Many businesses approach e-marketing as if there's a different science for the "E." There's not.

Hotels need to continue to focus on the basics of marketing, and then make sure that every one of their tactics are executed through electronic channels. TravelCLICK recently identified the hallmarks that put The Peninsula New York and three other successful hotels in the ranks of E-Marketers of the Year. As the winning hotel, The Peninsula was recognized by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) and TravelCLICK at the HSMAI Annual Awards Gala held in New York City.

"The winners are recognized as leading-edge adopters of e-marketing practices," said Bruce W. Mainzer, senior vice president of marketing, TravelCLICK. "Thousands of hotels are proactively using electronic marketing to increase revenues and profitability. These four winners in particular use every resource available. This is the leadership that this new HSMAI award category has been established to recognize." Examples of the hotels' best E-Marketing practices are featured on page 3.

Fine-tune the Timing and Targeting of Marketing Messages
E-Marketer of the Year: The Peninsula New York
The beauty of e-marketing is speed. New messages can appear in front of customers in a matter of hours. The Peninsula New York is a smart manager of the GDS systems, which typically account for 30-40% of a hotel's bookings and now represent greater commercial value than all Internet transactions combined. To reach GDS bookers directly, the Peninsula runs GDS advertising campaigns during need periods. This has proven to be a successful, cost efficient way of promoting the hotel at the point of sale, and produced superior GDS market share for the hotel against its defined competitive set.

Understand How Electronic Channels Work
1st Runner-up: Back Bay Hilton, Boston
Slow-loading graphics, buried information and hard to navigate sites are the equivalent of an unanswered phone. Smart hotels insist that all online communications are user-friendly.

The Back Bay Hilton places as much inventory on the "electronic shelf" as possible, and maximizes its presence with property-specific GDS advertising.

Manage the Process Constantly
2nd Runner-up: Sheraton Suites Orlando Airport
Because e-marketing is immediate, it requires constant management. The Internet has taught customers to expect instant gratification - instant answers. The urgency of e-marketing requires efficiency and flexibility. It gives the most nimble players the biggest advantage.

The Sheraton Suites Orlando Airport holds daily yield management meetings "religiously," where the staff reviews GDS/CRS and Internet competitive rates and booking information.

Smart Manipulation of Electronic Channels
3rd Runner-up: The Savoy Hotel Group, UK
Leveraging electronic distribution enables hotels to connect with bookers without damaging rate integrity or brand position. By keeping control, hotels can maintain strong booking performance through need periods.

The Savoy Hotel Group (The Savoy, The Connaught, The Berkeley, Claridge's and The Lygon Arms) is recognized for having doubled its GDS bookings over the past two years, thereby significantly increasing its revenues from electronic commerce.

For a detailed white paper on the practices of successful electronic marketers, visit www.travelclick.net.