Marketing Communications involves sales, direct marketing, Internet savvy & public relations among other tactics. All involve their own distinct style of strong and effective promotional writing. Powerful writing can enhance your marketing messages.

The truth is, that while e-mail, the PDA, cell phone text messaging, and the Internet have become such overwhelmingly positive aspects of our lives, one frightening consequence has resulted: in general, we have lost our ability to write properly.

As you have undoubtedly heard, The College Board has undertaken major steps to overhaul the SAT, namely the addition of a third test. This "written essay" will carry as much weight as each of the other two sections of the exam. While aspiring college students are aghast that this is the new route for college applications, as marketing and communications professionals, we are all for it.

This step simply identifies what many of us have noticed for years, but have been afraid to address. We are quickly losing the skill to write! The signs, literally, are everywhere. The misspelled signage on city streets, the endless mix-up of "it's" rather than "its" in headlines and copy, and the use of double negatives. It seems as if we cannot get "their" or "there" correct, or remember that "that" is for an object and "who" is for a person. Is it "affect" or "effect"? "Which" or "that"?

The issue of writing properly, however, is not just one of grammar, punctuation, and spelling. It also means communicating your message succinctly, effectively, and clearly.

In hospitality marketing, outreach to the customer and trade who book our rooms is only as loud as our voice and as effective as our communication vehicle. Whether we speak to our target audiences through the Internet, annual reports, rack and meetings brochures, web sites, press releases, ads, media kits, fact sheets or e-mailings, our writing can strongly impact the results.

In today's world of hotel sales, public relations and marketing in general, and writing (and verbal) strength in particular, are critical to the success of our communications strategy. Let's not lose the art of writing!

To review your marketing collateral or help you create and design new press and sales information packets, write content for your web site, or assist in developing your e-mailing strategies, contact HVS Marketing Communications.


Leora Halpern Lanz (Director of HVS Marketing Communications, and Senior Manager) joined HVS as its Director of Marketing in February 1999. She is responsible for the global marketing and external promotion of HVS' growing office network and comprehensive hospitality services.

Leora also directs HVS Marketing Communications, the firm's sales, marketing and public relations consultancy. HVS Marketing Communications provides sales, marketing and public relations expertise for the hospitality industry. Specialties of this service include: operational reviews; marketing plan development; sales/marketing assessments and audits; coordination with the property's flag; sales action steps; pre-opening and re-positioning strategies; marketing plans for proposed hotels; sales direction, reviews and training; and publicity, press relations and promotions, including web marketing.

LLanz@hvsinternational.com