In the first episode of Between Two Humidors, Host Jonathan Ruggles visits with Scott van Hartesveld, they discussed various topics including the evolution of data usage in marketing, particularly in the travel industry, and the challenges faced by hotels in the digital age. Van Hartesveld shared his experiences with marketing strategies, such as Dollywood's successful approach to building a brand community and creating a Founders Club for a hotel. He emphasized the importance of fundamental marketing principles like scarcity, exclusivity, and access, and the need for hotels to leverage first-party data to build long-term relationships with their customers. They also touched upon the role of storytelling and strategy in marketing for bed and breakfast businesses and the importance of hotel direct bookings. Van Hartesveld expressed concern over the overuse of AI for transactional messages and the need for a strategist to develop a longer-term strategy. He encouraged independent hotel brands to compete effectively by utilizing democratized AI tools and focusing on providing a simple, frictionless booking experience for customers.

YouTube Video Podcast

https://youtu.be/rfUkBPLL2vU?si=8er8dn4IjPNkN4oP

Guest Links

https://www.gcommercesolutions.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottvanhartesvelt/

Thank you to our Sponsors

The Cigar Chapel -Bend, Oregon

Disclaimer

https://www.betweentwohumidors.com/legal/