As a hotel tech provider, we understand the importance of creating a seamless and personalised guest journey for your property from when a booking is made. Like every other stage, the pre-stay stage is essential. It allows you to engage with your guests and set the tone for their upcoming experience. However, it’s essential to remember that not all guests are the same, and a one-size-fits-all approach won’t yield the best results.
Remember, personalisation increases purchases and fosters guest loyalty. According to recent research, 70% of customers say that how well a company understands their individual needs impacts loyalty. Therefore, creating a guest journey where each touchpoint adds value to specific types of guests is key to increasing guest satisfaction.
During pre-stay, you have the opportunity to create excitement for the upcoming trip and the stay at your property, encourage guests to purchase additional services and even become the local friend by providing useful information for their trip.
Now, what to say and how to say it? If you are not sure, don’t worry, here are eight ideas of different messages you can send to your guests during pre-stay to engage with them and foster satisfaction and loyalty:
1. Instructions on how to get to the hotel
Did you know the two drivers of guest loyalty are customer effort and guest satisfaction? Here is a perfect example of how to tackle both.
With this idea, you can help your guests avoid stress on the day of their arrival. In your message, you can include clear directions to your hotel, a map of the surrounding area, and contact information for your hotel in case they have any questions.
You can prepare different messages according to the means of transportation or you can have one single message with all the information or links to your website with detailed instructions (train, airplane, bus, etc.). It is up to you to decide how to make this message more valuable to them.
Download this eBook to learn more tips and tricks about how you can make your guests loyal to your hotel.
2. Must-see attractions and local events
Depending on the type of guest you are communicating with, this message can help them to make the most of their stay. You can provide them with a list of must-see attractions and local events.
In this point, you can also leverage social media. For example, create guides on Instagram where you feature attractions or even a Google Maps list of all the interesting places.
Do you want to take it a bit further? Prepare different lists or maps such as: Museums & art, shopping scenery, romantic trip, etc. As you can see, you are already personalising the information and adding value to your guests.
As an addition, you can create a curated list of local events taking place in the city. It might seem like a lot of work, but if you create a monthly list, you will need to update it only once a month and it would be useful to share with all your guests.
3. Hotel amenities and room upgrades
As mentioned, pre-stay is a great opportunity to talk about what your hotel has to offer. Let your guests know about all your amenities, including the pool, gym, spa, and coworking space. But not only that. You can also take the opportunity to upsell your services offering, for example, a room upgrade.
If your hotel offers spa treatments, massages, late check-out, or other services, this is an excellent opportunity to let your guests know so they can plan ahead.
Utilise guest data with the help of a hospitality CRM to identify audiences and recommend services that complement their stay. For instance, a guest who frequently books spa treatments could receive an exclusive offer for a massage package during their upcoming stay or if a guest has an early morning arrival and a late-night departure offer or one of the both offer them early check-in and late check-out, this shows you care about your guests.
4. Hotel experiences
Something that is gaining more traction in the hotel industry is that hotels are working with tour operators and other service providers to offer their guests special packages. For example, a hotel that teams up with a local vineyard to offer a wine tasting tour, a partnership with a cooking school or a local chef to offer group classes, and more.
This is a great opportunity to generate extra profit and pre-stay is the best moment to talk about it, since your guests are starting to plan their trip.
5. Foodie campaign
If your hotel has a great dining scene, this is a great way to promote it to your guests. Share information about your restaurant menus, breakfast buffet, and room service options.
Appeal to food enthusiasts by showcasing the hotel’s culinary delights, such as signature dishes and specialty cocktails. Offer personalised packages for breakfast, lunch, or dinner reservations based on the guest’s dietary preferences. It can also lead to guests feeling more satisfied with their stay, as they will have access to a wider range of dining options.
For this, you can also leverage other channels like your website and social media. You can highlight the specialities of the restaurants, sharing pictures and creative menus on these channels so your guests know what kind of food to expect. You can also link your menu and post about the special dinner nights so the guests can book in advance.
6. Pre-registration or online check-in invitation
The idea behind this is to gather guest details before arrival to personalise all the communication. Not only would this benefit you but also save time for your guests in the reception queue.
Offer the added benefit of early check-ins or airport pickup for those who take advantage of this convenient service. This campaign appeals to tech-savvy guests who appreciate efficiency and time-saving measures.
This is a convenient way for your guests to check-in before their arrival. Business travellers and guests with specific scheduling needs can significantly benefit from personalised invitations to pre-register or check-in online, streamlining their arrival experience.
7. Campaign for couples
If you have a property in a city that is recognised as a romantic destination, the theme of your hotel is related to romance or you have a high amount of couples that book in your property, then that is a great opportunity to offer special packages for couples.
Cater to couples with a campaign focused on romantic experiences and communicate it during pre-stay. Personalised touches for romantic occasions can lead to increased positive reviews and guest loyalty.
Romantic getaways can be elevated with personalised offers such as room upgrades featuring champagne and roses, and couple’s spa treatments for an intimate and memorable stay.
8. Business travellers campaign
If you have a business hotel, this is an excellent opportunity to promote the amenities that business travellers will appreciate. This could include a coworking space, high-speed wifi, or an after-hours gym.
Acknowledge the needs of business travellers with a campaign that emphasises amenities catering to their requirements. Highlight features such as a well-equipped coworking space, high-speed Wi-Fi, and after-hours gym access. This campaign demonstrates that your hotel values their productivity and comfort during their stay.
Here are 9 audiences you can create for better marketing campaigns
Tailoring communications and services to match the unique preferences of individual guests can significantly impact guest satisfaction, loyalty, and overall revenue. By personalising these campaigns and focusing on providing information that is relevant to guests, hotels can create a positive pre-stay experience that will set the stage for a memorable stay.
Final considerations
The main point to keep in mind is that you shouldn’t saturate your guests. All the campaigns you send must add value. For example, some of the best guest journeys have only four or five touchpoints in total, with only two during pre-stay.
This clearly shows that it is not about sending many messages but about choosing the right audience and personalising the content as much as possible. Focus on sending the relevant campaign to the right guest segment.
To learn more about how to personalise the guest journey, you can download this guide.
Finally, remember that having the right pre-stay campaigns can also help to increase guest satisfaction by making guests feel like you care about them. When guests feel like you are going the extra mile to make their stay as enjoyable as possible, they are more likely to be satisfied with their experience.
Don’t miss your chance to take your guest experience to the next level by making the most out of the pre-stay phase.
