Email marketing for hotels is not a “nice to have” anymore, it’s a necessity. If your hotel is not sending out regular email communications to your current, future, and past guests: you are missing out on an essential marketing stream.

If you’re not already convinced, here are some eye-opening statistics: 70 percent of consumers prefer companies reach out via email over any other channel. As a sales tool, studies show it is the most reliable channel to nurture and convert leads. Eight out of ten people open welcome emails.

As a very basic definition: email marketing is the strategic use of email communications to promote your hotel.

You may already be sending out a basic reservation confirmation email. Email marketing is so much more than that. It is the larger practice of using that message, and others like it, to cultivate a stronger relationship with a client. You should send out emails that cover the full guest journey, from before they arrive to after they leave your property.

Email is a path to making your hotel stand out. Used properly, it can drive more revenue from each booking. For example, sharing add-on services in your reservation confirmation will make a guest aware of those additional services. Even if they don’t opt to purchase them via that specific email link, they’re now more likely to add them on once they arrive. It all starts with implementing an intelligent messaging solution for hotels that can push timely marketing campaigns tailored to your database.

Brand awareness

Not every email will generate revenue! You are not going to convert guests with every message. However, sending out regular email communications keeps your property or brand in your guest’s mind. They’re more likely to book with you again or recommend your property to a friend.

If you have the resources, a regular newsletter can position you as a true local expert. Send out information about local events, seasonal attractions, and so on. No matter what you’re sending, email marketing for hotels is key to building brand awareness.

Guest engagement and loyalty

Similar to overall brand awareness, email is an essential channel to improve your guest relationships. Email marketing lets you enhance the guest experience throughout their journey with you.

It’s not just about sending guests more ways to spend money at your property (though of course, that is a big part of it)! Email marketing should span the full cycle of a guest stay. The guest journey should be backed by email: booking confirmation, pre-stay emails, a welcome notice, and a post-stay survey.

Keep up the conversation with your guests with regular property updates! This will go a long way to improving overall loyalty, whether or not you have a dedicated loyalty program.

Overall guest satisfaction

Email marketing will boost overall guest happiness. Sending out automated emails prior to their stay also has the added benefit of letting guests know that you can be reached via email. Put a reminder to share any requests in the confirmation so they know to email you.

Email is also the ideal channel for asking for feedback, as well as encouraging reviews on third-party channels. Share your listings on Google or TripAdvisor to motivate happy guests to leave glowing reviews.

From a high-level, strategic point of view email marketing is valuable to hotels because it complements all of your on-property efforts. It can and should complement all your other digital marketing efforts across direct and indirect channels.

Email marketing for hotels starts with the right technology. All of the emails mentioned above are important. There are many email automation solutions for all kinds of marketing, but we highly recommend investing in a hotel-specific solution.

A hotel-specific email marketing system integrates into your property management system, which almost none of the non-hospitality email systems can do. This integration is essential to triggering emails throughout the guest journey, based on specific actions in your PMS.

Fuel’s Guest Messaging Solution has this hotel-specific integration, and so much more. We make it easy to set up, launch, and maintain email marketing. From templates to guest data, there’s a lot to learn. We’re here to help. Contact us for a demo today.