Nothing is predictable in any industry. Even the best known names in the hospitality industry cannot determine or predict how consumers will buy or make their choices. No doubt, online hotel marketing strategies will be very strong in creating a well-executed presence for every hotel in the virtual world.

Three effective tips to consider are:

• Analyze where you have spent your money for marketing and determine the returns you have received from your spend.
• Consider that meta and search that are important areas to spend on in years to come.
• Offer useful website tools such as currency converter to engage customers on your website.

Here is a checklist for you to consider if you plan to grow your hotel’s visibility through smart online marketing strategies.

What are Your Hotel’s Distribution Channels?

• Does your hotel associate itself with major credit card companies?

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Microsoft® BizSpark™ Network Partner

We are now part of Microsoft’s BizSpark Program. This is exciting, as this global program fosters the success of innovative startups committed to Microsoft’s platform technologies. Earlier this month, Veda was selected to join the Microsoft BizSpark Program as a Network Partner. Launched in November 2008, the BizSpark Program is a global business program designed to support and guide entrepreneurs and startups by connecting them to Network Partners. Network Partners are essentially businesses that are active members of the global software ecosystem and can offer mentorship, guidance and resources to BizSpark Startups.

Those businesses that qualify as BizSpark Startups gain access to Microsoft development tools, platform technologies and production licenses, including Windows Server and SQL Server. BizSpark, thus, creates an ongoing, mutually beneficial ecosystem between Microsoft, Startups and Network Partners.
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The world of fashion is a mélange of colors, fabrics, textures, concepts, brilliant creativity and a million fabric swatches that designers base their ideas from. It’s not about brands, seasons or just runway shows. It’s about mirroring what you are from in life, donning a Creator’s robes to visualize beauty, transform whites into a million shades of multiplicity and detailing it with just about anything the earth can offer such as shells, stones, gems and whatever catches artistic fancy. It’s about telling the world how beautiful it is through a larger vertical through phases of conceptualization, design, visual merchandising and showcasing.

Here are some top global trends to watch out for in 2009:

Pre-collections
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“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet,”
- Juliet says distressed because Romeo’s name (symbolizing the family he belongs to) does not allow them to be lovers.

This is not about Theatre although it is rather Theatrical
With all due respect to Shakespeare, I just have to disagree. There is, in fact, a lot in a name. Why else would I go to a restaurant and ask for Coke instead of just any cola? Why would I automatically walk into a Levis showroom, knowing that I would get a pair of jeans that was sure to fit beautifully? When my aunt gifts me a Tommy Girl, why do I know I will love the fragrance before I even open the bottle? When my husband surprises me with Swarovski earrings, how am I so sure that they would sparkle for years? Apparently, there is a lot in a name.
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The New Year 2009 has begun amidst a lot of worries about global recession. For the hotel industry, this has been the worst of times, as most hotels around the world are struggling to tackle the problem of lowest occupancy rates. This is a first, since 1971. However, hoteliers are sure to devise creative and innovative ways to attract their guests and earn their trust once again. Inevitably, most luxury facilities in the hospitality sector would have to work doubly hard to demonstrate how unique and satisfying their offers would be so as to justify the greater expense. That’s why there is so much debate about innovative trends in the global hospitality sector.

So, here’s a mixed bag of global trends that is sure to interest those who are keen to understand what’s in store for the global hospitality segment:
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The very purpose of having a web presence has changed drastically over the past decade. From being a mere extension of the promotional strategy of a business, a web presence has blossomed into becoming the core promotional methodology for enhancing brand recognition and promoting sales. IAB Europe President Alain Heureux said in a statement in June 2008, “Despite a slowdown in ad spend on some traditional media, the rise of online advertising in Europe continues unabated.” The growing importance of the Internet is also revealed by the survey conducted by Nielsen Monitor-Plus in the US market. The survey reflects that while US advertising spending was up merely 0.6% in 2007, Internet ad spending grew 18.9%.

Why Formulate a Content Development Strategy?

Most people are attracted to the Internet as a source of information. This information is mainly available in the form of content. Content has the power to:
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In one of my earlier blogs, I had discussed how important it is to avoid feature overload. A lot of discipline and focused decision making is required when deciding on what to include and what to leave out from the first version of your website.

I often come across situations where business owners or stakeholders get emotionally attached to a particular feature for one reason or the other. However, it is critical to make these decisions as objectively as possible.

The typical CEO and CTO discord: Let’s take an example of a startup that wants to build a site focused on the stock market. They want to be a “one-stop shop for analyst opinions.” While the CTO (or the product manager) is dreaming of a comprehensive portfolio management module being built, the CEO insists on covering as many stocks as possible.

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In any business, it’s critical to focus and direct all available energy and resources into meeting predetermined goals. Recently, while I was reading the book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, a quote caught my attention:

“If you could get all the people in an organization rowing in the same direction, you could dominate any industry, in any market, against any competition, at any time.”

Organization focus should be visible in every aspect of your business. This is true even for your website, be it a corporate website or a transactional or social one. Many websites, even several corporate ones, look cluttered and do not clearly bring out the product/service that is being offered. This dilutes the messaging to your potential customers or employees.

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