Intro/Outro – 00:00:02: Welcome to the Lodge Second Podcast, offered by Revinate, the podcast the place we discuss to leaders within the hospitality trade. If you happen to’re on the lookout for traits, views, and tales from leaders in journey and hospitality, you’re in the appropriate place.
Karen – 00:00:21: Good day, and welcome to the Lodge Second podcast. I’m your host, Karen Stephens, the Chief Advertising and marketing Officer of Revinate. And at this time we’re thrilled to have Evan Crawford, a strategic resort marketer and thinker. With an intensive background in model improvement, Evan brings a wealth of expertise as Vice President of Advertising and marketing at Pyramid International Hospitality. His journey within the hospitality trade spans over a decade, marked by roles starting from regional advertising administration to company management, and all underscored by a ardour for journey, on-line advertising methods, and rising applied sciences. Evan’s progressive method to leveraging expertise to boost visitor expertise and optimize income streams has positioned him as a thought chief amidst the intersection of hospitality and expertise.
Welcome, Evan.
Evan – 00:01:04: Thanks. I’m glad to be right here.
Karen – 00:01:05: You understand what? I’m actually glad to have you ever right here. And most of the people take heed to this podcast, for individuals who are watching us on YouTube, we’re sitting in a really distinctive room right here. We are literally collectively in the identical room at NAVIGATE Miami.
Evan – 00:01:16: No Zoom.
Karen – 00:01:17: No Zoom. I do know. It’s form of cool. So that is actually enjoyable to have the ability to do a podcast reside.
Evan – 00:01:22: Completely.
Karen – 00:01:22: Okay. So I’ve a few inquiries to get began right here. So your journey in hospitality has been marked by fairly a number of various units of roles. So what initially sparked your curiosity within the subject and the way did you make your approach over to your present place?
Evan – 00:01:36: Yeah. I imply, I form of fell into the trade virtually by chance. I don’t know if I wish to inform the whole story.
Karen – 00:01:43: Let’s do it.
Evan – 00:01:43: You need the entire story?
Karen – 00:01:44: I wish to know. Yeah. That is attention-grabbing.
Evan – 00:01:46: Effectively, in the event you actually wish to get all the way down to the start, my mentor, who truly nonetheless works for Pyramid, is a gentleman named John McMullen. He’s a wonderful gross sales skilled and nice advertising thoughts. And he was the director of gross sales and advertising for a resort down in St. Lucia. And his nanny was truly my girlfriend on the time.
Karen – 00:02:05: Good.
Evan – 00:02:06: And so we received to know one another and he simply wanted some assist. I used to be in school and began working for him in an assistant function and form of graduated from school. He promoted me, and simply began form of studying the ropes of the trade — each gross sales and advertising. And, you understand, simply form of progressed from there into, I feel, Gross sales and Advertising and marketing Coordinator function and on as much as a Advertising and marketing Supervisor function, all working with resorts within the islands. And it was unbelievable.
Karen – 00:02:34: Yeah. That’s life.
Evan – 00:02:35: Yeah. Actually simply, I’ve to say, with out John, so John, in the event you take heed to this, I really like him. However with out him, I’d not be right here at this time. That’s for positive. And yeah, he’s been a rare mentor, however I actually form of simply fell into the trade, to be sincere with you.
Karen – 00:02:49: Wow. That’s so cool. So what’s your diploma in? What had been you learning in school?
Evan – 00:02:51: Communication.
Karen – 00:02:52: Communication. All proper. Cool. So we’re within the camps.
Evan – 00:02:54: So I’m not far off.
Karen – 00:02:54: It’s not like we had been, you understand.
Evan – 00:02:55: Yeah. Extra the hospitality half is what I form of fell into. Nevertheless it’s my blessing, for positive.
Karen – 00:02:58: Yeah. So, you’ve been in hospitality from the bounce then. So, proper out of school.
Evan – 00:03:04: Sure.
Karen – 00:03:04: Wow. That’s unbelievable. Yeah. So now you’re at Pyramid.
Evan – 00:03:08: Yeah.
Karen – 00:03:08: So are you able to simply give our listeners an outline of how large is Pyramid? What does the portfolio appear to be? And what’s your function there? Or how do you combine throughout all of these issues?
