[ncgreenhotels] Marketing your green hotel

[Tom Rhodes]

Good day GreenHotel Members,

Here is an excellent article brom the Green Lodging Newsletter by
Colette Chandler about promoting your Green Hotel. 

With green certification programs still being fairly new and most
consumers not understanding what they mean, it can become increasingly
difficult to know how to market a green hotel. Choosing to just focus on
certification can leave leisure travelers and meeting planners alike
confused by the myriad of green-certified symbols. It's a much better
idea to choose to focus on your hotel's green offerings, mission and
values-what sets it apart.
It's easy to assume that the eco-conscious travelers will naturally find
your green hotel and choose it because it is green, but that is not
always the case. It reminds me of the concept, "build it and they will
come." Just because you are a certified green hotel does not mean that
consumers will know it or, as I mentioned previously, understand what it
means. It's your job to teach them. Here are a few things to keep in
mind.
* Tell them why your hotel is certified as a green hotel.
* If you're one of just a few in the area, make this a point of
differentiation, emphasizing your commitment to the planet and the
strict standards to which your hotel adheres. This gives you an
opportunity to emphasize your programs.
* If your hotel encourages consumers to reuse their sheets and linens,
explain why.
* Tell them how you carry your commitment to environmentally friendly
operations through the companies and vendors with whom you align.
* Explain the importance of conserving natural resources and how your
hotel supports this.
* Teach your front desk people how to make your guests aware of your
efforts. Give them opportunities to get involved and be part of the
solution. Many consumers want to get involved; they just don't know
where to start.
* Do you use organic products if possible, especially when cleaning the
rooms? Why not tell your guests about it in your literature, or put a
leave-behind placard in the room mentioning it and its benefit? For
example, "Your room was cleaned using organic and environmentally
friendly cleaning products..." 
* Have you overhauled your hotel to include solar panels or
fluorescents? Make it known to your guests why you are committed to the
planet and how it benefits them. Mention it in your member newsletter or
company literature.
* Teach them about reducing waste in landfills by donating your hotel's
used linens and furniture to a local charity.
* Communicate your in-room conservation practices, such as low-flow
showerheads, faucet aerators, etc.
Promote Overall Benefits
Hotels, like many other businesses, mistakenly list features rather than
overall benefits. Here are some examples of what you can say:
* "Our hotel was built using environmentally friendly materials, such as
bamboo, reducing the toxins that are normally emitted into the air by
non-renewable resources."
* "We use bamboo sheets that are made from natural fibers. Not only do
they feel like silk, because they naturally breathe, but you'll
experience a more restful and comfortable sleep."
Naturally, marketing your green initiatives will help you gain
additional exposure in the media. The media likes to know about
innovative companies, and now they're starting to look for more
environmentally friendly stories. It's okay to use this to your
advantage by highlighting your hotel's other initiatives. Not only will
you continue to educate consumers on why they should choose your hotel
over others, you'll succeed in getting consumers to talk up your
initiatives.
Find new ways to reach out to consumers who are looking for greener
travel options by listing your hotel in the Natural Green Pages or
various other green-oriented websites. Extend your message through your
vendors and you'll reach out to even more people in a cost-effective
manner.
Just remember to continue to find new ways to show your commitment to
the environment. It's not enough to be green; consumers expect you to
perform equal or superior to conventional hotels. Just make sure you're
communicating it to them every step of the way.
Colette Chandler is an expert in consumer health and environmental
trends and the President of The Marketing Insider, a marketing and
communications consulting firm that teaches companies how to profit from
consumer trends. She can be reached at (614) 776-1416, or by e-mail at
cchandler at marketing-insider.com <mailto:cchandler at marketing-insider.com
> . 

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and solutions on NC GreenHotel subjects. Remember, this is a listserv,
not a newsletter. Please share with others!

Best regards,
Tom

Visit us on the Web at: www.p2pays.org

Tom Rhodes
WasteReduction Specialist
NC WasteTrader
NC Division of Pollution Prevention & Environmental Assistance
1639 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699
(919) 715-6516


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