With more and more people happy to do their own research into hotel getaways and relying less on travel agents, hotels need to find new and innovative ways to reach people. From a business woman hoping to see more than just the inside of a conference room, to families planning a luxury break, hotel marketers need to be at the top of their game when it comes to selling their goods.
Here we take a look at five marketing tips to get your accommodation to the top of the pile when it comes to room bookings.
1. Think creatively
Hotel seasons are divided into two distinct times: peak and off-peak. While peak time may not pose much of a problem when it comes to room occupancy; off-peak is definitely where your creative marketing strategies are challenged most.
This, of course, is the key – to think creatively and attract guests during the quiet times. Old school methods do work and promotions and price bundles have their place but there are other, more creative methods to entice guests on a weekend escape.
Be prepared to open your mind to new ideas and new ways of selling rooms. Sticking to the tried and tested methods is fine but to really excel, you will need to employ a greater depth of research and audience segmentation than you ever have before. Rather than being fearful of these new methods and new ways to attract customer interaction, embrace them and watch as your hotel becomes the go-to destination.
2. Piggy back on calendar events
Here is where research is absolutely crucial. Find out when major religious and cultural holidays take place and invite guests to join you to celebrate with a special weekend or even week-long package.
You don’t need to just limit this to religious and cultural events, check the local calendar and if you have music or sports festivals taking place nearby then offer sweet deals around these events. Make your package even more enticing with the lure of free transport to and from the event and the option of packing a lunch for guests.
If you can’t think of any events, you could even set one up yourself. Invite guests to celebrate your hotel’s birthday, Environment Day or similar.
Sunita Shah, a Hotel Business Consultant at WriteMyX, said: “There are so many little extras you can use to entice guests to stay with you off-peak. If you create the need by offering solutions to problems such as parking and transport, guests will be attracted to those deals far more than standard deals. Think outside the box and give guests the things they really need for an all-round experience.”
3. Make it easy to book
What do you look for when you’re booking a hotel? Price and availability. To make this process far less painful and even quicker for the booker, add this menu to your landing page. Viewers will be able to see in just a few clicks if their desired room is available, rather than trawling through your website until they hit a booking menu.
With more and more people using mobile devices to book on the go, make sure that this landing page, and indeed your whole site is maximised for mobile use.
Encourage people to book through your landing page by spending some time, thought and even money in making that initial view a welcoming one. Flag up any testimonies from satisfied customers and show your guest just how convenient and attractive your accommodation is.
4. Show you have the inside scoop
When marketing your hotel, guests like to think that they are getting more than just a good bed and a decent breakfast. They look to their hotel for so much more.
By providing information on local dining experiences and restaurants, travel cards to make getting around easier, maps and tourism sites you will position yourself as the authoritative voice in your area.
Stuart Mulhern, a Marketing Specialist at 1Day2Write and Academicbrits, says: “Visitors want to feel that they are getting real value for money. When you provide local discounts, inside information and local knowledge on getting around issues such as travel and parking, you will find your visitors returning year after year. It becomes a relationship based on trust and not just your accommodation.”
5. Make it personal
In the same way that guests like to think they are getting more than just a room and board, they also like to be made feel that you are welcoming them personally and see them as more than just someone who settles a hotel bill at the end of the week.
Sending a pre-arrival email with all the details they’ll need to find you and asking if anything can be added to their rooms on arrival is a fantastic way of adding that personal touch.
Paying attention to their particular needs on arrival will also help oil the wheels. Offer a map, tours or discounts to various attractions.
After your guests leave follow up their stay with a survey and offer of a discount or promotion for a return visit. Making your guest feel like their custom is valuable and personal will encourage repeat visits and word of mouth recommendation.
In an increasingly challenging market, hotel marketers must increase their range of techniques to sell bookings on and off-peak. With genuine customer interaction and a fantastic set of deals, you’ll see your hotel bucking the off-peak trend and see customers returning year after year.
