Integrated Marketing Communication Strategies for Island Beach Resort

This report provides an in-depth analysis of the marketing communication strategies employed by Island Beach Resort. It begins with an introduction to marketing and communication, emphasizing the importance of integrated approaches. The main body evaluates the resort's marketing channels, including its reservation system, property management system (PMS), and online marketing provider, assessing their effectiveness in achieving communication objectives. The report then critically examines the current case of Island Beach Resort, focusing on its communication strategy, channel choices, and creative content, highlighting areas for improvement. The report also provides recommendations for enhancing the resort's marketing efforts. The analysis reveals that the resort's marketing channels are not effectively meeting communication objectives, leading to a limited market presence. The report suggests the need for a more integrated and customer-focused approach, including the adoption of digital communication tools and personal assistance to improve communication and build a stronger brand image.

Integrated Hospitality
Marketing Communications

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
Evaluation of the different marketing channels using within the resort for the purpose of
attaining communication objectives............................................................................................1
Critical evaluation of the current case of Island Beach Resort involving communication
strategy, channel choice and creative content..............................................................................4
CONCLUSION and RECOMMENDATIONS...............................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Marketing refers as the activity of advertising about current operations of an organisation.
The main purpose of this is to disseminate the information among the consumers about their
offerings along with position within the market. This activity has huge contribution in relation to
the attainment of large market share and competitive edge (Marketing Communication, 2020).
There are numerous benefits will be attained by every kind of organisation through usage of this
exercise irrespective to their size and nature like large customer base, market share, competitive
edge and improved brand image. Simultaneously, the aspect of communication has similar
importance as have by the marketing concept within an organisation. At some point, marketing
also fulfils the communication purpose of an organisation but it is necessary for sustainable
success to build effective two-way communication process. This will provide the opportunity in
formulating the connection where able to ascertain their views and feedbacks upon existing
offerings. This benefits in future through improvement of offerings by working over the
suggested points. The main aim of this report is also to ascertain benefit of integrated
implementation of effective marketing and communication strategies within an organisation. The
organisation selected to analyse in this respect is Island Beach Resort. This is small and privately
owned small beach that provide resort, accommodation and holiday services to their consumers.
The aspects cover in report includes evaluation of the different marketing channels using
within the resort for the purpose of attaining communication objectives and critical evaluation of
the current case of Island Beach Resort involving communication strategy, channel choice and
creative content. Also, providing some recommendations through which management able to
improve the current level of market and communication determinants.
MAIN BODY
Evaluation of the different marketing channels using within the resort for the purpose of attaining
communication objectives
The success of an organisation depends over their presence in market along with the aspect
that how well they able to disseminate the information about organisational offerings in market
among consumers. In this regard, two things are important to focus i.e. communication
objectives and marketing channels which are going to be use for the fulfilment of same. The
presence of effective communication objective is necessary because it clears about the desires
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and target market of an organisation according to which further strategies will be developed. On
the other hand, marketing channels playing the supporting role as primary factor towards
completion of stated organisational objectives (Bowie and et al., 2016). These are the basis
through which an organisation delivers the information about their products, services and
offerings among the consumers so they can know and get the knowledge about an organisation.
These channels also aid in creation of separate image of an organisation in market and among the
individuals of society where it creates the image through which they perceive how good is
organisation and associated with large number facilities. The application of these marketing
channels is not easy in nature as all have their own features and benefits that never matched to
the requirements of an organisation. In this regard, better for an organisation to use the integrated
marketing channels where they combine the two or more for the development of perfect tailored
approach of technique as per the current organisational requirement. The timely review of this is
also important from the point of market flexibility. There is frequent change in demand
according to the changes in other external factor i.e. technology and social implication. Now, the
exercise of review provides the opportunity to adjust according to the market specifications so
able to effectively combat the threat of competition. This further aid in attainment of
sustainability within business through formulation of team which is always focused over
adoption of new changes according to the market needs and organisational requirements
(Camilleri, 2018).
