Intro/Outro – 00:00:02: Welcome to the Resort Second Podcast, introduced by Revinate, the podcast the place we discuss to leaders within the hospitality trade. If you happen to’re in search of developments, views, and tales from leaders in journey and hospitality, you’re in the best place.
Karen – 00:00:21: Good day, and welcome to the Resort Second podcast. I’m your host, Karen Stephens, the Chief Advertising Officer of Revinate. And right now we’re thrilled to have Evan Crawford, a strategic resort marketer and thinker. With an in depth background in model growth, Evan brings a wealth of expertise as Vice President of Advertising at Pyramid World 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 revolutionary strategy to leveraging know-how to reinforce visitor expertise and optimize income streams has positioned him as a thought chief amidst the intersection of hospitality and know-how.
Welcome, Evan.
Evan – 00:01:04: Thanks. I’m glad to be right here.
Karen – 00:01:05: You recognize what? I’m actually blissful to have you ever right here. And most of the people hearken 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 type of cool. So that is actually enjoyable to have the ability to do a podcast dwell.
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 just a few numerous units of roles. So what initially sparked your curiosity within the area and the way did you make your method over to your present place?
Evan – 00:01:36: Yeah. I imply, I type of fell into the trade virtually by chance. I don’t know if I wish to inform the complete 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: Nicely, 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 superb 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 faculty and began working for him in an assistant position and type of graduated from faculty. He promoted me, and simply began type of studying the ropes of the trade — each gross sales and advertising. And, you already know, simply type of progressed from there into, I feel, Gross sales and Advertising Coordinator position and on as much as a Advertising Supervisor position, all working with resorts within the islands. And it was unbelievable.
Karen – 00:02:34: Yeah. That’s a very good life.
Evan – 00:02:35: Yeah. Actually simply, I’ve to say, with out John, so John, in the event you hearken to this, I like him. However with out him, I might not be right here right now. That’s for positive. And yeah, he’s been a rare mentor, however I actually type 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 finding out in faculty?
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 already know.
Evan – 00:02:55: Yeah. Extra the hospitality half is what I type of fell into. But it surely’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 summary of how large is Pyramid? What does the portfolio appear like? And what’s your position there? Or how do you combine throughout all of these issues?
Evan – 00:03:17: Positive. Yeah. So we have now 200 plus properties in complete, each model and unbiased. I work particularly with our unbiased properties in our luxurious and way of life division. The gathering is named Benchmark Resorts and Accommodations. So overseeing these, we have now, I feel, 70 or so unbiased properties. In order that’s type 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 a variety of nice connections all through the corporate and it’s a fairly nice household. So I take pleasure in it lots.
Karen – 00:03:47: Yeah. That’s very cool. So 70 independents, I feel what’s all the time attention-grabbing about managing independents is that each one of them have their very own type of distinctive really feel. Like that’s type of the fantastic thing about it, proper? You could have the facility of an enormous administration firm that’s in a position to standardize and do a variety of issues. Each single resort has its personal taste. So are you able to discuss a little bit bit about the way you strategy that if you purchase a brand new resort?
Evan – 00:04:09: Positive.
Karen – 00:04:09: How do you actually determine how you can market and convey it into the fold?
Evan – 00:04:12: Yeah, effectively, I feel, you already know, 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 complete 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 type of connecting them, whether or not it’s via, I don’t know, themes and mountains and golf and spa and these frequent experiences? However, I feel it’s actually vital to spotlight the variations and the range as a result of folks desire a numerous 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 can be 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 already know, it’s actually cool. We’ve been, in order I discussed, we’re right here at NAVIGATE. And a variety of what’s developing right here is the significance of emphasizing how the resort matches into the local people and the native — and we all know that youthful generations developing actually prioritize that. It’s method past, as you mentioned, 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 little bit 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 little bit bit about the way you’re capturing visitor information since you actually need to have the ability to cross-promote, proper? You recognize, it is a seaside vacation spot. Who else do we have now on the seaside? So discuss a little bit bit about your strategy to that and the way you consider it.
Evan – 00:05:40: Yeah. I imply, effectively, to begin, I feel we in all probability can all enhance in the best way we try this. It’s an ongoing problem, particularly with, such as you mentioned, you’ve these distinctive properties. However in additionally many circumstances, they’ve various methods which may be instead of completely different properties. So, clearly doing a little work with Revinate to that finish. But in addition we work with a companion referred to as Laasie for a buyer loyalty program who clearly integrates with Revinate. However utilizing methods like that, we have now no intention of being Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors. That’s not the aim. However first-party information is very vital. So the extra we will domesticate that first-party viewers has great advantages to that. After which if we will enrich these profiles via methods like Revinate, then it could change into that rather more highly effective.
