Hotel & Motel Management - April 21, 2008 - (Page 6)

Checking In PERSPECTIVE & LETTERS H&MM April 21, 2008 | HotelMotel.com EDITORIAL 600 Superior Ave. East, Suite 1100, Cleveland, OH 44114 My name is Stephanie, and I read blogs IN THE details Why blogs work Digital ROI is tough Blogs are popular Sites to check out By Stephanie Ricca Managing Editor dmit it. You read blogs. I do, and the number of blogs I read has grown over the past year. When blogs ﬁrst popped into the general consciousness a few years ago, I had doubts. Why did I need to read the personal online diaries of people I didn’t even know? But blogs have been quietly evolving over the past few years into valid business tools. The reason, I’ve come to see, is because in many instances Web logs have morphed from personal ramblings with a few professional bits here and there into organized outlets for professional commentary. Every brand conference covers Web 2.0 and digital outreach initiatives. The hard truth is that marketing your brand online through social networking channels and blogs is hard. Do you take out ads on existing platforms like Facebook, hoping your target audience will see? Force your way on to the playing ﬁeld by starting a blog or opening a hotel in Second Life? Brands all have proprietary ways of measuring their return on investment in the digital world, but I don’t envy that job. The digital revolution is a quiet one that’s difﬁcult to pin down, in many ways. YouTube didn’t reach its astronomical height of popularity by taking out an ad in Times Square. No way. The word spread quietly, as people passed links on to friends and relatives and the ﬁre smoldered and spread. Online popularity is elu- sive. We all have in-the-know people in our circle who always know about the next big thing, and when they pass that along to us, we feel ahead of the curve too. Blogs and social networking succeed because of this very phenomenon—the idea of pass-along. We can’t force an online audience, but we can encourage it and enjoy watching it develop naturally. My plan is to do that by tuning in more attentively to what works and what doesn’t on the blogs and social networking sites I visit. My list is long, but here are three blogs I visit that you might like, too (unless you’re a Detroit Pistons fan, that is): Seat 2B, by Portfolio. com’s Joe Brancatelli Check it out at www.portfolio.com/business-travel/seat-2B/ Cavaliers Corner, by Cleveland.com’s Dan Labbe What can I say? I’m a lifelong Cavs fan and this guy doesn’t take the company line. I agree with him on most points except one—Chris Paul’s great, but LeBron’s the MVP. http://blog.cleveland. com/cavaliers_corner/ Hotel Hotsheet, by USA Today.com’s Kitty Yancey Stephanie Ricca, MANAGING EDITOR . . . . . . . sricca@questex.com Ph: (216) 706-3791 | Fax: (216) 706-3711 Stacey Mieyal Higgins, SENIOR EDITOR . . . . . .shiggins@questex.com Ph: (216) 706-3783 | Fax: (216) 706-3711 Heather Gunter, ASSOCIATE EDITOR . . . . . . . hgunter@questex.com Ph: (216) 706-3792 | Fax: (216) 706-3711 Jason Q. Freed, ASSOCIATE EDITOR . . . . . . . . jfreed@questex.com Ph: (216) 706-3727 | Fax: (216) 706-3711 Emily Hanna, ASSOCIATE EDITOR . . . . . . . . . ehanna@questex.com Ph: (216) 706-3784 | Fax: (216) 706-3711 Patricia Sheehan, MANAGING EDITOR, Hotel Design Ph: (216) 706-3753. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .psheehan@questex.com Amy B. Witek, ART DIRECTOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . awitek@questex.com Rob Ghosh, ART DIRECTOR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .rghosh@questex.com ADVERTISING/SALES/CIRCULATION 600 Superior Ave. East, Suite 1100, Cleveland, OH 44114 John McMahon, GROUP PUBLISHER . . . . . jmcmahon@questex.com 757 Third Ave., 5th Floor, New York, NY 10017 Ph: (212) 895-8243 | Fax: (212) 895-8212 Matt Waddell, PUBLISHER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . mwaddell@questex.com 2835 N. Shefﬁeld Ave, Suite 236, Chicago, IL 60657 Ph: (773) 880-2240 | Fax: (773) 880-2241 Mary Malloy, NORTHEAST, INT’L. . . . . . . . . .mmalloy@questex.com Ph: (216) 706-3790 | Fax: (216) 706-3711 Brian Levine, SOUTHEAST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . blevine@questex.com 757 Third Ave., 5th Floor, New York, NY 10017 Ph: (212) 895-8285 | Fax: (212) 895-8215 Jason Wallace, WEST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jwallace@questex.com 1461 S. 375 E., Kaysville, UT 84037 Ph: (801) 499-9999 | Fax: (801) 315-4137 Brian Olesinski, CLASSIFIEDS, RECRUITMENT, DIRECTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .bolesinski@questex.com Ph: (216) 706-3794 | Fax: (216) 706-3711 Heidi Spangler, DIR., AUDIENCE DEV. . . . . . . . hspangler@questex.com Ph: (216) 706-3705 | Fax: (216) 706-3714 This blog from Brancatelli, a seasoned but accessible biz traveler, is short, sweet and well-organized. He covers everything business travelers think about, from the ins and outs of shipping your luggage to urban travel legends. Of course I read this one. We all do. I add it here because I think this blog is a good example of how professional blogs, especially when they’re about the hospitality industry, must combine facts, fun and personal voice. http://blogs.usatoday. com/hotelhotsheet/ Now that I’ve told you mine, tell me yours. Drop me an e-mail with links of the professional blogs you like and we’ll keep the conversation going. sricca@questex.com BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Stacy