The current case study analysing in the report is about Island Beach Resort. It is privately
owned small resort located on the Florida Gulf Coast with direct access to a pristine beach. It can
be accessed with the aid of boat or ferry. The other different number of services are provided by
resort includes recreational activities, tennis, shopping, dining, entertainment, and security. After
having everything good, the name of resort is not popular in market. Locals does not know about
such resort and not even founded on internet while searching resorts in their area. This clearly
depicts that the marketing approach of resort is not good. Also, having bad digital presence
where it is unable for consumers to find the resort from just searching of keywords. Now,
evaluation is provided below regarding all the marketing channels used by resort along with their
ability to meet communication objectives;
Examination of The Resort's authoritative relations with online channels, property
management system (PMS) and sales efforts uncovered an average multichannel approach like
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what is standard practice in the industry right now (Inanc–Demir and Kozak, 2019). Be that as it
may, on account of Island Beach Resort, the decision of property management system was
attached to an online supplier that offered both back-of-the-house capacities just as on the web
promoting with some other seller capacities. The Resort additionally had a legally binding
connection with an on the web promoting supplier that doesn't go about as a shipper or merchant.
Since the property utilized a call place to answer calls when gathering was shut, The Resort must
be gotten to during specific hours of the day and shut every day at 11:00 PM. The present
reservation framework utilized by The Resort is NAVIS, an assistance and programming
program possessed by a Bend, Oregon organization. As a feature of this program, the NAVIS
RezForce element is fused. The RezForce framework offered every minute of every day
accessibility catching night-time and occupied/no-answer calls and passed any unbooked
prompts to the resort. Related to this administration, The Resort utilized Escapia
specialist/framework, an online PMS that portrays itself as an excursion property the executives
programming and internet promoting arrangement. This supplier offers a total bundle for SMEs
that can incorporate website architecture, back-of-the house capacities and web advertising
(Chaudhary, Khan and Ali, 2017). So, the core marketing channels used by Island Beach Resort
for meeting communication objectives are;
Reservation system: To meet out the communication objectives, resort was used the
software named as NAVIS. This provides the information to resort regarding the unanswered
calls and unbooked leads. There was no link of this system with the aspect of outside
communication from consumers in relation to ascertaining their views and preferences. Also, not
aid in disseminating the information about their offerings and presence in market. It was
ineffective in nature to meet the main aspect of communication about disbursement of
information at large level for creation of awareness regarding existence.
Property management system: The resort was also used the online PMS software named
as Escapia to meet out their communication objectives. This performed the functions related to
web design, back-of-the house functions and web marketing. In accordance to the situation of
resort in market, it was cleared that software is not working effectively and not able to meet the
desired communication objectives (Dewnarain, Ramkissoon and Mavondo, 2019).
Contractual relation with online marketing provider: For effective marketing and
deliverance of information to about offerings, resort had a contract with online marketing
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provider. This was also not worked in the favour of an organisation where unable to find the
resort information through search of main keywords. Simultaneously, ineffectiveness of this
channel represented that the same was not good towards attaining of communication objectives.
Critical evaluation of the current case of Island Beach Resort involving communication strategy,
channel choice and creative content
Island Beach resort is located on the Florida Gulf Coast with direct access to a perfect sea
shore. This small and exclusive retreat is situated on an island that must be gotten to by boat or
ship. However, it manages its visitors a full scope of administrations that incorporate recreational
exercises, tennis, shopping, eating, amusement, and security. It’s one hundred and sixty (160)
rental units change from one to three rooms. Visitors may drive onto the property, yet are
required to leave their vehicles in a focal part and limit auto use for off-island exercises as it
were. Transportation on the island is by foot, bike or golf truck what's more, water exercises are
made open by rental of the hotel's stream skis, vessels with angling gear, also, kayaks. This
Resort has been sensibly effective in past years, yet financial states of this decade have
deleteriously affected business (Patti and et al., 2017).
Its business structure is a typical of numerous exclusive SMEs. It has developed on a base
plan of action for land improvement started by the proprietor of the land, Ralph Wittcome, who
began by building and selling summer homes with the idea of adding rental administration to the
improvement organization. In the early long periods of improvement, this point of view
prompted a general plan of including a pool, tennis courts, volleyball, two cafes, a coffeehouse,
and a comfort store that additionally, took care of bike and golf truck rentals. To help invigorate
deals and bolster an income imparting plan to workers, Ralph started leasing the units when not
involved by the proprietor. This clearly depicts that approach of improving business and sales
was quite significant where focused over fulfilment of all different visitors needs who came to
the specific place for enjoyment and spending good time. Here, they can play with family, eat
good food and spent time properly as all different facilities are available (Pereira, Martins and
Ribero, 2019).
