Ravella At Lake Las Vegas Launches Social Media Promo

Ravella at Lake Las Vegas, Dolce Hotels & Resorts’ newest property set to open February 11, has launched a promotion through Facebook and Twitter that lets participating followers offer discounted room rates to friends while racking up rewards for themselves.

The “Ravella at Lake Las Vegas Escape” promotion gives participants a personal booking code for a 30-percent room discount to the new resort that they can offer to their Facebook and Twitter followers. The more their unique code is used to book rooms, the greater their rewards at Ravella. Interested parties can obtain their personal code by sending a tweet to @RavellaVegas.

Ravella Rewards:
• 10 unique bookings on your code grants a free weekend stay
• 15 unique bookings on your code grants a free weekend stay plus breakfast for two
• 20 unique bookings on your code grants all of the above, plus dinner for two
• 30 unique bookings on your code grants all of the above plus a free upgrade to a luxurious suite

About Ravella at Lake Las Vegas:
Basking in year-round sunshine in a radiant lake setting, Ravella (www.ravellavegas.com) is a sprawling 349-room-and-suite resort situated on the shores of the largest privately owned man-made lake in the country. Located just 15 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip, Ravella offers an escape from the city’s frenetic energy with its white sandy beach; kayaks, boating and fly fishing; nearly Jack Nicklaus golf course; and hiking and jogging trails. Ravella features a 30,000-square-foot spa and fitness center, 39,000 square feet of meeting or social event space including Vegas’ only over-water chapel; multiple lounge and dining experiences, and more. Working in concert with the picturesque Lake Las Vegas community, Ravella guests enjoy stunning vistas, miles of green, two marinas, and a neighboring Village reminiscent of Europe’s colorful waterside communities with scenic walking streets of boutiques and restaurants. For more information or to make a reservation, visit www.ravellavegas.com or call 888.810.0440. Follow Ravella on Twitter and Facebook for exclusive news and promotions.

Terms and Conditions:
All bookings are non-commissionable and non-refundable. The personal codes are valid until Feb. 28, 2011. Nights available for bookings are Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A unique booking consists of reservations made by different people. All bookings under a single reservation name over the course of a weekend counts as one booking. This promotion is not open to travel agents. The discounted rate includes Wi-Fi, parking and two water bottles. Resort Fee and taxes are not included in the promotion.. This promotion cannot be combined with any other offers. Dinner is capped at $150 for two people. The booking of your free stay is based on hotel availability. All free stays must be used before Dec. 31, 2011.

Here’s the link to the article: http://www.hotelinteractive.com/article.aspx?articleID=19498

Here’s the crux:

Setup a Twitter Account that directs a message to be relayed by unique twitter accounts at the same exact time.

In theory, all messages will be the exact same sent at the exact same time without any indication of their source.

I call this Tangential Marketing because I am marketing for my company but the messages are seemingly unrelated to the brand.  However, the messages are related.  With phrases like “Be Ready”, “Be Thoughtful and Kind” and “Listen to Understand” are 3 of our 9 service values.

To support the creation of this viral campaign, I established a Twitter account: @tysynchronicity; a Facebook Fan page for Tsychnronicity; and a blog with the same name.

The name tsychronicity is dervied by the concatenation of  t for twitter and synchronicity for the coordination of the same message being relayed at the sametime.

This first week we saw growth but also confusion as to what this is.

The second week I will re-assess the conveyance of the message to reduce confusion, increase participation and ultimately make this thing more viral.

End goal: Have a lot of people tweeting the exact message at the exact same time causing Twitter users to pause and take notice.

CASE STUDY – HSMAI ADRIAN AWARDS COMPETITION
Dolce Hotels and Resorts
Facebook Contest: Play, Pick and Pack
Michael J. Goldrich
DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL WEB SERVICES & ECOMMERCE

The first such campaign for a hotel on Facebook, the contest would create
brand and property awareness through social media.

SITUATION:
Dolce Hotels and Resorts wanted to
create a campaign that communicated that they “get”
social media, that they are current and creative, and at
the same time, convey their brand core values: community,
connectivity and nourishment in all venues.

OBJECTIVES:
•Create a social media proof of concept
on Facebook that is innovative and buzz worthy.
•Increase the brand and property fan bases; increase
visits to the property web page; create buzz in social
media.
•Collect data on the types of services people would
want at a property and packages they would create
valued up to $4,000.
•Execute the program with minimum funds.

STRATEGY:
Develop a Facebook contest that creates
brand and property awareness through social media,
and further differentiate the initiative by being the
first such campaign for a hotel on Facebook.

TACTICS:
On Facebook, people were requested to
submit what they would consider the perfect vacation
at the hotel company’s Lakeway property by researching
the features and activities on the property website.
At the same time, they were also encouraged to become
Facebook fans of the property and the brand.
The judges, which consisted of the property leadership
team, picked 10 finalists based on creativity, originality,
marketability and fun factor. After the finalists
were chosen, the public voted to determine who would
win their perfect vacation.
Facebook fans of Lakeway and Dolce Hotels and
Resorts were targeted, as well as all of their Facebook
friends through the viral component of the campaign,
providing exponential exposure. While the campaign
was held throughout the U.S., the focus was on the
Texas local market.

