Hire the Top Rated Fractional CMO For Hospitality

Ross Kernez is a digital marketer, community builder, mentor, and author. He is the founder of NYC-based SEO Meetup, a group of 2900 marketing professionals who meet monthly to network and discuss the latest trends and happenings in the industry.

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Published: 07.11.2024

As a Fractional CMO For Hospitality, I leverage over 15 years of proven experience in driving significant business growth through strategic and innovative marketing solutions. My approach is designed to provide small businesses, start-ups, mid-sized and enterprise companies with the leadership and expertise they need, without the long-term commitment or high cost of a full-time executive. I have worked in the digital marketing field as an independent marketing consultant working with enterprise companies and startups—advising on Earned media (SEO, ASO, Content Marketing, Digital PR, Email Marketing, Influencer Marketing, Affiliate Marketing), Paid media (Paid Search, Paid Social, Programmatic, Media Strategy),Creative (Branding & Web design), CRO & UX.

By working with me, you gain access to top-tier marketing leadership and the ability to implement advanced marketing strategies that are tailored to your unique business goals. My expertise covers a wide range of industries, enabling me to bring a fresh, adaptable perspective to each client. From omni channel marketing and brand development to demand generation and go-to-market strategies, I ensure that your business stays ahead of the curve, benefiting from the latest marketing trends and insights. Whether you're looking to enter new markets, boost lead generation, or enhance your overall brand presence, I can help craft and execute a strategic marketing plan that aligns with your business objectives.

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Hire the Top Rated Fractional CMO For Hospitality

"If you can work with Ross, make it happen — you won't regret it!"

— Jennifer Anderson

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Unlock your brand's full potential with a top-rated Fractional CMO For Hospitality

In today’s fast-paced and competitive market, businesses need expert marketing leadership to stand out and drive growth. But hiring a full-time CMO can be costly and often unnecessary. That’s where a top-rated Fractional CMO comes in—offering the strategic expertise of a chief marketing officer without the overhead of a full-time hire.

As a Fractional CMO, I deliver customized marketing strategies tailored to your business needs. From optimizing your brand positioning to scaling digital marketing efforts, I provide the insights, leadership, and execution needed to achieve measurable results. Whether you're a startup looking to scale or an established company seeking to refine your strategy, I help unlock the true potential of your brand.

With proven success across diverse industries, I bring a fresh perspective and actionable solutions to every challenge. Partner with me, and together we’ll accelerate your business growth while staying agile and cost-effective. Ready to take your marketing to the next level? Let's connect!

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What can I bring to your company when you hire me as Fractional CMO For Hospitality?

I find myself in a privileged position through hosting my marketing meetups, where I have access to a wealth of data alongside my fellow members. These gatherings serve as a fertile ground for the exchange of insights and information stemming from diverse industries. My team and I take it upon ourselves to meticulously gather and arrange this data, ensuring that every participant can reap the benefits from a broad pool of knowledge. As we all know, unstructured data holds little to no value, much like unmined gold lying dormant underground, waiting to be discovered and valued..

We delve into this data reservoir, sifting through to find and present the most valuable pieces of information — the golden nuggets that can offer substantial learning experiences to our attendees.

Would you be interested in granting your attendees access to this repository of golden opportunities?

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Experienced Fractional CMO For Hospitality

I have worked in numerous large enterprises within the marketing & SEO departments. Taking these businesses up the search engine result pages (SERPS), these roles formed the bases of my experience.

I have also been fortunate enough to advise & consult numerous smaller and medium businesses across a wide array of verticals and this also greatly enhanced my knowledge about the market and of course how to implement a ‘search’ strategy to garner visibility and generate revenue.

Who is Ross Kernez?

With over 15+ years of experience, I specialize in building marketing systems that consistently attract and retain customers. My approach is rooted in meticulous processes, ensuring that every aspect of my work is efficient, scalable, and impactful. From complex tasks like SEO to comprehensive strategies, I design systems that minimize friction and cost while maximizing results.

Ross is deeply involved in the marketing and tech community, mentoring startups at organizations like Techstars and Starta. He is known for his expertise in search engine optimization, digital marketing, and leveraging data analytics for marketing success.

Here’s some feedback from someone who has worked with Ross

Hiring a fractional CMO for our boutique hotel was one of the best decisions we’ve made. They immediately brought structure to our marketing efforts, which had previously been all over the place. From optimizing our website to developing a cohesive social media strategy, they helped us reach more potential guests and highlight the unique aspects of our property. Their focus on SEO made a huge difference, and we’re now ranking higher on Google, which has increased our direct bookings. They also helped us manage online reviews more effectively, responding to guest feedback in a way that reflects our brand’s commitment to service. Overall, we’ve seen a noticeable improvement in both bookings and guest engagement since working with them.