Silver, BUSINESS DEV. DIRECTOR. . . . . ssilver@questex.com Ph: (954) 306-0747 | Fax: (954) 697-6265 J. Richard Casson, ASSOCIATE BUSINESS DEV. DIRECTOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . rcasson@questex.com Ph: (212) 895-8426 | Fax: (212) 895-8210 PRODUCTION 306 W. Michigan St., Suite 200, Duluth, MN 55802 Jamie Kleist, ASST. PRODUCTION DIR. . . . . . . jkleist@questex.com Ph: (218) 279-8855 | Fax: (218) 279-8812 Janelle Heller, SR. PRODUCTION MANAGER . . jheller@questex.com Ph: (218) 279-8834 | Fax: (218) 279-8815 MARKETING/MAGAZINE SERVICES MARKETING/MAGAZINE SERVICES Ilene Schwartz, Kroll Direct, LISTS . . . . . . . . .ilene@krolldirect.com Ph: (216) 371-1667 | Fax: (216) 371-1669 PERMISSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . .questexpermissions@reprintbuyer.com Ph: (800) 494-9051 Ext. 100 REPRINTS . . . . . . . . . . .HotelandMotelManagement@reprintbuyer.com Ph: (800) 290-5460 Ext. 100 SUBSCRIPTIONS, CUSTOMER SERVICE. .hspangler@questex.com Ph: (847) 763-9594 | Fax: (847) 763-9694 BACK ISSUES, SINGLE CURRENT COPIES Ph: (847) 763-9594 | Fax: (847) 763-9694 The coffee debate keeps brewing Editor’s note: It’s been quite a while since Mail Box we received as much feedback from readers on a Perspective column as we have on Letters to the Editor Senior Editor Stacey Mieyal Higgins’ “coffee column” [“Friends don’t let friends drink hmm@questex.com Starbucks,” March 3, 2008, page 6]. Higgins took a hard line on her preference for Dunkin’ Donuts coffee over Starbucks, and that got a lot of you percolating. General managers, corporate chief executive ofﬁcers and industry suppliers all weighed in with their viewpoints on the debate. “Who would have thought something We welcome your comments, criticisms and compliments. Address correspondence to: Letters Editor, Hotel & Motel Management, 600 Superior Ave. East, Suite 1100, Cleveland, Ohio 44114; e-mail to hmm@questex.com; or fax to (216) 706-3711. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity. Please keep letters to 300 words or fewer. .EDITORIAL MISSION STATEMENT. . as simple as coffee would create such a buzz?” Higgins said. Seems we all have a lot of caffeine running through our veins! PRESIDENT & CEO—Kerry C. Gumas EXECUTIVE V.P. & CFO—Tom Caridi EXECUTIVE V.P.—Robert S. Ingraham EXECUTIVE V.P.—Tony D’Avino EXECUTIVE V.P., CORP. DEV.—Claudia Flowers V.P. & G.M.—Don Rosenberg V.P., DIGITAL MEDIA—Seth Nichols V.P., HUMAN RESOURCES—Diane M. Evans Copyright 2008 Questex Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopy, recording or information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use, or the internal or personal use of speciﬁc clients, is granted by Questex Media Group, Inc. for libraries and other users registered with the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Dr., Danvers, MA 01923; phone: (978) 750-8400; fax (978) 7504470; call for copying beyond that permitted by Sections 107 or 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law. For those not registered with the CCC, send permission request to questexpermissions@reprintbuyer.com; phone: (800) 494-9051 Ext. 100. Hotel & Motel Management does not verify any claims or other information appearing in any of the advertisements contained in the publication, and cannot take any responsibility for any losses or other damages incurred by readers in reliance on such content. Hotel & Motel Management welcomes unsolicited articles, manuscripts, photographs, illustrations and other materials but cannot be held responsible for their safekeeping or return. Questex Media Group, Inc. provides certain customer contact data (such as customers’ names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses) to third parties who wish to promote relevant products, services and other opportunities which may be of interest to you. If you do not want Questex Media Group to make your contact information available to third parties for marketing purposes, simply call toll-free (866) 344-1315 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. CT and a customer service representative will assist you in removing your name from Questex Media Group’s lists. Outside the U.S., please phone (847) 763-9594. Coffee on the company dime I enjoyed reading your article regarding Starbucks. I am in agreement with you. What is amazing is that I have visited the Marriott Courtyard Fairfax in Fair Oaks, Va., a number of times. They have Starbucks coffee for sale and also offer free coffee. Monday through Thursday, the majority of the people buy Starbucks. However, on the weekends, most people ta http://HotelMotel.com http://www.portfolio.com/business-travel/seat-2B/ http://www.portfolio.com/business-travel/seat-2B/ http://questex.com http://blogs.usatoday.com/hotelhotsheet/

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Hotel & Motel Management - April 21, 2008

Hotel & Motel Management - April 21, 2008 Contents Vista Affirms Fair Franchising Doctrine HOTEC Panel Explores Green Procurement Spa Revenue Drives Overall Profitability Perspective Legal FAQ Sales Clinic Travel Trends Guest Column Trends & Stats Owners and Operators Feel Pressure to Switch to HD Protect and Clean Stone Floors Coffee On Demand Fitness Equipment Experts Weigh New Builds Vs. Conversions Transactions Ad/Edit Index Marketplace Classifieds Checking Out

Hotel & Motel Management - April 21, 2008

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