Business
Today's episode is a very special one, as we bring you a recent panel discussion we hosted at Rent Responsibly's 2023 Sustainability Summit. What does sustainability have to do with branding and company culture, and why is it more important than ever to focus on this way of thinking? Tune in to find out! Tune in as we dive into this topic with two of the smartest minds in hospitality marketing, Stuart Butler and Pete DiMaio. You do NOT want to miss this one!About the Guests: Stuart Butler After 20 years in the hotel industry, Stuart recently became the Chief Marketing Officer at the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce & CVB, the official destination marketing organization for the Grand Strand. A native of England, Stuart moved to the United States in 2001 and has spent the past two decades implementing marketing strategies for hundreds of hotels and destinations worldwide. With a degree in Rocket Science from the University of Kent at Canterbury, he leverages cutting-edge technology and takes a scientific and innovative approach to everyday marketing challenges. Pete DiMaioPete is the Chief Operating Officer at TravelBoom. With TravelBoom, Pete takes an analytics approach to hotel marketing and works tirelessly to ensure his clients are able to drive occupancy, increase RevPAR, and improve direct bookings; all while providing a granular level of reporting that proves the return on investment. Pete has over two decades of experience in hospitality marketing from both the traditional and digital sides of the business. Highlights of the Episode02:16 - Episode Intro by Dana Lubner, Head of Leadership Development at Rent Responsibly05:17 – Guest Intro: Stuart Butler CMO for Visit Myrtle Beach and Pete Dimaio COO for TravelBoom05:45 – What to consider when starting the brand08:11 – What happened to companies that did not start thinking about building the brand09:48 – Fundamentals for starters14:23 – How not to get bogged down in making the right decisions20:19 – Will the ability to customize by guest detract or build trust?24:02 – The importance of company culture32:29 – Assets that need to be protected41:12 – Testing and why it's so importantConnect with STUART:LinkedIn | LinkedIn Page | Website | FacebookConnect with PETE:LinkedIn | LinkedIn Page | Website | Instagram | TwitterThis episode is brought to you by Casago, Guest Ranger, and Good Neighbor Tech. Special thanks to Rev & Research for being the presenting sponsor of Alex & Annie’s List.