— Connor E.

We were struggling to differentiate our resort from the competition, and bringing in a fractional CMO completely transformed our approach. They helped us create a clear brand voice and focus our marketing around the guest experience, which really resonated with our audience. Social media was a big part of the strategy, and their content plan has boosted our visibility significantly. We’re seeing more engagement on Instagram and Facebook, and it’s been a great way to showcase our amenities and guest reviews. Their data-driven approach to analyzing occupancy trends and marketing effectiveness has also been a game changer. Even though they’re not full-time, it feels like they’re always keeping our marketing on track and helping us grow.

— Victoria A.

Our experience with a fractional CMO has been fantastic. We run a mid-sized hospitality business, and having someone with their expertise has taken our marketing to the next level. They revamped our email marketing strategy, which has led to more repeat guests and increased loyalty program participation. Their work on improving our online presence, particularly through SEO and guest reviews, has also driven more direct bookings, which has been a big win for us. What really stood out was their ability to bring fresh ideas while staying true to our brand’s core values. They’re always looking for ways to improve and optimize our efforts, and the results speak for themselves—higher occupancy rates, better guest feedback, and more consistent marketing overall.

— William S.

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My Process

Let's Collaborate

1. Describe your project

2.Schedule a Call

3. Develop Strategic High Level Plan

4. Accountability on both sides

What should you expect from your Fractional CMO For Hospitality

When working with a fractional CMO for the hospitality industry, you should expect a marketing leader who understands the intricacies of attracting and retaining guests, navigating the competitive landscape, and crafting a brand that resonates with your target audience. The hospitality industry is unique in its focus on experience, service, and customer satisfaction, and a fractional CMO brings the strategic expertise necessary to ensure that your marketing efforts align with these core elements.

The fractional CMO will begin by analyzing your current marketing strategies, evaluating how well your brand is positioned in the market, and assessing the effectiveness of your messaging, digital presence, and customer engagement. From there, they will craft a comprehensive marketing strategy tailored to the hospitality sector, focusing on increasing bookings, enhancing guest satisfaction, and boosting brand loyalty.

In the hospitality industry, guest experience is everything, and the CMO will develop marketing efforts that emphasize this. They will ensure that your marketing materials, website, social media presence, and guest communications all reflect the high-quality service and experience your hotel, resort, or hospitality business provides. This might involve refining your brand voice, creating engaging content that highlights your property’s unique features, or developing special offers that appeal to both new and returning guests.

A key aspect of the CMO’s role is enhancing your digital presence. In today’s market, potential guests often research and book their stays online, so having an optimized website and strong digital marketing strategy is essential. The fractional CMO will focus on search engine optimization (SEO) to ensure your business ranks highly when potential guests search for accommodations or services in your area. They will also refine your online booking process, making it as seamless and user-friendly as possible to reduce friction and increase conversions.

Social media is another crucial component of marketing in the hospitality industry. The fractional CMO will work on building a strong, engaging presence across platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, where visuals and guest interactions play a significant role. They will help you develop and execute a content strategy that showcases your property, amenities, and guest experiences, using high-quality photos, videos, and guest reviews to drive interest and engagement. They may also implement targeted social media advertising to reach potential guests based on their travel preferences, locations, and behaviors.

Another important focus of the fractional CMO is reputation management. In hospitality, online reviews and guest feedback can make or break a business, so it’s critical to have a strategy in place to manage your reputation across platforms like TripAdvisor, Google, and Yelp. The CMO will help ensure that guest feedback is monitored, addressed, and leveraged as part of your marketing efforts. Positive reviews can be highlighted in your advertising or on your website, while negative feedback will be responded to professionally and in a way that demonstrates your commitment to guest satisfaction.

In addition to driving new bookings, the fractional CMO will also focus on building guest loyalty. This might involve creating loyalty programs, offering personalized experiences for repeat guests, or sending targeted email campaigns with special offers and promotions. The CMO will ensure that your marketing efforts not only attract new guests but also encourage them to return, creating a cycle of repeat business and positive word-of-mouth recommendations.

Another key area the CMO will address is data-driven marketing. In hospitality, understanding guest preferences and behaviors is crucial to refining your marketing efforts. The CMO will use data analytics to track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as occupancy rates, booking trends, and campaign performance. They will analyze this data to continuously optimize your marketing strategies, ensuring that your efforts are generating measurable results and delivering a strong return on investment.

