Brand awareness and your business reputation are what matters when people choose a hotel. The more trust you earn, the better your sales will be. Big hotel chains have no problems with brand visibility as they allocate a large budget and hundreds of employees to work on it. But how can small hotels compete against big names? What can you do as a small business owner to get more bookings?
We have made a list of ideas that can help you.
Online travel agencies
You should be connected to at least one online travel agency. Collaboration with booking platforms is an ideal solution for smaller hotels. Usually, big brands appear on the first pages of search results. But if a person applies specific filters, your hotel has every chance of getting full visibility.
Website usability
Everyone wants to make a quick and easy booking, so your website should be as understandable and convenient for all users as possible. When choosing the design, avoid irritating images and pages with irrelevant information. Instead, prefer light backgrounds and subpages that are easy to find. Each page should contain necessary information that can be requested by potential guests. And do not forget to translate your website into other languages.
Button for online bookings
If you want more direct bookings online, make this option easily available to your guests. No one wants to switch from one page to another to find your contact information. Everything should be perfectly straightforward.
Personalized service
"Feel at home!" This is how your main motto should sound. As your business is not big yet, you have the opportunity to lavish attention on each guest, and it will be appreciated. A good idea might be to have some entertainment in the hotel. There are many options: table tennis, karaoke nights, city tours, etc.
Unique hotel design
Design Hotels are becoming increasingly popular. Many smaller hotels create unique concepts to be competitive, and staying there is often an exceptional experience for guests. Of course, you do not have to change the entire design to get bookings. However, this is one of the ways to make your hotel more attractive.
Loyalty program
Regular clients are the key to success. They trust you and may recommend your hotel to friends. The more you reward this trust, the higher the chance is that it will get stronger. Show appreciation to your established clients with a loyalty program! Offer them discounted room rates or other extra benefits, such as spa access or a free breakfast. Your guests will not forget it.
Investing in Social Media Marketing
The Internet has become one of the most important means of communication with clients. Social media marketing is cheap, and with the right approach, it can be really beneficial. Nowadays, Facebook and Instagram are great tools to interact with your clients in a fun and simple way. Use branded hashtags, share state-of-the-art infographics and valuable tips — and travelers will definitely distinguish you among the others.
Now you know what you can do to make a small hotel successful. These tips might be useful for both new and experienced hoteliers. And remember that HotelFriend team always has the best ideas for the development of your company.
