Beyond Points: Innovative Ways to Foster Guest Loyalty

Beyond Points: Innovative Ways to Foster Guest Loyalty

In the highly competitive hospitality industry, building and retaining customer loyalty is crucial for the success of any hotel.

Creating exceptional guest experiences that leave a lasting impression is key to ensuring customers return, recommend your establishment to others, and become loyal patrons. Here are some inspirational strategies you can employ to reinforce customer loyalty and encourage repeat hotel stays:

Impeccable Service:

Exemplary customer service should be at the forefront of your hotel’s mission. Train your staff to go above and beyond, exceeding guests’ expectations at every opportunity. Remember, a smile, a warm welcome, and personalized attention can make all the difference.

Personalized Experiences:

Hoteliers can leverage customer data to tailor the guest experience based on individual preferences and past behavior. This could include personalized welcome messages, customized room amenities, or recommendations for nearby attractions based on guests’ interests. By making guests feel valued and understood, personalized experiences foster a sense of belonging and encourage them to choose your hotel for future stays.

Consistent Quality:

Consistency is crucial in earning customer trust and loyalty. Maintain high standards across all areas of your hotel, from cleanliness and comfort to food and beverage offerings. Strive for excellence consistently, without compromising on quality.

Enhanced Communication:

Foster open and transparent communication with your guests. Utilize technology to keep them informed about upcoming events, promotions, or any changes within the hotel. Regularly seeking feedback and genuinely listening to their suggestions can help build trust and improve their overall experience.

Memorable Experiences:

Create memorable moments that guests will cherish long after they leave your hotel. Whether you infuse your hotel with local culture and art or create spaces that provide for Instagrammable moments, offer experiences that go beyond the ordinary and create lasting memories for your guests.

Community Involvement:

Demonstrate your hotel’s commitment to social responsibility by engaging in community initiatives or supporting local causes. Guests appreciate establishments that actively give back to society, and this connection can foster a sense of pride and loyalty towards your brand.

Remember, customer loyalty is built on trust, exceptional service, and memorable experiences. By implementing these strategies with an inspirational mindset, you can strengthen customer loyalty, encourage repeat stays, and ensure your hotel becomes the top choice for all travelers.

How Hotel Reviews Can Help Fuel Bookings

How Hotel Reviews Can Help Fuel Bookings

In the hospitality industry, online hotel reviews have become an essential aspect of the decision-making process for travelers.

These reviews provide potential guests with valuable insights into the quality and experiences offered by a hotel. As a result, hotels must pay attention to and manage their online reputation effectively. This article will discuss how hotel reviews can help fuel bookings and the importance of leveraging this powerful tool.

Benefits of Positive Reviews

Positive reviews can significantly impact a hotel’s booking rate. When potential guests come across multiple positive reviews, it cultivates trust and confidence in the hotel’s services. Positive reviews act as endorsements from previous guests, suggesting that the hotel is worthy of consideration. It creates a positive perception, validates the hotel’s offerings, and increases the likelihood of a booking.

Increased Visibility and Exposure

Hotels with a high number of positive reviews tend to rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs). This increased visibility exposes the hotel to a wider audience, including potential guests who might not have discovered it otherwise. Improved search rankings generate more organic traffic to the hotel’s website, leading to higher booking potential.

Guest Engagement and Loyalty

Reviews provide an avenue for hotels to engage with their guests directly. Responding to both positive and negative reviews allow hoteliers to showcase their commitment to guest satisfaction. Addressing concerns mentioned in negative reviews demonstrates that the hotel values its guests’ feedback and is willing to take steps to improve. Engaging with guests through reviews helps build loyalty, encourages repeat bookings, and promotes positive word-of-mouth.

Competitive Edge

In today’s crowded marketplace, hotels face stiff competition. By actively managing their online reputation and encouraging guests to leave positive reviews, hotels gain a competitive edge. Potential guests are more likely to choose a hotel with a substantial number of positive reviews over those with fewer or no reviews. Positive reviews set a hotel apart from its competitors, positioning it as a trusted and reliable choice.

Hotel reviews play a crucial role in driving bookings. Positive reviews enhance a hotel’s credibility, increase visibility, and promote guest engagement and loyalty. By leveraging the power of online reviews, hotels can differentiate themselves from competitors and attract more potential guests. It is essential for hotels to prioritize their online reputation management and actively encourage guests to share their experiences.

Mastering the Art of Boosting Hotel Sales in Off-Peak Seasons

Mastering the Art of Boosting Hotel Sales in Off-Peak Seasons

Whether you run a franchised hotel, boutique property, or resort, summer is typically the busy season.

