The strangest hotel jobs around the world revealed!

The strangest hotel jobs around the world revealed! Source : Hotels.com You would have never imagined that there was someone paid to clean and make shiny coins moving in a hotel? And some involved in warm your bed just before you lie down there?. These are just some of the strangest professions Hotels.com has "discovered" among the more than 130.000 structures on the site. Among oddities and revolutionary ideas, Hotels.com offers a journey the discovery of crafts the most bizarre and entertaining in which it might happen to come across during your vacation! London - The human underblanket Slip into a nice warm bed, especially on cold winter nights, not only is nice, but can actually make sleep more restful and; for this in London 'sHoliday Inn Kensington Forum – 4 point has decided to offer its guests a truly exclusive service: underblanket human. Some people have taken away because the task, after wearing special thermal suits, of heat with the warmth of your body the beds of customers, saving them the unpleasant experience of "frozen sheets"! San Francisco - Cleaner coins One of the most weird and ancient crafts took place in a hotel you can find all 'Hotel Westin St Francis – 4 point San Francisco: cleaner coin. The profession has its origins in 1935 when the hotel manager, seeing that the ladies were white gloves when handling dirty coins, decided that all the coins that were circulated in the hotel should be thoroughly washed. The tradition continues today, with an attendant who takes care of every day make more bright than ever, the dollars passing from hand to hand. Jaipur - The drives out of pigeons When you are in a crowded square by pigeons do not resist the temptation to start running and fly them all? Then you are ideal candidates for the profession of "drives out of pigeons"! A Jaipur, in India, the courtyard of the Rambagh Palace – 5 point is always full of these birds, considered, but, bearers of good luck; why the hotel has hired two people in charge of them away without hurting them, to avoid soiling the courtyard of what was once the residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur. Adairsville - In front madrina Have you always dreamed of having at your side before a date as an aide magical Fairy Godmother? The Barnsley Gardens Resort – 4 point, in Georgia, will make your dream a reality! Inside the hotel has been working a real Fairy Godmother, ready to make your every event special and memorable; carpets of rose petals, bottles of champagne and lots of romantic surprises are the magic wand that will transform your every day a new Valentine's Day. London - The reader of bedtime stories When you are away from home, struggle to fall asleep and spent hours in bed to turn away? In London 'sHotel Andaz – 5 point has the solution for you! For here you will find those who will read a great bedtime story, ideal for getting to sleep after a day of racing in the British Museum and Westminster Abbey. The reading last night often until dawn and sometimes they see the participation of famous writers or journalists; the only condition for hotel guests? Participate strictly in pajamas! Memphis - The master of the ducks Even more than for its rich, luxurious and comfortable, The The Peabody Hotel – 4 point Memphis is famous worldwide for the show that takes place daily at 11 and 17; Having laid out the red carpet, the "master of the ducks" is assigned to accompany a group of these birds owned hotel in the fountain of the hotel and back to the shelter at night after the Ducks have spent the day before the eyes of guests. Only drawback of the profession? The cleaning of the fountain, every night, is a matter of "master"!

Sales Superstars Love 'Clueless' Callers!

Sales Superstars Love 'Clueless' Callers! Jan 31, 11 | 12:09 am By Doug Kennedy Given the prolific amount of information available to prospective guests and hotel meeting/function planners, it seems logical that today's callers to hotel reservations, front desk, and the sales department should be very well informed before they dial our number. Indeed, many  if not most of today's sales inquiries are from those who are largely pre-sold prior to phoning.   Well established hotels and resorts have the added benefit that many if not most of their callers are repeat guests who have visited before and who already know what they want before dialing. Unfortunately, dealing with all of these repeat guests and pre-informed sales prospects can make some hotel salespeople become complacent.  It's easy to fall into a habit of polite order-taking when the majority of callers already know what they want.   Having spent my career as a hotel sales trainer I have seen this scenario play out many times over the years, where the salespeople fall victim to "profitable mediocrity" by becoming habitual order-takers who seem to expect that guests and meeting planners are out there just waiting to call in their orders.  It's easy to imagine how this happens, when maybe 7 out of 10 callers know what they want before they call.  When you place a test call to these hotels and act like you know what you want, they are very polite and helpful.  Yet when you ask these same salespeople questions about the location, area, or the hotel itself, they provide short, curt responses and more often than not suggest that you go online to the hotel's website for more information. Having listened to hours and hours of recorded calls from real callers captured through various monitoring systems used by our KTN training clients, I have to admit that there are some seemingly "clueless" callers these days.  For example, callers to large, city-center hotels that request a ground floor room.  Or callers to condo-resorts that feature individually owned and decorated properties who ask "So it's not like a hotel?"  Or callers to Orlando hotels booking near Disney, Universal, or Seaworld that request an "ocean" view, or who book in New York and request a view of the Statue of Liberty.  Or those who meant to dial the phone number of a competitor but who pulled your hotel's number instead.  Indeed, a certain number of callers do seem confused. Yet the true sales superstars I've meet always seem to love these types of callers.  They recognize that while it is important to convert those easy, order-taking calls into sales, when we are able to secure  business from a "clueless" caller we have really done something positive for the hotel's profitability.  Repeat guests and others who are pre-sold are going to stay with us anyway.  Yet when we help those who are uncertain, those who have questions, and those who need more convincing to pick our hotel off their list, we can know we have truly had a positive impact.  Not to mention that today's "clueless" caller will then become a future repeat guest, who will them be pre-sold the next time.  Here are some training tips to help get your sales team excited about "clueless" callers. Discuss call conversion with the sales team.   Calculate the potential additional revenue each salesperson could capture just one more sale per week from a confused sales prospect. Have your salespeople experience researching and planning a business or leisure travel experience, meeting, or function in an unfamiliar city.  Ask them to research online and then to call, and to then report back on how they were handled. Review with your own sales staff the information that is available to prospective guests online, such as guest reviews (both positive and negative) and social media postings.  Discuss how this information might be conflicting and cause someone to call for clarification. Brainstorm with the sales team a list of questions, concerns, or objections that prospective guests might have.  Then work as a group to list ways in which you might resolve each question or objection. About the Author Doug Kennedy, President of the Kennedy Training Network, has been a fixture on the hospitality and tourism industry conference circuit since 1989, having presented over 1,000 conference keynote sessions, educational break-out seminars, or customized, on-premise training workshops for diverse audiences representing every segment of the lodging industry.   His articles have also appeared worldwide in more than 17 prominent international publications including the HSMAI Marketing Review, eHotelier, 4hoteliers, Hotel News Resource, Hotel Online, Human Assets - Dubai and Hong Kong, Hsyndicate worldwide, BAHA Times - U.K., Hospitality - Maldives, and the Hotel Expert Magazine Hong Kong. Since 1996 Doug has been a regular contributor to the lodging industry's number one rated publication, www.hotelmotel.com , where he has been a regular monthly columnist since 2001.  Visit www.kennedytrainingnetwork.com for details or e-mail him at: doug@kennedytrainingnetwork.com.

