Segmentation. Targeting. Relevancy. These are not new concepts. Time and time again these words are thrown around and yet most of the time when it comes down to it, they remain just that; words. What hotels often fail to realise is that putting these words to action could spin your marketing straw into gold – and you don’t need to have a PhD or a wizard to make it happen.
By breaking your database down into more manageable pieces you can reduce the number of variables influencing the success of your campaign; making it easier to pinpoint what is and isn’t working. Even the most basic segmentation strategies can help you refine your marketing, identify niche markets and better understand your guest behaviours and preferences to increase the relevancy of marketing.
Ultimately, how you choose to slice and dice your market is entirely up to you, but if you are struggling to get started, or just need some inspiration, here are 4 criteria for segmentation to kick it off:
GEOGRAPHICAL
You don’t need to get complicated to be effective. Just knowing where your guests are can make a world of difference. For example, a guest in Perth is less likely to respond to a 48-hour weekend offer for a Sydney hotel. Just as some living in Brisbane are unlikely to attend a Father’s Day luncheon in Singapore – as our CEO said when he received such an email, “Not unless they’re including flights and accommodation”.
Geographic segmentation is a logical starting point as it is one of the easiest ways to divide the market and increase the relevancy of your marketing. Think about the market you are trying to entice and where they’re going to be – Are they travelling locally, nationally, internationally? Are they from a hot or cold climate? Do they come from the city/country/beach? – your guests’ needs, wants and desires will change based on their location. Leverage this to provide them with an offer they can’t refuse.
