Email marketing offers hotels a direct and personal way to communicate with their guests.
NB: This is an article from Sabre
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and stay up to date
It provides a unique opportunity to build brand loyalty by staying in touch with guests before, during, and after their stay. With the ability to send highly targeted messages, email marketing helps hotels deliver content that resonates with their audience, leading to higher engagement and an impressive return on investment (ROI).
Compared to other digital marketing methods, email marketing is cost-effective and offers superior tracking capabilities. It allows hotels to segment their audience based on guest behavior, preferences, and booking history–helping to craft tailored offers that align with individual guest needs. Ultimately, a well-executed email marketing campaign can become a powerful tool for building guest relationships and driving direct bookings.
Building an effective email list
A strong, clean email list is the foundation of any successful email marketing campaign. Hotels can build their email lists through a variety of channels, such as:
- Booking forms: Encourage guests to sign up for newsletters or promotional offers when they book a room
- Loyalty programs: Incentivize repeat guests to stay connected and receive exclusive offers
- Website pop-ups: Use subtle, timed pop-ups to collect email addresses from potential guests browsing your site
Maintaining a quality email list is just as important as growing it. Ensuring that your email list is compliant with data privacy regulations, like GDPR, is crucial for guest trust.
Crafting engaging email content
The key to successful email marketing lies in the relevance and quality of the content you send. For hotels, this means crafting emails that not only offer attractive deals but also inspire potential guests to book their next stay. Here are some tips for creating engaging email content:
Rich visuals: Visual appeal matters. Use high-quality images of your hotel, its amenities, and surrounding attractions to make your emails visually engaging
Personalize the experience: Use guest data to offer promotions based on preferences and booking history, making emails more relevant and likely to convert. SynXis Retail Studio enhances this by allowing hotels to bundle personalized offers into email campaigns, driving more bookings
Compelling subject lines: The subject line is your first impression. Make it count by using urgency, curiosity, or exclusivity to encourage recipients to open the email
Dynamic content: Incorporate dynamic elements that adjust based on the guests’ preferences, such as recommending local events during their stay or suggesting room upgrades
Maximizing booking conversions
Email marketing offers a powerful channel to drive direct bookings. Hotels can convert email recipients into booked guests by creating urgency and offering exclusive deals without relying on third-party platforms. Here are a few strategies to increase booking conversions through email marketing: