In our latest blog post we discuss tips for how to use Pre-Stay Upsell emails to enhance the overall guest stay.
Pre-Stay emails enable hotels to set the tone for the guest stay from the very beginning. Instead of waiting until the actual check-in, sending a welcome email a few days leading up to the stay will help with creating excitement for the guest or guests. Not only are you as a hotel welcoming the guest with open arms, you’re also allowing the guests to customise their own stay by adding upgrades and additional activities to make the most out of their time. On top of the additional revenue generated from upsell offers, you will see an increase in guest satisfaction and possibly even a boost in your Net Promoter Score (NPS®).
We’ve looked into what kind of upselling practice and tactics that lead to the best results and highest guest satisfaction. Our tips are listed in no particular order and are only some of the many tips that will see your pre-stay emails go a long way.
1. Go against the grain and offer something unique
We definitely encourage offering room upgrades and would not eliminate those from your upsell portfolio. However, we also see that more unique offers are performing well and achieving high conversion rates. Hotels offering something unique that their guests haven’t thought of or seen before often experience high click and conversion rates from guests. An example could be offering a unique welcome gift that is special for your hotel.
2. Don’t wait until the last minute - send the email a few days before arrival
Although we are becoming increasingly known to procrastinate, travellers booking their hotels in advance often like to have a plan for their stay. This includes planning breakfast in the mornings, transportation to and from the hotel and seeing what type of activities are available around the hotel. Don't wait until the last minute with sending a welcome letter when the guest may already have began planning all of their meals and activities. Besides, procrastinators waiting to book their stay until the last minute won’t receive their welcome letter until shortly upon arrival anyways. Win-win.
3. Offer Experiences for your guests
Humans tend to value experiences more than material things. There is a saying that experiences are always the best and most well-remembered gifts. According to a study, we value the social aspect of experiences as they are often lived out in pairs or groups instead of alone. They can often create a bond, small or large, as you share an experience together. It doesn’t have to be anything complicated, a shared restaurant dinner, spa day with a partner or group fitness class are all effective upsell offers.
4. Know your audience
Not all guests will respond similarly to your upsell offers. Using customer segmentation is key in order to see results. Especially when it comes to room upgrades, guest segmentation will allow your emails to reach the right recipient with the right offer at the right time.
5. Showcase your local side
Travellers often want to experience more of the local side during their visit. Offering something local that is associated with your hotel’s location will do just that. Are you located near a vineyard on the Italian countryside? Offering a welcoming bottle of wine may be a popular offer. Perhaps a sponsored walking tour of the city with a local tour company would be another popular offer. Try and showcase your local side and incentivise your guests to enhance their stay with exciting upsell offers.
Ultimately, Pre-Stay welcome letters with upselling offers allow your guests to customise their stay by upgrading rooms and purchasing additional services, often creating excitement ahead of the guest stay and creating a more holistic guest experience.
About Loopon Upsell:
Loopon offers commission-free up-selling and pre-arrival surveys help you and your guests design the perfect stay. One-click upgrades maximise your pre-arrival revenue, while your guests get even more excited about their upcoming stay.
