Your Guests Don’t Care About Buzzwords

Marketing Fundamentals That Impact Guest Experience

We’re drowning in buzzwords, stitched together like Frankenspeak™ masterpieces, just familiar words repackaged for hyper-optimized-mega-scalable-maximized jargonification. We can’t just have hospitality, we now have omni-channel hospitality, experiential hospitality, frictionless hospitality, eco-hospitality and tech-touch hospitality.

Customer service isn’t enough – it has to be proactive service, predictive service, or AI-powered service.

Marketing is omnichannel marketing, conversational marketing, experiential marketing, demand generation.

Loyalty? Forget simple use-and-earn points programs. Now we have experiential loyalty, emotional loyalty, and subscription-based loyalty.

Revenue management has gone from a straightforward pricing strategy to dynamic pricing, personalized pricing, and attribute-based pricing—all designed to sound innovative but often adding complexity and costs.

The constant redefining of existing concepts isn’t always about innovation—it’s often just a new label on something hospitality professionals have been doing for decades. Sometimes these new labels are even created by software or service vendors, branded to highlight this wave of success they don’t want you to miss out on.

So, how do we cut through the jargon and focus on what actually improves guest experience, revenue and marketing?

The answer might be sitting in old marketing textbooks. Before we had omni-personalized-synergized everything, we had four simple Ps – Product, Place, Price and Promotion.

They have been clear and trusted guides for marketing and business professionals for decades. When you look past all of the buzzwords, successful resort properties are executing these fundamentals exceptionally well. They’re just doing it with modern tools and expectations.

To explore how these marketing fundamentals can impact guest experience, start with what you’re really selling – it’s not your AI-enhanced guest experience platform.

1. Product

What You’re Really Selling (It’s Not Just Beds for Heads)

Is your resort selling rooms with premium bedding and state-of-the-art in-suite entertainment systems? Or are your guests buying the promise of their best night’s sleep in months and the perfect movie night with their kids? The difference isn’t just semantics—it’s the key to understanding what “product” really means in hospitality.

When successful properties define their product, they start by asking what problems they’re solving or what moments they’re creating for guests. Take a family resort in Orlando – on paper they offer 300 rooms, three pools, and a kids’ club. But what they’re really selling is the chance for parents to be heroes, giving their children the vacation they’ll talk about for years while actually getting to relax themselves. Their “product” isn’t a list of amenities – it’s the entire experience of feeling like parent of the year while sipping a cocktail by the pool and having some effortlessly epic photo backgrounds.

The Palms Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach demonstrates this thinking in action. They zeroed in on what their target guests truly wanted – space to breathe in notoriously crowded Miami Beach. When they adopted their “inspired by nature” mission in 2010, they weren’t following the biggest tech trends (the same year the iPad debuted). While others were starting to explore how to put more tech in guests’ hands, The Palms chose to create solace from it.

Guest reviews praising it as “tranquil and perfect for a day away from the hustle and bustle of the city” show just how well this strategy works – especially impressive for a 251-room property in the heart of Miami Beach. It also demonstrates clear value creation – guests will pay more to stay somewhere they don’t want to leave.

How do you figure out what you’re really selling? Start by looking in three places:

Your Guest Reviews and Social Media Comments

Skip the standard “clean room, nice staff” comments and look for the stories. When do guests get specific and emotional? Those detailed memories reveal what actually matters to them.

Your Most-Tagged Spots

Don’t just count the photos—study them. Are guests consistently capturing the same angles, spots or experiences? These patterns show you what moments they find worth sharing, which tells you what they really value about your property.

Your Staff

Front-line employees know which amenities guests get excited about versus what they ignore. They hear the genuine reactions, not just the polite feedback that makes it to comment cards. Make it easy and encouraged for staff to notice and share these insights—they’re seeing your real product in action every day.
Figure out what you are beyond beds for heads—because once you know what you’re really selling, the next challenge is making sure guests can find it.

2. Place

Where Your Resort Gets Found (The Traditional Vacancy Sign Is Shattered)

A glowing “VACANCY” sign used to be the ultimate distribution strategy. Today, that sign has exploded into countless digital fragments – scattered across search engines, OTAs, various social media platforms, review sites, and an ever-growing list of platforms where potential guests might add your property to their consideration list.

Being discoverable everywhere is not only impossible for some brands and properties – it’s just a downright waste. Place is not about where you exist – it’s where exceptional properties and their ideal guests find each other – right place, right time. Hospitality marketing is about playing matchmaker, increasing the likelihood of those magical meetings where properties get their perfect-fit guests and travelers find the escape they’d been hoping for.