To market the own business, resort adopted the various marketing communication channels.
This includes the use of three different options such as reservation system, property management
system and contractual relation with online marketing provider. The reservation framework
utilized by the Resort is NAVIS, an assistance and programming program possessed by a Bend,
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Oregon organization. As a feature of this program, the NAVIS RezForce element is fused. The
RezForce framework offered every minute of every day accessibility catching night-time and
occupied/no-answer calls and passed any unbooked prompts to the resort. Related to this
administration, the Resort also utilized Escapia specialist/framework, an online PMS that
portrays itself as an excursion property the executives programming and internet promoting
arrangement. This supplier offers a total bundle for SMEs that can incorporate website
architecture, back-of-the house capacities and web advertising. Here, nothing was adopted by the
management that help the resort to build the effective connection with consumers along with
disseminating timely and proper information about their offerings. Also, the current channels not
performed well due to which resort had least presence in market (Ramasobana and Fatoki, 2017).
This is cleared from the presentation of information that there was huge need for adopting the
new channels of marketing along with their effective implementation because mere selection of
good not help to get the success. In respect to building communication, they tied up with call
centre because the reception was closed at 11pm. This was also the reason that the resort did not
had the good level of communication with consumers because many times their calls were
unanswered. This clearly depicts that a resort was need to adopt the approach of personal
assistance along with usage of digital communication tools that help to build effective level of
communication (Gomez, Lopez and Molina, 2019).
CONCLUSION and RECOMMENDATIONS
It has been concluded from the above report that there is huge need of adopting effective
marketing communication strategies as this will help the all kind of organisations in attainment
of their desired goals. This is associated with large number of benefits such as profound brand
image, large market shares and high market base. Integration of communication with marketing
channels strengthened the overall approach of an organisation where easy for them to sustain
through attainment of competitive edge in market.
It has been recommended to the resort that they have to focus over the adoption of digital
marketing channels along communication tools. This will improve their customer assistance and
provides the opportunity to know their views and feedbacks. The two-way communication is the
only way through which all organisations are able to get success in current diversified market.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bowie, D. and et al., 2016. Hospitality marketing. Taylor & Francis.
Camilleri, M. A., 2018. Integrated marketing communications. In Travel marketing, tourism
economics and the airline product (pp. 85-103). Springer, Cham.
Chaudhary, A. H., Khan, M. A. and Ali, R. A., 2017. Effect of Integrated Marketing
Communications on Consumer Buying Decision of Internet Service (An Empirical Study
of Mobilink in Multan City). Journal of Research in Marketing. 8(1). pp.630-635.
Dewnarain, S., Ramkissoon, H. and Mavondo, F., 2019. Social customer relationship
management: An integrated conceptual framework. Journal of Hospitality Marketing &
Management. 28(2). pp.172-188.
Patti, C. H. and et al., 2017. Improving integrated marketing communications practices: A
comparison of objectives and results. Journal of marketing communications. 23(4).
pp.351-370.
Pereira, T.N.C., Martins, I. P. and Ribero, A. P., 2019. Analysis of the use of integrated
marketing communications (IMC): in a small lodging environment in the city of
Chuí/RS. Applied Tourism. 4(1). pp.78-83.
Ramasobana, M. and Fatoki, O., 2017. Business attributes and marketing communication
strategies of SMEs in South Africa. Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies. 9(6).
pp.90-97.
Gomez, M., Lopez, C. and Molina, A., 2019. An integrated model of social media brand
engagement. Computers in Human Behavior. 96. pp.196-206.
Inanc–Demir, M. and Kozak, M., 2019. Big Data and Its Supporting Elements: Implications for
tourism and hospitality marketing. In Big Data and Innovation in Tourism, Travel, and
Hospitality (pp. 213-223). Springer, Singapore.
Online
Marketing Communication. 2020. [Online]. Available Through: <
http://www.economicsdiscussion.net/marketing-2/marketing-communication-meaning-
purpose-role-process-and-strategies/31623>
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