Summer, summer, summertime! The finest time of year is almost upon us – living for the feel of warm sun, the taste of 99s, the sound of the sea and the smell of smoky barbecues… sorry, lost our train of thought there!
Image cred: unsplash
We’ve something else on our summer agenda, too – helping you maximise your direct bookings. Now’s the time to start putting plans in place, prep your offers, think about creative, and everything in between. It can be easy to rush things and cut a few corners – take our quick tips below into account and your property will be in the best position to gain maximum revenue over the summer period.
Image cred: unsplash
Now is the time to start setting up your scorching summer offers! Start with a decently priced early bird offer to encourage as many longer lead bookings as possible at this stage. This will put you in the best position for later on in the season, because generating a healthy base of customers initially will allow you to raise your rates during peak season.
Image cred: unsplash
We’ve advised on how to craft the best rate plans before – the key here is to offer genuine value to your customer. This takes knowing your customer well. What features would actually make their stay more enjoyable? What would make their stay more convenient? What extras would they truly appreciate as part of the offer? For starters, remember: less is more. Add fewer, more valuable extras over a long list of ‘gimmicky’ ones for the sake of it. The most important thing is to tailor your offer to the right people. Want to attract families? Think bed & breakfast over dinner. Outline what child-friendly facilities the room has – cot, etc. Speaking of kids, what’s included for them? Be very clear about what you’re offering so your customer isn’t left wondering – they won’t spend much time trying to decipher it. And don’t forget to remove old rate plans to avoid confusion with your brand new, fresh ones!
Image cred: unsplash
It’s important to have all information relevant to your customer in the one place – again, to save them time and hassle. Giving them an efficient, more convenient experience with your content online will only benefit your property! If you’re looking to attract families, create a family-specific section on the site that collates information from all different aspects of your hotel and surrounding area (kids club, leisure centre, local attractions) that will give them a full, hearty picture of what they’re buying into by coming to stay. And, of course, don’t forget your landing page! Your landing page should be short, sweet and succinct, with the details of your offer and a clear CTA.
Image cred: unsplash
If everything about your offer is clear, consistent and easy to access, you shouldn’t get too many random queries – however if you notice you’re getting the same few questions it might be helpful to set up a short FAQ page. It’ll save yourself and your customer time & hassle in the long run!
As always, if you have any questions on any of the above or need help with anything, don’t hesitate to contact us at hello@netaffinity.com
Happy ice-cream hunting.