But lurking behind every summer comes a slow period, a time when your sales team is scrambling for ways to fill rooms.

As a hotelier or general manager, you understand the challenges of low occupancy during slow months.

However, there are several innovative strategies you can employ to boost your hotel sales during these periods. In this blog post, we will explore some effective techniques that will not only attract more guests but also increase revenue.

Enhance Your Online Presence

In today’s digital age, it is crucial to have a strong online presence to compete in the hospitality industry. Optimize your hotel’s website with relevant keywords and target local SEO to attract potential guests in your area. Create engaging and informative content on your website’s blog to showcase the unique features and services your hotel offers. Utilize social media platforms to engage with your target audience, share exciting promotions, and encourage user-generated content through contests or giveaways.

Offer Exclusive Packages and Deals

Entice guests during slow months by offering exclusive packages and deals. Create themed packages, such as “Romantic Getaway” or “Family Fun,” that include added value offerings like complimentary breakfast, spa credits, or discounted rates for nearby attractions. Promote these packages through your website, social media channels, and third-party booking sites to reach a wider audience. Highlight the benefits of booking directly with your hotel, such as guaranteed best rates or additional perks.

Collaborate with Local Businesses

Establish partnerships with local businesses to create mutually beneficial arrangements. For example, collaborate with popular restaurants to offer special discounts or vouchers to their patrons, encouraging them to stay at your hotel after enjoying a meal. Similarly, collaborate with local tour operators or event organizers to provide package deals that combine accommodation and experiences. This cross-promotion will not only drive more bookings but also support the local community.

Leverage Email Marketing

Harness the power of email marketing to stay connected with your past and potential guests. Build a reliable email database by offering incentives for visitors to subscribe, such as exclusive discounts or access to insider tips about local attractions. Send personalized promotional emails highlighting upcoming events, limited-time offers, and special packages tailored to your recipients’ preferences. Utilize eye-catching visuals and compelling copy to entice recipients to click through and make a reservation.

Reinforce Customer Loyalty

Nurture your existing customer base during slow months by focusing on customer loyalty. Offer rewards programs that provide incentives for repeat stays, such as complimentary upgrades, late check-outs, or priority reservations. Provide personalized experiences for returning guests, like welcome back amenities or customized itineraries based on their previous preferences. Encourage guests to leave positive reviews on popular review sites, as positive word-of-mouth referrals can significantly impact future bookings.

Conclusion

With the right strategies in place, you can effectively boost your hotel sales during slow months. Enhance your online presence, offer enticing packages, collaborate with local businesses, leverage email marketing, and reinforce customer loyalty. By implementing these techniques, you can attract more guests, increase occupancy rates, and maximize revenue even during traditionally quiet periods.

 

 

Get to Know Your Neighbors: How to Market in Your Backyard

Get to Know Your Neighbors: How to Market in Your Backyard

As a hotel owner, you know the importance of marketing your property to attract visitors. But have you considered looking beyond traditional methods and focusing on your local community?

By getting to know your neighbors, you can create lasting relationships that will not only benefit your hotel but also boost the local economy. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to market in your backyard and why it’s important.

Why Local Marketing Matters

Marketing your hotel locally is essential for several reasons. Firstly, it allows you to build meaningful relationships with members of your community, who are more likely to recommend your hotel to friends and family. Secondly, it’s cost-effective since you don’t need to spend money on expensive advertising campaigns. And finally, it helps strengthen the local economy by encouraging people to stay, shop, and eat within the area.

Strategies for Marketing Locally

Here are some effective strategies for marketing your hotel in your backyard:

Host Local Events

Hosting events is an excellent way to get your hotel noticed within the community. You could organize a charity fundraiser, a wine tasting, or even a community clean-up day. By collaborating with other local businesses, you can promote your event to a wider audience and create partnerships that benefit everyone involved.

Leverage Social Media

Social media is a powerful tool for promoting your hotel locally. Ensure your hotel’s social media profiles are up-to-date and active, and engage with other local businesses and customers. You could also consider running social media contests or giveaways to encourage people to share your content and visit your hotel.

Collaborate with Local Businesses

By partnering with other local businesses, you can cross-promote each other and create a network of support. For example, organize a team sales blitz and go door-to-door with printed flyers of your hotel that outline your specific features and benefits. Mention the idea of cross-marketing services to the local businesses. You could offer discounts to customers who have visited a nearby restaurant or store, share coupons for display, or collaborate on a joint marketing campaign.