Evan – 00:03:17: Certain. Yeah. So we’ve got 200 plus properties in whole, each model and unbiased. I work particularly with our unbiased properties in our luxurious and life-style division. The gathering is known as Benchmark Resorts and Motels. So overseeing these, we’ve got, I feel, 70 or so unbiased properties. In order that’s form of the place I match into it. However yeah, actually, actually giant firm. To be sincere, it feels smaller than that, which I feel is nice as a result of I’ve numerous nice connections all through the corporate and it’s a reasonably nice household. So I get pleasure from it lots.
Karen – 00:03:47: Yeah. That’s very cool. So 70 independents, I feel what’s at all times attention-grabbing about managing independents is that every one of them have their very own form of distinctive really feel. Like that’s form of the great thing about it, proper? You will have the ability of an enormous administration firm that’s in a position to standardize and do numerous issues. Each single resort has its personal taste. So are you able to discuss a bit of bit about the way you method that once you purchase a brand new resort?
Evan – 00:04:09: Certain.
Karen – 00:04:09: How do you actually determine the right way to market and produce it into the fold?
Evan – 00:04:12: Yeah, properly, I feel, you understand, most significantly, you need them to retain their very own distinctive id.
Karen – 00:04:17: That’s the entire level, yeah.
Evan – 00:04:18: So I feel as we’re advertising the whole assortment, it’s about the place can we join the dots? How can we showcase and spotlight these distinctive experiences and these extraordinary locations whereas additionally form of connecting them, whether or not it’s via, I don’t know, themes and mountains and golf and spa and these widespread experiences? However, I feel it’s actually vital to spotlight the variations and the variety as a result of folks desire a various set of experiences. I feel when issues get too homogenous, I don’t know in the event that they get bored essentially, however you wish to do issues which are distinctive and have new experiences. And what we actually concentrate on isn’t just the field and the mattress. It’s extra concerning the vacation spot and the way you immerse your self within the tradition and delicacies et cetera.
Karen – 00:05:01: Yeah, you understand, it’s actually cool. We’ve been, in order I discussed, we’re right here at NAVIGATE. And numerous what’s developing right here is the significance of emphasizing how the resort suits into the local people and the native — and we all know that youthful generations developing actually prioritize that. It’s approach past, as you stated, Ed within the Field and all of that.
Evan – 00:05:18: Completely.
Karen – 00:05:19: I feel it may be attention-grabbing if we discuss a bit of bit about personalization since you’ve received 70 independents. You need them to function, feel and look like an unbiased. However on the again finish, are you able to discuss a bit of bit about the way you’re capturing visitor knowledge since you actually need to have the ability to cross-promote, proper? You understand, it is a seaside vacation spot. Who else do we’ve got on the seaside? So discuss a bit of bit about your method to that and the way you consider it.
Evan – 00:05:40: Yeah. I imply, properly, to begin, I feel we most likely can all enhance in the best way we try this. It’s an ongoing problem, particularly with, such as you stated, you have got these distinctive properties. However in additionally many circumstances, they’ve various programs that could be instead of totally different properties. So, clearly doing a little work with Revinate to that finish. But in addition we work with a associate known as Laasie for a buyer loyalty program who clearly integrates with Revinate. However utilizing programs like that, we’ve got no intention of being Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors. That’s not the purpose. However first-party knowledge is very vital. So the extra we are able to domesticate that first-party viewers has great advantages to that. After which if we are able to enrich these profiles via programs like Revinate, then it might probably turn out to be that rather more highly effective.
Karen – 00:06:23: Actually highly effective. So I feel if we discuss a bit of bit about first-party knowledge, as you talked about, that’s form of the gold normal, isn’t it? As a result of I feel particularly for youthful generations, as we talked about, I don’t suppose that they’re actually involved in factors. I feel they’re involved in experiences. So are you able to speak about how you utilize that seize? What are the contact factors on the resort? I do know there’s tech stacks occurring under, however once you take over a resort, how do you get them to consider how they get that knowledge and leverage it?
Evan – 00:06:48: Yeah, that’s an incredible query. I imply, clearly, the reservation course of and people interactions via check-in, cellular registration, web site opt-in – I feel a key component to first-party knowledge seize is reducing the bar for receiving it. I feel so usually we’re asking for the blood kind of the firstborn, too, to ensure that them simply to inform us about themselves. I feel reducing the bar for participating with us, after which providing some form of worth to them to ensure that them to interact with us. So whether or not that’s a Laasie with some form of on the spot gratification, or it doesn’t should be at all times reductions, however some form of worth add for them to offer us with details about them. After which as we’re attempting to get them to inform us extra about themselves, proceed down that path. However we don’t have to begin by asking the entire questions. Begin with a low bar, after which we are able to be taught extra about them. And I’m a communication main. So, you understand, some of the fundamental communication ideas is peeling again the layers of the onion. And it’s all about, I inform you one thing and then you definately reciprocate and finally we get to the core, proper? You understand, and I feel that is still true with how we interact and that may be via digital engagements or in particular person, however we are able to’t simply instantly go to probably the most private questions and anticipate to get a lot of a response.
