II. Short Intro about the current situation 

This marketing study was conducted in order to provide hotels, resorts and villas in Bali with an insight into how the COVID-19 pandemic affects the industry and why digital marketing can help them go through this crisis.
Here we’ll be sharing some marketing tips and tools, as well as creative ideas, which are applicable to the hospitality sector in Bali. 

However, every business has its unique features, and therefore, needs a personally developed marketing strategy, which is based on its current situation, needs and goals.

While reading BRUT’s case study, keep in mind that it is not a comprehensive marketing action plan tailored to your business, but rather a general direction in which you should be moving and drawing inspiration from.

Whilst the spreading of the COVID-19 virus is hitting the economy worldwide, businesses are experiencing a huge loss of revenue as many of them are forced to close down. More and more countries are imposing lockdowns and bans on travel leading to hospitality being one of the most affected industries in this pandemic. Indonesia has taken serious measures regarding the incoming foreign flights by removing the visa-on-arrival policy. 

III. Marketing during the COVID-19 crisis

a. How it has changed & why it’s important to adapt your hotel’s marketing plan ASAP

Marketing hasn’t stopped. Even with a crisis like this one, getting your message across should remain a priority. Now that many of your customers are under quarantine, there is a chance for you to get their attention by reaching out to them in a thoughtful and sensitive way. With more people staying at home and checking social media frequently, now is the time to attract eyeballs on your content and brand design, increase mobile marketing, and this way grow your brand awareness. Marketing for resorts and hotels has changed - its goal has shifted from promoting to informing. Rather than trying to sell to customers by running desperate discounts and out-of-touch ads, businesses should focus on what’s actually valuable for their current and potential clients. Addressing the issue instead of sweeping it under the rug should be your top priority.

Although being tough and challenging, times like this Coronavirus crisis provide businesses with plenty of time to analyse and re-evaluate their current marketing strategies.

The ones who adapt to the situation, discover the opportunities and act upon them will come out of this crisis as winners. The “new normal” is here, and those who miss to respond to the changes as soon as possible are set for failure. Don’t be one of them!

Do you care about your guests? Then show it! Tell them about what measures are being taken at your property to ensure safety and how you’re helping your staff members to cope, and don’t forget to demonstrate solidarity by updating your cancellation policies. Empathy is key, especially amidst a crisis, when actions speak loud and mean a lot to people.  Failing to acknowledge the situation will be damaging to your business, but clear and comprehensive communication will get your name noticed.

Judged or praised - which one will it be?

c. Setting Anti-crisis Objectives: Step-by-step

Surviving the Coronavirus crisis wouldn’t be possible without a solid action plan and dedication until the end. We are not going to lie - this won’t be easy, but with the right mindset and guidance, your business will be able to withstand the storm and prepare for the new day. It should be already clear that there won’t be a typical high season in Bali this year. However, this is not the time to lose hope. We have gathered some essential objectives which hotels, resorts and villas and Bali need to pay attention to: 

1.) Minimize your loss as much as possible

Some of the properties that are still open will be welcoming a few tourists who have decided to quarantine in Bali, as well as expats living here. Although this is likely far from your usual capacity, there is yet a chance at boosting the overall revenue. How?

2.) Lower your business costs

Cutting unnecessary expenses is absolutely essential in this situation! For this matter you definitely know better where to cut from and what essentials to support, since you have an overview of your business’s performance. In general you can start with closing down parts of your property which are currently unpopulated, such as F&B outlets, gyms, etc., in order to reduce both energy and salary costs. Or you can try to re-purpose these spaces instead and turn your focus on your local area. For example, you can turn your traditional restaurant into a takeout service while keeping the social distancing requirements, just like St Regis, Hyatt Regency and others. 

Although it’s a painful situation for your staff, you’ll most likely be pressured to cut down on salaries since there is barely any income at this moment. However, instead of completely laying employees off, a better approach might be to simply switch to hourly wages and a part-time contract. This way you will efficiently reduce your labour costs, while at the same time take care of your staff members by saving their job. 

You might’ve tightened the belt when it comes to your major costs, but you may be forgetting all the extra smaller ones. A lot of subscription-based services and products are probably still being subtracted from your bank account as we speak. Especially if you’ve closed your property temporarily, it makes no sense to keep paying for these services - simply unsubscribe for a while. 

3.) Have clear communication

Are you taking the necessary safety measures and trying your best to ensure the wellbeing of your guests?