Marketing your hotel locally is an effective way to build meaningful relationships with members of your community, boost the local economy, and attract visitors. By hosting events, leveraging social media, and collaborating with local businesses, you can create a powerful network that benefits everyone involved.

Effective Sales Tips for Closing Hotel Group Business

Effective Sales Tips for Closing Hotel Group Business

Most hotel sales success stories are based on techniques that include the close in the sales strategy from the start.

To seal the deal for group and corporate bookings, you’ll want to make sure during the sales process you provide good advice, add value, and utilize your hotel’s unique amenities and services.

Solidifying the following strategies will help you generate revenue, and make your client feel like they are cared for from the first point of contact until the contract is signed.

Personalize Each Pitch.

Prospects receive many calls and emails each week from hotel sales managers just like yourself. Quality communications that speak directly to the meeting planner’s needs will get the most attention. It’s likely you’ve qualified the client before reaching out to determine that they are your ideal guest. Maybe you’ve determined they hold events that would often require rooms for out-of-area travelers. If so, your initial email shall include information related to the events and event dates that will show that you’ve done your research and that you have a basic understanding of their needs.

Showcase Your Hotel’s Uniqueness.

You can count on the fact that event planners and travel managers are seeing many pitches each week. After awhile they may start to sound the same. That’s why it’s critical to stand out providing your hotel’s unique selling points that revolve around location, comfort, and value.

Be sure to provide the benefits with that first communication to grab their attention and show that you can meet their needs. Is your hotel located within close proximity to an airport, restaurants, or sporting venue? Paint a picture of what it would look like and how convenient it would be for their guests to stay with you.

Every guest is looking for comfort. Business travelers often need access to free Wi-Fi or a business center. Or maybe it’s a fitness center where guests can unwind after a stressful day at work. Whatever your idea of comfort is will also resonate with your guests. Be sure to incorporate these selling points into your pitch.

Adding value and saving your potential guests money, can be extremely desirable for large groups. Consider the value your hotel can bring to their group, whether it’s complimentary breakfast or shuttle service, your guests would like to hear about it.

Provide a Vision of Your Staff’s Customer Service.

A group is typically interested in more than just rooms or a meeting room. They are interested in the customer-focused culture you offer at your hotel and that starts with the first communication made by you.

Other hotels may have amenities you don’t offer, for example, an on-site restaurant, but you can demonstrate the high level of service you offer in other ways. Maybe your hotel has a rewards program you can offer for booking a large group. Other ideas to consider are accommodating a cancelation polity or providing a complimentary room based on a minimum number of paid guest rooms.

Lock in that group booking with electronic contracts that will enable your hotel to secure a signature quickly and easily. Showing how you can offer the best customer service through the booking process is a savvy way to let them experience how you will take care of their guests at check-in and beyond.

Keep an Eye on the Competition.

With many competitor hotels, it sometimes happens that the competition outshines you. Experienced hotel sales managers will want to know what competitor hotels are offering and how they may be snagging business from your hotel.

How do they position their offers? What concessions are they offering in their proposals? Understanding your competitors can help you better position your hotel to achieve your group revenue and room night goals.

Inform and Assist.

Overall, meeting planners want to work with a hotel that understands their goals and can help them meet those goals.

Respond quickly to questions and inquiries and include detailed information keeping the process as uncomplicated as possible. You want them to be able to visualize the experience for their guests. Reiterate the amenities you offer, including all complimentary services and even guest room layouts or floor plans so they can be confident and honored to be partnering with your hotel.

Tips for Success at Wedding Vendor Events

Tips for Success at Wedding Vendor Events

If booking more weddings is a focus for your hotel, you are likely attending one or more wedding vendor events this spring.

There are many kinds of vendor events in your community where you can set up a booth or a table and showcase what your hotel has to offer.

Options for events include bridal and wedding expos, local venues that host weddings and sometimes even wineries.

Why Should My Hotel Participate in Vendor Events?

Setting up a small table at a local event is a great form of advertising for your hotel and gives you the chance to talk to people in your target market. You will also be able to collect contact information from the bride and groom that you can follow up on later. It also allows you to reach more couples and answer questions or even book on the spot. If the event is a success, you should see a nice return on investment for room bookings.

Prepare for the Event:

Once you have found an event to participate in, next prepare for the event by getting yourself and your vendor table ready.

Craft an Elevator Speech

You may be invited to introduce yourself and share highlights about your hotel, so come prepared with an elevator speech that you can use to sell your hotel’s features and benefits.

