‘In a flat market, precision beats presence’

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By Jennifer Glatt | for Mint Pillow

Norma Berry knows hotels inside and out, which prompted her and EVP Timothy Devlin to build Veridian to prove that marketing can be just as guest-focused as hospitality itself. As president, Norma blends strategist smarts with frontline know-how, creating systems that respond in real time to help properties turn rooms, spas, dining, and events into stronger revenue drivers. Her strategy? Make it precise, responsive, and always protect the margin. 

How do you help independent hotels align their marketing strategy with real-time pacing, outlet contribution and rate structure—not just digital impressions?

At Veridian, we focus on helping independent hotels win where it matters most—on the margins. That’s especially critical now. At the Hotel Data Conference earlier this month, CoStar revised their 2025 RevPAR forecast from 1.8% growth at the start of the year to a projected .1% decline. In a climate like that, every booking counts, and profitability matters more than ever. During the global Covid-19 pandemic we were able to increase our clients’ margins.

We align marketing with revenue, not just media metrics. That means tracking market pacing, hotel revenue pacing, outlet contribution, and rate structure in real time, and adjusting strategy accordingly. We ensure media spend aligns with booking curves so hotels stay ahead of demand, because when campaigns trail, opportunities are missed.

Whether it’s a rooftop bar that’s underperforming or a room category that’s lagging, we help hotels shift spend and messaging to drive revenue where it’s needed most. Our tools support this agility, but our real strength is strategic clarity. We’ve built systems that surface the metrics that matter, so teams can act quickly and confidently.

And because our leadership team comes from the hotel world—with deep experience in revenue management, operations, and marketing—we understand how to balance occupancy goals with outlet performance and pricing strategy. We help hotels stretch every dollar and drive bookings that deliver more than just occupancy—they deliver margin.

In a flat market, precision beats presence. Veridian is built for precision.

How does Veridian help independent hotels reduce reliance on third-party channels like OTAs without sacrificing occupancy?

Balancing relationships with OTAs has long been a strategic necessity for hotel teams. These platforms offer reach and convenience, but they also come at a cost—both in margin and in ownership of the guest relationship. You can't outsource your strategy to them because that's not what they're designed for.

We help you own your customer. Own the data, own the relationship, own the revenue. We’re especially tuned into lead-time, length of stay, market conditions and market drivers, tailoring campaigns to match booking behavior and maximize profitability. We work closely with hotels to optimize their websites and booking flows, because owning your customer starts with owning the conversion path.

While our tools support this shift, it’s our hospitality-first mindset that makes the difference. In a year where margins matter more than ever, we help hotels grow direct revenue and reduce dependency on third-party channels without sacrificing performance.

What tactics or systems do you recommend to help independent hotels move last-minute or underperforming inventory more strategically?

There’s always a smart way forward, even when inventory is underperforming or demand is unpredictable.

When inventory is underperforming, the first step isn’t to discount. It’s to understand what’s moving, what’s not, and why.

Start with lead-time. Are bookings coming in shorter than expected? Are certain rate categories or room types lagging? Analyze your booking windows and rate performance, then adjust your marketing strategy to match. If demand is soft for a specific date range, your media spend should be focused there—not spread thin.

Marketing pacing matters too. If your campaigns are running behind your booking curve, you’re missing the window to influence decisions. When possible, marketing dollars should anticipate needs, not react to them, understanding that sometimes you’ll need to strategize quickly based on unforeseen conditions. Talk a closer look. Focus on the marketing channels that matter the most.

Metasearch is an effective tool for this. We recommend using bid modifiers to target specific need dates and rate categories. It’s a smart way to surface offers to high-intent travelers without diluting your brand or over-discounting.

Segmenting audiences based on behavior and booking patterns is key. Instead of broad promotions, focus on intent-driven targeting—whether it’s a local guest looking for a quick escape or a long-haul traveler booking late.

Moving inventory isn’t about panic. It’s about precision, timing and knowing where to invest.

What does real-time marketing look like in practice for an independent hotel, and how can lean teams manage it effectively?

Real-time marketing isn’t just about reacting—it’s about being ready before the moment hits. For independent hotels, readiness is a strategic advantage. It means having a plan in place, tools at the ready, and the flexibility to shift when conditions change.

Adaptability is the superpower. But what makes it effective is how it’s delivered—with clarity and responsiveness. Clarity provides line of sight: no guesswork, no ambiguity. Everything is made simple and direct. Responsiveness means speed and attention: no lag time, no getting lost in the weeds. Together, they create a marketing approach that’s agile, precise, and built for action.

Certain soft periods and seasonal patterns are predictable. Weather disruptions, local events, and booking surges around holidays happen every year. The question isn’t whether they’ll come—it’s whether the marketing is prepared to respond. That’s why readiness must be built into the strategy, not added as an afterthought.

And readiness doesn’t happen in isolation. Strong partnerships matter. Connect early and often. When everyone is aligned, marketing becomes a living system—responsive, clear, and always ready to move.

How do you help independent hotels turn their unique stories into campaigns that drive bookings and boost margins?

Every independent hotel has a story worth celebrating—and when told with intention, that story becomes a powerful driver of revenue. That’s where Veridian comes in.

We help hotels uncover the experiences and values that make them stand out, then translate those into campaigns that connect emotionally and convert commercially. Our leadership team has built brands from the inside, so we know how to balance storytelling with performance.

Our focus is on total revenue per guest, not just heads in beds. That means crafting stories that invite guests to engage across the property, and measuring success in margin, not just impressions.

A great story deserves a great outcome.

Anything else you’d like to share?

There’s reason for optimism…industry forecasts suggest RevPAR will begin to rebound in the back half of 2026, giving hotels a window to invest in long-term strategy now. However, the next six to nine months will be challenging. Demand is softening, forecasts are shifting and the pressure to protect margin is real. It’s tempting to focus only on short-term fixes, but this is also the time to think long-term. Rate integrity, brand equity and guest loyalty are built over time, and they’re easy to compromise when urgency takes over.

In times like these, independent hotels have a unique advantage. You can move faster, test ideas and adapt more freely than larger chains. That flexibility is a strength, especially in uncertain conditions. But navigating that requires clarity and the right support.

Veridian was built by hoteliers, for hoteliers—grounded in revenue, operations and marketing. We help independent hotels balance short-term performance with long-term strategy through smart, timely decisions.

As your marketing concierge, we monitor pacing, surface gaps and adjust spend dynamically. If bookings dip or a room type lags, we’re already pivoting. Our proprietary tools make that possible: NOVA, a real-time reporting platform that centralizes data and reveals actionable insights across channels, and TRevPAR Planner, a budgeting engine that helps hotels forecast total revenue per available room and allocate spend with precision.

We align media spend with booking curves to meet intent, not just fill space—because every booking counts, and so does every decision.

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Mint Pillow is curated and written by Jennifer Glatt and edited by Lesley McKenzie.