Karen – 00:06:23: Actually highly effective. So I feel if we discuss a little bit bit about first-party information, as you talked about, that’s type of the gold customary, isn’t it? As a result of I feel particularly for youthful generations, as we talked about, I don’t assume that they’re actually eager about factors. I feel they’re eager about experiences. So are you able to discuss how you utilize that seize? What are the contact factors on the resort? I do know there’s tech stacks happening beneath, however if you take over a resort, how do you get them to consider how they get that information 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 aspect to first-party information seize is reducing the bar for receiving it. I feel so typically 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 partaking with us, after which providing some form of worth to them to ensure that them to have interaction with us. So whether or not that’s a Laasie with some form of on the spot gratification, or it doesn’t must be all the time 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 all the questions. Begin with a low bar, after which we will study extra about them. And I’m a communication main. So, you already know, probably the most fundamental communication rules is peeling again the layers of the onion. And it’s all about, I let you know one thing and then you definately reciprocate and ultimately we get to the core, proper? You recognize, and I feel that continues to be true with how we have interaction and that may be via digital engagements or in particular person, however we will’t simply instantly go to probably the most private questions and count on to get a lot of a response.
Karen – 00:08:07: 100%. You recognize, it jogs my memory of, you already know, I’ve carried out gross sales for a very long time. And after we very first rolled out what’s now referred to as Revinate Advertising, it was referred to 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 recognize, in the event you’re going to get the information, be sure to reward the folks for providing you with the information. So it’s very cool. Because the panorama of digital advertising continues to evolve, what methods have you ever carried out 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 evening. 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 anyplace that if we all know a shopper is in a spot, let’s not drive them to go someplace else to have interaction with us. I feel that’s key. But it surely’s from like a media perspective. We’re enjoying lots within the OTT house with streaming media, simply taking a variety of the methods we will do focusing on via digital media recommendation and taking that into extra of a standard 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 little bit 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 already know, the Hulus of the world.
Karen – 00:09:42: Positive.
Evan – 00:09:42: In order that’s the best way individuals are partaking 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 significant market via Comcast or, you already know, one of many cable suppliers. And it’s simply extra extremely focused and certified. So that’s definitely not a brand new media channel. You recognize, folks have been partaking with these streaming platforms for fairly a while. However so far as a top-of-funnel type 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 type of qualify that as a result of we’re not good at this.
Karen – 00:10:17: Positive, positive.
Evan – 00:10:18: However doing a greater job of segmenting our audiences and actually understanding who they’re, partaking with them on the proper time with the best message. I feel in all probability any enterprise might all the time proceed to enhance at that.
Karen – 00:10:30: Yeah.
Evan – 00:10:30: However the higher our information is, the higher {our capability} to try this is.
Karen – 00:10:34: Yeah. And I feel, you already know, hospitality, all of us adore it. It’s such an exquisite, distinctive trade. However we’re a little bit 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 definitely that’s what Revinate seeks to do as effectively 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 a variety of 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 like that.
Evan – 00:11:02: Yeah. I imply, it’s.
Karen – 00:11:03: It’s moveable too.
Evan – 00:11:04: Yeah. And it’s positively. However in this stuff all depend on — you bought to make the funding in video. You recognize, I didn’t point out that, however virtually each social platform is prioritizing video over nonetheless photographs. In order that’s one thing that we have to prioritize at every particular person resort is saying, “Hey, you already know what? We have to put money into our belongings as a result of with out high quality belongings, you possibly can’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, a variety of instances folks have been doing issues a sure method for thus lengthy. They usually assume that that is the best way to roll. So I’m positive that that’s attention-grabbing as you begin to type of win the hearts and minds to assume a little bit 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 a variety of periods right now we’ve been out and in. Is there one speaker or an thought that you simply’ve come away with that you simply’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 type of the muse 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 information. They exist with numerous companions. But when we will guarantee that we’ve received one hub for the place our information 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 choice we make from how we’re spending our media {dollars} outdoors of, you already know, outdoors of Revinate to how we’re partaking with our prospects on property. It truly is type of every little thing.
Karen – 00:12:43: Every part.
Evan – 00:12:43: To what we’re doing. And with out it, it’s not like you possibly can’t perform or something like that. You type 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 in all probability 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 right now. In order that could be very thrilling. All proper. So I do know that you simply got here into this trade by luck.
Evan – 00:13:05: Positive did.
Karen – 00:13:06: Courting the best one who had the best boss.
Evan – 00:13:08: Occurred to be the unsuitable particular person.
Karen – 00:13:09: Oh, ultimately. A bridge particular person, we’ll name it. Sure. So any recommendation for anyone who desires to get into the advertising arm of hospitality? If you happen to had been, you already know, speaking to anyone in faculty right now that had been attempting to determine how you can 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 might simply say be curious and all the time be attempting to study by yourself. And my mentor type of empowered me to be this manner, however he would acknowledge he didn’t educate me every little thing that I do know, however he gave me the liberty to type of discover and truthfully, a variety of guessing and checking, you already know, simply searching for 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 already know, 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 direction of what we’re snug with and what we all know and are an skilled in. However by diversifying your information set, I feel you possibly can change into way more highly effective.
Karen – 00:14:11: I adore it. That’s nice recommendation. Nicely, thanks, Evan. My visitor has been Evan Crawford, who’s the Vice President of Advertising at Pyramid World Hospitality. Thanks for the dialog.
Evan – 00:14:20: Thanks very a lot on your time.
Karen – 00:14:21: You bought it.
Intro/Outro – 00:14:22: Thanks for listening to the Resort Second Podcast. Be certain that to subscribe wherever you hearken to podcasts. And in the event you’re watching on YouTube, please just like the video and subscribe for extra content material. For extra data, head to hotelmomentpodcast.com. The Resort Second Podcast is introduced by Revinate.
