The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world. We were used to traveling freely wherever we want, do whatever we like and prefer, until the coronavirus breakthrough. Today, all of us have to be cautious and follow the rules. The pandemic has a huge impact on everything, including on how businesses operate.
The pandemic impacted such industries as tourism and restaurant business the most. Because of social distance and lockdowns, people can’t visit their favorite spots like they used to. Or if they can, they must follow the rules, as well as those organizations offering services. That’s why it’s time for hotels to show their gratitude to their clients.
Without clients, businesses die. So it’s extremely important to show that you value your new clients, loyal customers, or guests. With the pandemic still on the loose, you can’t use some methods of showing how grateful you are for having such amazing clients. But still, it’s never a bad idea to use other methods of showing gratitude. This article has some ideas for you to use.
Organize virtual events/celebrations
The recent statistics show that 70% of Americans didn’t travel for Christmas. It means people didn’t book hotels and stay in the hotel rooms. But it doesn’t mean people don’t want to have some fun on holidays, on the contrary, they will be seeking ways of diverting their routine.
Nowadays, everyone is using such amazing apps as Zoom, Skype, or House Party. Why not use it to your advantage? Organize an event that would include live music, some fun quests, contests, and even tutorials for your clients and potential customers. Come up with some interesting events, plan the activities, and send out emails to current and potential users. That way you still keep in touch with your clients and show that you value them.
Hashtag campaigns
Today, people use hashtags since they are so fun and useful. But hashtags are also useful for your business. You can use it in your social media campaign, for example, by organizing an interesting event that involves your customers.
You can start a contest, or launch a giveaway for some sort of activity. For example, ask your clients to take photos of special moments and share them on social media with a certain hashtag. Or ask to tell interesting life stories by posting pictures and using hashtags. It allows you to interact with your users during these hard times.
Giveaways
It’s probably the classic way to show gratitude. But now the giveaways could be different, for example, choosing random users who accomplished certain actions. Or organize a contest with nice prizes. To make sure all your clients are treated equally, it’s best to organize a giveaway with random winners.
But of course, there should be a story behind the giveaway. Ask your clients on social media to share special moments. For example, they could tell stories and post pictures of how they celebrate holidays during quarantine. Users should use certain hashtags. And when the contest is over, you can randomly choose several winners and send gifts.
Visual aids
Traditional ways of entertainment are not available currently, so many people spend their time on the Internet. Since 2019, video has become one of the most popular mediums among users. People have more time now, so they watch videos. It would be a great idea to use this fact to your advantage and come up with a video expressing gratitude to your clients.
The statistics claim that the most efficient videos are not longer than several minutes. Short videos are fun to watch, users don’t get distracted and they memorize what they see. You can come up with a fun video about your hotel, services, etc. It should also include your clients and how you value them. You can send out the links to videos through email channels and on social media.
Letters of gratitude and support
Social distancing makes it hard for people to see each other. It has changed our lives and the traditional routine. We can’t enjoy all the things that we used to. It’s obvious that it could be difficult for people. A lot of individuals feel depressed and they could enjoy some nice words of support. You can use it to your advantage.
Your hotel can express support and concern for your clients. Express that you hope they are all safe and sound. Make sure to thank them for their support and for choosing the hotel brand over all other brands, etc. Sometimes, it’s all that people need. A few words of support, a few words of gratitude, and expressing your concern. Ask your customers to stay safe and strong during these hard times.
Keep interacting with clients via blogs
Most likely, you already have a blog to communicate with your clients. Use this blog to support your customers during the pandemic. People get bored, so it’s a great idea to give them some virtual entertainment. Come up with interesting articles on how to entertain yourself during the pandemic, write tips and tutorials, etc.
Conclusion
The tourism sector has been hit by the pandemic and it will take time to recover from the losses. Meanwhile, you can still communicate with your clients to make sure they are still with you, especially, when the pandemic is finally over. Use these simple tips to show gratitude to your amazing customers.