Social Media Research: Blogging, Twitter And Facebook Use Trends Inside US Corporations - 2010 Update

Are top US corporations embracing social media technologies?2010 Fortune 500 companies and their use of blogs, Twitter and Facebook seems to positively confirm this trend. The new research study on

Photo credit: Kheng Ho Toh and Dmitriy Shironosov

Each year Fortune Magazine compiles a list of the largest US corporations, which are named the Fortune 500 given their size and wealth. Due to the hugely influential role that these companies play inside the corporate world, their use of social media technologies does provide valuable insights of emergent trends to monitor.

For this specific reason, every year Nora Ganim Barnes and Eric Mattson take Fortune 500 companies as a testing ground to analyze social media corporate use trends.

The new 2010 study revisits the 2009 study while also expanding its research focus by looking at the Fortune 500 companies use trends of Facebook.

These are the reported highlights:

• 116 (23%) of the primary US corporations listed on the 2010 Fortune 500 have a public-facing corporate blog updated in the past 12 months.
• In 2010, only 32% of top US companies relies on the adoption of blogging to establish a conversation with customers. In 2009 it was the 39%.
• 298 (60%) of the new Fortune 500 companies have regularly-updated corporate Twitter accounts. This number is up dramatically from 35% last year.
• 280 (56%) of the 2010 Fortune 500 companies have now a solid presence on Facebook.
• The Fortune 500 companies which regularly use social media technologies belong to a wide spectrum of industries.

Given that Fortune 500 companies stand as an established model for business success, it is indeed strategically critical for you to examine all the data shared in this report to extract solid insights that may help you develop an effective social media strategy.

The Fortune 500 and Social Media: A Longitudinal Study of Blogging, Twitter and Facebook Usage by America’s Largest Companies

by Nora Ganim Barnes and Eric Mattson

Fortune 500 Companies With Public Facing Corporate Blogs

One hundred and sixteen (23%) of the primary corporations listed on the 2010 F500 have a public-facing corporate blog with a post in the past 12 months. These include four of the top five corporations (Wal-Mart, Exxon, Chevron and General Electric).

The only company in the top five in 2010 without a public facing blog is Bank of America. They do have a URL for a blog that is described as a "blog beta" called Future Banking, but no active blog could be located at this time.

Included in those companies adding blogs in 2010 is Exxon. The company launched a blog in June of this year, shortly after the BP oil spill in the Gulf region of the US.

Conoco Philips, now ranked 6th in the F500, does not have a blog at this time.

In our 2008 study of F500 blogs, 81 companies (16%) had blogs that met the criteria for this study.

In 2009, 108 F500 companies (22%) had blogs.

In both years, three of the top five ranked companies had blogs. Exxon and Conoco Philips were the exceptions.

In 2010, 116 companies (23%) have blogs meeting our criteria for an increase of just 1% from 2009.

Fortune 500 Companies With Corporate Blogs by Industry

The 116 companies with blogs come from a cross section of industries.

A partial list is presented below showing those industries with the greatest presence in the blogosphere.

Blogging varied by industry type.

As might be expected, companies in the industry of computer software, peripherals and office equipment have had the most blogs in all three years of our study (eight, 11, and 11). Companies in this category include Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Microsoft, Apple, Oracle and Xerox.

The specialty retail industry saw an increase in the number of companies blogging (such as Home Depot, Best Buy, Toys "R" Us and BJ's Wholesale) from four companies on the 2008 list to seven from the 2009 list and eight in 2010.

The telecommunications industry represented by companies like AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and Comcast had seven of the blogs studied this year. Last year's list had six.

Food-related companies like Safeway, McDonald's, Tyson, General Mills, Whole Foods Market and Hershey had nine blogs, up from six in 2009 and 5 in 2008.

Three industries had five blogs in 2009 and 4 in 2008. These, with some company examples, include: Commercial banks (JP Morgan Chase), insurance (Progressive, NY Life), and semiconductors (Intel, Texas Instruments).

Commercial Banks and Semiconductors each have 6 blogs in 2010, while the insurance industry has dropped to three blogs in 2010. The information technology industry (IBM, SAIC, Computer Sciences etc.) and motor vehicle industries (Ford, GM, Goodyear Tire and Rubber etc.) both had 4 blogs in 2009.

Information technology blogs have decreased to three, while motor vehicle blogs have increased to six.

Fortune 500 Companies With Corporate Blogs by Rank

In 2008, 38% of the total number of blogs came from the top 100 followed by 39% of the blogs in the 2009 F500.

