Case Study Blog: Palm Springs Preferred Small Hotels

Just 100 miles outside of Los Angeles, Palm Springs is a sun-kissed oasis. It’s known for chic midcentury-modern architecture, gourmet restaurants, luxurious spas, shopping, hot springs, and more. Palm Springs is a popular destination for weddings, wellness retreats, weekend getaways, or solo trips to bask in the beautiful Sonoran Desert. And when you visit Palm Springs, there’s no better place to stay than a boutique hotel.

In fact, tourism is the heart of the Palm Springs economy. According to a report from Visit Greater Palm Springs, the region sees 14.4 million day and overnight visitors each year. Tourism generates $9 billion annually and supports 1 in 4 local jobs – many focused in the hotel and hospitality industry. For a city with a modest population around 45,000, Palm Spring has 124 hotels and 18 hotel chains. So if you run a hotel association in Palm Springs, the competition is fierce!

That’s why smart businesses like Palm Springs Preferred Small Hotels (PSPSH) leverage the power of digital marketing. Seeking to differentiate themselves and attract more guests, Mandzok Marketing was brought into the fold via Panoramic Brands, the agency of record, to create and execute a campaign for paid search and social media ads.

In today’s blog, we’re sharing the strategy we used for this client and the incredible results we achieved. So book a room, relax by the pool, and read on to learn how digital marketing helped these Palm Spring hotels outshine the competition:

The Client

Palm Springs Preferred Small Hotels (PSPSH) is an association of over 70 independently owned, small boutique hotels in the heart of Palm Springs. To be a member, hotels must offer fewer than 50 rooms and reside within the city limits.

Unlike big chain hotels and resorts, the hotels in the PSPSH association demonstrate the very best of Palm Springs’ architectural and cultural diversity. From secluded bungalows and quaint inns to chic, modern B&Bs with luxurious poolside hangouts, they cater to travelers from all walks of life.

Formerly known as the Palm Springs Small Hotel Tourism Business Improvement District Advisory Board, the PSPSH association was founded in 2016 to support small hotel owners and managers. The association works closely with the city’s tourism bureau, publishes a monthly newsletter and travel blog, and manages a convenient online portal for potential guests.

This portal helps visitors to Palm Springs find the perfect small hotel based on preferences like:

Architectural style
Location
Amenities
Contactless check-in
Spa services
Meeting or banquet facilities
Pet-friendly
And more

From families and solo travelers to couples seeking a romantic getaway, PSPSH offers the perfect stay for everyone. With social media ads and other digital marketing tools, Mandzok Marketing knew we could help the hotel association reach new heights.

The Challenge

But the PSPSH’s market is dominated by national chains. Despite their unique offerings, hotels in the PSPSH association struggled to compete. Vacation rental services like Airbnb and VRBO also made it challenging for the PSPSH association. In addition to this competition, they also faced the obstacle of seasonality.

Palm Springs is renowned for its desert climate. In an average year, it receives 300-350 days of sunshine and blue skies. But from May to September, this means scorching temperatures of 100°F or more. In July 2024, meteorologists recorded the hottest day on record for Palm Springs at 124°F! When the days become so hot, it’s difficult for hotel businesses to attract guests.

Adding to these challenges, the PSPSH association initially restricted its marketing budget to the summer months.

So how did we convince travelers to visit Palm Springs in the summertime and choose boutique hotels instead of familiar chains or private rentals?

The Solution

To help the client achieve their goals, we used a targeted approach that focused on geo-targeted paid search and social media ads. Our messaging centered around the PSPSH’s unique service offerings:

One-of-a-Kind Stays: Unlike cookie-cutter chain hotels, the hotels in the PSPSH association offered visitors scenic stays in colorful locations with truly unique architectural offerings.
Poolside Chic: To attract visitors during the summer off-season, our social media ads and paid search ads emphasized the hip, luxurious atmosphere of the hotels’ sparkling pools and patios.
Expanding the Market: In addition to local travelers, we expanded our target audience to out-of-state “fly markets.” This effort included adjusting the messaging in ads to highlight Palm Springs’ warm weather in the winter, attracting guests from regions with snowy seasons who sought a relaxing respite from the cold.

Like all digital marketing campaigns, this strategy required closely tracking key metrics and continuously adjusting social media ads and paid search ads for optimal results. Our team monitored changes in the hospitality industry, Palm Springs news, and desert travel trends. By remaining focused on our client’s niche, our marketing strategy proved effective.

The Results

Mandzok Marketing helped travelers from all over discover the benefits of staying at a small, boutique hotel. Although our client’s hotels lacked the name recognition of a big chain, we knew their special offerings would set them apart.

After creating and executing our targeted campaign of paid search and social media ads, the Palm Springs Preferred Small Hotels’ association saw a dramatic increase in site traffic and conversions – an increase which proved sustainable.

As Kimberli Munkres, brand strategist for the PSPSH association, stated, “[Mandzok Marketing] has been invaluable in helping PSPSH generate more than $26 million in hotel bookings.”

Over time, our campaign generated strong engagement resulting in:

Total Site Traffic Increase: +282%

Revenue Growth: +43% in 2017

Return on Ad Spend: +262%

To view the full case study of our campaign with Palm Springs Preferred Small Hotels, click here.

Optimize Your Campaigns with Mandzok Marketing

As a small business ourselves, we understand the unique needs of organizations like the Palm Springs Preferred Small Hotels association. With our hands-on approach and decades of digital marketing experience optimizing paid search, social ads, and more, Mandzok Marketing can help your business thrive.