Every hotel owner knows the holiday season is fast approaching, and what’s most important when times are cold and dark? Family. In this day and age, many families have been separated by distance, so booking a small to medium sized hotel to stay at is a big part of their holiday plans. Chances are good that if you run a hotel, there will be a market for you: not every traveler can stay in a family member’s spare rooms. With so many travelers looking for lodging, hoteliers have a golden opportunity to embrace the holiday spirit with sales and marketing. Here are five simple tips to increase your successes in the holiday season.
- Appeal to the Five Senses
Successful hoteliers know that holiday decorations can go a long way. We’ve all been charmed by mistletoe and candy canes, fake snow, and chimneys painted on the wall. But what about the other four senses? Take it beyond visual decoration: play holiday music to please the ear, put out complimentary cookies or sweets for the olfactory and taste sensations, and small free gifts in wrapping paper will give your guests a tangible experience they will never forget.
- Holiday Deals – Holiday Only!
Providing guests with holiday-only incentives will pique their interest, especially if they appreciate nostalgia. While you might provide discounts and deals throughout the year, branding these bonuses specifically as a holiday experience will help attract a segment of guests who want to get the most holiday bang for their buck. These might include discounted extra days, entry into a holiday raffle, or even a special booked trip for two to the local winter wonderland. The possibilities are exciting for possible clients and might get them to stay at your hotel over others.
- Transform Conference or Meeting Rooms into Holiday Attractions
If your hotel has a business center or conference room that isn’t being used, why not convert that space into somewhere people can celebrate their traditions. On Chanukah, set up a menorah, and on Christmas, decorate a tree. Many families travel with small children who need to be occupied. Having a room for parents to take their kids to enjoy some festive cheer will increase guest satisfaction, and therefore, booking rates!
- Address Your Guests – Add That Personal Touch
People like to feel warm and fuzzy during the cold nights of the holiday season. Why not increase the emotional connections your guests will experience with your hotel by personalizing their offers? Instead of the typical “dear guest,” and generic messaging, use their names and preferred pronouns. Nothing says holiday cheer like “Hello to the Smith Family, from us to you.” Treat your guests like you’d treat your family and their pilgrimage to your lodgings will become a holiday tradition of its own!
- Turn Guests into Influencers
The importance of branding in the hospitality industry cannot be understated. But who says you need to do all your marketing yourself? A branded photo booth or backdrop with a holiday theme will turn your guests into influencers as they snap pics and share the fun with their social media networks. Don’t forget a fun hashtag to really optimize your visibility. Your guests have a fun time, you get a healthy dose of exposure. Everybody wins!
With these five simple tips, your hotel will be a destination of choice – soon, you’ll have more bookings than you know what to do with! But to capitalize on all this momentum, you can’t spend all your time behind the computer – and if you don’t adjust your room prices to meet demand, you’ll be leaving money on the table. That’s the beauty of Pricepoint’s AI driven dynamic pricing platform. Pricepoint’s hotel RMS adjusts room prices 24/7 in real time, so you’re always selling at the optimal price. Pricepoint will save you hours each week, time you could spend making sure this holiday season is your hotel’s most profitable yet! Book a free demo today at pricepoint.co and find out how to never leave money on the table again.