a foundation and a way to remain focused as you build out your publishing calendar. Pillars will help you ensure that your content is consistent, focused, relevant, and valuable, and will serve as a safeguard for not missing anything important.

(It’s easy to go off the rails when you’re thinking creatively – we know about that firsthand! Content pillars act as your guiding stars to ensure that your message isn’t lost, or delivered in a way that won’t resonate.) Here are some ways to create content pillars that work:

1. Identify your target audiences

Yep, we say this a lot, but it bears repeating: your campaign will not be successful if you don’t have a clear picture of whom you want to hear your message. This includes a lot more than basic demographic information too. What are their pain points? What would they like to know about your venue? What are your most commonly asked questions?

Your research should also include their social media habits, like the platforms they spend the most time on and what types of content they engage in. If you don’t have access to a market research firm to help you determine these analytics, one way to do a little recon is to scroll the social channels of your main competitors. While it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison, you’ll at least be able to see what they’re talking about. Take note of the type of posts that get the most engagement.

Work we love: The Sagamore Resort uses its Instagram page (designed and managed by Hawthorn Creative) to talk to its target audiences, including engaged couples, families, and those seeking a relaxing weekend away.

2. Be clear on your brand voice

What does your brand stand for? How does it speak? It can be easy to get swept up in the snark on Twitter or fall into the latest trends on TikTok, but if those things stray from what your brand represents, they can do more harm than good. Instead, focus on what makes your venue unique and how you communicate that. Can you change up your tone a little bit to match the style of LinkedIn vs. Facebook? Absolutely. But the core of every post should ladder back up to your brand voice and style.

Work we love: The Lake Placid Lodge understands that its picturesque backdrops are perfect for Instagram. The account (designed and managed by Hawthorn Creative) focuses on Insta-worthy content to create an irresistible vision for this lakeside retreat.

3. Brainstorm content ideas

Now for the fun part! With your guardrails in place, it’s time to start coming up with content ideas that align with your goals and objectives. Here are several suggestions for how to approach this stage.

Spend an hour or so brainstorming every idea imaginable. Take copious notes, don’t say no, and reach for the stars without restrictions. From there, take the ideas and filter them through team members whose job it is to make them work within your guardrails. (Can you afford Ryan Reynolds as a spokesperson? Maybe not. But you’ve always been interested in an influencer campaign.)
Start with the end. If you’re having trouble with creativity, determine your CTA … where do you want your viewers to end up? Once you have that answer, create a story and pathway to get them to that spot. (If you’d like a bride to ultimately book a tour of your venue, for example, craft a story that will entice her to click.)
Group your ideas by pillar. This can work whether you start with a general brainstorm session or write your pillars on the whiteboard at the beginning. If your messages revolve around “Affordability,” “Unique Adventure,” and “Room Enough for Everyone,” brainstorm ideas that tell those three stories.

A few important notes to remember: (1) Stop every once in a while to refresh your memory on the overall strategy goals so that your content ideas remain focused, (2) Don’t just consider what you want to say, but how you’ll say it – some ideas lend themselves naturally to video or photography (or vice versa) and others are best communicated with the written word. A quick “blog post” or “Instagram reel” next to your idea will ensure that you don’t forget anything along the way.

4. Create a comprehensive publishing calendar

This may be one of the most important steps you take in establishing your content pillars. We recommend a multi-platform scheduling tool, like Hootsuite, where you can see everything that’s due to be published on every platform by the day, week, or month. Start by marking the dates that are timely and can’t be missed – grand openings, big events, registration cutoff dates, and other deadline-driven events. Determine how far in advance you want to promote them, a good cadence for repeating important news, and which platforms are the best for getting the word out.

From there, start filling in the blanks. You may want to consider color-coding or otherwise designating each content pillar as you go so that the various topics are distributed evenly (or concentrated on one best platform, if that’s the case).

5. Refine, refine, refine

One of the best things about social media is that it’s constantly in flux. If you posted a TikTok video that definitely did not go viral, you have the chance to try something new almost immediately. Conversely, if you have one that did go viral, you know that you should be doing more of the same.

