Think about this for a moment: How often have you bought or booked something after getting an email from a brand or company?
NB: This is an article from GuestJoy
Probably several times…And you’re not alone. Many people do so on a regular basis because it’s easy and fun. That’s why email is one of the most effective marketing channels today, according to the Wall Street Journal.
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Take advantage of this to promote your hotel. Get creative and leverage the guest contact data you already have in your system.
From saving on distribution costs to growing brand awareness and scaling your outreach to new and repeat guests, discover the benefits email marketing can offer your hotel.
The increased relevance of email marketing today
Overall demand is still lower than pre-pandemic in many markets, partly because international travel has not returned to pre-Covid levels. It will likely stay that way for a while since many people are still keener on travelling closer to home.
In this situation, it’s especially important to leverage the connection you have with past guests. Particularly loyal clients who live nearby and can come by car or train are an invaluable source of business today.
Use email to stay in touch with them and build a stronger relationship with people who have expressed an interest in your hotel. This creates chances to generate more high-value direct bookings that will help get your business through these tough times.
Here, the high ROI and comparatively low cost of email marketing has another enormous benefit. Since this form of promotion is so cost-effective, it remains viable even if you’re working with a slashed marketing budget.
How to gain more subscribers for your hotel
You probably already have a lot of emails saved in your PMS from past and current guests. They can form the base of your email list.
Next, it’s time to grow your list of subscribers. Here are a few easy options to consider:
- Add sign-up boxes to your website and offer site visitors a perk (e.g. a small discount for their booking or a destination guide) for sharing their email address. This works well among people in the planning process but not for current or past guests as they rarely return to the hotel’s website.
- Set up a Wi-Fi restriction. Ask for a person’s email address when they sign in to your hotel’s public Wi-Fi and add a checkbox that lets them sign up for your list. This helps you get sign-ups from both in-house guests as well as outside clients visiting dining venues or the spa.
- Have your receptionists ask guests if they want to subscribe during check-in or -out. While this can bring results, the manual data entry means more work for your team. Here, it’s also hard to prove that the guest opted in unless you store the paper form.
- Save time and energy by gathering emails with a CRM. Set it up to automatically propose a sign-up during the online check-in, in upselling offers, as part of the directory or while requesting guest feedback. This cuts back on manual work, gets more eyeballs onto your opt-in and makes the subscription process easier for guests.
Ideas for different types of emails to send to your list
Email marketing encompasses several different types of emails. Below you’ll find the three main kinds that are relevant to email marketing for hotels plus some ideas to inspire your next email marketing campaigns.
- General newsletter: an informative email you send out at fixed intervals, e.g. monthly or every two weeks.
Share news about:
- The hotel (e.g. awards, renovations…)
- Current or upcoming events and promotions
- Other details that add value for your readers
- Seasonal or limited-time promotion: a standalone email to promote one specific offer. This could include:
- Flash deals
- A last-minute sale, e.g. to drive business on shoulder days
- Your summer weekend special for local guests
- Referral bonus for past guests
- Targeted campaign: one or several emails you send to a specific group of guests to promote an offer that’s relevant to them.
Here are some ideas:
- A special family deal
- Preferential conditions or exclusive offers for your regulars
- Couples’ getaways
- Any other offers that are geared towards a certain segment
In all cases, the goal is to build or maintain brand awareness, nurture your client relationships and drive sales. That way you stay at the front of people’s minds and they think of you first, when it’s time to plan a trip. This is a fantastic way to drive repeat bookings from past guests and benefit from their low acquisition cost.
As you can see, email marketing has many benefits for hotels. It’s cost-effective and it offers numerous ways to drive business all while nurturing the relationship with your guests.
And with the right tools, you can take advantage of all this without adding hours of extra work to your day.
Now, what do you think – how much could your property benefit from this?