Rank continues to influence the adoption of blogging by the F500 but in 2010 that number drops to 32%.

Almost one third of the F500 blogs can be located among the top 100 ranked companies, making rank a factor in use of this particular tool.

In 2010 the top 200 companies account for 53% of corporate blogs and the bottom 200 ranked companies (those listed 301-500) make up 29% of the total number of blogs.

The top 200 companies in 2009 accounted for 58% of the F500 blogs, while the bottom 200 accounted for 29% of the 2009 F500 blogs.

The findings were consistent using the 2008 list with the top 200 having 63% of the F500's blogs while the bottom 200 had 26%.

It is interesting to note that adoption remains lower in the bottom 200 for the third year in a row with no real change since last year (29%).

Level of Interaction On The Fortune 500 Corporate Blogs

All 116 blogs were examined to determine the level of interactivity the blog allowed. This was done by looking at the blog to see if comments were accepted, if RSS feeds or email subscriptions were available and checking the date of the last post to determine how current it was.

Consistent with the findings in the past two years, 90% of the F500 blogs take comments, have RSS feeds and take subscriptions.

These blogs are kept current with frequent posts on a range of topics. It appears that those companies that have made the decision to "blog" have utilized the tool well.

There is frequent posting, on-going discussion and the ability to follow the conversation easily through RSS or email subscriptions.

Fortune 500 Companies Vs. The Inc. 500

The F500 companies are blogging at a lower rate than other business groups, specifically the Inc. 500.

The Inc. 500 list is composed of the fastest-growing, private companies in the US, while the F500 is based on total revenue (not growth) and may include public and private companies. That list is published in a special issue of Inc. Magazine published in September of each year.

While data is not yet available on blogging for the 2010 Inc. 500, in 2009 that group had 45% of the companies on the list hosting corporate blogs.

With 23% of the F500 companies hosting corporate blogs in 2010, that gap is likely to continue.

It is possible that the difference is related to size of the company, internal structure or corporate philosophy regarding open communication with its stakeholders.

Regardless of the motivation, the F500 companies have been less likely to adopt social media tools than their smaller, fast-growing counterparts.

Fortune 500 Companies Corporate Twitter Accounts

For purposes of this research, the following definition was used to locate 2010 F500 companies with Twitter accounts.

A company was considered a user of Twitter if they had an official corporate account with posts (a.k.a. a "tweet") made within the past thirty days.

Two hundred ninety-eight (60%) of the new F500 have corporate Twitter accounts with a tweet in the past thirty days. This number is up dramatically from 35% last year.

Of these companies, nine of the top 10 corporations (Wal-Mart, Exxon, Chevron, General Electric, Bank of America, ConocoPhillips, AT&T, Ford and HP) consistently post on their Twitter accounts.

No Twitter account could be located for the number nine ranked company, JP Morgan Chase.

Four companies in the medical or healthcare industries had Twitter accounts with no activity on them (Humana Health Care, Boston Scientific, United Health Care and Cardinal Health Care). This was also true for the food chain Winn Dixie, and the diversified financial service Freddie Mac. These companies were not included in our final tally.

Fortune 500 Companies Corporate Twitter Accounts by Industry

The 298 companies with Twitter accounts come from a cross section of industries. A partial list is presented below showing those industries with the greatest presence on Twitter.

Tweeting differed by industry type with Specialty Retail (Home Depot, Lowe's) having the most Twitter accounts (23), taking first place from the Insurance Category.

The food-related industry represented by companies like Kroger, Walgreen and McDonald's had 22 of the Twitter accounts studied, double the number in that group last year.

Insurance companies also increased their use of this tool dramatically moving from 13 corporate Twitter accounts to 20.

Many industries had 10 companies with a Twitter account in 2009. These, with some company examples, include: computer software, peripherals and office equipment (Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft), telecommunications (AT&T, Verizon Communications) and utilities (Dominion Resources, Duke Energy).

One year later we see those industries move to 14, 12 and 16 Twitter accounts respectively.

Fortune 500 Companies Corporate Twitter Accounts by Rank

Two hundred and ninety-eight (60%) of the 2010 F500 companies now have corporate Twitter accounts meeting the criteria of this study.

Rank appears to influence the use of Twitter by the F500.

Nine of the top 10 companies have corporate Twitter accounts.

A Twitter account could not be located for J.P. Morgan Chase, the 9th ranked company.

Half of the Twitter accounts belong to the companies in the top 200 on the list, while 33% come from those ranked in the bottom 200.

Similar to the adoption of blogs, those ranked higher in the 2010 F500 are more likely to adopt Twitter than their counterparts ranked lower.

Fortune 500 Companies Level of Interaction On Twitter

All 298 companies with Twitter accounts were examined to determine the level of interactivity with readers by examining @replies or "retweets" and by checking the date of the last post to determine how current it was.

One hundred and three companies (35%) consistently responded with @replies or retweets within 72 hours, many more often.These Twitter accounts are kept up-to-date with current news and information.

There is consistent interaction with other users and on-going discussions that are easy to follow.

Fortune 500 Companies Corporate Facebook Profiles

Two hundred and eighty (56%) of the 2010 F500 are now on Facebook.

This is the first year Facebook was included in this study, and the first time any systematic review of the entire Fortune 500 has been conducted on this issue.

One hundred and forty-seven companies (29%) have neither a Twitter account nor a Facebook presence.

Insurance companies are most likely to be on Facebook, followed by Specialty Retail, and Food, Drug and Consumer Products.

Methodology

For purposes of this research, the following definition was used to locate 2010 F500 companies with blogs: A company was counted as having a blog if they had a publicfacing corporate blog from the primary corporation with posts in the past 12 months.

This is the same definition used in the 2008 and 2009 studies.

