Did you know that 86% of people in a study said they typically make their travel bookings online (Source)?
If you don’t make it easy for them to book a stay with you, then you’re losing out on the vast majority of potential online bookings!
Here’s how to optimize your online booking process from start to finish, so that your guests love you from the very first click.
The best way to sell is by evoking some type of emotion. At your bed and breakfast, the best type of emotion to trigger is desire – a desire to stay at your property, for whatever emotional reason will resonate with them most.
It really depends on your type of property, and who you are trying to attract.
To trigger emotion you need to make sure that guests want to picture themselves comfortably staying at your property for the duration of their break.
Much of the time they spend while they’re at your destination won’t be at your hotel – if they’re there on business, it will be spent at a conference; if they’re there for a family holiday, they’ll be out and about doing what the kids want to do; if they’re there for a couple’s escape, they’ll be looking for romantic ways to spend their time.
This is why your website needs to contain comprehensive information about your local area – they just won’t spend too much time at your bed and breakfast!
Leisure travelers want to know what your area has to offer them, so that they can make the most out of their stay. Highlight your destination’s culture and history, and provide tips on what they can do.
No, don’t literally sell your property – but market it effectively to your guests!
A lot of travelers abandon your website at this point. To encourage them to stick around, SiteMinder reports that your online payment process should be:
Right after your guest makes a booking, you need to reduce what’s known as ‘buyer’s guilt’! How? By reinforcing the fact that they’ve just made an excellent decision.
Your small hotel’s reservation system should send an automatic email immediately after your guest enters their details to make a booking.
Usually, a credit card is required, so the purpose of this email is to reassure your guests that the reservation was successful.
A confirmation email gives them peace of mind that your hotel is legitimate and their sensitive financial data is safe with you.
Of course, this is only one of the several automated emails that you should be sending guests. You should send them more emails to get them excited about staying with you.
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