The Allure of Online Visual Merchandising

Eye for Travel had their annual North American conference last week, where I hosted a workshop on “the allure of online visual merchandising”.

I talked about how to use the power of visual merchandising to inform, inspire and differentiate your hotel to drive more sales.

Key topics covered included:

Current Trends in Online Shopping Behavior
– Most consumers use over two dozen touch points when conducting hotel research
– Marketers need to focus on reaching shoppers during their point of decision, not just point of sale
Humans are Visual  and Social
– Make your property memorable with rich visuals that strike an emotional connection and inspire people to book with you
– 62% of leisure travelers find travel brands’ Facebook pages helpful during their selection process
The Importance of Storytelling
– Tells fragments of stories, teasers and snippets of information that highlight your unique value propositions like your location, style, and service.  Bond you’re your audience!
The Rising Use of Multiple Devices
– 47% of people start their travel planning from a smartphone, then move to desktops and tablets to continue the process
– Give consumers the optimal experience by creating a mobile website that’s optimized for the device they’re using, and not merely compatible
View the entire presentation on Slideshare where I explore current trends, how travel can take a cue from retail, and how your hotel can get started now!