Since 1999 Digital Alchemy has been helping hoteliers successfully drive revenue through the use of their electronic email marketing system. With many years of experience in the hospitality industry, we have learned that some strategies work better than others. Take a look at these best practices for eRelationship!

Reservation Confirmation:

• Make sure to include specific policy information about the guests' reservation. Make this piece as dynamic as possible so that we tailor the policies, reservation details, and even images to the particular reservation made. It affirms/reinforces the guest's booking decision.
• This piece should be similar to the web-site so the guest recognizes it and highlights prominent hotel/resort features or dynamic features if a certain package or time of stay is booked.

Pre-Stay Marketing:

• Images and links are the most important items on the pre-stay. You want to get your guest excited about their visit and interested in all the venues that your hotel has to offer. Use images that are different than those on the web site and make sure that it is not too text heavy or your guest will not read through the entire piece.
• This piece should be similar to the web-site so the guest recognizes it and highlights prominent hotel/resort features or dynamic features if a certain package or time of stay is booked.
• The Pre-Stay is highly effective when linked to VIP Forms with Amenities/Shopping lists to fully and profitably customize a guest's stay.

Cancellation Notice:

• Invite guests to interact with the property about their reasons for canceling and allow opportunities to capture revenue by:
  • Informing Revenue Management of price shoppers, so they can be contacted to recapture the reservation.
  • Deliver a confirmation of the transaction with beautiful imagery/links that will lead them to book with you again.
  • Inviting those whose plans have changed to rebook for the future

Thank You Note:

• To increase open rates on the thank you note, the subject line should mention that there is a comment card included in the email. "We appreciate your feedback" tends to get higher open rates than "Thank you for visiting."

If you are currently not using one or more of these pieces, or would like to make a change to your existing pieces, contact your account manager for assistance.