RESULTS:
Success was measured by the increase in
fans and website traffic.
•Lakeway property Facebook page: 50% increase;
Dolce Fan Page: 30% increase.
•There were over 750 votes for all the entries, many
who were new to the Dolce brand.
•The traffic that came to the hotel property page
directly from the promotion page stayed on the site
more than twice as long as the average visitor.
•The number of page views for the property web page
during the promotion doubled.

This week’s example of using Social Media in an exemplary way is a great tale of how a group with a common interest (in this case it is the hotel industry) is moving into the Social Media stratosphere with a simple tool, while allowing their online presence to spread.  I spoke with with Michael J. Goldrich, Director of Global Web Services and E-Commerce for Dolce Hotels and Resorts. What he let me in on was awesome!  He and his team are utilizing a tool through Twitter called TweetChat.

Michael told me he assigned each one of his hotel properties a social media “mayor” whose job is to know the inside scoop on the property and the community.  They then share this information on Facebook, Twitter and through their weekly Tweetchat with all of the other locations, while massing the name of Dolce Hotels on the web.  Michael and his team do the Tweetchat’s every Wednesday at 11:30 EST for 30 mins. This consistent commitment allows the group to have a sort of virtual meeting, while benefiting their guests and fans.

Every company could use this type of intercompany communication to spread the message of their brand through weekly Tweetchats.

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Courtesy of Dolce Hotels, below is this week’s last TweetChat from Michael and his team. Notice the hashtag usage, the pre-chat promotion and the linking of their offers across the Twitter platform.

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dolcevf Join me for a #dolcehotels TweetChat at:http://tweetchat.com/room/dolcehotelsat 11:30 EST! #dolcehotels

Dolce_Hotels Join me for the next 30 mins at #dolcehotelsTweetChat at: http://tweetchat.com/room/dolcehotels##dolcehotels

BolgerCenter RT @DolceChantilly: GRAND #PRIZE! #Win a private suite for u & your friends in the European #Dolce #Hotel!http://bit.ly/9AfNyj #dolcehotels

BolgerCenter Join me for a #dolcehotels TweetChat at:http://tweetchat.com/room/dolcehotel

AATCCDolce Good Morning Ya’ll! #dolcehotels

OakRidgeHotel Join me for a #dolcehotels TweetChat at:http://tweetchat.com/room/dolcehotels #dolcehotels

Dolce_Hotels Today, we will first talk about insider news about your property. Then we will chat about what’s going on in your community! #dolcehotels

dolce_atlanta Enjoy #Easter bunch with the Easter bunny! Reservations call 770-487-3064. Serving Brunch from 11:00 to 2:30. #dolcehotels

IveySpencer Got a room avaiable for you at #Spencer #Leadership#Centre and breakfast the next morning. from $119/n!http://bit.ly/bnbprom #dolcehotels5 minutes ago from TweetChat

aspenmeadows Build your own ski package! Enjoy a stay in our luxury suites and add on lift tickets. http://bit.ly/dBQlTm#dolcehotels6 minutes ago from TweetChat

Dolce_Hotels RT @dolcevf: Join us in T. Burkes #lounge for#Happy #Hour at the Dolce Valley Forge in #KOP!http://bit.ly/bkkQjG #dolcehotels6 minutes ago from TweetChat

Dolce_Hotels Xtend your meeting promo is still on! Only 25$ pp for Post meeting reception! Book your meeting today!http://bit.ly/ingcon #dolcehotels6 minutes ago from TweetChat

lakewayresort Chili cook-off tonight with one of our groups. Great#teambuilding activity. I volunteered to be a judge. #dolcehotels6 minutes ago from TweetChat

dolcenorwalk “Anything goes” promotion still in effect… make us an offer we can’t refuse #dolcehotels7 minutes ago from TweetChat

dolce_atlanta We are offering a #Government meeting package up to 30% off per diem. View details at http://bit.ly/9qvpTI#dolcehotels7 minutes ago from TweetChat

dolcevf Join us in T. Burkes #lounge for #Happy #Hour at the Dolce Valley Forge in #KOP! http://bit.ly/bkkQjG #dolcehotels7 minutes ago from TweetChat

DolceLaHulpe Join us by welcoming Audrey as our new#International #Sales #Manager! We wish her a warm welcom in the Dolce family. #dolcehotels7 minutes ago from TweetChat

IveyINGcentre Extend your meeting promo is still on! Only 25$ pp for Post meeting reception! Book your meeting today!http://bit.ly/ingcon #dolcehotels7 minutes ago from TweetChat

AATCCDolce @dolce_atlanta Ice Cream for lunch sounds Great! Wish we had some Blue Bell! #dolcehotels7 minutes ago from TweetChat

Dolce_Hotels Now, let’s share some offers for the twitter audience!#dolcehotels7 minutes ago from TweetChat

lakewayresort @BolgerCenter combine the Texas heat and BlueBell ice cream on the shores of the lake & you are a winner.http://bit.ly/cOKT8K #dolcehotels7 minutes ago from TweetChat

