99.9% of hotels have at least one super-affiliate agreement with an OTA. But with higher commissions than in any other industry, clearly we're not the ones in control of that relationship.

So how can we end our dependency on middle men? How can we get a better, direct connection with our guests so we can be the ones calling the shots? Let's talk about that.

First, I think each of us just needs to take a few steps back and look at the bigger picture.

We have to remember that travel is inherently local. Yes, people do their planning online, (so that's where we focus most of our attention), but everything they're doing there is to help them prepare for their time in our towns. It's to help them have the best time they can while they're staying with you. So, needless to say, you have a huge advantage over any third-party when it comes to building a relationship with future guests.

Now let me show you how to leverage that fact to your advantage with a simple example.

We all know the old axiom: It's all about location, location, location.

In any city, there are always pockets of good restaurants with lots of lights and lots of fun times… and there are run down, shady areas to avoid. And it's only natural that hotels that were smart and well-funded enough to set up shop in the good areas, right next to all the other lively, thriving businesses, end up being successful, as well. Right?

So why aren't we using this same principal online? Why don't hotels flock together and create our own fun-filled social media communities that we can use to attract our own attention? This is the local flavor that visitors are hoping to find when they finally arrive, after all…

Just imagine how helpful it'd be for your marketing if there was a Facebook page filled with tons of experiential pictures from all the best businesses on your street… If there was LinkedIn group for all the companies with job openings in your local area… Or a Pinterest account for all the coolest antiques dealers in your neighborhood…

How helpful would that be!

Think about it. Every one of these channels would help you get in front of an engaged audience. It would help you show off your location by focusing on the experience, rather than the commodity. It would help you build your hotel's perceived value and give people dozens of reasons to 'book now!'

And from your guests point of view, can you see how helpful it would be for them? …How much easier it would make it for them to plan their trips?

Why aren't we doing this? Is it because this is a new, untested approach?

No. This approach is nothing new. In fact, this is exactly how lead generation works in the information publishing industry.

Take Agora Publishing, for example. With 120 newsletters and over 1 million readers, Agora has always used this type of side-by-side, affiliate marketing to launched their new publications and services.

It's not competition, it's comradery.

And just like businesses that huddle together, this synergy has been the key to their success, helping them generate revenues around $500M in 2015, alone.

That's why you should steal the local affiliate idea for your direct booking campaigns, as well.

If business is all about location… then hotels should partner with local businesses and create our own on-line "destinations" so we can share the experience of our location.

Because when we can do that, not only will we be able to get more direct reservations by funneling traffic that already has a reason to visit our town to our websites, we'll be able to keep our brands from becoming commodities on the OTA 'line up'. And that's how we build guest loyalty.

Publishing on social media is free. All it takes is a little time, dedication and cooperation. But, at the end of the day, these 'portals of discovery' are something you control, something you own… instead of owning a piece of your business.

99.9% of hotels already have super-affiliate agreements with Expedia and Priceline, and most have already resigned themselves to thinking of these commissions as a simple marketing cost… as 'just the way we do business these days' – so hardly any of them have explored the possibilities of creating local affiliates of their own…

If you're ready to be different, visit: www.moredirectbooking.com, and get the business model that Agora Publishing has been using to launch new products and services, successfully, for more than 37 years. Steal their best practices for your own 'direct booking' campaign this year, simply by following the step-by-step instructions in this 30-day action guide.

Jeremiah Magone
HSMAI