If you operate a hotel, business should not be limited to when a customer checks-in and checks-outs. To really succeed in the fiercely competitive hotel and hospitality marketplace then you have to find a way to make your customers always come back.
Having repeat customers is not only cheaper than trying to acquire new ones, it is a reliable gauge of your service delivery- this too is golden to beat off competition or consolidate on your success.
The question you must be pondering therefore is: “how can I get more loyal customers?”
Without wasting much of your time, find below some proven strategies you can implement as part of your hotel marketing efforts to create customer loyalty without fuss.
Make booking and check-in a memorable experience
I’m sure you’ve heard that: you’ve only got a single shot at making a great first impression.
Well, that statement holds true in the hotel business as well.
So for potential clients, there are many possible channels they have to “check you out” and form an opinion which is more often hard to change about your hotel.
Your website, hotel’s mobile app or third party service providers like trivago.com are areas you should look to make the experience memorable for the customer.
Efforts like making the booking process “simple stupid” through adoption of intuitive easy to navigate designs is therefore a must to ensure your potential customers don’t end up booked into hotel rooms of your competition because your booking process was simply difficult.
When customers arrive at your hotel, make their check-in seamless and drama free. Seemingly unimportant gestures like helping them with their luggage, listening to them attentively with undivided attention, professional courtesy, and provision of treats at arrival areas will go far in imprinting your hotel in their hearts.
Understand your Customer
It is very important to take out time to study the peculiarities of your customers in order to determine the marketing strategy that is best suited to them.
It is only when you know your customer you’ll be able to speak to them in a language they’ll understand. It is pointless in investing time and resources in a marketing campaign that will fail to connect with your customers because you failed to understand the type of messages they can relate with.
In trying to understand your customers, pay attention to their buying behavior, demographics, lifestyle and other insights. It is these attributes that will inform how you craft your marketing plan and services to give them an unforgettable experience they’ll really appreciate.
Make your services personal
Don’t underestimate the power of connecting with your customers on a first person basis. It makes them feel you care about them rather than their wallets. In a bid to build lasting relationships, add personal touch to how you relate with your customers- don’t just be “robotic” about all you do.
Make your emails personal, send them gifts, send them messages on their birthdays etc, are some ways you can get your customers “hooked” to your hotel. After all they’ll feel they owe you and need to reward you for treating them nicely.
Be active and attractive on social media
Social media in fast becoming a gold mine for marketers irrespective of business inclination because customers tend to validate businesses that are active on social media.
Through social media you can reach new customers and interact with existing ones, addressing their needs on the fly in a more relaxed and laid back manner that build bonds.
Therefore, develop a good social media strategy to keep engagement with your customers constant. Encourage activities like shares, likes, re-tweet etc by offering incentives. Do this and it will not only help you go viral, but it goes a long way in building customer loyalty.
Remember to keep your messages personal, relevant, and timely too.
Don’t ignore the quality of your service
Remember you’re in business to meet the needs of your customers and so do thousands of others too. So go about providing the best service experience for your customers before and after checking into your hotel.
Whatever the channel- online or offline, always strive to go the extra mile to meet the needs of your customers and you’ll be rewarded with their loyalty.