DolceChantilly RT@DolceLaHulpe: #Concert of #U2 in #Brusselson 22 and 23 of September 2010. Stay with us only 15 min from the#Stadium #dolcehotels8 minutes ago from TweetChat

dolcevf Follow Dolce #Valley#Forge on #Facebook!http://bit.ly/b5iQyv #dolcehotels8 minutes ago from TweetChat

Dolce_Hotels RT @DolceChantilly: Here is the video of the contest Dolce Private Suite .Enjoy! http://bit.ly/at4b5F #dolcehotels8 minutes ago from TweetChat

IveyINGcentre is just a short walk or cab ride away you will find many landmarks and tourist attractions! more at http://bit.ly/aR1cwj#dolcehotels8 minutes ago from TweetChat

dolcenorwalk Excited for our #Gala #Tasting #Event this Saturday night at 4pm. RSVP @ pedro.deabreu@dolce.com or 203-852-7345 #dolcehotels8 minutes ago from TweetChat

DolceLaHulpe RT @DolceChantilly: Here is the video of the contest Dolce Private Suite .Enjoy! http://bit.ly/at4b5F #dolcehotels8 minutes ago from TweetChat

dolce_atlanta Okay. Now I have to have some ice cream at lunch. Thanks a lot. #dolcehotels8 minutes ago from TweetChat

Dolce_Hotels RT @DolceLaHulpe: #Concert of #U2 in #Brussels on 22 and 23 of September 2010. Stay with us only 15 min from the#Stadium #dolcehotels9 minutes ago from TweetChat

DolceChantilly Here is the video of the contest Dolce Private Suite .Enjoy! http://bit.ly/at4b5F #dolcehotels9 minutes ago from TweetChat

BolgerCenter @lakewayresort Everything is Bigger in Texas!#dolcehotels9 minutes ago from TweetChat

IveyINGcentre RT @aspenmeadows: Did you know that its Breyers ice cream on the East coast and Dreyers ice cream in the west?#dolcehotels10 minutes ago from TweetChat

DolceLaHulpe #Concert of #U2 in #Brussels on 22 and 23 of September 2010. Stay with us only 15 min from the #Stadium#dolcehotels10 minutes ago from TweetChat

Dolce_Hotels Really? What makes it so good? @BolgerCenter just like BlueBunny on stereoids #dolcehotels10 minutes ago from TweetChat

aspenmeadows Did you know that it’s Breyer’s ice cream on the East coast and Dreyer’s ice cream in the west? #dolcehotels10 minutes ago from TweetChat

Dolce_Hotels RT @AATCCDolce: Andrea Timbes, Sales Diary Manager, just returned sharing wonderful news about #Dolce#Munich property. #dolcehotels11 minutes ago from TweetChat

lakewayresort @BolgerCenter just like BlueBunny on stereoids#dolcehotels11 minutes ago from TweetChat

IveySpencer Be active! We offer bicycling, basketball, sand volleyball, and an on-site high ropes team building coursehttp://bit.ly/9TQmJV #dolcehotels12 minutes ago from TweetChat

BolgerCenter @Dolce_Hotels Is it like a Blue Bunny?#dolcehotels12 minutes ago from TweetChat

aspenmeadows Think ahead folks – Aspen Food & Wine Classic in June! #fwclassic Book a room now for this popular event!http://bit.ly/aLhtEZ #dolcehotels12 minutes ago from TweetChat

Dolce_Hotels What’s Bluebell? RT @lakewayresort: #BlueBell ice cream shop by the pools has been a huge success this Spring Break. #dolcehotels12 minutes ago from TweetChat

Dolce_Hotels Woo woo! RT @dolcenorwalk: Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Valez on their wedding this past weekend #dolcehotels13 minutes ago from TweetChat

AATCCDolce Andrea Timbes, Sales Diary Manager, just returned & is telling all of us how wonderful our new #Dolce #Munich property is. #dolcehotels13 minutes ago from TweetChat

lakewayresort #BlueBell ice cream shop by the pools has been a huge success this Spring Break. We have big plans for #Memorial-Day weekend. #dolcehotels13 minutes ago from TweetChat

SeaviewResort Online next week! RT @Dolce_Hotels: When will they be ready online? RT @SeaviewResort: Rolling out NEW#Banquet Menus! #dolcehotels14 minutes ago from TweetChat

DolceLaHulpe Come and enjoy the #International #Fantastic#Movie #Festival in Brussels from 08/04 till 20/04! #dolcehotels14 minutes ago from TweetChat

Dolce_Hotels Thx! RT @OdysseyMG: RT @Dolce_Hotels: Great news: Dolce La Hulpe was nominated for best Conference Meeting Resort in Europe! #dolcehotels

dolcevf Join us next Wednesday 11:30 am EST at #dolcehotelsTweetChat at: http://tweetchat.com/room/dolcehotels#less than 20 seconds ago from web
Reply
Retweet

DolceLaHulpe RT @Dolce_Hotels: Bye everyone. This was a great chat! See you next Wednesday at 11:30 EST. #dolcehotels3 minutes ago from TweetChat

This was just a partial portion of the complete “TweetChat.” As you can imagine, through hashtag usage of their corporate name, offers for Twitter fans and more of the steady stream of powerful messages, Dolce Hotels is on track in their Social Media usage.

