The majority of people who travel have a list of hotels they usually visit, and most of them look blank when asked if they use the hotel’s website to make reservations.
They aren’t to blame. Hotels are finding it harder to attract clients to book directly through their website in a world where online travel agents (OTA) and online booking websites drive the majority of transactions with hotel crm software. Customers are drawn to OTAs more easily since they present a list of different options depending on location, price, and amenities provided.
Hotels must separate themselves from OTAs by offering incentives and one-of-a-kind discounts to get customers to book directly. Hotel crm software and other technical tools can assist hotels to promote direct bookings.
Let’s take a look at how direct bookings can become a big source of revenue for hotels.
1. Use Customer Data to Understand Key Features and Customer Segments
For hotels, data includes information about profitable customer segments that make frequent bookings as well as the services they require. This information can be easily analysed with the help of hotel crm software.
Analysing your client data will enable you to develop relevant marketing and sales strategies for obtaining direct hotel bookings.
2. Increase your visibility on Meta Search Engines
A growing number of online users are going to Meta search engines to read results from many pages, and this number will only rise over time.
Because Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) are attempting to maintain visibility on these platforms through website optimization and data analytics, hotel websites must do the same if they do not want to lose direct reservations.
Use meta-search engines to highlight your hotel website and further improve through Kapture CRM to ensure that its search ability and presence are among the top ten results.
3. Make your website more appealing
Setting up a website has become a necessity for every company looking to expand its visibility. Also, then you can implement Hotel crm software for your website.
For a hotel, having a website isn’t enough. In a world where the internet is predominantly consumed via smartphones, it is critical that the website be mobile optimized for extensive usage.
According to a poll, organizations with mobile-optimized websites have a threefold increase in their chances of raising conversion rates to 5% or higher.
In addition, include keywords in your website content that can readily attract your target audience. Create consumer personas based on their hospitality preferences and consider keywords they might use to search for hotels. Use such keywords so that your clients can simply find your website.
4. Make Visually Appealing Marketing Content
It goes without saying that visual content performs better with customers.
- Tweets with photos garner 150 percent more retweets than tweets without graphics, according to Hubspot.
- Facebook posts with images receive 2.3 times the amount of interaction as ones without images.
Attractive visual marketing methods can not only help you attract more customers but will also enhance your chances of converting more leads. This is due to the fact that visual material is not only the most common mode of content consumption online, but it has also been demonstrated that customers are more inclined to associate with it. That is why tutorial videos and info graphics have become so popular in every company’s marketing approach.
Similarly, hotels can post images and 360-degree views of their best rooms, lobby areas, dining halls, and so on.
Their website experience will be enhanced by an immersive visual experience. This enhances the likelihood of engagement and, as a result, makes direct bookings more acceptable.
5. Booking Cancelled? It is a Chance
Customers are visiting your website, filling out forms, but not completing the booking? Is that something that happens a lot?
This is an opportunity to examine any issues that guests may encounter while accessing your hotel’s website and making reservations.
Navigate through the website’s customer journey. What rooms were they looking at, and what aspects piqued their interest?
- If they leave contact information, contact them or write to them to address their concerns.
- If they are concerned about room pricing, give them a discount if they book directly with you.
To entice people to book through the internet, you can also provide a complimentary vehicle service when they arrive, as well as free breakfast/meals.
This type of personalized problem-solving experience goes a long way toward strengthening customer relationships through hotel crm software.
6. Provide Loyalty Programs for Direct Bookings with Kapture Hotel CRM Software
Loyalty programs encourage favourable responses by rewarding customers with redeemable points, coupons, and cashback. Incentivize your consumers by offering them membership in a reward program or a club membership if they book straight through the hotel’s website.
Your hotel should not only provide customers with special offers and discounts during their stay, but also when they visit their partner restaurants, spas, and so on.
Give your guests an all-inclusive experience that rewards them both inside and outside of the hotel.
7. Make Use of Guest Reviews
While searching for products and services on the internet, most individuals respect reviews written by other users. Display favourable feedback from former customers on your website to generate positive word of mouth. Building a positive internet reputation will aid in the creation of a solid picture in the minds of clients.
In their reviews, ask prior visitors what they liked and disliked about their stay. Remember that you will most likely receive both positive and negative feedback.
Instead of avoiding and hiding them, look at them as a chance to improve your operations. Guest reviews will provide potential guests with a more in-depth understanding of the quality of your service.
When your customers realize that you can admit your flaws, it fosters authenticity, which leads to a positive brand reputation.
Furthermore, the more invested they become, the more probable it is that they will make a reservation through your website.
8. Utilize Value-Added Packages to Increase Bookings through Hotel CRM
The majority of OTAs do not let hotels offer reduced rates on their own websites. Direct bookings are especially tough for hotel crm software as a result of this. Instead of offering a reduction on stay pricing in such instances, provide unique booking add-ons on your website that customers do not have access to when booking through OTAs.
Offer incentives like as complimentary dinners or a discount on products in the room’s mini-bar, for example. Promote these advantages on your website to attract direct reservations.