What are the strategies you can adopt for a hotel’s sales promotion?

Are you thinking about your hotel’s sales promotion, then look nowhere. Because we are here with some strategies for you.

We know pandemic has worse the condition of the hotel industry.

But, as vaccination is rolling out, brace to promote your hotel. Your hotel may include everything necessary post-pandemic.

For instance, contactless check-in, in-room technologies, deep cleaning and sanitizing and more.

But, all these efforts go in vain if you do not market them properly.

Build strategies to make your potentials guests know about the value you will provide them.

By increasing awareness among guests, there is a higher possibility of full occupancy throughout the year.

But before diving into the strategies, let me give you a brief introduction to sales promotion.

What are sales promotions?

A sales promotion is a marketing strategy in which a company uses short-term campaigns to generate interest in a product, service, or offer.

These are paid forms of marketing communication designed to encourage guests to visit the hotel.

Use it to motivate guests or trigger their interest to book a room in your hotel.

For instance, provide beautiful gifts to guests staying in a hotel. It draws them to that hotel.

Now, let’s have a look at the strategies you can adopt for hotel sales promotion

Business Travellers

Many business travellers visit hotels to attend meetings, conferences, have business deals and other business purposes.

Hence, target them to make profits.

There are high chances that a large number of business travellers will stay in hotels compared to leisure travellers.

Build strategies that showcase to them that your hotel is fit for them.

It provides everything they look for, like meeting and conference halls, high-speed WIFI connectivity, audiovisual equipment, fax machine, lighting, meeting rooms.

Coupon or voucher code

Guests want to save their hard-earned money. And what are betters than offering coupons or vouchers?

Coupons and vouchers are valuable because they deliver in a variety of ways.

For instance, through social media, websites, booking receipts. It entices guests to take action.

Give offers that are relevant to your guests.

Moreover, you can limit the time of the offers and email about it to your potential guests.

Thus, it creates a sense of urgency, and they are more likely to book rooms from your hotel.

Systematic hotel distribution

Build a systematic hotel distribution strategy so that you can sell rooms profitably through various channels.

Moreover, it increases your online visibility, which is the need of the hour.

Connect with Online Travel Agencies to generate indirect sales to your property.

Another approach to attract corporate guests through big global travel agencies is through the Global Distribution System.

Additionally, you must implement an online booking engine to increase direct bookings through your website and social media sites.

Channel Manager

Use a channel manager to sell your hotels through online channels( OTAs, GDS, social media pages).

It is a tool that allows you to sell all of your rooms simultaneously on all of your connected booking sites.

When a room is a book, you wish to make mass adjustments to your inventory.

Here comes the channel manager, as it will instantly update your availability on all sites in real-time.

Cross-promotion

It is a type of marketing in which customers of one product or service is targets with advertisements for another connected product.

Hoteliers can cross-promote their hotel in nearby events. Thus, they must find out different events that will take place in the local area during the year.

And they must analyse them to include them in their sales plan.

The hotel operator must then devise a promotion that will coincide with the event, allowing them to get an influx of reservations that they would not have received otherwise.

Social Influencers

A majority of audiences depend on their favourite influencers before visiting a place.

So, why not use it in your favour. Work with some of the influencers to boost visibility and profits.

You can invite some of the top influencers to your hotel for a free stay, and they will feature your hotel in their content.

Moreover, if you want to take it one step further, pair their visits with one-time discounts.

They will attach these in their vlog, video, the Instagram picture for their audiences. Eventually, the audience will visit your hotel.

Don’t miss out on existing customers.

It’s just as vital to keep your present customers as it is to attract new ones.

You know who your regular visitors are, so give more attention to them. Because acquiring new customers will cost you 4-5 times more.

Hence, if you are tight on your budget, then give more focus on your current customers.

Keep them informed by sending personalized messages and emails. When they visit your hotel, give them personalized gifts, e-cards for their warm welcome.

Upselling

Upselling is a method for selling upgrades on reservations or bookings by persuading visitors to choose better services or higher prices.

When guests visit your hotel to book a room. Meanwhile, use this time to encourage your visitors to spend an extra amount and reserve a larger room or suite.

In the case of a group reservation, you might offer them an additional room with some discount. But don’t confuse it with forcing your services on them.

Otherwise, it will backfire. Keep in mind that it is entirely up to your guests to choose whether or not to upgrade. Present it as a choice instead.

Conclusion

From above we come across a few strategies for sales promotion of hotels. It includes targeting business travellers and your hotel loyal customers.

Using channel manager to distribute hotel on other channels like GDS, OTAs, and more.

Inviting social influencers, cross-promoting and upselling to increase hotel occupancy.

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If you want to learn about the functionality of QloApps then you can visit this link: QLO Reservation System – Free Open-Source Hotel Booking & Reservation System.

In case of any query, issue or requirement please feel free to raise it on QloApps Forum.