Journal of Hotel and Business Management
Open Access
ISSN: 2169-0286
+44 1478 350008
ISSN: 2169-0286
+44 1478 350008
Tom Costello
Accepted Abstracts: J Hotel Bus Manage
Social media channels have exploded over the past five years and if hoteliers are serious about getting past ?small talk? with current and prospective customers they will have to develop a rock-solid social media strategy. In this presentation, hoteliers will learn how to design and implement proven strategies, apply realistic timeframes to each element of the strategy, and identify metrics (those that are definable and verifiable) that will allow them to measure whether they are achieving expectations that goes well beyond tweeting on Twitter and posting on Facebook. This topic will cover the following important elements of a successful social media strategy. 1. Defining objectives 2. Implement objectives to forge a relationships with an audience. 3. Identifying an audience 4. How to reach and communicate with ?influencers? and ?advocates? 5. Tips to convert sales through social channels 6. Tracking ?Return on Interaction? 7. The use of analytical tools to gauge social interaction 8. Collaborating with the audience to help foster new ideas and increase sales
Tom Costello is a business owner, entrepreneur, consultant, and author whose career encompasses more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality and travel industries and his business experience includes startups, strategic business planning, P&L management, branding, sales, marketing, social media, e-reputation management, technology development, channel distribution, vendor and third-party relations. As the CEO of Groups International, Tom drives the strategic growth of the company in the areas of sales, marketing, brand image, social media, and vendor relations." In addition to launching Groups International in 2006, Tom co-developed a patent pending web-based meetings and events solution, iGroupPlanner?, introduced an online direct connect distribution channel for hotels, Hotelmine?, and expanded the companyʼs services to include iGroupAdvisors, a business performance improvement advisory company. Tom has been quoted in USA Today, Hotel Management Asia, TalkHotels, and Franchise Times and is a regular contributor to HospitalityNET, Hotel Interactive, HotelMarketing.com, eHotelier.com, Tnooz, HSMAI Foundation eConnect, Corporate Venues UK, Business 2 Community, and published his first book ?Prepare for Liftoff - How to Launch a Career in Sales?. Tom studied at Loyola University, New Orleans, and majored in Communications. He has been married to his wife Nancy Costello since 1980 and is the father of two boys, Ryan, age 23, and Jack, age 19.