We can all learn something from them.
Do you have a Social Media story to tell the world?
Let us know at roxanne@socialmediarox.com

By Michael Goldrich, Director of Global Web Services and e-Commerce, Dolce Hotels and Resorts.

The most common mistakes marketers make when approaching social media is forgetting that social media is about relationships.  Social media marketing is an extensive two-way conversation that yields what you commit to it.

Social media seems intimidating to marketers.  Therefore, believing you need social media experts to help you reach your audience is another common mistake of marketers.  You may need someone to show you how to setup your social media account and give you the basics.

But to reach your customer base properly, you have to be willing to begin the relationship courtship.  To be truly successful in the long run, this can’t be outsourced.

Another common mistake is social media marketing is forgetting about the power of keyword and SEO.  Twitter and Facebook are indexed by the search engines.  Therefore, the content is available to people searching.  Failing to leverage relevant keywords in social media is a large lost opportunity for marketers.  Essentially, you are leaving money on the table.

The last common mistake is treating social media as traditional marketing.  Marketers think in terms of the Five P’s of marketing: product, promotion, path, pricing, packaging.  However, there is a fundamental shift now to the Five C’s for marketing in terms of social media marketing: connectivity, conversations, credibility, collaboration and community.

You can see the shift of the C’s to the social aspect.  Connectivity is as simple as being on the Internet.  This can be either through Facebook and Twitter or through an Internet application.  Conversation is the online dialog between the marketer and the audience.

Credibility is a key component because it transforms the conversation into a deeper relationship.  Collaboration is achieved once the marketer is deemed credible and viewed as a viable resource.  Community is the ultimate goal in social media.  Community is achieved when a series of collaborations establish the marketer as a social media resource in the mind of the user.

1. Getting your house in order.

Each brand needs to understand its core values before embarking on social media campaigns.  Core values should be simplified by narrowing them down to a series of three to four words.  These words should be the test to make sure all brand communications properly represent the brand image.

Advertising and marketing should be framed within the context of these words to ensure a connection with the audience.  For example, Dolce Hotels and Resorts uses the following three words to represent its core values: nourishment, connectivity and community.

Senior leadership must buy in to the company’s social media approach.  I created the following Social Media Manifesto for Dolce that was shared with our management team and properties: “To create a virtual community filled with rich content through the interconnection of our brand and all of our properties to each other and key social media applications that will drive brand awareness, revenue and increased profitability.”

2. The best way to strike up a conversation with users

The best way to start a conversation is to encourage users to initiate one.  While this may seem like an oxymoron, I believe the best way is to have users seek you out.  To put this as a real world example, say you are an expert on hotels and you are at a cocktail party.

You don’t go up to people talking about hotels.  Rather, you talk to people and if they ask you a question about hotels, you start talking about hotels.  Now, people in the party may see you and overhear your conversation.

At this point, they may stand next to you quietly as you talk to the group.  At some point, someone might pipe in with a question that you can answer.  The same concept applies to social media.  The trick is to be where people are that might be interested in your topic.  Also, you need to conceptualize that you are at this virtual cocktail party that you never leave.

Then when you are in that place or other places, you must participate and be a resource to others.  The shear fact of being a resource will make you a person that people will want to know and will seek out  to start a conversation.

3. How to build rapport and trust to encourage engagement

Building rapport and trust goes hand in hand with building and sustaining relationships with the virtual community.  As in any relationship, you only get out of it what you put into it.  Moreover, you must remember that while you cannot control online conversations, you can influence them.  This influence is the bedrock upon which your economically viable relationships will be built.

How do you influence the conversation?  If you think of the traditional marketing funnel of: awareness, consideration, preference, action, loyalty, the conversation is happening in the middle of the funnel.

Therefore, the marketer needs to be where people are talking about their products and listen.  The marketer has an opportunity to disclose key pieces of information about the product and address issues quickly before they can become viral in a negative fashion.

The marketer can also create a location where people can congregate to discuss the product.  Whether this is a blog, website, facebook page.  The most important issue is to constantly be listening and then speaking without lecturing or shouting.

Forester addresses this issue of influence as well. They define the ingredients that influence conversations as the Four Pillars: 1) communication (It’s all about electronic conversations!); 2) collaboration (We will participate in and leverage the collective wisdom of the online community); 3) education (We will share our expertise in hotels & meetings with the online community); and 4) entertainment (We will make our content interesting and compelling).

4. How to manage the dialogue

We have several tools that can show a filtered view of all comments and posts on online travel agencies (OTAs), Facebook and Twitter.  These tools such as SearchView or Revinate allows us to see how a property compares to the competitive set.  Revinate collects every review, news story, blog post, photo, video and social media mention of your hotel. Everything is presented in a single, intuitive dashboard, accessible anytime via your web browser.

Tools help us listen and join the conversation, but you need a resource to take action.
Therefore, at Dolce Hotels and Resorts, we have designated a Social Media Mayor at each property who is responsible for communicating what’s new and exciting at their property and in their local community.

