How to create emails your hotel guests want to open and click
How to create emails your hotel guests want to open and click
Company emails can be an irritation to guests, or a welcome surprise. The category you fall into wholly depends on what you communicate and when.
There’s no doubt email marketing is an effective way to reach potential guests and generate bookings. If you send the right message at the right time, you’re guaranteed to develop strong relationships and build trust.
With that said, in 2016 three quarters of companies agreed that email offers an excellent to good ROI.
So what are these companies doing to get such fabulous returns?
To get great results from your email efforts, every guest must feel your message was made for them. And equally, that you took time out of your day to send a personalised message offering something they truly need.
Every website visitor is a potential guest you can convert — from those who first subscribe to your list, to those who’ve been there for months. Your guests want to feel you’re speaking to them one on one.
Seems like a tough ask, but there is method to this madness with these four email sequences.
The welcome sequence
Your welcome email is the first interaction your new guest or subscriber will have with your hotel. That means it’s the first time they’ll form an impression of your brand.
You must make it count.
In order to encourage sign ups in the first place, avoid overwhelming people with too many form fields. Guests may think twice if they see a name, postcode, phone number and email is required.
Keep it simple. Ask for only a first name and email address.
Your sign up message matters too. If you’re asking guests to ‘join our simply fabulous newsletter for epic deals and updates’, make sure this language suits the overriding tone of your website.
To make a great first impression you need to showcase your unique personality, be engaging, and show people why they’ve made the right choice to sign up.
There are a number of ways you can communicate with guests during the welcome sequence.
- A heartfelt thank you for signing up with a discount code for a future booking
- Add a flavour of your story and personality, and go further into the value you’ll provide in future emails
- Announce they’re now a valued member with a link to login to their account on your website
- Include a few links to your most popular blogs
- Include a note saying ‘you may like to browse’ with images and links to your variety of rooms
The welcome sequence is an early teller and helps your subscriber learn more about you. This is a crucial period that should be approached with sensitivity and careful planning. A knock out email could bag you a lifelong subscriber, the wrong email could see them hitting unsubscribe.
New customer email
Just because you’ve sold a room to a customer, doesn’t mean your job is done. In fact this is one of the most important stages to make your new guest feel comfortable with their decision.
As your guest has parted ways with their hard earned cash, they generally feel an urge to see that confirmation. The typical open rate of a receipt email is 70.9%, compared to regular email marketing campaigns which are only opened 17.19%.
After they’ve made a purchase, your guests crave reassurance. Your next step is to give them that welcoming vibe and clearly explain what happens next.
This is also a great opportunity to include more than just a review of their order. Focus on offering more value to the customer and look for ways you can upsell and delight through every stage. This could include:
- Welcoming them to your family and suggesting related services such as spa treatments and restaurant bookings with a link
- Attach a personalised discount code they can pass on to friends or family
- Links to follow you on social platforms
- Refund policy information if they need to cancel or rearrange
- Discount for a future booking
Your new guest is a potential repeat customer. If you can create an experience they’ll cherish they’re more likely to come back for more, and better yet, recommend you to others.
Abandoned booking email
Even with the best booking engine in the world, chances are you’ll still see some visitors abandoning their orders.
In the ecommerce world, 67% of online shopping carts are abandoned, according to Baymard Institute. That means over half of visitors are browsing websites, adding products to their cart, and leaving, right before they make a purchase.
That’s why it’s so important to have a clear-cut abandoned booking sequence in place, so you don’t lose almost three quarters of your potential revenue.
The trick is getting your guests to revisit their booking and carry it through with a personalised message they can’t resist.
Your first thought may be to offer an immediate discount to sway their interest. But the thing is, most savvy travellers know this and may hold off to see if you crack. Your best option is to follow this strategic email sequence:
- Send a reminder email to say their booking is still waiting for them. Include an image of the room, add a unique benefit and a link to complete their purchase
- In your first email, ask your customer why they didn’t book. Gather the data and be sure to address common concerns and highlight that new benefit in your second email
- Remind customers your special rates won’t be around forever
- Time to offer a discount. Include a picture of your room along with the discount and a link to complete their booking
Don’t be afraid to repeat this process with the same customer. If your new abandonment email sequence is increasing your conversions, stick with the proven results.
Regular touch points email
Emailing your subscribers frequently builds a deeper connection. It allows the bond to form and offers a way to get to know each other. It all comes down to nurturing relationships. It keeps your hotel fresh in your guests’ minds when they think about booking a break again.
We want your guests to look forward to hearing from you.
Newsletters are your secret weapon when it comes to nurturing. They should always offer something of value, whether you’re educating, introducing special offers or simply getting to know each other. Every email must be relevant to each subscriber from new to old.
Consider these methods for engaging your subscribers:
- Inform guests of events they might like in the area, and your availability to stay at your hotel on that date
- Tell your brand’s story. Any updates, renovations, charity donations you’ve made or events at your hotel
- Share a personal story of you, a team member or success stories from guests
- Include exclusive subscriber discounts
- A thank you for being a long term subscriber
- A catch up message for subscribers who haven’t stayed with you for a while, saying you’d love to welcome them back
Your newsletters act as reminders. Letting your subscribers know you’re still around and have the personal touch to give them benefits they really value.
If you execute a well thought out email campaign that speaks directly to your customer base, you’re guaranteed to grow your email list and convert more bookings. The email series outlined above will give you a cracking head start. Now all you need to do is put these techniques into action!
The Booking Factory Team
