Hastings Hotels

<div class="page side-photo"> <article> <div class="image" style=" background-color:#fff; background-image:url(/uploads/5aa7ec069eaa7.jpg); background-position: 38% 30%; "></div> <div class="container" style="background-color: #fff;"> <header style="font-family: ; color: #000;"> <h1>My Kind of Job</h1> </header>  <div class="main"> Hannah Corbett is the Group Digital Strategist for Hastings Hotels and here she talks us through the challenges of her role. What’s your job?I am the Group Digital Strategist for Hastings HotelsHow did you get there? Shortly after I graduated I got a job in the marketing department of a local IT company and it was here that sparked my interest in technology and how it can be used in marketing. When I was at university, digital marketing didn’t really exist, so I have since carried out a number of courses. I worked in a digital role, both agency and in-house, before joining Hastings Hotels in 2012 where I work closely with the Marketing Director to develop an innovative strategy to ensure the Group stays ahead of the game when it comes to the ever-changing world of digital marketing. Do you have a typical working day? No day is ever the same! That is why I love it. We have a small Digital team at Hastings Hotels, our Digital Marketing Executive, Donal, and myself so it’s a very hands-on job. We have six hotels, with our seventh, the Grand Central Hotel opening in June 2018, and we are responsible for all the individual websites as well as our email marketing, social media and blogging. Every day I liaise with our digital agency to check the Group website is generating as many bookings as possible and ensuring our online advertising spend is working best for us. What qualifications do you have?I’m a bit of a geek, I like to learn and have continued to do so. I have a degree in Communication, Advertising and Marketing, a Post Grad in Advanced Management Practice, a Post Grad in Digital Media Communications, an FETAC in Digital Marketing and a CIM Digital Marketing Diploma as well as being Google Certified. Through my love of learning, I helped create the Digital Marketing Forum, a networking group hosted by Hastings Hotels that allows for shared learning. Each month a different expert covers a topic of relevance to digital marketing. It’s a great opportunity for local businesses, especially smaller ones who might not have budget to invest in personnel, to learn more about digital marketing and how it can help. What other skills do you need in your role? My role at Hastings Hotels is a busy one so I would say, like most jobs, it requires good multitasking and communication skills. I think most importantly you need to have the ability to take a step back and think about what you are doing and if it is the right move for your business. It is so easy in Digital Marketing to get caught up in the latest trend but sometimes we do need to be logical and rational and think why we are doing something and is it ultimately right for our marketing.What’s the best thing about your job? The variety! Each hotel in the group is totally different so you never feel like you are doing the same thing. Hastings Hotels is a fantastic company to work for as it is so forward-thinking and has really embraced digital marketing which makes my role so exciting as we are always open to trying new and innovative concepts. I also love the different companies and people we get to work with. For example, through the Digital Marketing Forum and Digitalk conference we run, I have had the opportunity to work with people from Google, Facebook, Twitter and global brands such as the Jamie Oliver group.And the worst? I think the worst thing about working in digital marketing is that everyone is an expert. Often people think digital is just social media or because they see or hear buzz words that we need to be doing it now.What are the greatest challenges/pressures of the job?Staying up to date with everything. Digital is changing so quickly that it’s important to be constantly learning and researching. You need to have your finger on the pulse and know what is happening out there so I follow a lot of the big brands and global hotel groups to see what they are doing and continually looking into new concepts we can be implementing across the group. The other challenge for me is trying to ensure customers continue to book direct on our website. More and more consumers are using online travel agents such as Trivago and booking.com which we have to pay commissions to. It is a challenge hotels globally are facing so we are trying to encourage customers to book on our own website where we sell the best rates and value adds which these sites can’t offer. What advice would you give someone considering a career in your profession? Digital marketing is constantly evolving and very few people out there know everything. Don’t be afraid of getting it wrong or seek advice. I often think that people who work in digital think they should have all the answers, the reality is that it is impossible to know everything, especially given the fact it is an ever-changing industry. I would recommend joining a Digital Group, like the Digital Marketing Forum, or attend regular Digital events which enables you to make contacts and learn from others.What’s the most common question people ask when they find out what you do? “So you do Facebook as a proper job?” How do you like to relax outside of work? I’ve a three year old and 15 month old so sometimes my time in work feels like my relax time! I do enjoy running when I get a chance or just spending time with family and friends.  </div> </div> </article> </div>

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Crown Online March 2018