Due to the complexity of corporate legal structures in this group and no clear methodology on how subsidiaries have been located or analyzed by others, the research presented here continues to focus on the primary / listed corporation.

While we acknowledge that mergers and acquisitions along with expansions have resulted in segments or subsidiaries with blogs, our focus has consistently been at the corporate level.

In addition, it is worth noting that there is evidence of usage of social media such as blogs inside of large companies like the F500.

This research did not look at that subject but instead focused on public-facing corporate blogs as a barometer of social media usage to engage the public.

All companies were analyzed using multiple steps.

First, working from the published 2010 F500 list, all corporate home pages were examined for links to, or mention of, corporate blogs. If none were found, a search on the company's site was conducted using the key word "blog".

Any links resulting from that search were followed and evaluated using the established criteria.

If no blogs were located on the home page or through a site search, other search engines were used.

Both Google and Technorati (a leading blog-focused search engine) were employed to check for corporate blogs using key words that included the primary / listed company name and the word "blog". This proved to be an effective method since additional blogs were located.

A search of other sites gathering information on the F500 was also reviewed for any mention of blogs in that group.

Similarly, all companies were analyzed through multiple steps to locate corporate Twitter accounts.

First, working from the 2010 F500 list, all corporate home pages were examined for links to, or mention of, a corporate Twitter account. If none were found, a search on the company's website was conducted using the keyword "Twitter."

Any links resulting from that search were followed and evaluated using the established criteria.

If no Twitter accounts were located on the home page or through a site search, Google was used to search for Twitter accounts using keywords that included the primary / listed company name and the word "Twitter." If no Twitter accounts were found this way, a search on the Twitter website was conducted using the primary/listed company name. These additional approaches proved to be effective as some Twitter accounts were located using this method.

The same methodology was used to locate Facebook profiles for each company in the 2010 F500 using multiple searches on multiple platforms.

All 500 companies on the list were researched using this process. This is the only known attempt to examine the entire F500 list for use of the microblogging tool, Twitter and the popular social networking platform Facebook.

The data was collected in August/ September 2010 at the University of MA Dartmouth Center for Marketing Research and the results follow.

How To Create A Facebook Fan Page: Guide To The Best Strategies And Examples

Did you know that if you already have a personal profile Facebook page and want to create another one for your company you can't? Businesses on Facebook are supposed to have a Fan Page, not a Personal Page! Yeah, and it is official: go check out the Facebook terms of service, and read carefully what they say: if you do create a personal profile for your business, Facebook will shut it down and trash all your shared content and fans. So, how do you go about creating an effective Facebook presence strategy for your coompany by utilizing a Fan Page?

Photo credit: Marc Dietrich

In this MasterNewMedia guide you will find a passionately curated selection of the best online reports and articles explaining which are the best strategies to create a Facebook Fan Page, along with a uniquely hand-picked selection of valuable examples to get you inspired.

The issue is this. To effectively engage with your online audience while strengthening your ability to listen and learn from it, your social media presence, including your active use and management of a Facebook Fan Page, has become increasingly crucial in the achievement of such results.

The importance of having a Facebook Fan Page has indeed become a tangible business requirement for any competitive company wanting to extend its online presence, reach as well as its ability to leverage customers insight for sales, marketing, customer service, product R&D and more.

To put things into perspective and to understand the benefits of creating a Facebook Fan Page to promote your content, here is some interesting data:

• Facebook has more than 400 million active users.
• 50% of active Facebook users log in every day.
• More than five billion pieces of content are shared each week on Facebook.
• More than 1.5 million local business have an active Facebook Fan Page.
• More than 20 million people become fans of a Facebook Fan Page every day.

(You can find more specific data on Facebook reach and popularity right on this infographic on "Facebook Facts and Figures" - March 2010).

But how can you create a Facebook Fan Page that is compelling, beautiful to look at and that boosts your visibility?

What are the best strategies to follow?

Are there examples of successful Facebook Fan Pages that you can use to inspire yourself?

In this in-depth MasterNewMedia guide you will discover what you need to know to create a Facebook Fan Page that is as effective as you want it to be.

Specifically, this guide focuses on:

• Which are the best Facebook Fan Page marketing strategies
• How can you personalize your Facebook Fan Page
• Real-world examples:: Facebook Fan Pages showcases and case studies

Here, the MasterNewMedia Facebook Fan Page guide in full detail:

Facebook Fan Page Marketing Strategies

Facebook Fan Page Marketing Guide

What are the very first steps you should take to promote your Facebook Fan Page? In this guide by SEOmoz you will find an overview of the basic strategies to run and leverage your Facebook Fan Page to increase your number of fans.

Facebook Fan Page: Successful Marketing Strategies

What is the real potential of Facebook? How can you use your Facebook Fan Page to get more visibility and authority for your brand? Here you will find the key tactics to start a successful Facebook marketing campaign using your Fan Page.

How To Promote Your Facebook Fan Page

Do you have a Facebook Fan Page, but want to know how to increase the number of your fans? In this article you will find the most effective, non-technical tactics to promote the content you share on your Facebook Fan Page.

SEO Strategies Every Fan Page Owner Should Know

A comprehensive SEO strategy can play a vital role in boosting the growth rate of your Facebook Fan Page and in distributing your content more effectively. Here are ten strategies to boost your Fan Page rankings inside search engines results.

How To Personalize Your Facebook Fan Page

How To Customize Your Facebook Fan Page Using FBML

How can you use Facebook programming language (static FBML) to improve and personalize your Facebook Fan Page? In this guide you will find all the basic steps to enable static FBML on your page and start engaging with it.

How To Build an Engaging Facebook Fan Page

If you want to create an engaging Facebook Fan Page, you should know how to use the tools that Facebook itself provides you. Here are the best Facebook tools and how to use them if you want to create a unique and engaging Fan Page.

