In this blog post you will learn about “Upcoming Stay’ emails, what they are, what information to include and what the benefits of them are.
Missed our other articles from this series? Read our introduction to email marketing here.
What is an Upcoming Stay Email?
An upcoming stay email campaign gives you an easy opportunity to provide your guests with the information they will need for their stay. It also reminds them of their arrival date and check in time which means their arrival will be seamless.
This is particularly important at the moment. Hotel guest arrival times will have to be staggered to ensure there aren’t too many people in reception at one time. By reminding them of their check in time and the process your check-in process will be efficient as possible.
Other information that is useful to include in this campaign is: information about facilities, local attractions, any additional add ons they can include, a map of the local area, information about parking etc. All of this provides an extra level of care that the hospitality industry is known for.
When is the best time to send it?
The time between the booking being confirmed and the guests arrival is the best time to communicate with your guests. They are excited about their trip and are fully engaged with your hotel and therefore are going to value any communication you have with them at this time.
Depending on what type of guest is arriving the optimal times for sending this pre-stay email vary. If it is a leisure guest, we would recommend sending an email out a week or so before their arrival date. This allows them to get excited about their stay and reassures them that everything is in order.
However, for business guests who are much more used to this process a few days prior to arrival is the perfect time to reach out. This means the email will be close to the top of their mailbox and therefore is easy to find.
What are the benefits?
Put simply, email marketing has one of the highest ROI’s. As well as reminding your guests about their upcoming stay, it also provides an excellent and natural way to up-sell to the guests prior to arrival. This may result in them booking into your restaurant or a spa trip, which all results in additional revenue for the hotel for very little additional cost for your hotel. Not only this, it also improves the customer experience and increases the relationship between you and your guest, making them feel important.
In current circumstances you can highlight what the new protocols are for those visiting the hotel post Covid-19. This will help to put their minds at ease and manage their expectations for the stay and how it will differ in ‘the new normal’, making yours and the guests lives easier when they arrive.
Please make sure you update this email if it is automated, it is vital that the information included is always up to date.
Need help with your email marketing strategy? Get in touch with our marketing team!