Karen – 00:08:07: 100%. You understand, it jogs my memory of, you understand, I’ve performed gross sales for a very long time. And once we very first rolled out what’s now known as Revinate Advertising and marketing, it was known as Inguest again within the day. After which, I don’t know what we had been pondering, however we had been like, “Oh, we’re going to pre-qualify these prospects and we’re going to ask them 20 questions.” I imply, every little thing, “What’s your OTA?” I imply, I don’t even know. However the backside line is we’d ask all these questions after which we’d go, “Okay, nice.” And right here’s my demo. It’s like, what, in the event you’re going to ask the query, just remember to’re giving fast reward for that reply, proper? So it’s like, we’re not simply asking for the sake of it. And I feel that that’s actually vital. You understand, in the event you’re going to get the info, be sure to reward the folks for providing you with the info. So it’s very cool. Because the panorama of digital advertising continues to evolve, what methods have you ever applied at Pyramid to leverage rising applied sciences and platforms for efficient buyer acquisition and retention? So we touched on a few of it, however…
Evan – 00:08:59: Yeah, I imply, I used to be simply having a dialog final night time. I feel one space that’s actually vital is being the place our prospects are, whether or not that’s with messaging engagement or simply wherever that if we all know a client is in a spot, let’s not power them to go some other place to interact with us. I feel that’s key. Nevertheless it’s from like a media perspective. We’re taking part in lots within the OTT area with streaming media, simply taking numerous the methods we are able to do concentrating on via digital media recommendation and taking that into extra of a conventional type of media.
Karen – 00:09:28: Oh, wow.
Evan – 00:09:29: With tv and streaming tv or streaming audio. I feel that’s actually thrilling.
Karen – 00:09:34: Wait, wait, you bought to inform me a bit of bit extra about that. So OTT, what does that stand for?
Evan – 00:09:37: Excessive.
Karen – 00:09:38: Okay, OTT, all proper.
Evan – 00:09:40: However, you understand, the Hulus of the world.
Karen – 00:09:42: Certain.
Evan – 00:09:42: In order that’s the best way individuals are participating with tv.
Karen – 00:09:45: Yeah, that’s proper.
Evan – 00:09:46: And it’s way more cost-efficient than doing an enormous media purchase in a serious market via Comcast or, you understand, one of many cable suppliers. And it’s simply extra extremely focused and certified. So that’s actually not a brand new media channel. You understand, folks have been participating with these streaming platforms for fairly a while. However so far as a top-of-funnel form of prospecting, media channel is vital to us. And we’ve seen fairly a little bit of success there. And I feel simply getting higher and I form of qualify that as a result of we’re not excellent at this.
Karen – 00:10:17: Certain, positive.
Evan – 00:10:18: However doing a greater job of segmenting our audiences and actually understanding who they’re, participating with them on the proper time with the appropriate message. I feel most likely any enterprise might at all times proceed to enhance at that.
Karen – 00:10:30: Yeah.
Evan – 00:10:30: However the higher our knowledge is, the higher {our capability} to do this is.
Karen – 00:10:34: Yeah. And I feel, you understand, hospitality, all of us find it irresistible. It’s such an exquisite, distinctive trade. However we’re a bit of bit behind more often than not.
Evan – 00:10:42: Too far behind.
Karen – 00:10:43: So now we’re getting higher and higher. And positively that’s what Revinate seeks to do as properly is to just remember to can perceive your visitors and actually personalize and goal. In order that’s very cool. That’s the primary time I’ve heard concerning the media buys on streaming.
Evan – 00:10:54: Actually?
Karen – 00:10:54: Yeah, I’m positive. I imply, however I’m simply saying I do numerous podcasting. Yeah, yeah. And that’s the primary time. In order that’s a very cool technique.
Evan – 00:11:01: Yeah.
Karen – 00:11:01: I actually, I really like that.
Evan – 00:11:02: Yeah. I imply, it’s.
Karen – 00:11:03: It’s transportable too.