The mayor is the true insider.  They are a great resource of information and love to share this information.  We hold weekly global meetings of the Mayors to address best practices.  We firmly believe that the sum of our Mayors working together and supporting each other is greater than them working solo.

5. How  best to respond to negative comments?

Negative comments are a double-edged sword.  However, you frequently can turn a negative into a positive.  The majority of the audience understands everything is not perfect and things sometimes go wrong.  How a company deals with things that go wrong shows the true character and value of the company.

The first step is to acknowledge the negative comment.  Second, the issue should be investigated to determine whether it has merit.  Third, the company should respond on two levels — publicly online and privately to the individual by e-mail about the steps that are being made to improve the experience in the future.  If a company responds diligently to negative comments, users will be more likely to judge the company by balancing posted positive and negative comments.

6. How to assess the marketing effectiveness of social media channels

We track a series of metrics to determine the effectiveness of the social media channels.  Each factor helps us gauge how well we are doing in the social media arena.  We understand that social media is new and engage is “trial and error” until we determine what sticks.  The metrics help us determine what is and is not sticking.

For Twitter/LinkedIn/Facebook we have established the following four levels of evaluation 1) Increase fan/follower base from baseline;  2) Increase existing fan/follower interaction (comments, likes, retweets, e-mails); 3) Organic search (the number of times the property appears in search engines as a result of the social media content being indexed for each property’s100 keywords); 4) Traffic sent to property Web site (brand awareness) or directly to the booking path (revenue) as a result of social media.

7. MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter…. What’s next?

Social media is here to stay, but the platforms we currently use will continue to change.  Facebook has lost its cool factor with young users as it went mainstream.  Furthermore, as parents and grandparents go online “friend” their children/grandchildren, post on their walls, Facebook loses some of its allure as a “secret haven” for youth.

On top of this demographic shift, more and more companies are establishing Facebook sites because, to paraphrase Willy Sutton, “that’s where the users are.”  This influx of businesses creates an invisible tension between Facebook users and companies.  Facebook was conceived as a tool to enable users to socialize.  Users are not there to shop.  Therefore, businesses should take a very soft approach with this community lest they alienate them.

When another application comes along that will allow the youth to connect, share without the prying eyes of their family and business, they will migrate away, just as MySpace lost part of its audience to Facebook.  For a social media marketer, the challenge is to stay on the pulse of the youth and identify the next great application and be a first mover.

Twitter continues to be integrated into Web applications to allow a two-way communication between marketers and users.  YouTube will evolve as the production quality of videos improves. YouTube’s success may lure audiences away from traditional broadcast and cable television programs.

The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International honored Dolce with a Platinum Adrian Award for a contest called Play, Pick and Pack that encouraged consumers to become fans of the company’s Facebook pages. Dolce additionally won a Bronze Adrian Award for creating a gateau de voyage, or travel cake, for introducing prospective clients to its European hotels and resorts.

The Play, Pick and Pack promotion invited consumers to become fans of Dolce’s corporate and Lakeway Resort and Spa Facebook pages and submit proposals for the most original, fun and exciting vacation package that they could imagine enjoying at the resort, situated on Lake Travis, a short drive from downtown Austin.

Dolce handled all aspects of the promotion in house, with its executives choosing 10 finalists based on creativity, originality, marketability and fun factor. Dolce’s Facebook fans then were invited to vote for the winning entry.

Michael Goldrich, Dolce director of global Web services and e-commerce, said Play, Pick and Pack succeeded because it was authentic to the Dolce brand. “Our brand values of community, connectivity and nourishment were met with a perfect complement in the virtual world” he said.

Dolce’s travel cake promotion, named The Dolce Box, recalled the gentile era of pre-World War II Europe, when travelers frequently brought cakes as gifts to their hosts. The purpose was to create a compelling gift that could be mailed and or presented in person to prospective clients as a way of introducing Dolce’s European properties, known for their fine cuisine.

Alain Montigny, executive chef at Dolce Chantilly near Paris, developed pates de fruits, or fruit jellies, in three flavors representing the three rings of nourishment, connectivity and community depicted in the company’s logo. Eight thousand boxes, each packaged with three jellies, a brochure and a personal message from Andy Dolce, the company’s founder and chairman, were distributed by Dolce’s five hotels in Europe.

Xavier Louyot, Dolce marketing and public relations director, said The Dolce Box successfully introduced the company’s brand identity and increased awareness of its hotel and resort portfolio in Europe. “We also achieved a major objective by introducing Dolce’s culinary expertise through an experiential marketing communications tool” he said.

Dolce and other travel-related companies were recognized for their advertising, public relations and marketing efforts during the 20th annual Adrian Awards Gala last night at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square. From 1,100 entries, HSMAI selected 37 advertising Gold awards, 53 public relations Gold awards and 33 Web marketing Gold awards. Gold winners become finalists for Platinum and Best of Show awards.

Founded in 1927, HSMAI is an individual membership organization with more than 7,000 members worldwide and 40 chapters in its Americas Region.

Dolce Hotels and Resorts, headquartered in Montvale, N.J., and Paris, is majority-owned by Broadreach Capital Partners and employs approximately 4,000 worldwide.