Focus on what is important to brides and grooms such as your expertise in booking wedding blocks, exceptional service and staff, hotel honors or awards, upgraded suite with blocks for the couple, restaurant, and bar on-site, etc. Also, include a reminder to sign up for a free giveaway!

During the Event:

Have Awesome Giveaways

Set your hotel apart by setting out items you can raffle off or give away, such as an upgraded room, complimentary stay, and food and beverage vouchers. Have the couples write their name, date of the wedding, email address, and phone number to place in a container for a drawing. Let them know you will notify the winner via email.

Standout Vendor Table

Presentation is everything, especially for brides and grooms planning their special day. Make your table shine by dressing it up with a tablecloth that corresponds with hotel brand colors and hotel signage to bring attention to your table.

An event book or framed photo with pictures of the hotel, hotel rooms, banquet room, and outdoor space is also a nice touch.

Also, adding beautiful flowers to your table to match the hotel brand color, or gift boxes filled with a few Hersey kisses sets a nice impression. If you want to add a giveaway in one of the boxes this would add additional excitement.

Vendor Networking for the Win

It is important to visit other vendor tables before and after the event, spending focused time with wedding planners. Use this time to get ideas, exchange business cards, share information, and invite them for a site tour. Remember, these vendors work with multiple event venues and are a great resource and referral to other venues and brides and grooms.

After the Event:

Attendee List for Follow Up

The wedding event isn’t over after the wedding event is over.

Be sure to check with event hosts to see if they will provide a list of brides and grooms in attendance. Having a list of names and email addresses is key so in case you are not able to speak to everyone at the event, it will be easy to reach out to inquire about needs. Also, you will want to send out personable follow-up emails soon after the event for those individuals you met with.

Thank the hosts of the event and bring along extra flowers, candy, or another small token of your appreciation for the invite. This really is appreciated by the hosts!

The wedding industry can be a big revenue source for your hotel considering wedding industry statistics reported a $21.43 billion global market in 2022. Vendor events can be a great way to build your wedding revenue and with a little creativity and know-how, these events can be a fun way to boost your wedding business today.

Group Bookings: An Important Sales Strategy

Group Bookings: An Important Sales Strategy

Every hotel is unique along with the strategies that work to fill the hotel. When considering the options that will drive the most revenue, group bookings should play a significant role in your revenue management strategy.

What is Group Business?

Simply put, group business is a signed contract selling rooms and meeting space to corporate or leisure groups. Group rates are typically discounted since the group is purchasing the rooms in bulk guaranteeing X number of rooms or more per night for an agreed date. Targeting group business is the best way to maximize your occupancy with one low negotiated rate.

Why is group business beneficial for your hotel?

Group bookings are about offering the best package rates to your potential guests. This is advantageous to your hotel specifically for the following 4 reasons:

Reduce Operational Costs

When you are running a hotel, every dollar matters—especially when operating with a lean staff or no on-site sales manager. Increasing group revenue for the hotel means that you can spend less time sourcing your hotel and save money on negotiated room rates. By developing a plan to book and rebook group business, your staff will not have to focus much-needed time and effort on marketing and sales for single room transactions.

Predictable Revenue

If the experience was a success, the group or business travelers often return to the same location. Meeting planners and travel managers appreciate consistency and the advantage of having negotiated rates and discounts with hotels. Discounted rates allow travel managers budgets to stretch farther and affords them the ability to rebook with ease the following year and avoid the hassle of shopping for new hotel rates. Also, group business typically books far in advance, bringing you less stress and revenue planning for the coming months.

Trip Add-Ons

Unless the group is traveling just for one day, they may be thinking of extending their trip into a mini vacation. Often travelers extend their trip or come a day early. With the flight paid for by their employer, it’s a great opportunity for the business traveler to invite family and extend the trip to make the most out of their travel experiences without incurring a lot of extra travel costs. This also gives you the ability to upsell additional services that your hotel may offer.

Lower Cancelation Rate

Individual travelers may often cancel travel plans last minute due to illness or change in plans, but it is less likely that a sporting event or business meeting will be canceled. By including group business in your hotel’s revenue management strategy, you can more accurately forecast room bookings.

Considering group business for your hotel will require you to do a deep dive into the data to consider future demand projections along with room inventory. You are going to want to ensure that you book the right piece of business for the right guest at the right time and for the right price. The goal is to make sure that group bookings don’t jeopardize revenue growth but boost revenue and add the potential for future business.