Lastly, a fractional CMO will focus on partnerships and collaborations, which can be highly effective in the hospitality industry. They will help identify opportunities to partner with travel influencers, tourism boards, local businesses, or event organizers to increase visibility and attract more guests. These partnerships can amplify your reach and enhance your brand’s reputation, making it a go-to destination for travelers.

In summary, a fractional CMO for the hospitality industry provides marketing leadership that drives bookings, enhances guest experience, builds brand loyalty, and ensures your business remains competitive in a dynamic market. They will create and implement strategies that improve your digital presence, leverage social media, manage your reputation, and use data to optimize marketing efforts, all while aligning with the goals and values of your hospitality business. Through their expertise, you can expect improved visibility, guest engagement, and long-term growth.

Topics that I can cover

Programmatic Marketing

Growth Marketing

Paid Search Marketing

Paid Social Marketing

Marketing Strategy

Digital PR

SEO Marketing

Social Media Marketing

FAQs

What is a Fractional CMO, and how does this role apply to the hospitality industry?

A Fractional Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) is a highly skilled marketing professional who works with businesses on a part-time, project-based, or temporary basis. In the hospitality industry, a fractional CMO applies their expertise to help hotels, resorts, restaurants, and other businesses in the sector develop and implement marketing strategies that drive guest engagement, bookings, and brand loyalty. The hospitality industry is highly competitive, and businesses in this space need to stand out in order to attract guests. A fractional CMO provides the strategic marketing leadership necessary to achieve these goals without the need for a full-time, salaried CMO.

In the hospitality industry, guest experience, brand perception, and digital presence are critical. A fractional CMO works with hospitality businesses to ensure that all marketing efforts align with these essential factors. Their role involves assessing the business’s current marketing efforts, identifying areas for improvement, and developing a comprehensive marketing plan tailored to the business’s unique needs and goals. Whether the focus is on driving bookings, increasing visibility, or creating a memorable guest experience, a fractional CMO ensures that marketing efforts are strategic, consistent, and data-driven.

One of the key challenges in the hospitality industry is maintaining a strong digital presence. Potential guests often research and book accommodations or experiences online, and a poor digital presence can result in lost bookings. A fractional CMO works to optimize the business’s website, ensuring it is user-friendly, informative, and aligned with the brand’s image. They focus on improving the website’s search engine optimization (SEO) to ensure that the business ranks highly when potential guests search for accommodations or experiences in a specific location. Additionally, the CMO ensures that the website’s booking process is seamless, removing any friction that might discourage guests from completing their reservations.

Social media is another important channel for hospitality businesses, as it provides a platform for engaging with potential guests, showcasing the property or service, and sharing guest experiences. A fractional CMO helps hospitality businesses create and execute a social media strategy that builds brand awareness, engages followers, and drives bookings. This may involve creating content that highlights the unique aspects of the property, such as luxury amenities, scenic views, or special events. The CMO also ensures that the business is engaging with followers, responding to comments, and building an online community of loyal guests.

Reputation management is a critical aspect of marketing in the hospitality industry, as online reviews can greatly influence a guest’s decision to book. A fractional CMO helps businesses manage their online reputation by monitoring and responding to guest reviews on platforms such as TripAdvisor, Google, and Yelp. They also work to leverage positive reviews as part of the business’s marketing strategy, using them in social media posts, email campaigns, or on the website to build trust with potential guests. When negative reviews arise, the CMO ensures that the business responds in a professional and thoughtful manner, demonstrating a commitment to guest satisfaction.

In addition to these digital marketing efforts, a fractional CMO for hospitality businesses also works on building guest loyalty. This may involve creating or enhancing a loyalty program, offering personalized experiences for repeat guests, or sending targeted email campaigns with exclusive offers. The goal is to ensure that guests return to the property or service time and time again, creating a cycle of repeat business and positive word-of-mouth recommendations. A fractional CMO develops strategies that not only attract new guests but also foster long-term relationships with existing ones.

Why should a hospitality business hire a Fractional CMO instead of a full-time CMO?

There are several reasons why a hospitality business might choose to hire a fractional CMO instead of a full-time marketing executive. The most obvious reason is cost efficiency. Hiring a full-time CMO can be expensive, as it typically requires a substantial salary along with benefits, bonuses, and other costs. For many small to mid-sized hospitality businesses, this level of financial commitment may not be feasible. A fractional CMO offers the same level of marketing expertise and leadership, but at a fraction of the cost. This allows hospitality businesses to access high-level marketing strategy and execution without the financial burden of a full-time hire.

