Research informs the next marketing move

There was an interesting story in a recent issue of the Marketing Daily newsletter, announcing that Intercontinental Hotel Group had commissioned an extensive photography shoot for their hundreds of hotels. Click here to read the story.

Implications: The most important aspect of this story might be easy to overlook, when set beside the impressive number of hotels involved (approximately 3,500) and images to be captured (estimated at 100,000)… not to mention the 360-degree tours of hotel rooms and facilities.

The thing that caught my attention was the way consumers drove this decision: IHG did some research, and realized the importance of the web as a tool people use to decide on a hotel, and the importance of the visual representation those web sites provide.

Do you carry web-worthy digital camera with you frequently (or have one handy at your desk)? Have you done justice to your product or service in the way it is represented, visually, on your web site?

Or, have you listened to your consumers… to understand their consideration process, and how you can more effectively serve it?

Mike Anderson