The Palms doesn’t need to dominate every distribution channel for “Miami Beach hotel” searches. They need to be visible to people searching for an escape from Miami Beach’s chaos. They need to be present when there are indicators like searching – whether that searching is being done on Google, Generative AI platforms like ChatGPT, within social media platforms, on thread sites like Reddit or review sites – for people seeking “peaceful Miami Beach lodging” or “greenest hotels on Miami Beach.” Those are the brand attributes they want to be so closely associated with them that no matter where someone is searching, there are connections in both brand-created and user-generated content from photos, videos, reviews, and beyond.

When your brand identity is clear, it ripples across every touchpoint – your marketing efforts naturally reflect it, guest content echoes it, and reviews reinforce it. This creates a consistent signal that cuts through the noise of fragmented channels. As search engines and AI platforms get better at aggregating signals from diverse sources, being strategically present in the right places becomes more crucial than trying to be everywhere. The key isn’t just showing up – it’s showing up where your message resonates.

How do you make sure you’re showing up in the right places? Start by asking:

Where Are Your Best Guests Coming From?

Don’t just look at volume. Look at guest satisfaction scores, length of stay, and repeat visits. Maybe your OTA bookings are high but your direct bookings stay longer. Maybe your social media leads spend more on property. The data tells you where to focus.

What Channels Actually Match Your Brand?

If you’re marketing yourself as a peaceful escape, but your biggest booking source is spring break party packages, something’s off. Audit your distribution channels against your brand promise. Sometimes fewer, better-aligned channels beat wider distribution.

Where Are Your Resources Best Spent?

Each channel takes time and budget to maintain properly. Better to have three well-managed channels than ten neglected ones. Consider both the cost and effort required to maintain a strong presence on each platform.

When Should You Ask for Help?

Don’t waste months trying to figure it all out alone. Whether it’s building your initial strategy or managing specific channels, getting early guidance can save resources in the long run. The goal is establishing the right foundation to determine your best path forward – whether that’s eventually managing everything in-house, creating a hybrid approach of internal and external support, or understanding which channels are best outsourced to experts. Better to invest in expertise upfront than patch holes after wasted time and budget.

Who Should You Ask for Help?

Be strategic about how you seek expertise. Free “audits” often serve as sales tools rather than providing real value. Instead, consider investing in a paid audit or consultant who will dig deep into your specific needs and provide actionable advice – whether you continue working with them on ongoing projects or implement the plan independently. Many failed marketing partnerships start with “we’ll figure out the strategy after you sign” rather than “let’s figure out the strategy first, then discuss long-term plans.”

Being in the right places means you’re more likely to be found by guests who value what you offer. And when distribution channels multiply, so do pricing complexities.

Related: Timeshare Resorts Learning to Maximize Digital Marketing on Shoestring Budget

3. Price

Establishing Your Worth (When Everyone Wants a Piece of Your Rate)

Remember when pricing was straightforward? Set your rates seasonally, maybe offer a few different room types, done. Today’s pricing landscape is a maze of rate parity requirements, commission structures, and AI-powered dynamic pricing tools all promising to optimize your revenue.

The challenge isn’t just setting the right price – it’s maintaining profitability when every booking channel takes its cut. OTA commissions, channel manager fees, revenue management software costs – they all chip away at your bottom line. And while dynamic pricing promises to maximize revenue, managing rates across dozens of channels can actually create more complexity than profit.

Pricing pressures may drive properties to rush into complicating their rate structures and add more tools to manage them. But smart properties are finding ways to streamline instead of complicate. Value-based pricing through thoughtful packaging doesn’t require endless variations – it means understanding what your specific guests value enough to pay more for, then making it easy for them to buy it.

Technology should support this simplification, not add layers to it. Instead of using dynamic pricing tools to adjust rates every hour across dozens of channels, consider using them to identify actual booking patterns and guest behaviors. This data helps you create rate structures that make sense for your property and your guests, without needing constant tweaks.

The true cost of “optimization” often gets overlooked. Between revenue management software subscriptions, channel manager fees, and the staff needed to manage it all, properties can end up spending more on the tools and talent to optimize rates than they gain in revenue. That extra 2% in rate optimization doesn’t look so attractive when you factor in the full cost of achieving it – from the technology stack to the training hours to the ongoing management time.