Must-Have Elements of a Successful Facebook Fan Page

Getting your Facebook Fan Page to work well takes time, dedication and some planning. Don’t expect to create a page and then have a huge following instantaneously. Here are the basic elements your Facebook fan page must have to be really successful.

How To Make Your Fan Page Visible Inside Facebook

Why is it so important to make your Facebook Fan Page easily reachable for other Facebook users? Here you will understand why visibility is key on Facebook and how to customize your Fan Page to get more visibility.

Real-World Examples: Facebook Fan Pages Showcase and Case Studies

Designing a Facebook Fan Page: Showcases, Tutorials, Resources

Are you designing your Facebook Fan Page and need some examples of other successful Fan Pages? Find out the best practices to customize your Facebook Fan Page design, with various approaches to creating an attractive, descriptive and engaging Facebook business page.

FacebookShowcase

FacebookShowcase is a collection of the best Fan Pages on Facebook that you can use to inspire yourself to design your own Fan Page or to have clear design guidelines you want to share with your own web designer.

Killer Facebook Fan Pages: Inspiring Case Studies

How should you engage with your fans on your Facebook Fan Page? Here are five case studies of brands that are doing a great job on their Facebook Fan Pages.

The California State Parks Foundation Facebook Fan Page Case Study

Ever wondered how some big brands build and monetize their presence on Facebook? In this case study, you will learn how the California State Parks Foundation Fan Page grew its fans from 517 to 33,000 in just two weeks.

Facebook Fan Pages: An Analysis of Common Usage Patterns

How do effective Facebook Fan Pages are built? Is there some kind of pattern you may replicate to know you are doing right? In this report you will find an analysis conducted on a number of top-notch Facebook Fan Pages that shows a common pattern in the amount of content posted, number of fans, and categories that you need to follow to be successful.

Success Criteria For Facebook Fan Page Marketing

What are the criteria to build a successful Fan Page on Facebook? This latest research from Altimeter shows that most brands on Facebook lack a precise strategy to run their Fan Pages and efficiently interact with customers. Learn from brands' mistakes how to perfect your Facebook Fan Page marketing strategy.

2011 Social Media Marketing Resolutions

Resolution # 1: Write interesting and engaging content.

There is no better time than 2011 to engage your customer segments and build a customer relationship. There are a million ways to ask a question, so get creative. Make posts interesting and incorporate engaging content to elicit a response and increase interaction. Social media content should not be a one-way source of information. Lead off posts with an open-ended question, utilize creative fill-in-the blank, post relevant trivia, or simply prompt fans and followers to "like" or @reply.  Additionally, including content that speaks to specific customer segments (such as business or leisure) better resonates with your fans and followers to increase engagement. Give your customers a voice and encourage users to interact, post pictures, and provide insight on the features and amenities that they look for in your brand.  

Resolution # 2: Incorporate unique offers into your social media strategy.

Your social media presence should have a unique value from your website presence. Avoid solely posting packages that are available on your website. Be sure to provide unique offers to fans and followers or create an exclusive deal available to the first ten fans or followers who book. Offering exclusive extras to fans and followers creates a unique value and increases page visits. Considering developing a "mystery special offer" where the promo code can only be found on your Facebook or Twitter, or post "Facebook Friday" or "Twitter Tuesday" deals every week exclusively on your social media presence.

Resolution # 3: Give fans and followers a reason to keep coming back for more.  

On Facebook, users have the option to keep you in their newsfeed or click "hide".  Analyze your posts and put yourself in the consumer's shoes. Do you make interesting and valuable posts? Or is your information boring and non-engaging? Thinking outside of the box will not only avoid the dreaded "hide" button and make your tweets stand out in the stream, but will  encourage more page visits and build brand loyalty. Consider posting printable coupons or provide exclusive deals or hotel packages on a private landing page that only fans or followers can access.

Also consider utilizing your social media presence to further develop your own branding by giving details about a new hotel amenity, dish at your restaurant, or cocktail at your bar and prompt website visitors, fans, and followers to post a suggested name for this new addition to your hotel or brand.

Resolution #4: Regularly post fresh content.

Leave outdated content behind in 2010. According to Best Practices, posts should be made at least three to five times per week. If you are unable to commit to your page, then it is important that you hire an employee or agency that can. According to the Social Media Examiner, there's a direct correlation between frequency of posts and the number of fans a page acquires.

It is also important to monitor the time of day that fans and followers are most active. This usually occurs between mid-morning and late afternoon. Be sure to post during these times to maximize visibility of your marketing messages. Determine which content your fans and followers value most by monitoring which posts elicit the most engagement. Use this information to effectively reach your customer segments, maximize user engagement, and build a deeper connection. On Facebook, viewing your fan page analytics (particularly page views by date) is a great way to measure the success of your posts and monitor the activity of your page.

Resolution #5: Brand your social media presence.

Has your brand come to life on social media? Branding your social media presence is a vital component in making a stronger impact on fans and followers. On Facebook, you can create a customized tab to showcase your amenities and include rich imagery of your property to highlight your selling points and gain an edge over competitors. Since multi-channel initiatives are vital in any successful online strategy, include a reservation widget, email capture, and mobile capture on the custom tab to build your lists and increase conversions. Your custom Facebook tab can be used to draw attention to special offers, increase awareness of a major upcoming event, or include information about a contest or promotion. You can even consider rewarding fans with a free cocktail at your bar or exclusive promo code to receive a discount off their next stay. Utilize the reveal tab technology, where a certain portion of the tab is only exposed once a user becomes a fan of your page. This elicits interest and grows your fan base.

A customized Twitter background highlighting the most important hotel information is also vital in creating an official, branded presence on social media.

