Emotional events such as Valentine’s Day are the perfect occasion for independent hoteliers to ramp up their marketing efforts with a themed campaign, geared at those looking to impress their other half.
NB: This is an article from NetAffinity
Experiential gifts in the place of material objects are becoming more and more popular, studies have shown people “enjoy greater well-being from life experiences and consider them to be a better use of money”.
It’s no wonder creating lasting memories with loved ones is valued more than objects, and a hotel stay is an obvious choice for couples of all ages.
Your job is to make the task of delivering an impressive gift effortless for the person making the booking, with special offers and luxurious extras! Make sure when your guests arrive at your hotel, that you are offering them the romantic experience they won’t forget!
This blog provides 5 easy steps on how to go about your Valentine’s Campaign, read on to find out…
1. Prep your Mailing Lists
Email is your most powerful tool when it comes to winning repeat business, with its personal nature and typically high conversion rates. You will most likely send your offer to your entire email database, the more people who see your offer the better!
However, for those hotels with much larger databases, you might consider segmenting your list into two main categories:
- People who stayed with you on Valentine’s Day last year
- People who are interested in your brand
Those who stayed with you on Valentine’s day last year are your most valuable leads – the warm memories of the guest’s last stay will trigger them to book again this year. You will need to entice them to come back with a better deal or adding something extra to the package.
2. Create Tempting Offers
Now is your chance to offer discounts and add value with complimentary add-ons to steal the hearts of the consumer.
For those who have already booked their stay for Valentine’s Day, you can offer them the opportunity to upgrade their room-type or plan aspects of their stay in advance, such as dinner for two, or cocktails in the bar.
3. Add A Sprinkle Of Romance
Valentine’s Day is all about the cliché romantic gestures so you need to let the booker know that you’ve got it covered. Think about offering at least 3 of the below:
- Heart-shaped food
- A fresh flower service
- Secret Proposal service
- Rose petals
- Late check-out
- Candlelit dinner
- Couples spa treatments
- Wine or Champagne
4. Let People Know About Your Valentine’s Day Packages
- Send at least 2 emails to each of your lists. Solve the booker’s first problem and send an email a few weeks in advance to remind those who often forget these special dates that it’s approaching! Next, entice them to book with an offer they can’t refuse when the date is looming around 1 week away.
- Run Facebook Ads for your target market with emotive imagery.
- Bid for AdWords terms like “valentine’s day hotel stay with dinner” and “valentines day hotel deals”
5. Create an Impact Online
Finally, do something out of the ordinary to spark a conversation online during the Valentine’s Day period. This will increase your reach and your brand awareness, not necessarily just for Valentine’s Day but all year round.
For example, a U.S. fast-food chain gave out free food on Valentine’s Day to customers who brought a photograph of their ex and shredded it in the restaurant. Now that’s some blue-sky thinking for Valentine’s Day!