Evan – 00:11:04: Yeah. And it’s undoubtedly. However in these items all depend on — you bought to make the funding in video. You understand, I didn’t point out that, however virtually each social platform is prioritizing video over nonetheless pictures. In order that’s one thing that we have to prioritize at every particular person resort is saying, “Hey, you understand what? We have to spend money on our property as a result of with out high quality property, you may’t do all the good issues over right here.” So-
Karen – 00:11:27: 100%. As a result of in the event you’re going to do it, you bought to do it proper. You possibly can’t go midway.
Evan – 00:11:30: Yeah.
Karen – 00:11:31: As a result of that’s simply not proper. And tacky.
Evan – 00:11:34: 100%.
Karen – 00:11:35: And I’m positive, once more, with our trade, numerous instances folks have been doing issues a sure approach for therefore lengthy. And so they suppose that that is the best way to roll. So I’m positive that that’s attention-grabbing as you begin to form of win the hearts and minds to suppose a bit of bit outdoors the field.
Evan – 00:11:47: 100%.
Karen – 00:11:48: Yeah.
Evan – 00:11:48: Completely.
Karen – 00:11:49: Very cool. So what sort of key insights have you ever had from NAVIGATE? Is there something? I do know we’ve had numerous periods at this time we’ve been out and in. Is there one speaker or an concept that you just’ve come away with that you just’re like, oh, that’s both they’re talking my language or that’s not one thing I thought of earlier than?
Evan – 00:12:04: I imply, clearly the CDP. That’s form of the inspiration of every little thing that we have to do.
Karen – 00:12:12: Superior.
Evan – 00:12:12: Till we join all of the dots and remove as many silos as potential. And silos don’t simply exist with knowledge. They exist with numerous companions. But when we are able to ensure that we’ve received one hub for the place our knowledge goes, and the place it lives, and the place we’re going to leverage it. I feel that’s of the utmost significance. And it influences actually each determination we make from how we’re spending our media {dollars} outdoors of, you understand, outdoors of Revinate to how we’re participating with our prospects on property. It truly is form of every little thing.
Karen – 00:12:43: All the things.
Evan – 00:12:43: To what we’re doing. And with out it, it’s not like you may’t operate or something like that. You form of get one arm tied behind your again.
Karen – 00:12:49: You don’t have all the knowledge. Yeah.
Evan – 00:12:51: That’s most likely what I’m most enthusiastic about.
Karen – 00:12:53: That’s nice. As a result of that was the keynote from our CEO, everyone. In order that’s the Buyer Information Platform, which we truly launched formally at this time. In order that could be very thrilling. All proper. So I do know that you just got here into this trade by luck.
Evan – 00:13:05: Certain did.
Karen – 00:13:06: Relationship the appropriate one that had the appropriate boss.
Evan – 00:13:08: Occurred to be the flawed particular person.
Karen – 00:13:09: Oh, finally. A bridge particular person, we’ll name it. Sure. So any recommendation for anyone who needs to get into the advertising arm of hospitality? If you happen to had been, you understand, speaking to anyone in school at this time that had been attempting to determine the right way to break into this trade, what recommendation would you give?
Evan – 00:13:24: Yeah. I imply, I don’t know if that is essentially restricted to hospitality, however I’d simply say be curious and at all times be attempting to be taught by yourself. And my mentor form of empowered me to be this manner, however he would acknowledge he didn’t train me every little thing that I do know, however he gave me the liberty to form of discover and truthfully, numerous guessing and checking, you understand, simply in search of out your individual solutions. However I feel that begins with being curious and wanting to know new issues or new applied sciences or studying income administration or, you understand, I’m in advertising, but it surely’s vital to know gross sales and the gross sales course of. So I feel we are likely to gravitate in the direction of what we’re comfy with and what we all know and are an knowledgeable in. However by diversifying your information set, I feel you may turn out to be way more highly effective.
Karen – 00:14:11: I find it irresistible. That’s nice recommendation. Effectively, thanks, Evan. My visitor has been Evan Crawford, who’s the Vice President of Advertising and marketing at Pyramid International Hospitality. Thanks for the dialog.
Evan – 00:14:20: Thanks very a lot to your time.
Karen – 00:14:21: You bought it.
Intro/Outro – 00:14:22: Thanks for listening to the Lodge Second Podcast. Ensure to subscribe wherever you take heed to podcasts. And in the event you’re watching on YouTube, please just like the video and subscribe for extra content material. For extra info, head to hotelmomentpodcast.com. The Lodge Second Podcast is offered by Revinate.
