How important are referrals in hotel marketing? Consider this.
According to Nielsen, 92% of consumers trust referrals from friends and family members more than any other kind of advertising. That means that referrals for your hotel are the best advertisement possible for almost anyone who receives them.
So how can you get more referrals? Keep reading, that’s how.
This guide gives you 4 practical strategies that are proven to encourage referrals. Boost your referral marketing campaign with these tips.
1. Just Ask
It doesn’t hurt to simply ask for a referral from satisfied guests. But it may hurt not to.
If you’re worried about being too pushy, don’t be. The worst that can happen if you ask is that they’ll say, “No.” That’s better than missing the chance altogether by not asking.
If the guest loved their stay, why would they not refer their loved ones? Because you didn’t ask, that’s why. Then you’ve missed a 100% free opportunity to invite the guest’s whole family with said guest’s official seal of approval.
Keep your staff trained to ask every guest at the end of every stay to leave a referral. Also, send a followup email a few days after their checkout reminding them to refer your hotel.
2. Ask the Right Way
A bland, over-rehearsed referral pitch will probably be ignored. After all, if your staff doesn’t care, why would the guest? Here’s how to avoid powerless referral pitches.
Smile
Train your staff to smile at all times so that they are smiling when they ask for referrals. This is the most fundamental step. None of the other steps will matter if you don’t first get this right.
Tell Them Why
It makes a huge difference if you simply mention to the guest how important the referrals are to your hotel. Let them know it would help you a lot and you would really appreciate it. Since you’ve treated them so nicely during their stay, they’ll be happy to do you this favor.
Respond to Compliments
When a guest compliments your hotel service, take advantage of the setup. Let them know the best way to thank you is by referring friends and family to your hotel.
Be Worth It
How clean is your hotel? How good is your service? Do you deserve referrals?
Asking does you no good if you aren’t worthy of referrals. Earn them by continually offering exceptional service, cleanliness, and amenities at your hotel.
Get Expert Training
It may be worth it to receive special training from Hospitality Consulting experts. Their highly-qualified, outsider’s opinion could give you the edge you’ve been missing.
3. Incentivize Referrals
If, after these tips, your referral campaign is still falling flat, incentivize them. Offer discounts on hotel stay, dinner, or other amenities to those who refer you and/or to those being referred. Just be careful that your generous incentives earn back more than they cost.
4. Partner Referrals
Finally, look for an ally in the area. Invite the owners of nearby, tourist-driven businesses to stay at your hotel for free. If they are satisfied with their stay, give them brochures and ask them to recommend you.
Do the same for employees at your local tourism center.
Encourage Referrals to Boost Hotel Marketing
Referrals can easily have a greater impact on your success than all other hotel marketing strategies combined. Follow the tips on this list to reel in the referral traffic.
Next, find more tips for your small business on our small business blog.
