August is one of the most strategic months for many hoteliers and property managers. But making it truly successful takes more than just hope – it requires a well-rounded approach: data analysis, optimized pricing, and smart marketing actions.
NB: This is an article from Smartness, one of our Expert Partners
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Let’s say it’s early July and you notice a few too many gaps in your August calendar. What should you do?
Dropping your rates right away might not be the best move. As we discussed in our article on how to analyze occupancy without panicking, the issue might not be your prices – it could be a temporary dip in market demand.
What’s the right move in that case? Email marketing.
In this article, we’ll look at two newsletter ideas based on your occupancy trends and one to send to guests who’ve already booked.
High occupancy: time to build relationships
If your bookings for August are looking good – great job!
This is your moment to shift from selling to nurturing: using email marketing to deepen the connection with past guests and show them they’re still on your radar.
Nurturing might sound simple, but it’s a powerful strategy. It helps you:
- Keep your property top-of-mind
- Encourage word of mouth and future bookings
- Strengthen bonds with loyal guests
How to create a nurturing newsletter
First, decide who should receive your newsletter. That means segmenting your contact list so you’re only messaging the people who’ll genuinely appreciate this type of email.
If until now you’ve just been storing guest emails in your PMS without sorting them—no problem. With a tool like Smartconnect (Smartness’ CRM and email automation solution), you can import and segment all your contacts automatically.
Now it’s easy to target your two most relevant groups, for example:
- Summer season guests (those who stayed with you during a previous summer)
- Repeat guests (those who’ve booked more than once)
What should you write in your nurturing newsletter?
Remember: a nurturing email isn’t about selling right now. It’s about keeping the relationship alive, making your guests feel appreciated, and reminding them of the connection they have with your property.
Need inspiration? You could send a summer greeting to past guests and invite them to follow your Instagram page – just like in the screenshot below.
Low occupancy: time to focus on offers
If your on-the-books data still shows too many empty rooms in some August weeks, don’t panic – this is exactly when email marketing can make a real difference.
Sending a promotional newsletter with a small incentive to a carefully selected segment of your contact list can be more effective than you think. But remember: this isn’t about slashing prices. It’s about adding value to certain dates with a special perk for people who already know and trust you.
