What is partnership marketing?

Although a vague term, partnership marketing is a powerful tool often overlooked by business owners. For hotels, it means collaborating with local businesses to tap into each other’s customer base. You may have some ideas in mind, such as shared events, promoting tour companies, selling food and beverages from local producers, but it goes way beyond that. Today, we’ll dive into how partnership marketing can benefit your hotel, and how you can best take advantage of this!

Why is it important?

First, it’s important to note that with the rise of technology, travelers are increasingly seeking unique and personalized experiences. Building relationships with the local community not only helps you stand out from your competitors, but it also gives you access to experts who can help you deliver tailored, one-of-a-kind experiences to your guests.

The cost advantages:

Now, let’s take a look at the cost advantages to your hotel. By working with other businesses, hotels can benefit from the shared knowledge and resources, which otherwise would require large investments. This is especially important for independent hotels, as they’re likely to lack the marketing budgets of larger chains. Additionally, authentic collaborations make for excellent social media content.

Partnership marketing for boosting hotel visibility and awareness:

Simultaneously, this boosts your hotel’s visibility and brand awareness. This can be done in two ways. Your hotel can either collaborate with high-profile businesses to boost your brand image and strengthen your presence, or you can partner with smaller brands to reach more niche audiences for personalization. Both bring various benefits to your hotel; the choice is yours.

Some examples to help you get started:

Wellness Centres: This is a perfect way to offer extra activities to guests if your hotel lacks on-site facilities and promote your hotel as a health and wellbeing retreat. There are many ways you can do this, including offering discounts to local gyms, in-room massage therapies, or even inviting a yoga instructor to conduct a group class in your garden.

Food: Invite a local chef to host special tasting events or cooking classes for your guests (and even local residents). This is a great way to give your guests the authentic experience they are looking for. For hotels that don’t have an on-site restaurant, don’t worry – this is a wonderful opportunity to offer your guests coffee and pastries from a local bakery.

Bonus: A great idea we also came across from Mews is to offer nighttime tours every other day to trigger FOMO (fear of missing out), as this encourages guests to book that extra night!

This marketing strategy ensures a win-win situation for everyone involved and takes the hotel industry one step closer to sustainable tourism. Looking to establish your first partnership? Partner with We Are Key to ensure your hotel is never again overstaffed or short-staffed! After all, there’s strength in numbers.