Push notifications are a way to keep customers engaged in a world where marketing emails go directly to spam folders or people don’t spare the time to read them. Although push notifications may sound a bit persistent, they are a very useful marketing tool when executed correctly.
Push notifications are 9.6 times more successful in triggering in-app purchases. Users also spend 16% more when prompted by push notifications. In addition, push notifications improve customer retention by 20%. These statistics mean more revenue and improved customer loyalty — all the good reasons to take advantage of push notifications.
Of course, hotels should use other marketing tools too and not depend solely on push notifications. Marketing is a comprehensive effort that needs to be conducted over multiple channels, planned in detail and implemented carefully. However, push notifications can play a crucial role in a complete marketing strategy. Let’s cover the benefits of push notifications in hotel marketing.
Drive Loyalty Through Push Notifications
Nowadays push notifications are one of the best ways to earn loyalty through offering special packages and opportunities. And when you personalise these opportunities, well, it is the cherry on top!
With an effective segmenting and targeting strategy; notifications like “We hope you enjoyed our town in summer. But you shouldn’t miss the winter festival either!” is a personalised message if for your guests who stayed in your hotel during summer and are now in the early planning stages of a winter holiday. And when you add on a loyalty package such as providing 2x hotel points or free spa access, you are sure to have a new booking for the low season in winter!
Push Notifications are Effective During All Stages of a Guest’s Stay
Push notifications are not only useful in the post-stay period; they are useful at all stages of the customer journey. When the guest is already at your hotel, push notifications can be an effective tool for cross-selling and upselling opportunities, as well as keeping your guests informed of the hotel’s happenings.
You can start by offering added value to your customers through push notifications. You can provide guests with brief information about the property, surroundings and major events during their stay. Be creative and try to reach out to them with information that will catch their interest.
If transportation is tricky in your property, consider informing them about transportation options or even offer a lift for a reasonable price. Convenience is attractive to everyone.
You can experiment with a more casual tone of voice when communicating directly with guests. Spice up the push notification by informing guests of your delicious breakfast speciality when reminding them about breakfast time. Another example is to let guests know about your fun after-dinner event when you’re informing them about dinner hours. The possibilities are infinite.
Push Notifications Can Enhance Your Personalised Marketing Strategy
Personalisation is the key factor in marketing. However, not all your customers may be aware that you are implementing a personalised marketing strategy. Push notifications are a very useful tool to raise this awareness as notifications are read 800% more than e-mails. You can create push notifications triggered by specific user actions or segment your customers and then target them with tailor-made messages.
Push Notifications Can Make Customers Loyal to Your App
Many customers think they’re done with a hotel’s mobile app when they leave the hotel. In a typical scenario, the customer stays at the hotel and uses the app for anything they need throughout their stay. Sometimes the customer will even check out the hotel’s mobile app prior to their stay. However, once they leave, the app is no longer useful and will eventually be deleted from the mobile device.
Push notifications are a good way to convince customers that the app is still useful. With a carefully planned and executed push notification marketing plan, you may reach out to them.
One thing to keep in mind is that there is a thin line between messaging and spamming someone. The frequency, content and timing of push notifications must be well calculated.
Keep your notifications short and to the point. Let customers become aware of the opportunities and offers available to them and if possible, keep the notifications as personalised as possible.
Use A Guest Engagement Platform to Use Push Notifications Effectively
Personalising push notifications require data. A well-designed app will be able to collect data, segment customers and send push notifications.
The key solution to above-stated problems?: We recommended Home2nite solution with an integrated guest engagement platform which can be branded to your business.