The Most Important Sales Calls to Make

The Most Important Sales Calls to Make

We’ve all had that “aha” moment. You know this is the time when something seems so obvious after the fact. In sales, it’s often said, if only I knew that before, I could have landed that deal!

The question is, would we really change the way we do business if we experienced that “aha” moment? I’m sure the answer would be yes if it led to making more money and bringing in more business.

But how can we make these “aha” moments more of a reality and less of a dream? The way to do this is by understanding when to make the most important sales calls and what to get out of these calls.

Follow up on Business You Didn’t Land

Once you have been turned down, it’s easy to give up on that potential customer. But this is the time you need to build a trace system and follow up with these potential customers. It really is the best time to learn and can help you tailor your future approach to talking to potential clients.

Technology has made it simple to organize client information and remind you when it is time to place a call. Consider using one of the best free CRM software programs as reported by Business News Daily, like Hubspot CRM, Zoho CRM, Insightly, or Salesforce.

These programs will help you organize your lead data for your follow-up calls.

Ask Your Potential Guests for Feedback

There could be many reasons your hotel did not align with group needs for a particular event and so you lost the business. If this happens you need to ask your customers for feedback. This is probably one of the hardest things to do in your business, but you will be glad you did.

Was it your pricing? Was it due to lack of meeting space? Maybe your hotel is not close enough to restaurants or entertainment. There may even be something you could change next time. For example, if your hotel was lacking shuttle service, maybe you could price out transportation and offer it as a one-time service.

The potential customer has nothing to lose by providing constructive criticism and you have everything to gain. Especially if “no” is a common word you are hearing from potential group bookings.

Re-Engage with Lost Leads

Leads go dark for many reasons. Your contact may be overwhelmed at work but remain interested in your hotel.  Chances are, they will still remember you and you don’t want these leads falling off the grid after all.

The follow-up call shows you are interested in their future business. If you know they selected to go with another hotel, maybe the hotel they selected missed an important detail or they didn’t enjoy their stay.

Your follow-up will make an impression. If their event at the chosen locale wasn’t successful, then this could set you up for possibilities in the future. You may not get a commitment during this phone call, but nurturing that lead over time can turn a “no” into a future booking.

Turn Rejection into Opportunity

Create an action plan for future follow-ups. Your goal here is to stay at the forefront of their mind when a potential client is considering where to hold their next meeting.

Trace out another call in a few months. Maybe you have completed a renovation at your hotel. Or, maybe you just hosted a group meeting and you have a success story to share that is a potential idea for your lead.

You want them to remember you and your hotel so that your hotel is at the front of their mind the next time they are planning the next group event.

Communicate with Multiple Mediums

The bottom line is potential business doesn’t come knocking. You must work for it. Your business is the business of sales and while we can consider a small percentage of our business to come from direct phone calls, most of the time you are going to get your business by the effort you put into your follow-up.

Lead nurturing is all about following up. Sometimes it may take multiple calls to make contact, but the point is to keep trying. And, if your phone calls aren’t working, consider email.

Find other ways to keep your hotel in the running for future events. Connect on social media with popular apps for business such as Facebook or LinkedIn. Continue to promote your unique competitive advantage to stay at the forefront of their mind.

The Proven Benefits of Building Your Base Business First

The Proven Benefits of Building Your Base Business First

Providing superior accommodations is what hoteliers strive for when opening a hotel. But at the end of the day, running and filling a hotel is a business, and that means you need to sell the most rooms you can to be successful.

As you implement sales strategies to increase the profitability of your hotel, you may be exploring new methods to bring in guests and increase occupancy.  There is no magic bullet to optimizing hotel revenue, but you may want to consider increasing your base business as the number one sales strategy on your list.

Your hotel needs base business to survive the ups and downs of the ever-fluctuating economy and to continue to rise above the competition. Here are a few of the benefits you will realize when you emphasize sales strategies designed to increase base business at your hotel.

Income You Can Count On.

Repeat business means money you can count on weekly, monthly, and yearly.  Maybe your hotel has those perks every business traveler likes, such as outlets in multiple locations in the room or charging stations and luxurious bath amenities.  Whatever the reason, customers return if they like what you have to offer.  Monthly bookings by loyal customers allow you to plan on sales revenue coming in the door, which has a positive effect on your entire business.

Combat a Fluctuating Economy.

Your repeat customers will pay you regularly allowing your business improved cash flow.  Also, repeat customers care about their reputation.  Remember, you’ve already built the relationship.  They care enough to make sure you are paid and paid on time.  These are the customers you can count on.