4.) Develop new products, expand into a new market

Change is good! Why? Because it gets businesses thinking and makes them more creative. Yes, the COVID-19 crisis has taken a toll on hotels and villas all across Bali. However, these extreme conditions make for a creative environment. What type of a service or product do you have the capacity to develop right now that can be of use to people, obviously, in the future or get you into a new market? It’s time for some brainstorming, thinking out of the box, and getting inspired, instead of discouraged! If there’s a will - there’s a way.

5.) Become more sustainable

Given the possibility, a good practice would be to carry out a utility audit. What we mean by that is to have a look at your energy consumption at the property, such as HVAC, lighting, sensors, etc. There’s a good chance that you might discover malfunctions which require repair and are likely to be using up too much electricity. Now that your rooms are empty, getting these problems fixed is a good idea. Not only will you be doing your part in helping the environment, but you’ll also save some costs at a time when you need to be as efficient as possible. It’s a win-win situation. 

Now the question is:

Are you currently setting concrete objectives and staying on track with them?

If not, now is the moment to start!

IV. What they did wrong VS How would we do it

We understand that in their attempt to respond well to the current situation, businesses sometimes either overdo it or cannot find the right way to get their message across. This is rather common, and usually the hotel or resort is not to blame, since they are forced to adapt their marketing strategy to the conditions as fast as possible, meaning that they have limited time and resources for it. This is why mistakes like this one can happen. This is a pop-up from a hotel website that, given the current conditions, is quite out of place. Trying to get people to sign up for their membership at this moment iis rather irrelevant, for some people even insensitive, and it appears that the hotel didn’t update their website’s design.Not to mention that it most likely won’t produce any results. 

V. Marketing during COVID-19: the DO’s and DON’Ts 

Now that we’ve established that communication is not only important, but a MUST during a crisis, it’s time to determine what you should and shouldn’t do as a hotel, resort or villa manager in Bali. With adequate digital marketing for hotels, you can greatly contribute to the recovery of your business, and even push it further once travel restrictions are lifted and tourists start flying to the island again. However, in their attempt to do something about the Coronavirus situation, some make the common mistake of throwing insensitive messages around, which usually will lead to a negative reaction from your current and future clients. Since you’re already reading this article, you clearly don’t want to be on the losing side. For all of you who are not ready to give up, we’ve created a list of DO’s and DON’Ts in marketing during a pandemic. Here are our marketing ideas for hotels, resorts and villa branding:
 

The DO’s:

1.) DO address the issue

First things first, let’s not pretend that this is not affecting you. At this point, people not only understand the severity of the situation, but they also appreciate the businesses’ honesty. Address the current situation across all of your social media channels, send out emails and don’t forget to also mention it on your website. When sharing the message, make sure to sound authentic and true to your intentions. Assure your guests that in case of any doubts, they can always contact you. If you are somehow helping the community out, don’t hesitate to add that as well. It’s fine to admit that you are struggling to cope at the moment - everyone is! This will win people’s sympathy and hopefully encourage them to re-book their stay with you. End your message on a positive note, and remind your guests that even if they had to cancel their vacation plans this year, you will make sure to provide them with a great experience soon!  

• Collaborate with local sport influencers: Online sports classes are a hot trend at the moment, and understandably so - staying at home doesn’t mean staying out of shape! A great idea would be to share your own working out lessons, whether it would be yoga, Muay Thai, or high intensity exercises. Invite a local sport influencer or instructor, who can shoot at the unutilized space at your property and create an online class. For them it’s a way to get quality footage at a beautiful location, for you - a chance to show off your hotel, resort or villa’s amenities, and for both of your audiences - a cool workout session. 
   
• SPA day at home: Write a blog on how people can indulge in a Balinese spa, relax and cope with stress from the comfort of their homes. Does your property own a spa? Even better! You can share tips on social media on reflexology and the power of essential oils, or even go one step further and provide your audience with a chance to sign up for an online traditional Balinese massage course. Thinking outside of the box will lead you to incredible ideas!
   
• Decorate like us: Are you a boutique hotel or villa? Do your guests often compliment on your unusual interior design and unique atmosphere? If the answer is yes, then it’s time for you to use this as your strategic advantage. Invite your blog readers and social media followers to take a virtual look at the decoration items of your property. What was the inspiration behind the design? Who painted the art pieces? How did you come up with the concept? Keep on brainstorming, and you will come up with some pretty cool stories to share!

Try to also get creative when it comes to your hotel’s mobile marketing, both in content and design, since people are now spending much more time on their phones. 

