There are several different categories of hotel welcome emails that we recommend you send to guests before they arrive at your hotel.
NB: This is an article from Fuel Travel
We also recommend that you write a repeat guest welcome letter – that is, a variation of your welcome emails that are tailored to loyal guests who are staying at your hotel for the second or more time. Replace the handwritten note for repeat guests with an email that does the same thing while taking up less time!
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This strategy rewards loyalty and adds a personal touch to your interaction with this guest. And more personalized experiences drive more business in the long run.
Using a guest messaging solution that receives guest data directly from your property management system, you can automate this process.
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR REPEAT GUEST WELCOME LETTER
First and foremost, we recommend you send a standard confirmation email. This is a transactional email that is triggered by a completed booking. The message should be simple and straightforward, with their reservation details in the top 50% of the email body. This email will have the highest open rate of any communication, so consider including additional marketing information such as food and beverage or optional add-ons.
You can then send 1-2 follow-up emails after the initial confirmation email. This is where you can include a repeat guest welcome letter in your email sequence. 3-5 days before their arrival, we recommend sending a welcome email to all guests. For repeat guests, make sure to change up this message!
In your repeat guest welcome letter, start off by acknowledging that this is not their first visit. Begin your email with a simple, “Welcome back!” Keep the tone of the email warm and casual, rather than formal. Thank them for their repeat business. You can even consider providing an exclusive offer, such as a complimentary glass of wine at the hotel bar.
Personalizing your welcome emails for loyal guests is a great way to improve the overall guest experience. The value of a repeat guest welcome letter includes:
- Add a personalized touch to the guest journey
- Promote up-sell opportunities with unique ‘loyalty’ offers
- Reward loyalty and engage guests
SETTING UP AUTOMATED WELCOME EMAILS
Switching up your welcome emails to acknowledge and reward repeat guests is an essential way to boost loyalty and delight guests. To set up your automated welcome emails, you need a messaging solution that can receive guests data so that you can know if someone is a repeat guest in the first place. Generic email marketing systems don’t integrate with your PMS: invest in one that does.