Flexibility is another key advantage of hiring a fractional CMO. Hospitality businesses often have fluctuating marketing needs depending on the season, upcoming events, or new property launches. During peak seasons, the business may require a more intensive marketing effort to drive bookings and manage high demand. Conversely, during the off-season, the marketing needs may be reduced. A fractional CMO can scale their involvement up or down based on the business’s immediate needs, providing more support when needed and reducing their hours during slower periods. This flexibility ensures that the business receives the right level of marketing leadership without paying for full-time services when they’re not necessary.

Another significant advantage of hiring a fractional CMO is the diverse experience they bring. Many fractional CMOs work with multiple clients across different industries, which gives them a broad perspective on marketing strategies and best practices. This cross-industry experience can be particularly valuable in the hospitality industry, where staying on top of trends and constantly innovating is crucial. A fractional CMO may introduce fresh ideas, creative tactics, and innovative approaches that a full-time CMO focused solely on one property or business might not have considered. For hospitality businesses looking to differentiate themselves from competitors, the fresh perspectives brought by a fractional CMO can be a game-changer.

A fractional CMO also offers a faster path to results. Since these professionals are often brought in to address specific challenges or goals, they tend to hit the ground running. Whether the hospitality business needs to increase bookings, boost online visibility, or manage guest feedback more effectively, a fractional CMO provides the strategic leadership needed to execute these objectives efficiently. Their ability to deliver quick wins while also focusing on long-term growth ensures that the business sees measurable improvements in a short period.

For hospitality businesses that already have a marketing team in place, a fractional CMO can provide leadership and mentorship. In this scenario, the CMO works alongside the existing team, providing guidance, refining strategies, and ensuring that all marketing efforts are aligned with the business’s overall goals. This collaborative approach allows the business to leverage its internal resources while benefiting from the high-level strategic insight of an experienced marketing executive. The fractional CMO can also introduce best practices, tools, and systems that help the internal team work more efficiently and effectively.

Lastly, a fractional CMO is an ideal solution for hospitality businesses that are in a period of transition or growth. Whether the business is expanding into new markets, launching a new property, or rebranding, a fractional CMO provides the marketing leadership needed to navigate these changes successfully. Their flexible, part-time approach allows the business to scale its marketing efforts without the long-term commitment of a full-time executive, making them an invaluable asset during periods of change or expansion.

What specific challenges does a Fractional CMO address for hospitality businesses?

Hospitality businesses face several unique marketing challenges, and a Fractional CMO is well-equipped to help address these through strategic insight, industry knowledge, and data-driven decision-making. One of the primary challenges in the hospitality industry is maintaining a strong digital presence. In today’s market, potential guests often research and book accommodations or services online, and a poor digital presence can result in lost business. A fractional CMO helps hospitality businesses optimize their websites, ensuring that they are visually appealing, user-friendly, and informative. They also focus on improving SEO to ensure the business ranks well in search results when potential guests search for accommodations, dining, or event venues in a specific location.

Another key challenge is guest engagement, both online and offline. The hospitality industry thrives on creating memorable experiences, and engaging guests through personalized marketing efforts is crucial for building brand loyalty. A fractional CMO helps hospitality businesses develop and execute guest engagement strategies that build long-term relationships. This might involve creating content that highlights unique guest experiences, offering personalized promotions or discounts, or developing a loyalty program that rewards repeat guests. The CMO ensures that all marketing efforts are centered around creating an exceptional guest experience that encourages return visits and positive word-of-mouth recommendations.

Reputation management is another major challenge for hospitality businesses, as online reviews can significantly impact bookings and guest trust. A fractional CMO helps businesses monitor and manage their online reputation, ensuring that guest reviews are responded to professionally and promptly. This includes leveraging positive reviews as part of the business’s marketing efforts and addressing negative reviews in a way that demonstrates a commitment to guest satisfaction. By actively managing the business’s online reputation, the CMO helps build trust with potential guests and improves the overall perception of the brand.

Social media marketing is another area where hospitality businesses often face challenges. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are key channels for reaching potential guests, but managing these accounts effectively requires a clear strategy and consistent engagement. A fractional CMO helps hospitality businesses create a social media strategy that is aligned with their brand and designed to drive bookings and engagement. This might involve sharing high-quality images of the property, promoting special offers or events, and engaging with followers through comments and direct messages. By creating a strong social media presence, the business can build a community of loyal guests and increase visibility among potential travelers.