Its portfolio also includes The Thayer Hotel, West Point, N.Y.; the Dolce Munich Unterschleissheim in Germany; Lakeway Resort & Spa, Austin, Texas; Dolce Sitges, Barcelona, Spain; Seaview, a Dolce Resort, near Atlantic City, N.J.; Dolce Basking Ridge in New Jersey; Dolce Hayes Mansion, San Jose, Calif.; Dolce Chantilly in France; and Aspen Meadows Resort of The Aspen Institute in Colorado.

Dolce Hotels and Resorts has earned a reputation for creating inspiring working and learning environments through its superior cuisine and amenities, productive facilities and design and dedicated, personalized customer service. Additional information is available atwww.dolce.com.

The company didn’t expect the winner to propose a holiday fund-raising event to benefit charities including a nationally known toy donation program, food bank and children’s research hospital. But that’s exactly what Lucia Tran of San Jose did, and she convinced more than 550 of her friends and coworkers to vote for her entry.

Specifically, Tran proposed “throwing an elegant holiday party for my closest friends and family” at Dolce Hayes Mansion. Invitees would be asked to bring contributions of toys and canned foods, and she would hold a raffle featuring hotel stays, spa packages and champagne Sunday brunch, with all proceeds donated to the children’s research hospital.

Cedric Fasbender, hotel general manager and Dolce Hotels and Resorts regional vice president, aims to see that Tran gets her wish. “We’re working with Lucia and her designated charities right now to organize her party,” he said. “Lucia’s proposal has captured the hearts of Dolce Hayes Mansion employees, who are personally committed to creating a spectacular event.”

(The party will be held tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Dolce Hayes Mansion’s Westwood Patio.)

Michael Goldrich, Dolce director of global Web services and e-commerce, helped create the Facebook contest, called “Tell Us Your Story.” He said Dolce executives selected finalists and posted them on Facebook to allow “fans” to vote for their favorite. Tran won the grand prize, a vacation valued up to $4,000.

“This contest really demonstrates the power of social media to spark philanthropy,” Goldrich said. “What began as a commercial venture promises to end up as nothing short of a holiday miracle. Everyone involved is quite touched by the generosity of Lucia Tran’s spirit. We’re particularly impressed by the fact that her San Jose-area coworkers rallied to her cause.”

Goldrich said this was the company’s second Facebook contest this year following a promotion featuring Dolce’s Lakeway Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas. “Lucia’s winning submission in the Dolce Hayes Mansion contest got more than triple the number of votes received by the Lakeway Resort contest winner,” he said. “It shows the growing power of social media.”

(The text of Tran’s winning entry can be viewed on the Dolce Hotels and Resorts Facebook page at www.facebook.com/dolcehotels by clicking on the Facebook Promotions Winners tab.)

Dolce Hayes Mansion, a century-old, Spanish Colonial Revival-style hotel, resort and spa, once was a lavish private estate and is considered one of the South Bay’s most distinctive historical structures. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the 214-room hotel’s facilities include two restaurants, lounge, day spa, fitness center, outdoor pool, tennis courts and 25 conference rooms totaling 33,000 square feet of function space certified by the International Association of Conference Centers. The hotel is 15 minutes from San Jose International Airport and 45 minutes from San Francisco and Monterey.

Dolce Hotels and Resorts, headquartered in Montvale, N.J., and Paris, is majority-owned byBroadreach Capital Partners and employs approximately 4,000 worldwide. Its portfolio of iconic hotels, resorts and conference centers also includes The Thayer Hotel at West Point, N.Y.; Lakeway Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas; Dolce Sitges in Barcelona, Spain; Seaview, near Atlantic City, N.J.; Dolce Chantilly in France; and Aspen Meadows Resort in Aspen, Colo.

Dolce Hotels and Resorts has earned a reputation for creating inspiring working and learning environments through its superior cuisine and amenities, productive facilities and design, and dedicated, personalized customer service. Additional information is available atwww.dolce.com.

Beginning Monday, Dolce Hotels and Resorts will invite its Facebook fans to propose dream vacations at the Dolce Hayes Mansion with the promise that the fan whose idea gets the most votes will be awarded their own vacation.

To enter the contest, called “Tell Us Your Story,” Dolce’s Facebook fans will be asked to study the culinary, recreational and relaxation attributes of Dolce Hayes Mansion, a century-old hotel, resort and spa here that once was a lavish private estate and now is considered one of the South Bay’s most distinctive historical structures.

Then they will create a personal vacation plan for taking full advantage of the 214-room hotel’s facilities for their vacations, including its two restaurants, lounge, day spa, fitness center, outdoor pool and tennis courts.

Dolce executives will select 20 finalists and post them on Facebook where Dolce’s fans can vote for their favorite. Grand prize will be the very vacation package created by the winner, a value of up to $4,000. Deadline for submissions is Nov. 13, finalists will be announced Nov. 15, voting will be held Nov. 16-20 and the winner announced Nov. 23.

“Given our location in the Silicon Valley, it’s only appropriate that Dolce Hayes Mansion serve as a pioneer utilizing the social media for marketing,” said Cedric Fasbender, Dolce Hayes Mansion general manager, who also serves Dolce Hotels and Resorts as regional vice president. “We’re encouraging our Facebook fans to tell their friends about the contest.”

