5 tips that hoteliers can use to increase occupancy

Owning a hotel can be very rewarding, but it is not easy. The success of the hotel is sometimes measured by the rate of its occupancy. To increase occupancy the hotel needs to implement a marketing plan that will attract new and repeat guests. Here are a few tips that our hotel clients are using:

Get to know your customers

The more you get to know your guests the easier it will be to give them what they want from their stay with you. Here are a few ideas of how to get to know them better:

– Collect guests’ birthdays and send coupons or special offers each year

– Ask for testimonials and then use them in your marketing materials

– Encourage  guests to provide feedback on TripAdvisor, then use this information to improve your knowledge of what their expectations are

Create an email list

Lots of businesses use email marketing as a way to keep in touch with their customers and it is an easy way to promote your business and make sure people remember you. To encourage people to give you their email address you can:

– Promise special offers and discounts to subscribers

– Launch a monthly email newsletter

People can be wary about giving away their email details so you also need to be careful to advertise that you will not sell their information and give them an easy way to unsubscribe.

Use Social Media

Social media is a way to get your name out there to a wide audience. Communicating through Facebook, Twitter and YouTube can create an awareness of your business very successfully. However, be sure to take time to create a plan before starting, a well organised strategic approach is recommended, especially if you have limited knowledge of social media sites.

Package Deals

Various package deals can be offered to entice guests to the hotel and increase occupancy. These could include entertainment weekends, spa weekends etc. Package deals also open up other avenues of revenue for the hotel by including added extras for guests to upgrade their stay with i.e. gift baskets, champagne on arrival.

Don’t forget your existing customers

It costs a lot less to keep existing customers (even disgruntled ones!) than it does to attract new ones. Sending personalised emails will make customers feel special or picking up the phone to disgruntled ones can address any issues and entice them back to you.