Lead generation and customer acquisition are other critical challenges in the hospitality industry. Whether the business is trying to attract new guests, book more events, or increase restaurant reservations, generating leads and converting them into paying customers is essential for growth. A fractional CMO helps hospitality businesses develop lead generation strategies that target the right audience and capture qualified leads. This might involve running targeted online advertising campaigns, optimizing the website for conversions, or creating email marketing campaigns that nurture leads through the booking process.

In addition to acquiring new guests, customer retention is crucial for long-term success in the hospitality industry. Many hospitality businesses rely on repeat guests and referrals to sustain their business, but retaining guests requires ongoing engagement and personalized marketing efforts. A fractional CMO helps businesses create retention strategies that keep guests coming back. This could include offering loyalty rewards, sending personalized follow-up emails after a guest’s stay, or creating special offers for returning guests. By building strong relationships with past guests, the CMO ensures that the business generates more repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals.

Finally, a fractional CMO addresses the challenge of measuring marketing effectiveness. Many hospitality businesses invest in marketing efforts but struggle to determine whether those efforts are delivering a strong return on investment (ROI). A fractional CMO introduces data-driven decision-making into the business’s marketing strategy, ensuring that all efforts are tracked and analyzed. This might involve using analytics tools to monitor website traffic, track the performance of digital ad campaigns, or measure guest engagement on social media. By using data to inform decisions, the CMO ensures that marketing dollars are spent effectively and that strategies are continually optimized for better results.

How does a Fractional CMO help hospitality businesses with digital marketing?

Digital marketing is a critical component of any modern marketing strategy, and a Fractional CMO helps hospitality businesses leverage digital channels to increase visibility, generate bookings, and engage with guests. One of the first steps in building a successful digital marketing strategy is optimizing the business’s website. The CMO ensures that the website reflects the professionalism and quality of the property or service, providing potential guests with valuable information about the amenities, location, and unique features. The website must also be easy to navigate, mobile-friendly, and optimized for search engines to ensure that it ranks well in search results when potential guests search for accommodations, dining, or event venues.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a key focus of digital marketing for hospitality businesses. A fractional CMO implements SEO strategies to improve the business’s ranking in search engines like Google. This involves researching relevant keywords that potential guests are using when searching for accommodations or services and incorporating these keywords into the website’s content, meta descriptions, and headers. The CMO also works on improving the website’s technical SEO, ensuring that it is fast, secure, and structured in a way that makes it easy for search engines to index.

In addition to SEO, a fractional CMO helps hospitality businesses leverage paid digital advertising to reach potential guests. This might involve running pay-per-click (PPC) ads on Google or social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. The CMO ensures that these ads are targeted to the right audience, focusing on specific demographics, geographic areas, or travel interests. By running targeted ad campaigns, the business can increase visibility and generate more qualified bookings.

Social media marketing is another important component of digital marketing for hospitality businesses. A fractional CMO helps businesses create a social media strategy that is tailored to their audience and designed to drive engagement and bookings. This might involve sharing high-quality images of the property, promoting special offers, or running contests or giveaways that encourage followers to interact with the brand. The CMO also ensures that the business is engaging with followers by responding to comments, answering questions, and building a community around the brand.

Content marketing is also essential for attracting and engaging potential guests online. A fractional CMO helps hospitality businesses create valuable content that showcases their property or service and provides useful information to potential guests. This might involve writing blog posts about travel tips, creating videos that highlight the property’s amenities, or developing case studies that demonstrate the business’s capabilities. By consistently producing high-quality content, the business can build credibility and attract more bookings.

Email marketing is another important tool in the digital marketing toolbox. A fractional CMO helps businesses create email marketing campaigns that target both new and returning guests. This might include sending personalized offers to repeat guests, promoting upcoming events or special deals, or sending follow-up emails after a guest’s stay to encourage feedback and future bookings. By maintaining consistent communication with past guests, the business can build stronger relationships and encourage repeat visits.

In conclusion, a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer for hospitality businesses provides the strategic leadership needed to develop and execute a marketing strategy that drives business growth. With expertise in digital marketing, lead generation, reputation management, and guest engagement, the CMO helps hospitality businesses build a strong online presence, attract new guests, and foster long-term relationships. Their flexible, part-time approach allows businesses to access senior-level marketing expertise without the cost of a full-time executive, ensuring that marketing efforts are both effective and aligned with business goals. Through a combination of creative strategies, data-driven insights, and industry knowledge, a fractional CMO helps hospitality businesses achieve long-term success and growth.

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Hire the Top Rated Fractional CMO For Hospitality

Hire the Top Rated Fractional CMO For Hospitality