Complete details will be listed Oct. 26 on the Dolce Hotels and Resorts Facebook wall at www.facebook.com/dolcehotels.

Michael Goldrich, Dolce’s director of global Web services and e-commerce, noted that this will be the company’s second such Facebook contest this year following a successful promotion this summer featuring Dolce’s Lakeway Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas. “Our customers love the social media and enjoy interacting with Dolce online in contests like this,” he said.

The meticulously renovated Spanish Colonial Revival-style Dolce Hayes Mansion, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is a fusion of high-tech convenience and turn-of-the-century luxury. Groomed lawns and mountain views create a quiet haven for meetings and relaxation just 15 minutes from San Jose International Airport and 45 minutes from San Francisco and Monterey.

The hotel’s 33,000 square feet of function space, certified by the International Association of Conference Centers, includes 25 conference rooms.

Dolce Hotels and Resorts, headquartered in Montvale, N.J., and Paris, is majority-owned by Broadreach Capital Partners and employs approximately 4,000 worldwide.

Its portfolio of iconic hotels, resorts and conference centers also includes Lakeway Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas; Dolce Sitges in Barcelona, Spain; Seaview, near Atlantic City, N.J.; Dolce Chantilly in France; and Aspen Meadows Resort in Aspen, Colo.

Dolce Hotels and Resorts has earned a reputation for creating inspiring working and learning environments through its superior cuisine and amenities, productive facilities and design, and dedicated, personalized customer service. Additional information is available at www.dolce.com.

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SOURCE: Dolce Hotels and Resorts

Dolce Drives Awareness with Social Media Contest
The lodging company just ran its first social media campaign. And they’ve shared what they learned with us so you can learn from them.
Tuesday, September 08, 2009

Lakeway Resort and Spa

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Related Companies Dolce International

When it comes to social media, it’s a matter of experimenting. Turns out there are no definitive silver bullet strategies that can be easily implemented for surefire successes. The only way to find what’s best for your hotel is to try, try and then try again to see what works.

That’s what the folks at Dolce Hotels & Resorts are doing. And they’ve been gracious enough to share with us what’s working and what’s not as they embark on creating their own social media strategy from the ground up.

They recently concluded their first-ever attempt to galvanize their fan base to action while also seeking to increase awareness of individual hotels and the brand in general. And, according to Michael Goldrich, Director, Global Web Services and E-Commerce with Dolce Hotels and Resorts, their results exceeded expectations. Although they weren’t necessarily the results they expected.

This past month, Dolce gave Facebook fans a chance to develop a travel package for the Lakeway Resort and Spa in Austin, TX. The concept was to have contestants develop a travel package valued at up to $4,000. Twenty finalists were chosen, and those were then voted on by the public at large. The winner would then get to experience their package at the hotel. The package would also be sold to the general public.

The idea was that friends would engage other friends to participate, thereby driving brand and property awareness. Brand managers would also figure out what their customers are looking for in a stay.

“We learned a lot of things, although things we assumed would happen didn’t,” said Goldrich. “I thought I was building a viral campaign. Yet this was an anti–viral campaign. We thought people would enter the contest and tell their friends to enter too and then their friends would vote on the finalists. But we saw from day one that no one was telling anyone about the contest. I quickly realized it was like supply and demand; if you know of something cool and tell others about it they’d be less likely to get it.”

But in the end the votes they got on each of the finalist packages far exceeded their expectations, with each entry getting thousands of votes rather than the expected hundreds.

Goldrich also said the cost of the program itself was minimal. Salaried employees like him and Dolce’s internal legal team handled the leg work, and Goldrich was able to use free software from third-party vendors to power the contest. Facebook does not allow you to use their system directly for such purposes so a plug-in program was necessary. The only real costs were giving the winners their free stay.

Here are some key elements they learned:

• The terms and conditions of the contest were too onerous for some, and it turned some off. “They weeded themselves out in the middle of the process,” he said. “I didn’t think they’d be turned off by terms and conditions.” Some also gave up personal information and then didn’t enter the contest.
• Contestants followed Goldrich’s suggestions for packages too literally and mainly stuck to honeymoon, romance and getaway themes rather than creating something entirely new. “They were creative within those parameters but they didn’t go beyond that,” said Goldrich.
• Goldrich learned there could be zero element of luck associated with the promotion. Dolce lawyers warned if luck was involved, sweepstakes rules and regulations would come into play. He originally wanted to give the first person who booked the winning package a free trip, but that would run afoul of sweepstakes rules.
• Those lawyers can add weeks to your planned schedule, so he learned to consider that in future elements.
• Friday was the biggest entry day by far for the campaign, 300 percent bigger in fact. Saturday and Sunday were also popular.
• Entrants were required to pick specific dates and itemize package cost, something Goldrich didn’t want to do, but had to legally, said the lawyers. He is working on solutions to make the terms and conditions and rules more user-friendly next time around. “I really want to take out the pricing component. It’s what frustrated people most, trying to figure out what each element was worth.
• Goldrich used only social media channels to notify people about the contest through Facebook and mirror tweets on Twitter. He also responded to every @reply he received through Twitter. “I never thought I’d interact with contestants, but I did on multiple parts. When I had a tech glitch, I had to ask them to reenter information. Those that had incomplete submissions, I sent them a note and when the contest went to the voting phase I sent a note to finalists and told them to get out the vote. Some even wrote back to me and I communicated to everyone who did so,” said Goldrich.
• A blogger learned about the program, wrote about it, and many entries came to Dolce because of her mentions. “She sent a lot of people our way. Bloggers are important and have a voice,” he said.
• Results: People visited the Lakeway Resort and Spa website for an extended period of time, traffic increased to that property by 50 percent, and the Dolce fan page on Facebook got a 30 percent increase in fans. The Austin property increased its fan base by 50 percent. People entering the contest were predominantly women who mostly live in the Austin area.
• When it comes to Twitter, Goldrich said he learned that if frequency is too much people feel like you’re spamming, but single tweets are lost. “It’s a crazy balance you have to figure out.”
• Words like ‘free’ or ‘win’ get lost in the clutter, but the word that resonated most was ‘complimentary.’

