Flip.to, Author at Flip.to Blog

Flip.to is “secret sauce” for The Oliver Hotel’s off the charts guest engagement & room sales boost

The Oliver Hotel joined forces in 2012 with Flip.to to help spread the word about its updated Southern charm, sophistication and amenities

ORLANDO, FL – DECEMBER 2014 – The Oliver Hotel, a historic, boutique hotel in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee, underwent renovation and renaming in 2011. The hotel joined forces in 2012 with Flip.to, the brand advocate platform, to help spread the word about its updated Southern charm, sophistication and amenities.

The Oliver Hotel

The partnership has been so successful that the 28-room hotel booked an astounding 430 room nights through Flip.to’s guest advocacy in the past year.

“Flip.to is The Oliver Hotel’s secret sauce. We hate to give away the recipe but Flip.to is the future of hotel social media,” said Mike Riley, GM of The Oliver Hotel. “Our engagement rate is off the charts, and Flip.to has lead to at least a direct 5% increase in total annual room sales, not to mention the word of mouth it creates down the line.

“Furthermore, Flip.to gives us an easy way to immediately gauge guest feedback the moment they step out the front door. If you don’t believe me, check out the front page of our website – it’s like our very own TripAdvisor,” added Riley.

Right at the time of booking, Flip.to encourages guests to share their upcoming trip to The Oliver Hotel with their social connections around the world. This drives friends and relatives to a uniquely personalized hotel website experience and leads them down the path of becoming future guests.

Oliver Royale

“When guests love a hotel, they want to let everyone know,” said Debi Moses, Senior Director of Sales for Flip.to. “And The Oliver Hotel is a hotel guests love. Flip.to offers a way to share that excitement in a way where everybody wins – guests, friends, and the hotel’s bottom line.”

To find out more about how Flip.to can help create a significant, measurable impact for your hotel, please get in touch with Debi Moses at dmoses@flip.to or visit www.flip.to.

Flip.to & Vizergy partner to help hotels turn guest referrals into a powerful new business channel

Flip.to partners with Vizergy, the leading partner in hotel internet marketing

ORLANDO, FL – NOVEMBER 2014 – Flip.to is proud to announce its most recent strategic partnership with Vizergy, the hospitality industry’s leading partner in hotel internet marketing. Flip.to, the brand advocate platform, turns hotel guests into a huge, trusted extension of a hotel’s marketing force, boosting brand awareness and earning new guests around the world.

Vizergy has partnered with Flip.to on multiple fronts, ranging from a new product offering within Vizergy’s best-in-class suite of marketing services, to a seamless integration with Secure-Res, their globally respected booking platform. This partnership has allowed Vizergy clients to take full advantage of the Flip.to brand advocate platform and has laid the foundation for hotels to earn increased customer engagement and generate new guests, with the help of their existing guests.

Since partnering, Vizergy has integrated Flip.to on a number of customer websites, as well as a variety of booking engines. The roster of Vizergy’s customers that have opted to integrate this service into their online strategy continue to see added revenue gains and increased traffic due to viral marketing. These successes are driven by the performance of the Flip.to platform and its ability to create uniquely personalized messaging for guests of each specific hotel property.

“Flip.to and Vizergy are proactively working together to design an integrated platform that has a real impact for our mutual customers based on what’s best suited for each one. Our mission is to help hotels earn new guests and we’re laser-focused on doing just that everyday,” said Edward St.Onge, President of Flip.to.

“We are thrilled to continue partnering with innovative new social platforms such as Flip.to,” said Robert Arnold, President of Vizergy. “As guests become increasingly vocal in the social sphere, it is critical to bring new and unique products to the table that will allow our clients to maximize booking potential and enhance relevant and targeted messaging for their properties. Flip.to delivers that added benefit of trusted word-of-mouth marketing, and we look forward to providing this service to many more of our socially savvy hotel clientele.”

Flip.to helps Florida Mall Hotel engage guests like never before, resulting in huge ROI

Flip.to has helped the hotel staff kick off engagement with their guests right at the time of booking, building brand connections with guests’ friends and family and most importantly, earning new guests

Florida Hotel Foyer

ORLANDO, FL – OCTOBER 2014 -Even before guests arrive at The Florida Hotel & Conference Center, a public conversation about their upcoming stay is already underway. Flip.to, the brand advocate platform, has helped the hotel staff kick off engagement with their guests right at the time of booking, building brand connections with guests’ friends and family and most importantly, earning new guests.

“We actively engage with each new guest who shares with their network via Flip.to, and 50% answer and engage in online conversations with us, resulting in more views by friends, direct bookings, more potential customers for the future and more fans and followers on each of our social sites,” said Simone Kuska-Villanueva, Director of Sales and Marketing for The Florida Hotel Orlando & Conference Center.

“It’s hard to buy recognition in this technology-driven world we work in. We have to always think of ways to increase traffic to our own website, and Flip.to has played a huge role in it,” said Kuska-Villanueva. “We can’t wait to see what’s next!”

