The hotel sector has many opportunities ahead of it, in a growing market, where users are travelling more often and further, although new challenges arise, as guests have become tremendously demanding, they do not marry anyone and the footprint they leave on the web determines the prestige of the companies operating in this industry.
It is very important to establish effective tactics that are updated in the short term and adapted to both technological innovations and new consumer trends. From BRAINTRUST we are going to provide 5 successful strategies to boost sales in the hotel sector:
1. Segmentation
The Hotel "Disfrute" is located in Barcelona, on the beachfront and offers spectacular panoramic views of the sea and the city. It offers different types of accommodation and a wide range of services. The first step in expanding your customer base is to identify your potential buyer personas in order to develop tailor-made packages. Audiences must be segmented and approached separately, analysing all their particularities according to their profiles and their habits and behaviours. In this case, the result is clear: couples looking for luxury suites for weekend stays and families of 4 for stays of 3 to 4 days in double rooms.
2. Content marketing
Guests are active on social media and are looking for relevant information. Based on this, the "Disfrute" Hotel has to make an effort to create quality content that generates added value and earns the trust of the public. To do this, it should hire the services of a community manager in charge of managing, in addition to content, interaction with users and possible crisis situations. You can offer discounts or free nights to those who follow the brand on the most popular channels (asking them to upload videos, testimonials or suggestions) or promote Barcelona's tourist attractions through the blog.
Each platform responds to different needs:
- Audiovisual content on Instagram and Snapchat (with images of the views of the city or the sea, as well as a gallery of the venue's facilities).
- Detailed content and surveys on Facebook (customer satisfaction can be tested through their comments on the fan page).
- Twitter to transmit news and current events (news, promotions and discounts in real time).
3. Shop window management
The website plays a key role in the customer's perception of the brand. For this reason the Hotel "Disfrute" must take care of aspects such as usability and information architecture, investing in development and improving its positioning. Users want a simple and fast experience, where they can find everything they need and successfully complete their booking. The language needs to be clear and the purchase process needs to be completed in 2 or 3 steps maximum. In addition, it is necessary to integrate professional-looking, high-resolution and mobile-friendly photos. 3D videos also work very well, as they show the facilities in a complete and attractive way.
4. Customer experience
We live in a world that shares experiences instantly across multiple platforms. Hotel "Disfrute" has to embrace this reality and achieve guest satisfaction through skilled, customer-focused teams. One of the couples who purchased the suite may not be satisfied with the views that were promised on the website. If they have requested another accommodation option and there are no vacancies available, attention will be diverted to positive aspects such as a special breakfast in the room or a bottle of wine with an apology on behalf of the hotel. Such gestures have a lasting impact and help to sell more and better.
5. Loyalty
The "Enjoy" Hotel has to think of unique incentives and differential offers for its customers. Although points programmes are still effective, personalisation is the best option. By knowing your potential audiences, you can offer discounts for dining as a couple or for cultural activities with the family.
For Ángel García Butragueño, Co-Director of the BRAINTRUST Tourism Barometer: "Hotels must know their target audience, segment them based on their profiles and behaviours, and make the booking process as easy as possible; there is no point in designing a page full of unconnected information, without a correctly applied structure. In addition, they must be positioned in the best search engines and have a huge range of offers and discounts, always thinking of their target audience. Target segmentation is key to success.
According to José Manuel Brell, Co-Director of the BRAINTRUST Tourism Barometer: "Today's hotel must be an active player, engaging with the customer and accompanying them at every stage of their experience, meeting and exceeding their expectations. Active listening must be applied, responding to guests' demands in real time, so that full satisfaction can be achieved".
At BRAINTRUST we can help you create the strategy that best suits your needs. We have the best means to advise you in the configuration of value propositions that will increase your sales.
Do you want detailed information? Contact us and ask for our Tourism Barometer, the methodological support that determines the market's willingness to travel, as well as the trends that allow all suppliers in the travel industry to identify business opportunities and adjust their offer to consumers' preferences.
