Social Connection
Be Where the World is Going
BECCA MANRIQUE, SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
In a perfect world, social media does exactly what it’s supposed to do: seamlessly connect people and places around the globe. In our world, it has the ability to turn guests into an endless marketing stream, as they share, like, love, and promote our property. Let’s see how Becca Manrique, The Broadmoor’s social media authority, puts our stamp on the digital landscape.
Hi Becca! What is your job title, and how would you describe what you do at The Broadmoor?
I am the Social Media Manager for the hotel, and I am in charge of all the organic social media for The Broadmoor, the Cog, and Seven Falls channels. I also work closely with our Director of Digital Marketing & CRM, assisting him with anything he needs, including helping to generate ideas for e-mail campaigns, doing website updates, assisting with our paid social media efforts, etc.
What inspired you to work in this industry?
I wanted to work in both marketing and hospitality because I am a traveler at heart, and I think that equates to being a storyteller... or becoming a storyteller, because you view the world through a different lens. This role enables me to not only tell the story of The Broadmoor, but to do so through the eyes of our different employees and entities. Plus, I love being part of a property that is so international and so special, because traveling changed my life—I met my husband while traveling!—and The Broadmoor is a place where both guests and employees can have their lives changed through the experiences had and memories made here.
What is a typical day like for you?
Well, there really is no “typical” day, but I start every day off by looking at our private messages and comments that came through the night before, and I make sure to address those. I then see if there are any immediate needs for any upcoming posts. The job actually requires a lot of planning and looking ahead, so I check my calendar/schedule to see if I need to take any photos or work on any video content for upcoming posts. I also coordinate with other departments across campus to organize meet-ups. For example, I may meet with a Chef or observe a culinary apprenticeship class so I can capture media for use in a unique post. The campus is very large, so my role does require a lot of preparation, but I like the fact that every day is different.
Can you tell me what your favorite part of the job is?
I love the fact that my job is so varied, and that it is creative, yet strategic at the same time. I also really enjoy going out and seeing all of the different staff members here, in their element. I get to witness what they are passionate about, and then turn around and share that with our followers. For instance, I recently got to go visit Café Julie’s and see Chef Amanda create those amazing edible succulents for Mother’s Day!
What is your least favorite task associated with your job?
I would have to say when we get complaints that come through on social media. However, I try to view them as an opportunity, because they let the team know what went wrong so we can determine how to make things better going forward. For example, maybe our messaging was off, or it could be something more direct, like discussing the service in a particular outlet on campus, etc. We can always take that information and improve upon the situation.
Can you tell me about a surprising, or unusual moment, that has occurred for you while in this role?
I am always surprised at how well our videos of the Cog Snowblower do when we post them - it’s crazy, but awesome to see!
One of your proudest moments while on the job?
I think that had to have been when we first reached over a million views of a video that I posted of our Cog team on Facebook as they were reconstructing the track during the refurbishment. It’s now reached over 1.6 million views. And similarly for The Broadmoor, a video featuring the making of chocolate croissants, which has reached over 4.7 millions views on Facebook now. You know, there are times as I create content that I am thinking how cool this is going to be, and we are going to get so many “likes,” but sometimes those pieces don’t resonate with the public like you expect them to. So it’s really awesome when you see large numbers like that, because when filming the Cog workers and Pastry team, I felt in awe of what they were doing in that moment, which is what I hoped would comes across to the audience.
What is a misconception you think others may have about your role?
I think that a lot of people think I spend most of my time “liking” things and posting photos...haha. But there’s really a lot of strategy and thought that goes into every single post, and I try to make sure all content has a purpose and/or a goal. There is also a customer experience component to this role, as I also get a lot of private messages from guests who are coming for a stay and may have questions or requests. This also means communicating with the operations side of things to make sure information is relayed accurately and in a timely manner.
How do you feel Social Media has changed just in the time you’ve been in your position here?
Social media is always evolving, and I think that since I’ve started, we’re just trying to evolve with it. We definitely do more video content, including incorporating reels, and are more concerned with how people view or interact with what we post. Nowadays, people use their phones to view social for the most part, so we take into consideration the orientation of photos that we’re posting— portrait fits better on a screen vs. landscape—and if they can see more of the photo or post, they are more likely to interact with it.
Do you see social media benefiting The Broadmoor more as we go forward and how?
Definitely, as it’s going to be a major tool for us as we try to reach more potential guests and to grow awareness for the brand. We have many intergenerational guests, but it’s how we can reach new people, and that’s exciting.
Becca, do you consider yourself “social”?
I would say I’m “social”, but not particularly “outgoing”...haha. I don’t think this impacts my ability really to do my job, though. I am a very curious and adventurous person, and adaptable, so I like to get out and about and learn. I think all of these things help in this role.
What’s your personal stance on social media in general?
I think it’s an amazing tool, and it’s great for growing awareness and interacting and engaging with people. It’s a great way to stay connected to important people in your life and a great tool to share information. I used it a lot when I was living abroad to stay connected to my family back home. But I personally think, as with anything, balance is important. I try to take a pause from social media when I leave work for the day because I’m on it so much for hours at a time.
Finally, last question: describe the purpose of this job to someone from another planet?
I would say: “It’s digital story telling in order to connect with followers and raise awareness for your brand.”
Becca Manrique can be found daily, in The Broadmoor Marketing department, weaving guests and potential visitors into the pages of social media for our incredible resort. If you have a story that you’d like to share, you can reach out to her at rmanrique@broadmoor.com.