So it seems that I have enough work that I can’t write a proper blog post…. which is good. I do enjoy putting them together because it’s like a coffee break for my noggin’, and I can take a second to observe and learn rather than keep my head down in the hurried pace of being a modern hotelier. But operations and actual business take a front seat to my intellectual (or charlatan) musings…. and frankly I think this forum for soundbites fits our world a bit more efficiently. I will get back to a couple thoughtful posts (of which I have about 8 or 9 hanging, waiting to be finished) soon…. until then, here are the links that stayed open in my tabs for far too long not to share. More to come, but enjoy these because you never know when I will have time to put this together again. =)
1) You might just want to go out and buy this one:
A lovely special report from the Economist on Social Networking, and modern communication. All the buzzwords are here.. and *EGADS* they actually hold this wonderful new tech masquerading as cult to task for being important without an economic feasible business model…. what will support this wonderful new thing! It covers Facebook, Twitter, small biz using SN to be big biz, how to profit from friends, whether social networks at the workplace are problem, distraction, or potential benefit.. and more. My favorite two pieces are about Privacy and endless communication socializing the state. So to speak. Whatever the case… some big thoughts in there, and likely… another post.
2) Cornell does it again with a couple reports available… the INCREDIBLY interesting one about price differentials for consumers, and how it effects them, your brand, and their likelihood of staying. If you don’t want to download it, the long and short of it: People want information about differential pricing – including transparency and accessible to information about how prices are regulated. The OTA’s have created a conundrum in controlling our own rate at the property level… and in doing so have confused regularly savvy travelers.
3) OTA’s begin their own bargain basement for branded OTA users. To have the distressed rates of distressed rates makes me sick to my stomach, but hey… there are a lot of those types of rates out there, aren’t there? Anyone have an opinion about this sort of stuff? Like Jetsetter getting packages that marginalize luxury positioning?
Maybe it’s luxury doing it themselves… they’re even dropping “resort” from their marketing.
and yes I adore the line : “To attract business conferences in these tough times, some luxury resort hotels have resorted to a sort of strategy of last resort: They’re dropping the very word “resort” from their names.”
4) I hate to think that hospitality is entering a realm where it’s as difficult to manage normal business as it is for F&B. That’s why we choose to be in hotels… because someone needs to help us if we enter F&B. Hell you can open a teensy little outlet and it will completely alter you ability to “do” hospitality – and what’s more, your bottom line. I was in front of a well respected head of PKF (who will remain nameless) that said, “Buckle up… RevPar and the entire industry won’t return until 2014.” And I heard that in 2009. It’s sounds scary, but seeing as we are already a couple months into 2010, I might believe it for one reason alone: Our industry is so completely tied to the unemployment rate. Until employment stabilizes, we can’t come back. It’s too important a part of our industry. Period.
5) Facebook conversion tool is offered… attempt to track Facebook consumer’s tendencies.
But is Facebook really the place to go for travel, lodging, and commerce? You know what I think from about a year ago:
But so much changes in social media so fast. People saw Facebook as a HUGE marketing experiment which is more about amalgamating data than it is caring about the interests of the consumer/user. Oh wait… it’s still like that. Well – has any more commerce started happening beyond the jaw dropping revenues from Zynga‘s social, yet annoying, games?
Well here is some data and metrics from Facebook…. and if they aren’t interesting, maybe pay attention to the conversation. Some very interesting data and insights here… as well as the comment section (a part of blogs and papers that continues to amaze me with relevant, if not hilarious, conversation).
6) Daniel Craig has a lot of good stuff to say, even if he does seem wholly unaware of my existence. Tis fine tis fine Mr Craig…. we are all in this to help others. My ego is transcended by knowing I help establish the pulse and tide of our industry. That’s more than enough for me (tongue firmly jabbing cheek). If you want to make sense of social media, and are just entering the world… well you *ARE* in the right place. You are here reading me…. but if you want a little more, check out his latest post.
He’s right… know who you are reading, target that exhaustively…. or you won’t ever get anything done. I am at the point where I barely have time to read myself. =) He is always on point, and usually helps add a dose of levity. Speaking of precisely that, I offer you Gulliver’s frazzled end of newsday ramblings… A fun discourse into how to make airline food better. I love that he actually, somehow, engaged me on a conversation about hot sauces.
7)Â Photo Fakeouts caught by Oysters blog… great stuff! A piece on what they are doing with it *HERE* , and Oyster’s Blog here.
As for the gent in that rantrave.com comments section which talks of Oyster’s photo blog, I don’t mind leading those creeps on…. not one bit. If I have the time, I will ruin their day with bizarre non sequitrs and baffling logical progression. If you somehow found out how to get a hold of me for marketing reasons, you better realize who you are messing with.
8) A fantastic and interesting interview with Hilton CEO Nassetta. Amazing… with the allegations flying around about his involvement in the Denizen disaster, this is a very interesting interview (that doesn’t for one second come close to touching on anything at all in regards to Starwood’s newer claims.)
9) SOME HELPFUL NEW YEAR TREATS! These are something I mull over, look at, think about throughout the year. It might not be patently obvious why these are important, or how to leverage them…. but the more you read and learn, the more you will get why these are vital!
The top 15 web 2.0 websites as of January 2010
The 20 most popular social bookmarking sites on the web, as of January 2010
There you go! I am sure I missed some stuff, but I will add more next week in what promises to be a constant addition too my blog. Cheers!
Great article . Will definitely copy it to my site.Thanks.
Michael, I’m totally aware of your existence, you’re my hero! I had you on my list but it got way too long and so edited out anyone who wasn’t giving me blogola (kidding). Your posts are far more entertaining than mine. Keep it up. Cheers, DEC
Wait a minute… we don’t need another hero. I am sorry… I don’t have much to say. Coffee kicks in slower some mornings. Oh I pushed your 2010 trends with levity across the board…. especially in luxury properties I am involved with that just… need… to.. laugh. Not much to laugh about, so you were right on with that post. I know some executive committee meetings and weekly manager’s meetings where you were read aloud. The ladies seem to always enjoy thinking of a hotelier that looks like James Bond, but I am sure you hear that enough.
It is all in good fun, and I am sort of shocked you posted here at all…. so cheers sir. Be well and happy, and thanks for the nod. Cheers!