Back to Recent Press

Marketing with Personality - For Yvonne Lembi-Detert, the rules of marketing are meant to be challenged.

In 1982, Yvonne Lembi-Detert had just graduated from college with a design degree and her father had just added a hotel to his San Francisco area commercial real estate portfolio. Neither knew much about lodging management, but they studied hard and hired well, and soon enough they had a small collection of boutique hotels by the prosaic name Hotel Group of America. But their guests had a different take on their hotels - they liked their "personality," and eventually Personality Hotels was born.

While Lembi-Detert worked in every area of the hotels' operations, marketing had always been her first love. Eventually, she was able to devote her time to putting her off-beat, high-energy stamp on Personality Hotels.

"My approach to hospitality has always been in the dark, because every day is as if I was hosting a party," Lembi-Detert says. "I plan and plan but never know what is going to happen the next minute. Even though I think I know the personality of each guest, which is impossible, things may change when they arrive. The key is for the hostess and her team to surround them with kindness - make their stays legendary."

"Our marketing team goes crazy thinking up package ideas to cater to our returning and potential guests - so we can give them yet another reason to stay at Personality Hotels," Lembi-Detert continues. "When we meet, we really have some fun laughs and think way outside of the box and then bring ourselves back to reality, with a twist."

Over the years, Lembi-Detert has pushed the envelop with edgy marketing packages that initially drew skeptical comments but later admiration, she recalls. Lembi-Detert cites her 2006 Brokeback Mountain package, aimed at San Francisco's gay and lesbian community, which despite early criticism turned out to be one of her most successful campaigns. Most of her campaigns launched on the Internet.

"I constantly hear from my guests how much they love our Web site," she continues. "I am confident the Web site drives a lot of business to our hotels and the promotional packages. Even if we not get one solid booking on a particular package, the PR behind it supports our branding and personality. Guests do not like long tests to get them to make a decision on which hotel to select. They want instant gratification and the closure that they made the right selection for their stay in San Francisco - then move on with their days. If they book a package that has fun, frills or romance in it, it gives them something to look forward to think about until they arrive and enjoy it."

Back to Recent Press