In the early 1990s, we couldn’t do business without 20th Century Travel. Its travel agents took care of every detail down to dinner reservations that would impress even the most critical client. As the 21st century crept closer, I often wondered, “What are they going to do when their name becomes obsolete?” As it turned out, the name was the least of their problems.

Like so many categories, advances in technology and effects of the recession have hit the travel and hospitality industry hard. Travel agents have been replaced by Web sites and video conferences can be more cost efficient than face-to-face meetings. Plus, we are all more frugal and inquisitive than ever when planning well-deserved vacation time.

If my career in brand innovation and design has taught me anything, it’s that when business gets tough–even more so than when the economy is humming–it becomes vital to keep the creative juices flowing and start questioning the status quo. We’ve got to build a better mousetrap.

Companies that implement design thinking, a more image-driven, non-linear approach to visualizing many possible solutions quickly, produce innovative offerings faster than those using more analytical problem-solving approaches. Whether you are developing a new idea or improving an existing concept to better meet ever changing consumer wants and whims, faster solutions mean a quicker road to profitability.

So how do you apply design thinking to jumpstart your hospitality brand?

Get to Know Your Target Customer
Create a persona of your ideal guest. Draw a picture of her and give her a name. What does she do for fun? Does she drive a Prius, Caravan or BMW? Is she traveling with family or on business? How far is she traveling? When she tells her friends about your hotel, what does she love about her experience? What does she wish was better? Remember that you can’t be everything to everyone, but you can be perfect for a specific, targeted audience.

Get to Know Your Competition
When your target customer is deciding where to stay, what are her other choices? Give yourself a visual snapshot by pasting pictures and collateral from all of your primary competitors on a board alongside images and collateral from your business. What do they do well? What can you do better? What segment of the marketplace is still available to own?

Ask Yourself the Right Questions
Once you have a clear picture of your customer and her other choices, consider the following:

1.    What can you do to drive her to trial for the first time?
2.    What would be her reason for extending her visit?
3.    What will make her come back to you in the future?
4.    What will she say about her experience to friends and colleagues?

Seek Out Small Innovations
The biggest “Ah ha!” moments often come from making a small edit to an existing product or service. Look for ways to make something easier to use or simply more fun. Remember when Midwest Airlines started offering warm chocolate chip cookies on every flight? Consumers started talking and remembering Midwest. It wasn’t rocket science, but no one else was doing it—a small innovation with major market impact. Now it’s something they are known for.

Empower Your Staff
A smile can make the difference between a good experience and a bad experience. People remember quality service, kind words and pleasant interactions. What can your staff do that is different from the staff at any other hotel? Always remember, your employees are your most valuable brand champions and they are on the front lines. They are the people your guests interact with every day and we all know that we never get a second chance to make a first impression.

Create a Value Proposition
You don’t have to be the cheapest to be the most valued. Get creative with your offers, promotions and rewards programs. Partner with other well-known brands that have similar target audiences such as airlines, credit cards, spas or restaurants. Reward guests for business and make them want to become a brand loyalist.

Make it a Team Sport
You might be the smartest person in the room. You might be an amazing leader. But your ideas are never going to be as good as they can be if you aren’t collaborating with people from other departments with other points of view. Put a marketing manager, a concierge, an engineer, a travel agent, a guest and an accountant into a room for a few hours along with some markers, a big pad of paper and magazines for inspiration. Then you will believe in magic. Good ideas can come from anywhere and collaboration will be the fuel.

Know When to Trust Your Instincts
I love the Three Dog Bakery story. Investors refused to back the flagship store because they could not understand why anyone would buy bakery-made birthday cakes for their dogs. But the company opened its doors anyway. Today, there is a Three Dog Bakery in Tokyo. Sometimes when you know you have a good idea, you just have to stick with it and wait for the rest of the world to catch up. 

Tell Your Brand Story At Every Customer Touch Point
Once you have your brand story in place and know what makes your concept different, create a succinct and consistent brand communications plan. Make sure that every interaction a customer has with your brand, from the website to the package that contains the free toothbrush and toothpaste, is an extension of that story.

Most importantly, dare to be curious. Think differently. Take risks. Have fun. Don’t just emulate what the category leader is doing, do it better. Think of each new launch as a test lab. When one idea is a standout winner, another might fizzle. By working quicker, smarter and more creatively, you can make your product or service more memorable and desirable, positioning yourself for long-term success even during an economic downturn.

Megan Semrick is vice president, brand innovation, at Willoughby Design, a Kansas City-based strategic brand design and innovation firm. Megan has worked with clients including Hershey’s, United Nations, Hallmark and New Leaf Paper and is a member of AIGA and AAF. Check out www.willoughbydesign.com/ for more information.