As your campaign progresses, it’s important to pay close attention to not only your back-end analytics, but your real-time post engagements. Which posts are being liked and shared? Which ones get the most comments? Hearing firsthand what your audience is thinking is worth its weight in gold. And remember that when it comes to content – it’s what they engage with (not what you think is cool) that matters. Listen to your audience and meet them where they are. When you give them the right content in the right context, you’ll have no doubt of its success.

MedSpa Photography Should Inspire Authenticity

in Content Marketing, Medical Aesthetic Spas, Practices & Suppliers by Hawthorn Editorial

f you’ve spent any time on social media lately, you’ve no doubt come across ads for makeup, gym equipment, or aesthetic services. And the trends are clear: Marketers are embracing complete authenticity – something that’s nearly the polar opposite of what you may have found online in the not-too-distant past.

Especially if you’ve been trained in the “Photoshop to perfection” school of marketing, how do you create photos that are inspiring and aspirational, but show real results? Here are a few ideas for how to find the balance that will give your customers a realistic, attainable look at what your procedures and services can do for them.

1. Create your visual story

Like all elements of marketing, your photography should start with understanding your audience and creating a plan. If your ultimate goal is to attract qualified leads to your business, that means speaking to them in a way that’s relatable – and a picture is worth a thousand words. If you’re a high-end, luxury, exclusive aesthetics practice with a celebrity clientele, for example, your visual story should reflect that. If you focus on a niche, your visual story should leave potential customers with no doubt about what you offer.

2. Showcase a wide range of before and after results

While some customers definitely see incredible results from aesthetics services, other results are more subtle. It’s important to show both in your before and after gallery. Why? Because potential customers want to know what the procedure will do for them. If they see someone in your photography who looks like them, they’ll be better able to relate.

Along those same lines, it goes without saying that the “after” photos should show improvement, but beware of making that photo so much better than the “before” picture that people think it’s fake. (See note below about lighting.)

3. Introduce your doctors and aestheticians

At the end of the day, your customers are interacting with the person who’s performing their procedure or treatment. Warm, inviting photographs of your staff can go a long way toward building trust. Be sure to capture them in their “natural habitat” around the office for a feeling of authenticity, and have them look exactly as they do when they see patients for that connection between online marketing and their real-world experience. Consider having them do video demonstrations of your various service options – especially if any equipment used may look scary or overwhelming at first glance. All of this combined will create a good synergy between authority and approachability.

4. Ask your customers to be your ambassadors

According to Insider Intelligence, 62% of consumers said that they were more likely to purchase if they could view customer-generated photos and videos, and as many as 21% said they’d like to see a product in action before they purchase. Translated for medspas, this means asking some of your best customers to post their results from their own personal page, in their own style.

5. Ditch the stock photos

If you’re on a limited budget, your first thought might be to turn to a stock photo site for inexpensive – or sometimes even free – photographs for your website. When the trend is toward embracing authenticity in your digital marketing, however, stock photos give a staged feeling that isn’t relatable to many of your customers.

Instead, we suggest hiring a local photographer to do a custom photo shoot that includes images of your office, customers, doctors and staff, and more. If your budget is tight, consider hiring a photographer in trade for aesthetic services of an equal amount. You could even get perfectly good photos and videos for social media using a high-quality smartphone.

MedSpa Photography Tips and Tricks

Get permission from all models. Whether you hire a professional photographer or DIY it, one thing is essential – make sure that everyone who appears in your photographs or videos has given you exclusive permission to use their image and likeness on camera. You can find standard media release forms online, and make sure everyone signs them before you begin. Privacy is a top concern for medspas, and a business could find itself in hot water if someone who wanted to have a procedure done under the radar is suddenly featured on your TikTok account.
Don’t use the same staff members in every photo. People come and go, so we recommend staging the same photograph using various groupings. That way if someone moves on from their position, it’s painless to replace the image.
Lighting matters. One of the things that can make viewers incredulous of before and after photos is vastly different lighting. One way to avoid this is to set up a studio area in your office, get the lighting right, and take all of your photos in that space for consistency. Ring lights are great for an inexpensive yet professional studio setup.
Be aware of copyright. While you probably won’t get in trouble for picking up sounds or songs and using them on your personal social media channels, it’s an entirely different story for a commercial business. It’s important to check the copyright status of any song you may want to include with your videos – most of them will be off-limits.

