Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Do you want to reach more people and grow your hospitality business?

If so, read on to learn from Don Barnett, Director of Sales & Marketing at LondonHouse Chicago, about:

• The Power of LinkedIn: Discover why LinkedIn is an underutilized opportunity in hospitality today and how it can be a game-changer for your business (and career).

• Content Creation Tips: Gain insights into creating engaging and 'edutaining' content that resonates with others and helps you stay top of mind.

• Personal Branding: Learn the importance of building a personal brand and how it can lead to meaningful connections and opportunities.

FEATURE STORY

How I Use LinkedIn to Grow in Hospitality Today (Don Barnett, LondonHouse Chicago)

Don Barnett is the Director of Sales and Marketing at LondonHouse Chicago. In this episode, we explore LinkedIn's potential for hospitality professionals.

Listen to our conversation here now

Here are a few takeaways for you today:

• Leverage LinkedIn for Growth: Utilize LinkedIn to connect with others who can grow your hotel business - and your career. It's an underused platform in hospitality that can significantly increase your reach.

• Create “Edutaining” Content: Focus on producing content that is both educational and entertaining. This approach can make your content more engaging and enjoyable for your audience. Here’s an example from Don a few days ago:

• Overcome the “Eye Roll Threshold”: Don't be held back by (perceived) judgment from others. Push past the initial discomfort of putting yourself out there to stay top of mind with your network.

• Speak in Your Own Voice: When creating content, be authentic and write as you speak. This helps in building a genuine connection with your audience.

• Learn from Others: Observe and learn from people who are successful on LinkedIn. Adapt their strategies to fit your style while maintaining your authenticity.

• Consistency Over Algorithms: Don't get too hung up on algorithms. Focus on consistently putting out quality content that represents your brand and message.

• Balance Effort and Outcome: Sometimes, less thought-out content can perform better than highly curated posts. Be prepared for unpredictability and focus on your overall content strategy.

• Personal Branding: Encourage your team to build personal brands on LinkedIn. This can lead to more opportunities and connections, supplementing traditional networking methods like conferences.

• Invest in “Social Selling”: Consider the ROI of social selling versus traditional methods like conferences. Social media allows for daily interaction with a large audience at a lower cost.

• Be Open-Handed and Helpful: Adopt a mindset of giving without immediate expectation of return. This approach can lead to unexpected opportunities and stronger relationships in the long run.

• Stay Energized: Find ways to maintain enthusiasm for your social media efforts. Take breaks when needed and focus on the enjoyment and learning that comes from the process.

• Track Your Success: Keep receipts of your successes and milestones achieved through social media efforts. This can help in justifying the time and resources spent on these platforms.

• Embrace Creativity: Don't be afraid to try new and creative ways to engage with your audience (you need to hear about Don’s bingo contest story in the podcast for a great example of this). This can lead to memorable interactions and a loyal following.

• Don't Be Afraid to Have Fun: Remember that you don't have to be serious to be taken seriously. Injecting humor and fun into your work can make you more relatable and memorable.

Listen to our full conversation here now

Watch and learn…

Follow Hospitality Daily now on YouTube and Instagram to see little clips from our guest experts each day, like this one from Don:

And maybe it should go without saying, but let’s connect on LinkedIn while we’re at it - both the Hospitality Daily page and my personal account. 🙂