A Simple Marketing Tool for Hotels: Newsletters

In today’s digital world, it’s crucial for hotels to maintain a connection with their guests. Social media platforms and online marketing campaigns are effective, but newsletters offer a unique opportunity for any marketing team. They are a direct line of communication that can bypass the noise of social media’s doom scrolling.

According to one report from McKinsey and Company, a management consulting firm, about 7 in 10 consumers expect personalized marketing, and just as many get frustrated when they don’t. Newsletters allow hotels to establish a direct line of communication with their guests, creating a sense of personal connection and improving their overall experience.

Unlike social media, where your content can easily get lost in the vast sea of posts, newsletters give you a dedicated space to share valuable information, promotions, and stories with your audience.

You can use them to reach out to your guests directly and share exclusive offers, local travel tips, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into your hotel’s operations, which can really make a potential guest feel involved and personally attached to your business.

Here’s how you can get started and keep the ball rolling.

How to start a newsletter

Define your objectives: Before launching a newsletter, outline your goals. Is it to increase brand loyalty, promote special offers, or share valuable content? Clearly defining your objectives will guide your content creation and help you measure success.

Segment your audience: Divide your subscriber base into different segments based on demographics, preferences, or interests. This segmentation enables you to create targeted content that resonates with specific groups, increasing the likelihood of engagement and conversions.

Choose a reliable email service provider: Select an email service provider (ESP) that meets your needs. Popular options include Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and SendinBlue. These platforms offer user-friendly interfaces, customizable templates, and valuable analytics to track engagement.

Craft engaging content

Write interesting subject lines: Your subject line is your chance to pique your audience’s interest and convince them to read your content. Make it concise; you don’t want the subject line to get cut off in a person’s inbox before they get to the good part. Incorporate anything that you think could attract your clientele, like limited-time offers.

Use visuals: Multimedia content like high-quality images, videos, or infographics will improve your newsletter. Make sure the visuals align with your brand and create an engaging experience for the reader. This can be a great opportunity to make upbeat behind-the-scenes videos or travel tips in the form of infographics.

Offer valuable content: Deliver content that is informative, entertaining, and valuable to your readers. Local travel tips, exclusive offers, or behind-the-scenes glimpses can offer that and more. With engaging content, you can build trust and keep subscribers excited for your newsletters.

Maintaining your newsletter

Stay consistent: Establish a regular newsletter sending schedule. It can be weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or whatever works for you and your brand. Consistency helps build anticipation and keeps your brand in your subscribers’ minds.

Personalize and segment: Leverage the data you gather from your subscribers to personalize your newsletters. Address recipients by name, tailor content to their preferences and offer exclusive promotions based on their previous interactions with your hotel.

Monitor: Use the analytics provided by your platform of choice to track key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversions. Analyzing this data allows you to refine your content strategy and ensure continuous improvement. If you notice one newsletter had a higher open rate than another, maybe check to see if your subject line was more engaging. Having a button that links to a booking page is a great way to see if your newsletter content is enticing subscribers and converting them into guests.