Why We Love These 3 Social Media Campaigns

in Social Media Marketing by Hawthorn Editorial

hen a hotel’s social media campaign is good, it makes you want to keep scrolling for more. You want more pictures, more videos, more information – more of everything that resort has to offer. For hotel owners, a loyal online audience is a worthy goal, especially in this area of sharing, reposting, and reviews. Why? Because fans of a particular location bring authenticity without even trying, and their words are as valuable as any paid campaign (without the initial investment).

With that in mind, here’s a look at some of our favorite hotel and resort campaigns that are making their way around social media right now, from large name brands to boutique locations you may never have heard of. Which one is your favorite?

RIU Hotels

What: An international chain of hotels and resorts with approximately 100 locations across 19 countries
Website: https://www.riu.com/en/home.jsp
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Riuhoteles
Insta/TikTok: @riuhotels

Why We Love It:

RIU uses social media to show you that no matter where you go in the world, you can find sunny skies and relaxation. On Instagram, images are focused on sun-kissed beaches, clear waters, sparkling pools, and the ultimate in relaxation everywhere you go. The company highlights trends and holidays, including its recent Valentine’s Day–inspired “Love At First Sight” post, featuring scenes of happy couples discovering “the most romantic destinations in the world.”

We especially like their Insta Stories section called “Play With Us,” which invites followers to interact via polls, quizzes, and questions.

RIU’s Facebook page is the place to enter contests and giveaways (and they give away big!) and to learn about new properties and other promotions. They even have a large following on LinkedIn, where they focus on careers with the company and the benefits of working in the hospitality industry.

Over on TikTok, RIU takes advantage of the channel’s penchant for trends, including a towel-folding challenge and user-generated content that’s updated each month. One of our favorite videos is a happy, sentimental end-of-year post thanking travelers for venturing out again in 2022.

Kayus Busteni Boutique Hotel

What: A small, niche hotel in Romania with a serious sense of humor
Website: https://kayus.ro
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KayusBusteni
Insta/TikTok: @kayusbusteni

Why We Love It:

The Kayus Busteni is a small, exclusive boutique hotel in Busteni, Romania, that understands the power of using social media to let its personality shine through. While their website is refined, modern in design, and focused on a luxury dining and lodging experience, their TikTok page is humorous, trendy, and has garnered millions of likes per video.

The hotel’s social campaigns are fronted by a handsome, fun-loving spokesman whom you’ll find doing everything from throwing around giant stacks of cash to dancing with a giant teddy bear while a guest musician plays the saxophone.

This might sound random, but taken as a whole the posts are engaging and intriguing. We can’t wait to see what he gets up to next.

The same host serves as the face of the hotel over on Instagram too; however, the images and videos there tend to feature more behind-the-scenes footage, like the (heart-stopping) views from inside the hotel’s rooms to what goes on in the kitchen while the chefs prepare world-class cuisine.

Marriott Bonvoy

What: The world-famous loyalty program for Marriott Hotels
Website: http://www.marriott.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marriottbonvoy
Insta/TikTok: @marriottbonvoy

Why We Love It:

Marriott Bonvoy has perfected the art of crafting an irresistible loyalty program. All across its social channels, as well as its website, you’ll find the perks that come with being a Bonvoy member.

On TikTok, Bonvoy is leading the way with influencer programs. The company has hired three famous TikTok creators to travel all over the world and document their experiences as part of Marriott and the Bonvoy program (how do we get that gig?). The influencers share content like traditional property walk-throughs, travel how-tos, and local adventures, but they also take time out to engage with the fun trends and challenges that make the app so popular.

Bonvoy’s Facebook account employs more traditional social media marketing, including ad-based posts with CTAs, destination features, and some seasonal information sprinkled in.

But the real gem of this campaign is its Instagram channel, which features a wealth of content that covers everything you could possibly want to know about the program. Its feed and reels offer a look behind the scenes of what it’s like to be a member and highlights perks like meeting celebrities, scoring concert tickets, and being invited to exclusive parties.

They also use creative storytelling to tout other, more practical perks like excellent customer service, and increase user engagement with timely quizzes like “What’s your travel love language?” with property recommendations based on your answers.

We’ll be honest – we’re sold. Sign us up, Bonvoy.