Top Ten Ways to Score Free Hotel Upgrades

By Amy Chan

Sometimes, just being personable and friendly can go a long way in scoring a free hotel upgrade. But for times when a nice smile and pleasant demeanor is not enough, here are some other tricks to try.

1. Timing -- Check in later, between 4-6PM as the front desk can see the cancellations and no-shows of that day. Also, if your dates are flexible, don't book on busy holiday times, as upgrades cannot be given if a hotel is at full occupancy.
2. Book a room in the middle price range -- It's not impossible to get upgraded when booking the cheapest room category available, but it doesn't help your odds. Book a room that is in the mid range for better chances.
3. Be nice -- It's that simple. Front desk staff and hotel managers deal with a lot of people and handle a lot of problems and stress during their day. Sometimes, just being personable, and friendly can go a long way.
4. 4. Ask -- It doesn't hurt to ask, and the worst thing that can happen is that you get declined. Ask if an upgrade is available. If it's a special occasion, it doesn't hurt to volunteer that information either.
5. Hotel mistake? -- Sometimes a hotel's mistake can work to your advantage. Perhaps your room wasn't ready upon check-in, construction causing loss of sleep - you can always address a hotel issue with the management in a nice manner and see if they will do something (like provide an upgrade) for the inconvenience.
6. It's all about relationships, baby -- It's true, who you knows matter, and even more so if it happens to be the general manager at the hotel you're staying at. Don't have a connection? Don't fret. Book on luxury hotel site Kiwi Collection and they'll do the contacting for you. Half the hotels offer free perks and free upgrades, and if you book with a Visa Signature card at one of the 800 Visa properties, you get an automatic free room upgrade. Frequent Kiwi bookers can earn VIP status, and that's when they actually contact the hotel on your behalf to request for upgrades. There are some other sites that offer this as well, but you have to buy a membership.
7. Where you book matters -- If you're booking a standard room, a hotel actually can give you a different room just based on the booking source you made the reservation on. Ever experience a really crappy room right by the hotel's laundry area when booking on Expedia, only to find that your friend who booked elsewhere paid the same price but got a better room?
8. 8. Loyalty -- You'll have better chances of a free upgrade if you are loyal to the hotel and provide repeat business. It doesn't hurt at the time of reservation to let them know that you've stayed there before. Hotels know that it costs a lot less to keep a repeat customer happy then it is to acquire a new one, so often they'll give special treatment to return customers.
9. Title drop -- There aren't any guarantees, but you may find that title dropping can increase your chances of special treatment and upgrades. Hotels may want to impress you more because they know you're an important businessperson, someone who can refer new business or have blogging or press power.
10. Volunteering information -- If you're at the hotel celebrating a special occasion, like a birthday or anniversary, it can only help your case if you share the information with the front desk. Also, if you did book as a VIP on a site like Kiwi Collection, it doesn't hurt to mention your status and loyalty as a booker, and politely inquire about upgrade possibility.

Written by Amy Chan, Director of Marketing, Kiwi Collection

No Porn, No Problem, Says LodgeNet

LodgeNet Interactive (LNET) said it will not experience significant financial loss after an analyst report suggested its largest hotel-chain customer will phase out pornographic videos in its rooms. 

The analyst note suggests that porn is a strong revenue generator for LodgeNet. But the company stood by its 2011 and 2012 guidance, and said there is no change in programming expected at currently installed properties during those years.

"It has been widely disclosed the company has been diversifying its revenue base, and is less reliant on revenue from mature content than at any point in the past," LodgeNet said in a statement. "The company stands behind its guidance, and has not adjusted its projections or outlook as a result of the agreement referenced in the report."

LodgeNet's response helped it recoup some of its losses from earlier in the day after the report sent its shares tumbling more than 30% to $2.88. The shares closed down 19.5% at $3.38 on Wednesday.

The provider of media and connectivity solutions to hospitality and health-care businesses said it has always offered hotels options to restrict mature content, and noted the customer in question will get the option to restrict the movies in 2013.

External source: To read complete article 'Click Here'.

HotelsCombined.com Names the Top 10 Places to Get Naked

1. Naked Cycling: World Naked Bike Ride, next main ride 12 March 2011 worldwide Held annually since 2004 in cities around the world, people ride bikes naked to celebrate cycling and the human body. But it's not just about baring your bod; the ride demonstrates the vulnerability of cyclists on the road and is a protest against car culture. Ride proud, ride safely... Ride on!
   

2. Naked Hot Springs Bathing: Ooedo-Onsen-Monogatari in Tokyo, Japan Ooedo-Onsen-Monogatari, Tokyo's onsen theme park, is located in the popular Daiba area. Foreigners are able to strip off at this bathhouse and experience the therapeutic Japanese tradition of soaking in onsen (natural, mineral-rich hot springs) in which most Japanese immerse themselves. When walking around, cover your private parts with the tiny towels provided and leave your snorkel at home!
   

3. Naked Spa Treatments for Singles and Couples: Ayana Resort Bali and Spa, Indonesia Awaken your senses to opulent surroundings and drift into a wonderland of quintessential healing and indulgent therapies at Ayana Resort Bali and Spa, a spa destination marked by worldly distinction.
   

4. Naked Sauna: Kotiharjun Sauna, in Kallio, Helsinki, Finland Kotiharjun Sauna, in Kallio, is Helsinki's only remaining public wood-burning sauna and dates back to 1928. Enjoy the mellow heat of the traditional sauna, a real Finnish experience where you can also get a scrub-down and massage. There are separate saunas for men and women - the rule in Finnish public saunas.
   

5. Naked Art Festival: World Bodypainting Festival 27 June to 3 July 2011, Portschach am Worthersee, Austria Held annually since 1998, the World Bodypainting Festival is the biggest art event in the bodypainting theme. Imagine a painter who can create an image from an idea in the fullness of colour, design and expression, and then imagine this artist asking their canvas to sing, dance or scream. Whilst clothing is required to attend the event, you can be one of about 30,000 visitors to admire the wonderful work of the participants.
   

