As a hotel owner you may not think back to your experiences as a hotel guest. In order to achieve success, it is imperative that you do. Did you know that 66% of consumers have made a purchase online as a result of an email marketing message and email marketing has a return on investment of 4,300%.

A successful email marketing campaign is defined as: 

• A deep understanding of your audience
• Personalization
• Response Design
• Clever Calls to Action

Also, remember that consumers are able to understand the difference between effective and not so effective content. Stay away from a sales pitch and use your subject line to show that the email itself is valuable. Delivering on that content shows that you care. For more tips on writing engaging subject lines, click here.

Differentiating your hotel through personalization is key to its success. As stated before, use the subject line to your advantage and remember that guest’s names are important. Include them, and your hotel will be one step ahead of the competition.

Used effectively, email marketing gives you the chance to build your brand and increases sales. A 2015 study found that when buyers are ready to purchase, they will look to their email inbox.

Here are some helpful techniques from Net Atlantic:

Focus on Additional Bookings through Email

In order to drive revenue, your hotel must focus on booking more rooms. Email marketing is a simple and relatively cost-effective way to achieve this. If you have last minute room availability, send out an email offering a special discount or promote amenities or free upgrades to guests that book through email.

Establish and nurture relationships with your customers and eventually email marketing will pay off. Read IBC’s guide to understanding your guest’s booking behavior here.

Improve Customer Retention through Communication

If you are experiencing low customer retention rates, use email to cultivate awareness and establish brand loyalty. You want to be top of mind in your customer’s brain.

Trivago has some helpful ideas for email subjects to send to guests throughout the year:

1. The Thank You Email
2. Your Upcoming Stay Email
3. The Post Stay Email
4. The Loyalty Email

They will appreciate your consistency and will be more likely to book a room. After a guest has checked out of your hotel, send them a survey. This shows attention to detail and commitment to improving their overall experience.

Research your Customers

Once you are familiar with your customers, research who they really are. As you begin to understand their age, location, gender, etc., split them into groups based on these categories and research their individual stay patterns and room preferences.

Understanding your audience gives you the ability to create custom messages. Hotel guests will appreciate your attention to detail.

Create Valuable Content

Creating valuable content starts with understanding your audience and their needs, behaviors, and preferences. Use intelligent copywriting skills to create email content that adds value to their inbox. Nobody wants to read email that is devoid of emotion, humor or understanding.

And remember, use call to actions to create a brilliant first impression. The average person only spends 11 seconds reading an email. As a hotelier, you don’t want your message added to the trash.

Finally, as you craft email marketing copy on behalf of your brand, make sure to select your words with tact and connect with your audience. Remember that unique copy, helpful information and excellent deals are always relevant. Also, 67% of emails today are read on a smartphone or tablet, so keep that in mind as you craft your messages to align with your Digital Marketing Strategy.

Digital marketing is growing with technology and you want your hotel to have the competitive advantage of staying up to date. IBC Hospitality Technologies can help you up your game when it comes to digital marketing and increasing direct bookings by utilizing the steps above. Start a demo now or email support@ibchotels.com for immediate help.