Advanced Google Search — A Step by Step Guide to Ethically Steal Business From Your Competitors
Unless you’re living under a rock, you’ve heard of Google. But are you truly harnessing the power of google search? But how effectively we use google search depends on the kind of questions we ask. Remember, your answers are only as good as the questions you ask. In this post I’m going to show you how to use Google’s advanced search feature to uncover free business for your hotel.
Sometimes the simplest of things are hiding in plain sight i.e. advanced search. So let’s dive in!
Step 1: Head on over to Google.com
Step 2: Filetype Search in the search field
Here’s where you are going to use the advanced search feature. For my example I’ve used a few hotels near my area. I’m going to pick on the Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham in Meriden, CT. And this will work for any hotel in the area. You simply need to have their phone number handy. Then in the search field you’re going to put the following:
“XXX-XXX-XXXX” filetype:PDF
Where XXX is the phone number for the target hotel. I’ve used the Hawthorn Suite’s phone number as an example search.
Google.com advanced search for Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham, Meriden CT
You will see I’ve highlighted some of the results from google’s page one search of their phone number. Then you simply click on these links, see what rates these hotels are offering and in some cases even get the contact info for the person in-charge. This will help you get an edge over the competition. I did just that. I clicked on some of the results and here’s what they look like when you open them.
You will notice that the Travelers Championship shows you a contact person along with the rate being offered at the Hawthorn Suites. Imagine your Sales Manager having this kind of information before reaching out to a potential prospect. Remember that knowledge is power. Now your sales manager can have an educated discussion with these prospects, knowing what kind of price point they’re paying and also what amenities they’ll be getting at the competition Vs. your hotel.
But remember, just because you find out the details about companies staying at a hotel — it does not mean they’re going to move and stay with you. You really have to do your homework before approaching a prospect and trying to convert them to a buyer. You will need a compelling business case who can move this newly uncovered lead to your hotel.
One important note that I will leave you with (and we cover this in depth in the General Manager training course) is that price is NOT everything. You have to figure out what is the driving force behind these companies stay at a particular hotel. It might be their free evening reception, or proximity to the venue/workplace, or free hot breakfast or maybe the rewards points. So don’t make a mistake of immediately offering a lower price. As we discussed in our 7 Tips to Increase Hotel Revenue post, dropping price can sometimes hurt you. Find out what drives them and then try to offer “that amenity”.