Florida Hotel Breakfast

Flip.to turns guests into advocates as they share with their social connections about their upcoming stay at The Florida Hotel, making them a personal and trusted part of the hotel’s marketing force. A unique experience on the hotel’s website for each and every friend of the guest takes them down the path toward a future booking at the hotel.

“The Florida Hotel is utilizing the features of Flip.to brilliantly,” said Debi Moses, Senior Director of Sales for Flip.to. “With every new mention of their hotel online, they are increasing both their exposure and their guest endorsements. Our mission is to help hotels earn new guests, and we are thrilled how The Florida Hotel is using our platform to do just that.”

To find out more about how Flip.to can help create a significant, measurable impact for your hotel, please get in touch with Debi Moses at dmoses@flip.to or visit www.flip.to.

Flip.to drives off-season bookings with the help of peak season guests of KeyLime Cove

Flip.to helps KeyLime Cove get unusually high bookings in slow season

Indoor Waterpark at KeyLime Cove

ORLANDO, FL – OCTOBER 2014 – Within one month of launching Flip.to during their peak summer season, guests of KeyLime Cove Indoor Waterpark Resort spread the word about their upcoming trip to over a hundred thousand friends and family around the country, driving future bookings for a time of year that is typically a little slower.

“KeyLime Cove launched Flip.to toward the end of a busy occupancy period. Not only did we have nearly 30% of online guests sharing their visit on social media, but we saw a nice boost in inbound visitors to our website and to our Facebook business page,” said Jennifer Evans, Marketing Manager for KeyLime Cove.

“Our team was thrilled with how guests embraced the opportunity for interaction. At the end of the day, it’s about ROI – and we’ve got future bookings during non-peak periods to validate that Flip.to works,” said Evans.

“Guests who share during the peak season reach more connections who may make future plans during your slow season,” said Debi Moses, Senior Director of Sales for Flip.to.

Duval Street at KeyLime Cove

“Whether it’s your peak or non-peak season, Flip.to helps reach an extraordinarily wide audience of friends and family thanks to your advocates, and brings those new connections back to your website for future bookings. And that is a very good thing for your bottom line.”

To find out more about how Flip.to can help create a significant, measurable impact for your hotel, please get in touch with Debi Moses at dmoses@flip.to or visit www.flip.to.

Luxury Hollywood hotel reaches upscale clientele with Flip.to

Since implementing the brand advocacy platform six months ago, Chamberlain guests have shared about their stay with 143,000 friends and family around the world

Lobby at Chamberlain West Hollywood

ORLANDO, FL – SEPTEMBER 2014 – How do you reach thousands of potential guests who want a dramatic, luxurious West Hollywood experience when they stay in LA? That was the question for the Chamberlain West Hollywood, which wanted to extend their marketing reach beyond their strong social media presence.

The answer was Flip.to. Since implementing the brand advocacy platform six months ago, Chamberlain guests have shared about their stay with 143,000 friends and family around the world – people who likely share their upscale demographic, and who desire a luxury hotel when they visit LA.

“Flip.to has been able to drive bookings and awareness to our upscale boutique hotel,” said John Douponce, General Manager of the Chamberlain West Hollywood. “Fully 21% of our guests have shared about our hotel with their friends.”

Guests shared a branded message with their personal networks through Flip.to, becoming an integral marketing tool by creating a personal awareness about the hotel for every one of their connections. Each guest post directed their friend or relative to the hotel’s website, which Flip.to then dynamically personalized for each and every guest connection.

Guestroom at Chamberlain West Hollywood

“Chamberlain West Hollywood is a luxury hotel, and wanted to reach a similarly upscale clientele,” said Debi Moses, Senior Director of Sales for Flip.to. “The beauty of Flip.to is that whether your hotel is high-end or limited-service, your guests will share with friends who are similar to themselves. That’s your core market.”

To find out more about how Flip.to can help create a significant, measurable impact for your hotel, please get in touch with Debi Moses at dmoses@flip.to or visit www.flip.to.

Shore Hotel reaches millennial travelers with Flip.to’s innovative approach

Santa Monica hotel has reached nearly 150,000 of their guests’ social connections, a large percentage of tech-savvy Millennial travelers

The pool at Shore Hotel

ORLANDO, FL – AUGUST 2014 – Since launching Flip.to in April 2014, Shore Hotel in Santa Monica has reached nearly 150,000 of their guests’ social connections – a demographic with a large percentage of tech-savvy Millennial travelers.

“We were immediately intrigued by the concept and the platform. Flip.to provided us with an innovative way to engage our existing guests and increase direct bookings through our website,” said Lori Harrison, Director of Sales and Marketing for Shore Hotel. “The market is saturated with Millennial travel buyers who eagerly reach out to their networks, so we are now able to reach this demographic through technology. We’ve been pleased with Flip.to’s awareness of the travel market, and the resulting ROI with their product.”

