Email marketing is an important channel which can generate a significant amount of revenue. Many of our clients use email marketing to its full potential and reap the reward of increased bookings on an ongoing basis.
The most important thing to focus on when you are building an email marketing strategy is your target audience. Having an email list of contacts who want to read your emails is key.
To build a great database it is useful to have a yearly KPI based on your subscriber growth.
To get the most value out of your marketing budgets, there are several important areas to focus on for a successful high-end hotel email marketing campaign.
Here are some pointers on helping your email campaigns reach their full potential.
1. It all starts with your distribution list
The first step for email campaigns is having a list of subscribers who want to receive your emails.
Building a strong email marketing list leads to higher open rates, better click-through rates and great conversion stats.
This list will be the foundation on which you build your successful marketing campaigns.
You may ask ‘How can I create a quality email list?’
• Evaluate your current list
If you want to evaluate the quality of your email marketing list, start with the high-end guests who have already subscribed with you.
Use tracking metrics like open rates to understand whether subscribers are engaging with your content or not.
If you want to remind them why they agreed to receive contact from you in the first place, send a re-engagement campaign including exciting offers.
After analysing this campaign you have two kinds of subscribers:
- Subscribers who open your emails and will lead to more conversions
- Subscribers who don't re-engage and can be moved to a different segment with alternative messaging or dropped from your list altogether.
This helps you to improve your open rates by focusing on the guests that will actually deliver results.
• Grow your list
Finding new contacts through your hotel website is very effective with an easy-to-use subscribe form. For the best subscription results, stick to basic, important details and confirm opt-in for GDPR compliance.
An alternative could be asking guests to subscribe in person when checking in or out of your hotel.
2. Always consider the branding
An essential part of marketing is to increase sales. Branding and messaging sets your high-end hotel apart from other hotels that may offer similar amenities and services.
A high-end hotel should be known for its care, hospitality and attention to detail but don’t forget that a critical aim is to convert subscribers into paying guests.
• Show what you’ve got
You can highlight local tourist attractions and prestige experiences in a blog post and email to your subscribers. Your guests will see you as a trusted advisor rather than just a place to stay.
• Don't forget the importance of personalisation
Segmenting your subscribers allows you to deliver more relevant branding email campaigns. For instance, business travelers may be interested in top restaurants for an after-hours business dinner but weekend guests may want to discover local events or sightseeing.
Delivering personalised and relevant content increases email open rates and engages prospects with your high-end offering.
3. Share beautiful images
Share stunning images of your hotel, surrounding landscape and amenities to make your campaign more memorable. It's the perfect opportunity to capture the attention of subscribers.
You can also showcase new renovations, amenities and updated restaurant menus with images in your email campaigns.
4. Write clear calls to action
Once subscribers have opened the email, what kind of offer are they being presented with and how?
Your ultimate goal is to grab subscriber attention early, keep it throughout the email and close with a compelling call to action.
If you want your subscribers to receive information, get excited and then complete a booking on your website, use short and punchy copy with a minimalist design.
Make sure that the call to action brings the reader to a relevant, conversion-focused landing page. Don’t be afraid to develop new landing pages for specific campaigns.
Remember less is more.
That is definitely the case in relation to an email campaign. People are only going to scroll through the email and focus on things if they feel it is important or relevant.
5. Don't forget timing
Results show that the best time for high email open rates is a Thursday evening. Why?
People are excited about the weekend and are checking their emails out of excitement and want to know what they can do.
One more word of advice - test your email campaign before you send it out to your database!
Work on building your database following these guidelines you will see a massive growth in your email marketing as a revenue generating channel.