8 Ways to Make Your Event Venue Stand Out

in Event Venues by Hawthorn Editorial

s in-person gatherings come roaring back, the competition can feel overwhelming when it comes to venue options – especially when it seems like every time you open social media you get a new sponsored ad for an event space. If you’ve ever found yourself thinking What do they got that I ain’t got? here are some ways to help your venue stand out from the crowd and entice customers to say yes.

1. Develop a smart marketing strategy.

One of the hottest trends for 2023 is authenticity in marketing, which basically means that if you want to find success with customers, you should lean in to who you are. Whether your venue is nightclub luxe or backwoods rustic, it’s essential to understand who your target market is, what they want, and then show it off to them in full-color, Insta-worthy photos and videos that make them say, “Yes! This is the place!”

An example we love: When you view the website for Twenty Mile House, there’s no doubt that they offer a rustic-yet-chic location for the outdoor wedding of your dreams.

2. Offer a virtual tour.

We’ve gotten used to doing a lot of things from the comfort of our couches over the past few years. Why not add a virtual tour of your venue that allows potential customers to look around your property and see everything you have to offer before they head out for an in-person tour? This is a great way to attract out-of-state customers, who may be planning a destination wedding, while making their initial research easier.

An example we love: The way Grand Lodge of Maryland combines high-quality photographs with 3D, interactive tours of their space makes you feel like you’re actually there.

3. Have the high-tech hookup.

While many people are returning to IRL travel, there will always be some guests who can’t make an event, whether it’s due to illness, cost, or other factors. Having a stress-free and reliable way for guests to dial in remotely could offer potential customers tremendous peace of mind. Be sure your tech is best in class for on-site guests as well, including fast Wi-Fi for live streaming. (Don’t forget to ask for your hashtag to be included!)

An example we love: Simple VR’s virtual-reality experience allows event guests to interact with one another in a lifelike, immersive environment.

4. Invest in customer service.

From the very first contact to the final farewell, roll out the red carpet for your customers. Making people feel like royalty is a great way to earn their loyalty, and ideas include free valet parking for the hosts, a comfy meeting room stocked with drinks and snacks, an attentive ear to listen to all of their requests, and succinct and timely follow-up that answers all of their questions and never leaves them hanging. It’s ironic that planning fun events can cause so much stress for the organizers, so a little extra can go a long way.

An example we love: The reviews for Winters Barns, a winner of the Guides for Brides 2022 Customer Service Awards, say it all.

5. Show off your amenities.

Some of the most sought-after amenities party hosts are looking for in 2023 include a variety of room size options, well-appointed restrooms, experienced staff, and signage capabilities. If you’re a wedding venue, be sure that you have ample comfortable space for the wedding party to get ready. If your venue is within city limits, consider offering free parking to event guests.

An example we love: A series of video walkthroughs produced by The Matara Centre, a stunning wedding venue located in the English countryside, give couples an intimate look at their spaces for ceremonies, receptions, and everything in between.

6. Be flexible.

Yes, things are starting to get back to normal. But COVID is still around. The reliability of airline travel has been questionable lately, and we all know that sometimes life just happens. Offering a flexible contract that includes provisions for COVID-19 shows potential customers that you care, and that you’re not going to leave them to their own devices if the unforeseen happens.

An example we love: This two-part breakdown of the ins and outs of a wedding venue contract from The Venue Academy’s Lindsay Lucas.

7. Host an open house

What better way to show off your digs then to invite the public in for a look-see? Promote the event on social media, offer incentives (free drinks and food, giveaways, or free tours, for example) and swing open the doors for an evening of fun and get-to-know-you. As an added bonus, you could speak with previous clients to see if they’d be willing to be on-hand to share their stories and reviews.

An example we love: The Sixpence, an upscale event space in Indianapolis, Indiana, offers open houses throughout the year, as well as special events to bring in potential customers.

8. Use real-life examples as often as possible.

This follows on the previous idea of having actual customers share their testimonials. Whether you’re putting together a marketing strategy, brand video, or updating your Google page, highlight the stories of real-life people who’ve used your venue in the past – and have become raving fans. Endorsements from actual happy customers are worth their weight in gold, and are taken far more seriously.

An example we love: The Flora website includes a gallery dedicated to “love stories,” real weddings that have graced the venue in the past. A perfect way for potential customers to picture themselves there is to see others who made it happen.

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