Marketing for hotels is more challenging than ever. Between established chains and relative newcomers, there are dozens of competitors fighting for the attention of your target audience. To differentiate your hotel brand from the sea of options out there, you need an omnichannel marketing strategy.
Chances are that you already have the makings of a good omnichannel strategy. Like most hospitality brands, your hotel is probably active on social media and has a user-friendly website. But you may be neglecting a tried and true hotel marketing tactic: email.
That’s right — email marketing can be a genuine differentiator for your hotel brand. While it may sound like an old-school method, email marketing is just as effective as ever, if not more so.
Are you unsure how to weave email communications into your hotel marketing plan? Our list of seven email marketing tips will help you make use of this critical communication tool.
Along the way, we clear up some common misconceptions about email. We also discuss how it fits into your overarching brand-building strategy.
Common Misconceptions About Email Messaging
There are lots of misconceptions about email that cause some marketers to shy away from this effective communication tool. Three of the misconceptions that you have probably encountered include:
Consumers Don’t Regularly Check Their Emails
If you bought into this misconception, it is understandable why you may have been hesitant to invest in email marketing. No one wants to spend time creating marketing content that is going to end up in inbox purgatory. The good news is that this claim is 100% false.
According to Statista, 19% of Americans check their personal email once per day, and 20% review their email messages a few times throughout the day. A staggering 43% of respondents check their email either many times a day (24%) or as they arrive (19%). Only one-fifth of participants check their email inbox less than once per day.
The reality is that most of your target audience will see your emails shortly after you send them. However, if you want them to open and read them, you had better come up with a captivating subject line.
Managing Email Campaigns Takes Too Long
We will rate this one as partially true. If you manage your email marketing campaigns the old-fashioned way, it can be a time-consuming process. Fortunately, there are plenty of tools out there to make managing your campaign a nearly effortless endeavor.
First up is generative artificial intelligence like ChatGPT. These tools will create email content for you, saving you countless hours each week. Using generative AI for email creation is becoming increasingly common, and those who engage in this practice are quite happy with the results. According to HubSpot, 95% of marketers who create email content with AI rate it as “effective,” and 54% consider it “very effective.”
After you have your email content, you can create automated campaigns with email and SMS marketing tools like Contact Consumers. Our platform allows you to set up, track, and manage multiple campaigns with just a few clicks.
Email Marketing Provides a Subpar ROI
You have a finite hotel marketing budget and need to make every dollar count. As such, you actively shy away from activities that provide a low return on investment (ROI) and prioritize strategies that give you the most bang for your buck.
When it comes to achieving a strong ROI, few hotel marketing techniques are more effective than email. According to Oberlo, the average ROI of email marketing is 4,000%. Based on this statistic, you will earn $40 for every dollar spent if you achieve an average return on your email messaging campaign.
Can you Imagine all of your marketing investments providing such a great return? While you may not be able to get the same ROI on paid ads or other marketing methods, email has the potential to really deliver for your brand.
How Email Fits Into Your Hotel Marketing Strategy
One of the best attributes of email marketing is its versatility. You can use email messaging for a broad range of purposes, from raising brand awareness to following up with past clients. Some of the most common use cases for email marketing include:
- Boosting brand awareness and highlighting your services
- Offering coupons and deals to increase revenue and encourage purchases
- Gathering feedback from guests to find out what you need to do better
- Connecting with customers through holiday greetings and other messages
- Recapturing lost leads, such as those who failed to complete a purchase
After learning about all the different ways to use email in your marketing strategy, there is one important question to ask yourself: “Is my brand making the most of this valuable tool?” If not, our seven tips for optimal email marketing for hotels will help you put this tool to work for your specific brand.
Email Marketing for Hotels: 7 Actionable Tips
Perhaps you want to revamp your current email marketing strategy. Alternatively, maybe you are interested in expanding your use of this brand-building tool. Regardless of your exact goal, we recommend that you:
1. Tap Into Your Existing Customer Database
Before you can engage in email marketing, you need to amass a comprehensive mailing list. Chances are that you already have hundreds of email addresses stored in your customer database. What you need to do now is tap into them.