6. Naked City: Cap d'Agde, France Want to go to the bank naked? How about a naked visit to the post office or launderette? Fancy a nude stroll along a Mediterranean beach? Or even nip into the shops for some meat and potatoes, in Cap d'Agde people will do it starkers. When in France, visit the coast town of Cap d'Agde, the world's capital of naturism where the entire town is clothing-optional. Book early if you are traveling in summer as the population peaks to more than 40,000 when the summer-time crowd flocks here.
   

7. Naked Park: Schönfeldwiese in Englischer Garten, Munich, Germany The sprawling Englischer Garten is among Europe's biggest city parks covering an area of 3.7 square kilometres - bigger than London's Hyde Park and New York's Central Park and a favorite playground for locals and visitors alike. Within the Schönfeldwiese part of the Englischer Gartens, nude sunbathing has been permitted since the 1960s, something which many Germans (and Europeans) practice - so feel free to get into your birthday suit and soak up the sun!
   

8. Naked Beach: Haulover Beach, Miami Beach, Florida Haulover Beach is one of very few government-sanctioned clothing-optional beaches in the United States. Nestled between the Intercoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean, it has pristine white sand shores and is ideal for surfing as well as swimming. Although Haulover Nude Beach is only a small portion of the larger Haulover Beach Park, approximately 75% of visitors use the nude beach area, so get in the buff and join the crowd!
   

9. Naked Cruise: eWaterways Naturist Cruise Embarking 11 June 2011 Split, Croatia Cruising company eWaterways offers bold holidaymakers a chance to strip off for an eight-day naked cruise along the stunning Dalmatian Coast in Croatia. With visits to enchanting islands, endless opportunities for swimming, sunbathing and exploring, this cruise is for the free spirited, promising to invigorate the senses and minimize your holiday wardrobe worries.
   

10. Naked Cultural Event: Burning Man, 29 August to 5 September 2011, Black Rock Desert, Nevada, US Held annual since 1986, The Burning Man is described by many participants as an experiment in community, radical self-expression, and radical self-reliance. Partakers are encouraged to express themselves in a number of ways through various art forms and projects. The event is clothing-optional, so what better way to express oneself than to undress oneself?
    

About HotelsCombined.com

HotelsCombined.com is the world's leading hotel price comparison search engine. The site streamlines more than 2,500,000 real-time international hotel deals simultaneously, aggregating prices from online travel agents and hotel chains, including Expedia.com, Hotels.com, Booking.com, Travelocity.com, Agoda.com, Accor Hotels, Hilton, Choice Hotels, Best Western and Intercontinental Hotel Group. With no mark-up fees or additional booking fees, HotelsCombined.com offers travelers a completely free service to find the best available hotel deals.

Get Your Kit Off in 2011! HotelsCombined.com Names the Top 10 Places to Get Naked

Two Easy and Effective Ways to Grow Your Facebook Page Following

We all know by now that Facebook has become the dawn of the new age and creating a Facebook presence for your business should be a staple in your online marketing efforts. The question is no longer why Facebook is a valid channel to venture into, it’s how do I grow my Facebook Fan Page following?
The truth is this isn’t something that can be easily achieved overnight. It takes time, strategy, dedication and an ongoing commitment to build up a Facebook Fan base.

Below are a couple tips that will help your business grow their Facebook Fan following:

#1: Ongoing Commitment and Consistent Engagement
Creating a great first impression is vital. When prospective fans review and select Facebook pages to “Like’, quality content and active engagements may heavily impact their decision to “Like’ your page. Other factors that may impact their thinking when deciding whether or not to “Like’ a page include brand image or recognition. If their fellow Facebook connections have “Liked” your page, there is regular posting of new information or content and steady engagement from the administrator, your page has every reason to be “Liked”.

#2: Offer Incentives, Promotions or Rewards to Your Fans
Encourage fans to “Like’ your page in order to receive ongoing promotions or incentives. Offer your fans an exclusive offer that people who don’t “Like” your page won’t be privy to.
(Below is a screen shot of how you can offer incentives only to those who “Like” you page)

Rewarding your fans with special deals and incentives for their continued support will encourage them to spread the word to their friends by sharing the content and persuading them to “Like” your page as well.

Taking The Bite Out of Bedbugs with a Natural Product

Don Ascione, President and Chief Executive Officer of Continental Chemical USA (CCUSA) announced today, the launch of a new, all-natural product formulated to kill and control beg bug infestations. To facilitate distribution of Mattress Fresh Bed Bug Killer, an exclusive sales representation agreement was signed between CCUSA and Cutting Edge Formulations.

The agreement charges CCUSA, with complete responsibility for the national launch of Mattress Fresh, an all-natural, non-pesticide product manufactured in Buford, GA by Cutting Edge Formulations for the eradication of bed bugs. According to Ascione, Mattress Fresh was specifically formulated by Cutting Edge Formulations in response to the bed bug epidemic that is sweeping the nation.

Ascione stated, "CCUSA will immediately aim our sales and marketing efforts at the industries impacted by the negative publicity associated with bed bug infestation. The initial focus will be the hospitality industry as hotels and motels have experienced lost revenues and lawsuits associated with guest complaints about bed bug bites. Additional efforts will be directed to airlines, cruise lines, large housing complexes, prisons, hospitals, libraries and the cinemas that have been impacted by bed bug infestations." 

Mattress Fresh was developed in response to the strong demand for an all-natural inexpensive alternative to traditional bed bug infestation treatments which include heating/freezing infested areas and spraying with pesticides, which may include cancer causing agents. The Mattress Fresh, non-toxic formulation includes 100% EPA-exempt ingredients, which can easily and safely be applied by facility maintenance staff. Its effectiveness was verified with a 100% mortality rating afforded to Mattress Fresh by Snell Scientifics, an independent testing laboratory.

