The latest news about Covid-19 and the US lodging industry with tips for dealing with and being proactive with disruptive demand patterns.
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Covid-19 Webinar Q&A
Question #1: If I was going to pick 1 or 2 marketing tactics during this time, what would it/they be, and could you provide an example?
Prioritize search engine optimization (SEO) to keep your visibility strong in Google and the other search engines including Yahoo! and Bing. This is where most of our client’s website traffic and online bookings come from. Your second priority should be email marketing to keep in constant communication with guests.
Question #2: My season doesn’t really start until June. Would now be a good time to do an email marketing campaign to talk about a summer “staycation”?
Depending on your area, I would hold off for a few weeks before promoting your staycation offer. Most people are not interested in traveling right now due to safety purposes. However, once things calm down, I would advise ramping up your special offer promotions. The best thing you can do at this time is focused on reassuring guests that your property is dedicated to maintaining your current high standards of cleanliness as well as promote any new or existing methods to prevent the spread of the virus.
Question #3: What recommendations do you have on what my deposit/cancellation policy should be in case we are not able to be open?
Most properties are still charging one night’s deposit, but are relaxing their cancellation policy to provide more flexibility such as shortening their 30-day cancellation to 7 days.
Question #4: If I had to cut costs, which would you recommend and why?
A property should have search engine optimization, meta-search, email marketing, and social media strategies in place as their basic tactics. If you can’t do all four at this time, at least conduct search engine optimization and email marketing for the reasons listed above.
Question #5: For guests still wanting to travel and stay, how can we assure them we’re addressing their Covid-19 concerns?
Share what your cleaning procedures are along with any adjustments to existing policies like check-in/check-out and breakfast service. This indicates what precautions you’re taking to ensure a safe stay. Always communicate this in the pre-stay email. Promote the same as a landing page on the website for other potential guests to read.
Question #6: No matter how I phrase asking for guests to select new dates or have a credit or a gift certificate, everyone seems to want a refund. What can I do differently?
If you haven’t already, let the guests know they have up to a year to adjust their stay dates with no fees. If you can offer a perk such as a free room upgrade or a complimentary bottle of wine, that could assist with them selecting a new date right then and there. In addition, it would be good to rework your cancellation policy to provide more flexibility so guests feel taken care of. At the end of the day, you want the guests to understand you’re offering assistance in these trying times.
Question #7: I thought the Paycheck Protection Program loan amount was $5,000k, where can I get more details?
From what we understand, the Paycheck Protection Program is an SBA loan at up to 250% of your average monthly payroll cost. Some of that loan can be abated while the balance is amortized over 10 years at 4% APR. Each situation is unique to every property, so we recommend you discuss this further with your bank and CPA . The US Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship has offered a good summary overview as attached. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
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