Years ago (really not that far back), if you wanted a great hotel experience, there were very few places to choose from…places like The Sagamore, The Breakers, Arizona Biltmore, St. Francis, Coronado, The Plaza or perhaps The Greenbrier. On the other end of the price spectrum, the anchor was Holiday Inn. And, there wasn’t much in between.
Along the way, came brands based on value and consistency. For the most part, it was an average experience. But, it was a low risk investment on the part of the guest and they filled a void quite nicely.
Now, there are literally thousands of properties in hundreds of niches. If you want cheap, there’s a couple on every city block. If you want hip, boutique, or to swim with Dolphins, there’s more than one to choose from. Just go to Las Vegas or Dubai if you don’t think there’s something for everyone.
The problem with all this variety is that it’s extremely difficult to get noticed. Having “spacious accommodations”, “fantastic views”, the “best price”, “fine dining” or “personalized service” isn’t good enough anymore. Just about everyone has those things…or at least they claim to. Now, the only way to cut through the noise is to be different. Not gimmicky, but genuinely different...heart, soul and passion different. Gimmicks are short-lived. And, while they might grab someone’s attention for an instant, it’s not long before they figure out the trickery and that you’re a phony. Being different is about finding a new way to generate intrigue without being obvious about it.
Once you have attention, of course, you need to keep it. There’s only one way to do that…be exceptional and create memories. Be exceptional by showing your passion and enthusiasm for what you do…in everything you do. Be exceptional by having a great story to tell…one with meaning.
So, ask yourself questions like these…what are we prepared to do to get attention, and to keep it? How are we different? And, what can we be the best at?
The pressure’s on because being big, fancy or cheap isn’t good enough anymore.