For more information about Mattress Fresh, please visit:

www.naturalmattressfresh.com

www.continentalchemicalusa.com

Or contact:

Mr. Stanley L Klunder, Vice President Sales

E-mail Address: sklunder@continentalchemicalusa.com

Corporate Office Phone: (954) 332-2290

Stratosphere Undergoes $20 Million Renovation

By Amanda Finnegan

Straddling the Strip and downtown, the Stratosphere has long toed the line between an Old Vegas resort and a modern mid-level hotel. Its Top of the World restaurant with its pricey steaks speaks of a luxury resort, but its rides atop its tower say family fun on a budget.

Now, the Stratosphere is spending about $20 million on renovations and reimaging to better position itself among its posh neighbors to the south. The resort has updated its rooms and casino floor and has a new marketing campaign to match.

The Stratosphere also announced Wednesday that Paul Hobson of the property’s sister hotel, the Aquarius in Laughlin, will step into the role of general manager at the property.

With a small budget of $20 million, Hobson said, the first priority in the renovations was the hotel rooms. The Stratosphere has about 900 revamped rooms to offer guests, with more to come, he said.

“We wanted to definitely address a good portion of the hotel rooms, and then we wanted to put a new face on the entire casino and public areas,” Hobson said. “Then we wanted to relocate the entrance of the property to its proper spot. Those were the three main items we wanted to address.”

The Stratosphere’s renovation is most obvious in the remodeled rooms in its Premier Tower. The rooms, known as Stratosphere Select rooms, have been redone in a red, taupe and black color scheme for a more stylish look.

New linens and furnishings from local manufacturer Foliot Furniture have been brought in and jacuzzi tubs are standard in all of the Stratosphere Select rooms.

The Stratosphere Select rooms aren’t a big departure from the hotel’s remaining older rooms but are still an upgrade. The resort’s older rooms all have flat screen TVS but little color and almost no artwork on the whitewashed walls.

The rooms will be priced about $15 more than the standard rooms on weekdays and $20 on weekends.

The Stratosphere is getting the word out about its new rooms with new marketing campaign and slogan — “New up, down and all around.”

Las Vegas residents may have seen the property’s new billboards, and Hobson said the Stratosphere’s new commercial aired during the BCS Championship game in the Southern California market on Monday.

The Stratosphere renovations are first evident from Las Vegas Boulevard. The front entrance of the property that once only accommodated walk-in traffic has been turned into a valet area. New landscaping has been added and new signs are coming soon.

Just inside, the resort has a revamped welcome area with marble flooring and a seating area with modern white couches for guests to wait for cabs or airport shuttles. A new VIP gaming lounge is just a few step further where the Stratosphere high-limit players can check into the resort in private.

The casino floor has been covered with new carpeting and there have been some slot machine upgrades. Keeping with the trend of popular Strip casinos, the Stratosphere has added a “party pit” of table games with scantily clad dealers.

Some of the Stratosphere’s food and beverage venues have also received a facelift, and a few new options have been added.

What was known as the Courtyard Buffet at the Stratosphere has been rebranded as Plate. Murals of brightly colored hot air balloons have been replaced with artsy food photos, and the buffet has been given a new green, brown and beige color palate.

Most of the stations remain the same in the buffet, but the hotel plans to add some live-action cooking stations and a grill for cooked-to-order steaks and chops with an upgraded buffet ticket.

Some indoor patio seating has been added at Roxy’s Diner where diners can watch 1950s movies such as “Beach Blanket Bingo” and Elvis Presley’s “Jailhouse Rock.” The menu has also been revamped with breakfast items to make Roxy’s Diner a 24-hour restaurant.

On the 108th floor of the Stratosphere tower, a lounge and sports bar called Air Bar has been added. The hotel boasts it’s the highest bar in Las Vegas.

Other subtle changes dot the resort. The hotel’s ticketing counter has been moved to the casino level, the showroom entrance has been redone and the resort is slowly replacing its brass fixtures with brushed nickel.

“I think it’s just going to be a continuous process for us. There are certain other areas that we’d certainly like to get into, eventually,” Hobson said. “We’ll sort take it as it comes.”

Stratosphere Undergoes $20 Million Renovation

Choice Hotels Opens Its First Extended Stay Hotel in Canada

Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) is pleased to announce the grand opening of the company’s first-ever extended stay hotel property in Canada located at 201 Palisades Way in Sherwood Park, Alberta at the corner of Sherwood Drive and Lakeland Drive, just minutes to Anthony Henday Drive and the Yellowhead Trail. The new MainStay Suites hotel, franchised by Choice, is owned and operated by the Remai Group of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Construction of the 119-room extended stay hotel initially began in late 2009.

“This is a significant milestone for the MainStay Suites brand and we’re proud to be the first owners to help Choice in taking this extended stay brand international,” said Barry Remai of the Remai Group. “The services and amenities of the hotel are designed to exceed the expectations of our target consumers, including relocating employees, construction companies and the oil and gas/petrochemical industry.”

The hotel features daily, weekly and monthly rates, business center, free high-speed wired and wireless Internet access, daily continental breakfast, fitness center and complimentary guest parking. Guestrooms feature a fully equipped kitchen with granite counter tops, hardwood flooring, 37-inch flat screen televisions, large work areas with bright task lighting, sofa beds, iron and ironing board.

MainStay Suites properties are the mid-market extended stay brand from Choice Hotels that offer residential style amenities with enough room for an extended stay including separate areas for dressing, relaxing, sleeping and eating.

Choice Hotels Opens Its First Extended Stay Hotel in Canada :: Hotel News Resource