When building your mailing list from your existing customer database, make sure that you focus on relatively recent emails. Many people keep the same email for years, but others still may have changed to new email addresses.
You should also consider segmenting your contacts based on demographic information, time of stay, and other factors. For instance, you could create a separate mailing list for guests who stay at your hotel during peak summer vacation months and those who have made reservations in the winter. You could then target each list with seasonal deals and packages to encourage them to stay at your establishment again.
2. Use Opt-in Forms to Build Your Mailing List
Pulling email addresses from your existing customer relationship management (CRM) platform is a great first step when building your mailing list. But if you want to take your brand to greater heights, you must ensure that this list is constantly growing. And the easiest way to do that is through the use of opt-in forms.
An opt-in form is used to request a consumer’s email address in exchange for content. By filling out the form, they agree to receive newsletters, updates, offers, or other promotional content to their email address. You can include opt-in forms on a variety of locations on your website, including blogs, the booking confirmation page, and your homepage.
Many brands choose to incentivize their audience to opt in for communications. To do this, consider attaching a coupon or discount code to their first email. Many more prospective customers will sign up if the action means receiving a discount on their first reservation.
3. Be Consistent but Not Overbearing
Email messaging campaigns are designed to nurture leads and strengthen relationships. When members of your mailing list are ready to make a reservation, your hotel will likely be their first choice.
That said, if you want to build strong relationships with your target audience, consistency is key. You can’t go weeks or months without sending a message and expect your brand to be top of mind.
However, you should not bombard potential customers with messages either. Generally, one email per week is enough to keep consumers engaged. Anything more frequent than that may lead them to unsubscribe.
4. Segment Your Audience
Mass email campaigns and generic communications will alienate your target audience and diminish your ROI. If you want to get a strong return and connect with consumers, you need to segment your audience. You can do so by creating separate mailing lists based on demographic data, customers’ place in the sales funnel, and past history with your brand.
For instance, one list could include prospects who signed up for your newsletter, another group could feature one-time customers, and the third list could contain individuals who follow you on social media. By targeting each group with unique messages, you increase trust in your brand and ensure that all recipients receive timely, relevant content.
5. Offer Exclusive Deals, Discounts, or Packages
Everybody loves getting a great deal. If you need to increase bookings and generate some extra revenue, consider including deals and discounts in your next email marketing campaign.
There are many different ways to incorporate deals, discounts, or packages into your email messaging. For instance, let’s say that your hotel charges resort fees. If you want to increase bookings during non-peak season, send out an email that offers to waive resort fees if recipients book in the next seven days. Placing an expiration date on your offer creates a sense of urgency in the audience and encourages customers to take action.
6. Gather Feedback From Recent Guests
You should always strive to improve the guest experience and elevate the quality of service you provide. However, to do that, you must first take stock of your brand’s strengths and weaknesses. Email is a great tool for connecting with recent guests and gathering feedback about how you did during their last stay.
You can gather feedback by sending out email surveys to guests after they check out. Keep your surveys short and to the point. Most of your survey should consist of multiple-choice questions so that respondents can complete them faster. However, give participants the option to provide written feedback as well so they can voice any specific concerns they may have.
7. Leverage Analytics to Maximize Your Reach
Data analytics enable you to assess the efficacy of your hotel marketing efforts. Performing analytics of your email marketing campaigns allows you to identify what worked and what didn’t.
If a particular message or style of content performed well with your target audience, consider recycling it for future campaigns. Conversely, if a message falls flat, examine why so that you can improve upon it and better meet the needs of your target audience.
Contact Consumers: Simplifying Marketing for Hotels With Email Automation
By putting the tips above to good use, you can create winning email messaging campaigns that resonate with your target audience and drive real results for your brand. However, if you want to maximize your reach and make email marketing a frictionless process for you and your guests, you need the right tools.
Enter Contact Consumers, the leading SMS and email messaging platform. Contact Consumers empowers you to build personalized connections with each of your audience segments by streamlining the delivery of content and providing you with real-time insights into the efficacy of each campaign.
To learn more, connect with Contact Consumers. We can help you propel your hotel toward its growth goals.