Spend Less Time on Guest Administration.

Just like an old married couple, you begin to know how a repeat customer thinks, and what makes them happy.  If this customer stays often and is part of the rewards program, you don’t have to spend time on the amenities that make them happy.  The system data should already be in place so when this customer makes their reservation, it will trigger staff to do something to make their stay more enjoyable, like having bottled water delivered to their room. These systems are already in place, which means a time-saver for management.

Word-of-Mouth Referrals.

Consumer research shows that 89% of consumers are likely to use a business based on its online reviews. Build the ultimate experience for your customers and they will tell all their friends, colleagues, business partners, Facebook followers, and… you get the picture. If they like your hotel, they will refer everyone they know, and that is the easiest way to get new business.

Improved Insight into Guests’ Needs.

It always comes back to one keyword: communication. Train your team to communicate with guests to reduce errors and learn more about their travel needs. Learn to bond with your guests and strive to make sure each stay meets and exceeds their expectations. Gathering feedback shows that you listen to your guests and value their input. This leaves a positive impression which keeps them coming back to stay time and time again.

Overall, revenue can be increased by building your base business. It’s great to have your hotel full during the summer months, but you can’t make money booking four months out of the year. Building on your base business is what feeds the hotel and makes it profitable for the rest of the year.

 

Capture Hotel Guest Data to Increase Bookings

Capture Hotel Guest Data to Increase Bookings

Every hotel is interested in learning the same information about their guests: how they came to book your hotel, how long they are staying, are they traveling for leisure or business, and if business travel, how many other company employees are part of the same group.

In a perfect world, you would know all the details about your guests checking in.

Knowing this information can help personalize the hotel stay for your guest and in turn, help generate repeat business.

Some of the tracking mechanisms you have in place at your hotel may even be providing you with some of the key data. Successful collection of guest data depends on implementing a few standards across your hotel team. It’s important to put these standards in place to ensure you are capitalizing on your hotel’s success.

Gathering Client Information During Booking

So many components of a hotel are important but keeping your team consistent with the data it collects, is number one. Utilizing a checklist can help keep the team on track and ensure that you capture the most important details such as:

  • Company name
  • Company profile – is there a contact name and email address?
  • Rewards / loyalty programs – If there is a rewards number, look up their rewards number in the property management system to see if you can learn more information on the customer. You can also learn about guests’ travel habits and preferences
  • Special requests

Review of the Arrivals List

Are you prospecting your arrivals list?  If not, you could be missing the single most important thing that could help you drive business to your hotel.  A quick review of the arrivals list every morning, can ensure you are not missing any key guest data. If data is missing, take it as an opportunity to ask the guest for more information. This will also affirm that you value their stay and want to perfect their stay.

Review How Your Reservations Are Coming In

Let’s start at the beginning by meeting directly with your reservations team.  Some of your tracking mechanisms in place may be successful in giving you intelligent data but the team that takes the calls should be your number one resource.  How are the reservations coming in?  Are they going through Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) such as Expedia or Booking.com?  Are they going through a local travel agency or a large Travel Management Company (TMC) or Consortia?

If so, you’ll want to jump in quickly to compete for guest loyalty by tailoring your future marketing using guest data to encourage them to book directly through the website instead of going through a middleman.

Go Straight to the Booking Source

If your guests are booking through a third party, such as a travel agency, contact that source to learn more information.  Call and speak to the source and introduce yourself and thank them for the business. Explain you want to know who their contact is at the company so that you may find out more about their travel patterns.

Track Data and Plan

Guest data is critical in understanding travel patterns, but it won’t be very useful without a way to refer to it. Plugging the data into a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) database or an Excel database for easy reference will help you organize and sort the information so that it’s useful.  Using this information will not only help you learn about the guests that stay at your hotel, but also how you can customize personal marketing messages that will speak their language.

Get Your Hotel in the Running for RFP Season

If you notice a significant number of room night bookings from one company, then you could be a preferred hotel on their list.  Over 100 rooms in a year should also get you a seat at the RFP table that happens annually with the corporate travel team.

Data collection is one of the crucial tasks of a hotel. Gathering guest information and using it wisely can help you understand where your leads are coming from and how to best approach and go after new business.  Track this information and consistently review it for booking patterns to help you take your bookings to a new level.

GRANT Hospitality offers a customized sales plan to help hotels reach their full sales potential. If you’re ready to learn how we can help you reach your goals, contact our team for a free consultation.