How to price with purpose and profitability in mind? Start by looking at where your revenue goes and how to keep more of it:

• Audit Your True Costs: Break down the impact of OTA commissions, channel manager fees, and revenue management software. A slight rate increase might not help if most of the margin is lost to fees. Identify which booking sources are the most profitable, not just the most frequent.
• Package Value, Not Just Discounts: Discounting rooms to fill occupancy can be a race to the bottom. Instead, look at what your best guests consistently purchase—whether it’s premium views, late checkouts, or bundled experiences—and make those options a clear part of your pricing strategy.
• Simplify Your Pricing Structure: Complexity doesn’t always mean better revenue. If guests are faced with too many choices or inconsistent pricing across platforms, you create confusion instead of conversions. Streamlining your pricing tiers while keeping perceived value high leads to better guest confidence and fewer abandoned bookings.
• Use Pricing Tools Wisely: Dynamic pricing tools are powerful, but they shouldn’t dictate your entire strategy. Use them to identify patterns, not just react to competitors’ pricing changes. If your competitors are racing to the bottom, letting an algorithm follow them isn’t an advantage.
• Strategically Manage Direct Booking Incentives: Instead of simply offering a lower price for booking direct, focus on meaningful perks that cost you less but feel more valuable to the guest—flexible cancellation, room preferences, or exclusive experiences.

The Palms Hotel & Spa Smart Direct Booking Incentives

The Palms Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach offers a prime example of how direct booking incentives can drive revenue while enhancing perceived value. Instead of competing on price alone, they use a customizable rewards system that gives guests a choice of perks when booking direct.

Guests who book through the hotel’s website can select from offers such as:

• A Barnes & Noble or Sephora gift card (smart for a pre-travel beach read or SPF purchase)
• Discounts on local experiences like a Wynwood Art Gallery Tour
• Exclusive savings on nearby attractions
• A charitable donation in their name

This approach is brilliant for two key reasons:

1. It maintains rate integrity – Instead of reducing the base room rate, these perks feel like added value rather than a discount, reinforcing the property’s brand positioning.
2. It’s cost-effective for the hotel – Many of these rewards come at a lower cost than OTA commissions or blanket discounts, making direct bookings a win-win for both the guest and the hotel.
   Additionally, The Palms makes their direct booking benefits highly visible by dedicating an entire page on their website to the advantages of booking directly. This transparency builds trust and ensures potential guests understand why booking direct is the smarter choice.
   A profitable pricing strategy isn’t about constant adjustments—it’s about clarity, control, and ensuring more of the revenue stays in your business. But even the best pricing strategy won’t work if guests aren’t engaged and compelled to book. That’s where Promotion comes in. It’s not about shouting the loudest or joining every new platform—it’s about making sure the right message reaches the right guests at the right time.

4. Promotion

Telling Your Story (You’re More Than Just Your Best Pool Photo)

Clear communication about what makes your property special takes more than just listing amenities or room types. It’s about showcasing the experience, about turning your unique story into a compelling reason to book.

Some properties get caught up in trying to promote everything to everyone. They list every amenity, highlight every possible use case, create content about every aspect of their property. But the most effective promotion often comes from focusing on what you do best and communicating that consistently and clearly.

Success comes from finding your authentic voice and using it to tell your story. Maybe you’re the peaceful escape in a busy tourist area, like The Palms. Or you’re the family resort that makes parents feel like heroes. Whatever makes you special, that’s what your promotion should center on – not just what you think guests want to hear.

How do you promote your property in its best light? Start by asking:

What’s Your Real Story?

Look beyond the standard amenity lists and star ratings. What do guests consistently mention in reviews? What experiences do they share on social media? These organic moments often reveal your most compelling selling points.

Are You Speaking Their Language?

Your guests’ words matter more than industry jargon. If they rave about your “perfect sunset spot” rather than your “west-facing premium balcony,” adjust your messaging accordingly.

What Actually Needs Saying?

Not every feature needs equal promotion. Focus your message on what makes you special and what actually influences booking decisions. Sometimes less really is more.

Does Your Message Stay Consistent?

Your story shouldn’t change whether someone’s reading your website, your emails, your property description, or reviews about you. A clear, consistent message builds trust and recognition.

Marketing fundamentals haven’t changed – they’ve just been buried under layers of buzzwords and overcomplicated solutions. The management of the distribution like designing ads for digital spaces vs printed on, choosing your audience in online dashboards vs choosing billboard locations. The 4Ps still work when you focus on understanding what you’re really selling, being discoverable to the right guests, establishing your true worth and telling your authentic story.

You don’t need to chase every trend or implement every new tool. You need to execute the basics exceptionally well and adapt to changing technology and distribution channels.

Because at the end of the day, successful hospitality marketing isn’t about hyper-optimized-mega-scalable anything. It’s about connecting the right property with the right guests at the right time.

Kelley Ellert is the owner of Waterwheel Marketing, a marketing consultancy that develops and implements marketing solutions for hospitality businesses of all sizes. Find her on LinkedIn @kelley-ellert or at WaterwheelMarketing.com.