Coupons have proven, time and again, that they are a highly effective sales tool. If you’re already running your small hotel, or are about to, you should consider coupons as part of your marketing strategy.

Why? Coupons have a drastic impact on the effectiveness of any marketing endeavors.

They generally “pull in” the business – increasing the number of people who can convert off your websites, emails, social media accounts and others. They can be a great tool if done with the right marketing strategy.

Here are some ways of how to use coupon to your small accommodation business’ advantage.

Coupons improve the effectiveness of all your distribution channels

Coupons are perfect for last-minute sales of your remaining available rooms.

But you need an effective way to get it out there, so share it across all channels – your website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and email.

And with the rise of Snapchat and other social media channels, you can use these tools to widen your online reach and distribution.

By doing this, you don’t just get more reservations, but you also increase your customer’s loyalty and brand awareness increases.

Coupons make customers happy

A study from an independent research-marketing firm, A.C. Nielson Co., suggests that 95% of people like getting coupons, with 60% of it revealing they are actually looking for coupons.

Customer satisfaction is important and thus making them happy will bring forth success to your business. Satisfied customers rate you better on review sites and are more likely to come back. Use the power of social media to your advantage. Aggressively monitor and improve your reputation locally and online.

Coupons will re-activate old customers

One of the best advantages of coupons is that they revive your old customers. You give out coupons, you give them to reason to come back.

Add it to your automatic post-stay email. Give them a promotion code they can use to come back, or refer to a friend, at a discount. Your reservation system should allow you to do this.

Put time limits on your coupons

Putting limits on coupons will allow you to examine your strategy on whether it has been effective or not.

Additionally, you don’t want to be seen as always giving discounts. Use the results as basis for your future campaigns.

Marketing on coupon code websites

If you are itching to get your rooms out there, you can put up your coupon codes on websites that provide a wide range of coupons.

These sites usually get their traffic by customers who are actively looking for coupons. Choose a coupon retailer that gives you reach into audiences you wouldn’t be able to get otherwise. Since it’s last minute, target surrounding cities.

Some websites you can consider are CouponRetailr, RetailMeNot, Coupons.com. LocalSaver and Slickdeals.net.

Author Bio

Joel Cordle is CEO of review leap. He is serious about his online presence. He likes to be active in social media market so he always keeps himself updated about the strategies used for presence. As he enjoys reading and writing about marketing and online reputation, his hobby is to write different blogs about reviews, ratings, negative feedback, gain loyalty, etc. He is a good advisor and he keeps suggesting people about how one can develop his online personality.

By Dean Elphick

Dean is the Senior Content Marketing Specialist of Little Hotelier, the all-in-one software solution purpose-built to make the lives of small accommodation providers easier. Dean has made writing and creating content his passion for the entirety of his professional life, which includes more than six years at Little Hotelier. Through content, Dean aims to provide education, inspiration, assistance, and, ultimately, value for small accommodation businesses looking to improve the way they run their operations (and live their life).