This will not only keep your good public image, but will also be praised by your guests, who will most likely share their experience on review websites, social media, and with their friends. Treat your clients with respect and generosity, and they will be the ones who will return to you after this crisis is over!

5.) DO create a long-term offer that will both benefit your customers and support your employees

As we progress into 2020, it is clear that the challenges aren’t over for the hospitality industry yet. This is why thinking long-term should be a priority. Coming up with mutually beneficial & flexible offers, such as “pay now, stay later” with the possibility for guests to flexibly choose their stay and reschedule as much as they need until 2022, or “pay for 2 nights, stay 3” by offering an extra free night to guests, are what will give you the opportunity to generate some income today and support your staff members during these financially hard times.

6.) DO stay connected to your guests via email marketing

Starting one of the creative initiatives that we’ve already suggested above? Don’t let your past and loyalty guests miss out on it! Crafting an engaging email is the way to go if you want to increase your build awareness and popularise your fun content. For those who want to go the extra mile, and have the capacity to do so, you can encourage people to subscribe to your newsletter, which will provide them with valuable content. With your hotel’s email marketing you will be building brand loyalty and inspiring people to re-book with you one day.  

However, beware that emails that aim to take advantage of the situation by trying to just sell rather than add value will be met with irritation and possibly even anger. Be mindful about the tone of voice and choice of words, since this is a sensitive topic still. A marketing agency can guide your hotel through the process of finding the right communication tools.    

8.) DO focus on Inbound Marketing

This innovative marketing approach, where instead of fighting for potential customers’ attention you are providing people with useful solutions, should definitely be considered! Developing a new effective inbound marketing strategy will help your hotel receive qualified leads and increase conversion rates. The key is to switch to being buyer-centric by adjusting your marketing and sales efforts to what they really need and want.

Attract, engage, delight: 3 stages leading to strong brand trust and credibility.
 

9.) DO listen to your Brand Heart

Last, but not least - listen to your brand’s heart for some guidance. This can be your compass for navigating through times like these, when you need to remind people what you stand for, and how that reflects in your attitude towards the COVID-19 crisis. Use your brand voice to share your values, tell human stories, and express sympathy. The businesses who are recognized as authentic will be the ones to capture people’s attention and gain their trust, which is of essential value in the long-run.    

For a start, begin to engage with your past guests who follow you on social media by asking them to share their favourite pictures of their previous stay with you, for example, and create a contest where you can feature the best photos on your profile. Then, take it one step further and create a series of fun workshops, destination info, tips and tutorials, such as the ones we already mentioned earlier. You should get super creative and come up with numerous ideas which will both add value to others, and bring attention to your business in Bali.        

3.) DON’T forget to be price-sensitive

We are sure that you know best which direction to choose for your business. However, If you aim to win the “price game”, go for it, but beware - you need to decide on what your goal is at the moment. You also need to determine what price strategy is the most suitable, given your current resources. For some hotels and resorts, added value for their guests would be a better option, such as extra nights for free, or a complimentary breakfast and dinner. Get creative and be generous!   

4.) DON’T forget to update your website and social media profiles

This is something that you might not even think of when it comes to your communication, nonetheless it is easy to fix and would definitely get noticed. We’re talking about your website’s imagery.

When people open your website right now, what do they see?
 

If you haven't used it yet (OMG), create an email addresses list and put every single cancelled booking in a category, such as couples, business travellers, etc. This will help you to craft personalized promo messages later on. When the situation begins to recuperate, you can begin with encouraging the same people to re-book, by offering them extra perks and complimentary services. Let them know that you are still keeping them in mind, and that you would love to have them this time. A tempting offer such as a -10/20% discount on their next stay won’t go unnoticed, that’s for sure!
 

To Recap:

Expectantly our marketing ideas in this case study will help your hotel, resort or villa navigate through the crisis. From all that we’ve discussed so far, it is clear that adequate and smart marketing in times of the COVID-19 virus will earn you a great competitive advantage and help you recover in the long-term. It is also a part of the crisis management measures you should be implementing, along with reducing your costs and having clear communication. What we’ve covered in this Case Study is only the tip of the iceberg: digital marketing for hotels allows you to reach your audience worldwide, connect and engage with them in various ways. Now is not the time to rest, but on the contrary, you should be increasing your brand awareness, communicating well with guests and most importantly - leaving a memorable impression on them.

Digital experts at our marketing agency will make sure to kick it off with a carefully prepared marketing action plan, and get you through the implementation strategy step-by-step. Let’s turn this global crisis into a business opportunity - together!