• In the end, Goldrich said it’s critical to do something that is authentic to the brand. Their goals to increase community connectivity and brand nourishment were met with a perfect complement in the virtual word through a program that truly supported their brand.

  By now you’ve got to be curious as to the winning entry. Here it is:

  Title: Dr. Dolce’s Reconnection Cure for Weary Parents

  Entry: “Hello, Mr. and Mrs. New Parents. My name is Dr. Dolce. After examining both of you, I find that your condition appears quite severe. My diagnosis is a case of the Weary Parents Syndrome. WPS is quite common in parents of young children. It manifests itself in the form of several very specific symptoms that are only curable with specific treatments at our facility, The Lakeway Resort and Spa. Your customized treatment will require three days and two nights in our state-of-the-art accommodations, to be completed Friday, March 5 through Sunday, March 7, for a cost to your insurance of $1,784. It’s imperative to your health and well-being to get started on this course of action immediately.

  On day one, the highly trained staff will focus on the following symptoms: body aches and pains from carrying children and diaper bags and tripping over toys; malnourishment from the inability to actually sit down and eat a full meal and consuming only chicken nuggets and macaroni; and sleep deprivation from many years of interrupted sleep. My recommended course of treatment includes the San Saba Signature massage and soothing Texas Desert Heat Wrap for the both of you, a peaceful dinner for two at the Travis restaurant and adult conversation while relaxing at the Back Porch Wine Bar. To address your lack of sleep I prescribed a two-night stay in our fantastically luscious Lakeside Guest Room with a Balcony.

  On day two the treatments begin immediately with a romantic breakfast in bed, noticeably lacking in sugary kids’ cereals. Afterwards you will proceed to the onsite gym for an invigorating workout and cool off with a refreshing swim in the pool. Unlike your normal exercise and cool down routines, you are required to complete these tasks without worrying what the kids are touching, breaking or swallowing. Furthermore, I strongly advise physical therapy in the form of showering without a child yelling or banging on the door. This symptom can be remedied in the beautiful guest room.

  While examining you, I noticed your verbal abilities had deteriorated into talk of children’s television and baby-talk, and you seemed completely unable to hold an adult conversation. I don’t want to alarm you, but if you continue in this pattern, you could lose your ability to speak altogether. To prevent such a problem, I am prescribing a leisurely lunch at Josey’s Bar and Grill, followed by a scenic walk along the gorgeous grounds of the Lakeway Resort and Spa. Talk. Hold hands. Speak to each other without being interrupted or wiping anyone else’s face and hands. Cut up only your own food. Look across the table at your spouse instead of flitting your attention in a thousand other directions. Try to remember what it is like to carry on an adult conversation while simultaneously dining. You know the treatment is working when you realize that you have more than three minutes to consume your dinner, and that your hands are only required to attend to your own plate.

  After your walk, your treatment plan continues with his and hers San Saba facials, manicures, and pedicures, which will address your symptoms of dry, unkempt hands from the thousands of diaper changes and hand washings, as well as the scaly feet from the days at the playground and the total neglect of a skin care regimen. Mrs. Parent, I also recommend the hair cut and style for you because…well, because it’s obvious that you have no style other than a ponytail. Let our professional staff teach you how to have style and be a mom at the same time! It can happen if you’ll commit to our program! By this time, you will begin to reconnect with your former selves, but we will persevere to the end of the treatment with a late dinner on the town to test your ability to function in an adult environment past 8:00.

  In the evening, you’ll again retire to our sumptuous bedding, which will provide the much-needed uninterrupted sleep that your body so desperately craves from years of sleepless nights. I’m ordering you to rest for the entire night and into the morning, only waking when you deem necessary and not from anyone else’s bellowing or crying from the other room. This element is crucial to curing your condition. Sunday brunch at the Travis Restaurant will provide the culinary nourishment and sophisticated atmosphere to review your progress and reevaluate your physical, mental, and emotional condition. At that time, I hope to upgrade your diagnosis from Weary Parent to Reconnected Couple.”