#72: The Art and Science of Marketing in Hospitality | with Elizabeth Harlow

The Modern Hotelier - Interviews with Hoteliers and Experts in Travel, Hospitality, Events & Food & Beverage

The remarkable journey of Sonesta, including its entrepreneurial spirit, growth strategies, and invaluable insights for aspiring hoteliers.

In today’s episode, we dive into the world of hospitality with our special guest, Elizabeth Harlow, the Chief Brand Officer at Sonesta. Join hosts Steve Carran, and David Millili as they uncover Elizabeth’s fascinating journey—from skiing in the Swiss Alps to shaping luxury hospitality brands with her wealth of experience from Leading Hotels of the World and Starwood. We explore the entrepreneurial spirit at Sonesta, their exponential growth, and the success of their partnership with Grubhub. Elizabeth also shares invaluable advice for young professionals in the industry, discusses the pivotal role of sustainability, and highlights how independent hotels can set themselves apart through intentional design and unique guest experiences. Whether you’re an industry veteran or a budding hotelier, this episode is packed with insights, stories, and strategies you won’t want to miss. So, let’s get started!

In this episode, you'll learn (key points/topics covered):

• How Elizabeth approaches brand strategy, marketing, and shaping the guest experience, drawing from her decades of experience working with iconic luxury hotel brands.
• The importance of truly understanding one's core customer, brand positioning, and differentiation in order to drive successful marketing campaigns.
• Finding the right balance between the "art and science" of marketing through creative concepts backed by data-driven strategies.
• Elizabeth advice for younger professionals looking to get into hospitality marketing, emphasizing networking, strategic career moves, and marrying their passions.
• The sustainability trends and low-hanging opportunities for hotels to reduce waste and environmental impact.
• Tips for independent hotels to effectively market their brands and craft a differentiated guest experience.

Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page
The Modern Hotelier is produced, edited, and published by Make More Media

Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-harlow-1345997/

Sonesta Hotels: https://www.sonesta.com/

For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/72

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Connect with Steve and David:
Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...
David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil...