As people’s personal and business lives continue to grow increasingly digital-based, marketers are having to get smarter about reaching their best potential customers. These days, savvy marketers are building multi-channel strategies, influencing their prospects at each stage of their buying journey and tracing their digital pathways to purchase.
In hotel marketing, however, implementing new technology has taken far longer than it has in other industries. The good news is that this trend is changing.
Marketing technology provides hoteliers with exciting opportunities to engage with guests before, during, and after their stays. In this article, we’ll share how to take advantage of powerful hotel martech systems to drive new bookings and create exceptional customer experiences.
Historically, booking a hotel was not a long or heavily researched process for most guests. They would either call the hotel directly to make a reservation or work with a travel agent to make one on their behalf. As a result, hoteliers traditionally did not have much contact with guests prior to their stay.
But today, many travelers use search engines, social media, and review sites to research accommodation options for upcoming trips, and they interact directly with hotels to make a reservation.
Now, hotel marketers are working hard to catch up. With the rise of self-service online bookings, hoteliers have the opportunity to capture more information about their guests, before they even confirm their stay. This is where marketing technology comes into play.
Here’s how hotel martech helps you engage with your guests at each stage of their journey.
Before the booking
Social media platforms are an excellent way to attract your audience’s attention. Many people research their destination and its surroundings before they set off for their trip, so make sure you’re actively engaging on social to capture their interest. This includes publishing organic content, working with partners, and running ads (if your budget allows).
You can also implement live chat on your site to capture your prospects’ information and relevant questions about your property.
During their stay
This is the most critical time to impress your customers. Check out platforms like ALICE or Porter & Sail, which allow you to message your guests during their stay and offer them activity guides and customized recommendations.
After checkout
Once you have their contact information, it’s easy to stay in touch. Use an email marketing platform to send a thank you or a request that they fill out a survey about their experience. You could also ask them to leave a review if they enjoyed their stay. You should also encourage guests to sign up for your loyalty program. They’ll be more incentivized to return to your property if they’re working toward discounts or free stays.
Remember that each touchpoint in your customers’ journey represents an opportunity to provide an unforgettable customer experience. Technology helps automate some of this process, but for customer experience to be memorable, it has to feel authentic.
