People are set to travel more than ever this summer. How will you compete for their business and get them to choose your property for their vacation stay?
To help get you started, here are 11 tips for making your hotel stand out from the competition and catch the eye of prospective hotel guests this summer – and beyond.
Tip #1 – Offer Summer Deals at Your Hotel
Deals can be discounts, packages, or exclusive offers. Package deals that include accommodations, additional amenities, and unique local experiences are particularly attractive because they provide both a sense of value and convenience for travelers. They can enjoy a vacation without the hassle of planning all the different components of their trip. Click here to learn how easy it is to create package deals within the Visual Matrix PMS.
Tip #2 – Market Your Hotel Through Emails
We all get marketing emails in our inboxes because they’re a direct, easy way to connect with current and potential customers. You can reach a wide audience or a very targeted group who are actively seeking summer travel opportunities in your area. By crafting compelling and visually appealing emails, you can effectively highlight the unique features, amenities, experiences, and special deals your hotel offers during the summer season. To learn how to set up and send promotional letters and emails in the Visual Matrix M PMS, click here.
Tip #3 – Enhance Your Hotel’s Online Presence
Start with your hotel’s website. Make sure it’s mobile-friendly, meaning it looks good and works on phones and tablets, as well as on desktop/laptop computers. Next, review and grow your social media reach. Are your social media profiles current and accurate? Are you actively engaging with past and potential guests? Social media provides a fast way to promote all the great things about your hotel and location for the summer. Get more social media ideas here.
Tip #4 – Highlight Summertime Amenities
Whether you promote your hotel through social media, email marketing, or on your website, make sure to highlight any amenities that will appeal to summer travelers, like swimming pools, outdoor seating areas, rooftop bars, and proximity to beaches and tourist spots.
Tip #5 – Offer Summertime Services
These are special touches that help your hotel shine during the summer, like complimentary iced tea and lemonade in the lobby, beach towels, sunscreen, and picnic baskets for guests participating in outdoor adventures.
Tip #6 – Optimize Your Hotel’s Booking Systems
When a guest is ready to book a room at your hotel, make sure the online booking process is easy and hassle-free. Make sure it’s easy for guests to check availability, book rooms, and view your summer promotions.
Tip #7 – Establish Local Partnerships
When you collaborate with local tour operators, restaurants, and businesses, you can offer special deals and packages to your summer guests. Partnerships are a win-win, benefiting your hotel and local businesses.
Tip #8 – Engage with Travel Bloggers & Influencers
Invite them to experience and review your hotel. Their positive reviews can attract a wider audience and boost your hotel’s visibility on social media, where potential guests will see it. This article can help you find bloggers and influencers in your area.
Tip #9 – Encourage Online Reviews
Ask satisfied guests to leave a review of their experience at your hotel on popular review sites, like Tripadvisor and Google. Positive reviews can significantly influence other travelers who are looking to stay at your hotel. With Visual Matrix, you can send a post-stay text to guests that contain convenient links to review sites.
Tip #10 – Offer Personalized Recommendations to Guests
This involves training your staff to provide insider tips and recommendations on local attractions, events, and hidden gems your guests might enjoy during their stay. Helping guests have a good time will enhance their experience at your hotel and encourage positive word-of-mouth.
Tip #11 – Prioritize Customer Service
This tip is an obvious, but important, one to put into practice all year long. A well-trained, friendly, and attentive staff can leave a lasting impression on guests and encourage them to return or recommend your hotel to others.
Let us know if you found these tips useful. We’d love your feedback. You can share it in the VM Community, where hotel owners and staff collaborate and learn new things.
If your PMS software is making you sweat this summer, schedule a quick 15-minute demo of the Visual Matrix PMS.