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The power of social media is something that more and more companies are starting to realize that they need to encompass in their business plan if they ever want their brand to expand. The hippest and smartest of businesses are hiring professionals for this reason are Hotels and Luxury resorts. Being savvy to the evolving media and expanding their breadth is The London Hotel in West Hollywood.
When I was looking at hotels to “Sunblog” at I ran across beautiful pictures of The London and sought after them for a peek. Contacting them first through Twitter I wasn’t sure if anyone would see my tweet, but with their excellent social media experts, I received a Tweet right away and a Direct Message asking when I wanted to view the property at my disposal. However this is not an article about my Sunblogging adventure, that can be read here. This is about the cleverness of the hotel’s creative minds and how they can contrive buzz about their functions. After securing my date to come to The London, I received another Tweet and email that I should attend The London Ladies event. Press is priceless right? Well I suggest all companies to take note of what The London is doing because they are creating a social media model which is bringing them repeat customers as well as the most pursued element of business and that is the ‘referral’.
The London Ladies event was a soiree that the hotel put together where they invited LA’s most influential women writers, bloggers, store owners, photographers, promoters, and basically the top women that are online or in print marketing making a mark in the public. Lucky for me I was invited to attend and I’m so glad that I did.
Arriving for the first time at the London, I was whisked through the gorgeous lobby where creamy marble lie below my feet, slate grey couches peppered with sparkly gold pillows caught my eye, and mirrors that doubled the elegance of this sexy entrance. After taking the elevator to the rooftop I was pleasantly greeted by the woman behind the tweets, Emily Taffel, social media expert and marketer at The London. She took me over to where the other ladies were and before my eyes were tables of delicious martinis, World renowned Chef Gordon Ramsey’s delicious appetizers, and treats. Framing the decadence was a spectacular 360 degree view of the entire city of Los Angeles. The sensory overload was something I was not prepared for. Sitting at a table with the most gracious Joe Velasquez who is the Director of Sales and Marketing at The London was another sweet surprise. I discovered that 4 years ago The London had a 70 million dollar renovation. An incredible feat that is shown in every nook and cranny of the place. Even though we took up only a quarter of the rooftop, it seemed that the guests of the hotel still had their privacy. Sprinkled on one side of the pool is a handful of cabana’s that have full coverage, along another corner had couches and a ice rock fireplace which led into many other private corners to sunbathe in or just simply relax in the beautiful LA weather. With all it’s grandeur The London didn’t feel stuffy as many hotels of that stature has, instead I felt like it was home. The staff was incredibly delightful, and made sure that each of us ladies were taken care of. Another fortune I came across was that I was able to meet Alex Alexander who is the Regional Vice President of Luxury Resorts and Hotels from the New York office. Talk about a man that walks in with confidence and class. Fit in a perfect suit, smile, and hair, this was a man with stature. To paint the picture better he looked like the actor Frank Vincent and from his power probably has the same effect in a board room as Frank had in Goodfellas and “The Sopranos”. Charmingly we chatted and he said if he is still in town he would stop by my cabana when I came back to sunblog.
After networking with the other ladies who came from various magazines, newspapers, blogs, and successful website, it was time to say adieu. The London Ladies event was a success. Emily said that twitter was buzzing about the event and that they are going to try to do more events involving social media gurus. This is the smart tact that companies need to take. I’m not sure how much it cost The London in food, drink, valet, and space, but the day of press as well as the ongoing hum of the venue is priceless. Word of mouth is the best way to get your brand to the right people without you doing any of the research. Innovators like The London are the type of people I want to surround myself with and so should you, so if you are in the West Hollywood area be sure to book your stay or your event at the ever so glamorous locale, The London Hotel.