Flip.to encourages guests of Shore Hotel to become brand advocates. Each advocate spreads the word about their upcoming stay to friends around the world, who are typically a similar demographic as the guest. That makes these trusted brand connections extremely valuable to the hotel, because they’re targeted at the travelers who have a high potential of being a future guest.

Flip.to then creates a personal experience for each one of their guests’ social connections, with the goal of turning them into a guest.

Ocean view at Shore Hotel

“Shore Hotel has had an impressive growth across several areas, but their increase in guest connections stands out the most. The friends of their guests are the exact demographic that hotel is trying to reach and the results speak for themselves,” said Debi Moses, Senior Director of Sales for Flip.to. “Our platform has increased their web traffic, sign-ups, and bookings across the board.”

To find out more about how Flip.to can help create a significant, measurable impact for your hotel, please get in touch with Debi Moses at dmoses@flip.to or visit www.flip.to.

Four uniquely different hotels reach 48,000 connections in two months with Flip.to

Within two months of implementing Flip.to, they had connected with nearly 48,000 friends and family of guests

Bentley South Beach

ORLANDO, FL – JULY 2014 – Menin Hospitality owns the Bentley South Beach on the famed Ocean Drive; Gale South Beach, a luxury boutique 87-room Art Deco hotel; the Zen-like Sanctuary South Beach; and the Raffaello Chicago, centrally located on the famed Miracle Mile.

Searching for a way to effectively leverage the marketing power of their guests across the four unique hotels led Menin Hospitality directly to Flip.to.

Within two months of implementing Flip.to, they had connected with nearly 48,000 friends and family of guests.

26% of Menin Hospitality’s guests across all four properties shared a branded message with their personal networks through Flip.to, becoming an integral marketing tool for the hospitality group by creating a personal awareness about the hotel for every one of their connections. Each guest post included a unique link that directed their friend or relative to the hotel’s website, which Flip.to then dynamically personalized for each and every guest connection.

“Menin Hospitality is always looking for new and innovative ways to reach our present and future guests,” said Marisa Marcus, Director of Marketing for Menin Hospitality. “After two months of utilizing Flip.to, it has become a go-to social platform for the company. We have seen significant increases in connections, unique website visits and email sign-ups, ultimately resulting in an increase of guests staying with us at our hotels.”

Kaskades Suites at Gale South Beach

“Flip.to allows hotel groups to deploy a guest referral strategy across multiple properties and locations that vary in every way, with great results and consistency,” said Debi Moses, Senior Director of Sales for Flip.to. “Never before Flip.to has this been possible for groups like Menin.”

To find out more about how Flip.to can help create a significant, measurable impact for your hotel, please get in touch with Debi Moses at dmoses@flip.to or visit www.flip.to.

An early 2014 hotel marketing compass for the social landscape

The ever-changing social landscape means that sales and marketing efforts need to tweak their focus on a pretty regular basis to stay effective. So where should you focus your time and efforts? The infographic below provides a nice breakdown of the more popular sites and the sweet spot for each.

via Leverage.

Facebook is still leading the pack with 1 billion users. In a relatively young space, they are the granddaddy. What makes their user base interesting is that 50% of their users fall into the 35-64 year age bracket. For most hotels that is their demographic sweet spot.

Twitter has the next highest user base. The average Twitter user has 208 followers. This site has the best gender equality of all of the sites with a roughly 50/50 breakdown of male/female users. However, women tweet more frequently than men.

Google+ is adding a significant number of users on a daily basis. However, the stat that speaks the loudest is how much time their users actually spend on the site. The average G+ user only spends 3 minutes per month on the site. Compare that to the average 405 minutes per month a Facebook user spends and the value of the network is greatly diminished.

LinkedIn is still the largest business networking site out there. What makes their fan base so interesting is that they tend to be early adopters and over 60% of their members have high personal incomes and 79% are 35 or older. Members are represented in 200 different countries with Latin and South American countries realizing the largest growth in recent years. There is even one member who lists their profession as “Martini Whisperer” and no, it’s not me.

Pinterest seems to be catching everyone’s eye these days, or at least female eyes. 68% of their users are female. This site allows people to discover more about their passions and connect with others that share those passions. On the down side, the networks are somewhat skewed. The average user has 229 followers but only follows 20 people.

Instagram has become more and more powerful, especially now with the Facebook checkbook backing it. It is a great way for brands to create an image that connects with its followers where they control the content. It’s a mobile app with a distinct user demographic. Over 90% of its user base falls into the 18-34 category so if that isn’t your target demographic, this site may not be as powerful for you.

What’s the conclusion of all of this? The obvious one is you need to have a social presence. But if you are trying to decide where to allocate limited resources, ask yourself these three questions:

What is my target demographic?
Does the average age of the user in the social network fit my target demographic?
Can I deliver content that is appealing for that channel?

Each of these networks have specific audiences. Making sure that you are active in the ones that best fit your target demographic will provide you with a better presence and long term, a higher ROI on your efforts.