Email Marketing for Hotels

News • 11th Mar, 11

 

 

Email Marketing for Hotels

With all the recent publicity over social media, email marketing has taken a backseat role in many ways.  However email remains a very powerful marketing tool when used correctly and most definitely should not be overlooked. Email generally has a greater psychological value than other types of social media communication. If you are regularly delivering value in your mails, people will listen to what you have to say.

Ways your hotel could use email

• As a relationship building tool. You can use email to give your business personality and a sense ofquality.
• Use it as a feedback and research tool.Many hotels send an automatic survey link to gather guest feedback.  There are also other ways you can use email to get feedback. Not only on the guests stay, but also for new ideas and other market research.
• As a direct promotional tool.  Write newsletters to guests; detailing special offers; notifications of new facilities; or to provide insider information. Create an email that offers travel tips or other useful information, and people will welcome your updates that come with it.
• Use it to provide superior guest service.There is so much potential for hotels to use email to improve their guests’ experience and hence increase repeat bookers. A series of e-mails could be generated whenever someone makes a booking: leading up to the stay, and then following up after they depart. Putting everything on autopilot insures every guest has an outstanding experience interacting with your hotel and reduces the potential for errors.
• Offer Competitions. You can use email to hold a contest, and to offer prizes to winners. This is one method of increasing interactivity, and to increase interest in your newsletter. Encourage contest participants to get others to sign up as well-and watch the interest grow.

 

To find out more about how to do this in “Q-Marketing” our new email marketing tool visit http://www.abchotel.co.uk/screen-shots.html

Plan your list building strategy

You don’t want to be thought of as a spammer. That’s why it’s important not to send emails that are not targeted properly. To get the best results from each email you should firstget permission from your recipients before you send out anything.  Try the following to achieve this:

• Include a signup form on your website. Just keep it short: email & first name is best.
• Have a system in place where your front desk staff ask for addresses during check-in or check out
• Consider leaving a letter of invitation in their room
• Always provide a strong benefit for the person signing up for your list. Receiving updates (marketing messages) alone isn’t usually a very strong offer. Exclusive discounts and preferred service are more compelling.

Tips for writing effective emails for your hotel

• Make sure you get through the spam filters. Mail that isn’t delivered isn’t read.
• Write effective subject lines. Tell what’s inside, but don’t overdo it. Sometimes boring is best. Don’t use too much hype.
• Include your contact information and a telephone number.
• Provide a Link to Your Web Site.
• Use good grammar.

Choose a publishing frequency

Publishing too often can result in people unsubscribing. If you don’t publish enough, people may forget about you. Find a regularity that works well with your audience.

Test… and test again

As with most online marketing, success is achieved through continual testing…and making changes based on the results.

Ideas for testing

• Days of the week (Monday…or Saturday?)
• Time of day (morning, evening etc.)
• Frequency
• Personalization
• Subjects & Topics
• Content
  • Copy
  • Graphics
  • Colours
  • Length

By using email as part of an overall marketing plan, you can help people form a positive impression of your business, develop customer relations, and help get the word out about your organisation. It’s a valuable marketing tool that can bring in more visitors and help increase both new and repeat sales.