Right then, let’s be honest, we’ve all been there. You’ve sunk a bit of hard-earned cash into a billboard that’s probably covered in bird droppings, a fancy advert in some magazine that ends up lining a budgie cage, and you’re just hoping somebody, somewhere, somehow gets a bit excited about your hotel. It’s like standing on a street corner, shouting into a megaphone, and hoping that the right person happens to stroll by, eh? Well, I’m here to tell you there’s a better way – a more precise, cost-effective approach that’s less about wishful thinking and more about direct action. And it’s not some newfangled fad, it’s something that’s been working wonders for years, and still does: good old email marketing. Before you roll your eyes and say, “Oh, not another newsletter,” hear me out – this isn’t your run-of-the-mill newsletter. We’re talking about building a list full of folks who are genuinely interested and have their wallets open for your particular brand of brilliance.
Email Marketing: An Expert Analysis for the Tourism Industry
Now, before you start thinking email is some dusty relic of the past, let’s get one thing clear: email is far from dead. In fact, it’s very much alive and kicking – it’s more like a well-oiled machine that keeps humming along, no matter what the latest tech fad is. As a recent study by StepOn Digital shows, email consistently delivers a better engagement rate and ROI than many other channels. And according to DotDigital email is a powerhouse for direct communication, with over 4 billion daily users, which shows you the level of reach that can be achieved. Don’t get me wrong, social media is essential, but when you want to create loyal customers, it’s about going direct with email, and cutting through the noise. And just remember this, ‘The bigger the list, the better’ is a myth – we need to focus on quality not quantity (that’s from my decades of experience). You want a small group of interested customers that you can reach directly, not a huge list of people who don’t give a fig about your brand.
Key Concepts: The Foundations of Effective Email Marketing
Right then, so how do we go about building this magic list of engaged subscribers? First things first: buying dodgy, scraped email lists? That’s a proper no-no, and quite frankly, it’s a bit lazy. It’s like trying to win a race with a flat tyre – it’s never going to work. Not only is it unethical, it also harms your deliverability and leads to low engagement, meaning your emails are more likely to end up in the dreaded spam folder. That’s a fast way to ruin your sending reputation, I can tell you that much from experience.
Now, what should we focus on instead? Well, there are four key concepts you should always keep in mind:
- Permission is King: It’s all about the opt-in. You have to ask people nicely, and they have to say a resounding “yes, please!”. If you’re not asking permission, you’re just spamming, plain and simple.
- Value Exchange: Don’t just beg for an email, give the punters a reason. What can you offer in return for their information? It could be an exclusive discount, a free guide or checklist, or even a sneak peek behind the scenes. Give them an offer they simply can’t refuse, and the sign ups will roll in.
- Segmentation is Crucial: You can’t treat all your subscribers the same, they all have different needs. Therefore, you need to segment your list based on factors like travel preferences, their previous experiences, and even their demographics. Then, you create targeted marketing campaigns relevant for each segment. This isn’t just about being polite; it’s about improving your conversion rates. A recent study from StepOn Digital shows that personalized emails can lead to significantly higher engagement.
- Organic Growth is the Key: You need to think of your email list as a precious garden that you need to nurture over time. Forget trying to get rich quick and focus on organic growth. That means consistent effort, and offering real value over time. Look to things like website forms, social media lead magnets, and even in person sign-up opportunities. This is a long game, not a sprint, and play it right.
Practical Email List Building Strategies for your business
Now, let’s get to the nitty gritty and start putting theory into practice. I know I have a real mixed bunch of readers today, so I’m going to break this down into the most applicable advice for various types of hospitality and tourism businesses, and goals:
For the Hands-On Hospitality Pro (Practical Tips for Hotel Management):
- Embrace Automation: Look at email marketing like an extra member of your team. Use it to manage the entire customer journey. StepOn Digital’s recent research shows how automated emails can generate 320% more revenue than non-automated emails. Use welcome series to get new subscribers excited, send pre-stay emails with essential information, and then follow up after checkout to collect feedback and encourage repeat bookings.
- Make it Easy: Your sign-up process shouldn’t feel like rocket science. Create user-friendly website forms, and sign-up sheets and don’t be greedy by asking too much information. A name and an email address are enough to get going, so don’t overcomplicate the sign-up process.
- User-Generated Content is Your Friend: Your guests are your biggest asset, and you should be using their photos, stories and reviews to show the authenticity of your brand, and increase credibility. As StepOn Digital state, UGC emails have a 73% higher click through rate – that’s free marketing for you right there.
For the Passionate Rural Entrepreneur (Simple Email List Building Techniques):
- Build a Community: Use your email list building efforts to build a community around your business. Let them know about all the special events that you have coming up, and encourage them to interact with you and each other.
- Gated Content is Your Secret Weapon: What can you offer that would be highly valuable? I’m thinking an ebook about the local history, a checklist of things to bring to your region, or even a downloadable map. Offer something of real value in return for an email address and you’ll see those sign-ups increase. DotDigital’s recent research shows how gated content helps you to generate leads and build brand awareness, making you a thought leader.
- Use Your Socials: Let your followers know that they can join your list directly from your social profiles. You’d be surprised how many people aren’t aware of this option.
- Keep it Simple: Your sign-up process needs to be easy, not intimidating, so make sure that it is mobile-friendly, using responsive sign up forms that will work on all platforms.
For the Versatile Marketing Maven (Using the Latest Email Trends):
- Advanced Segmentation is Crucial: Don’t send generic emails! Get to grips with using dynamic content and behavioral triggers to tailor emails to specific user needs. Data shows us that personalized emails have a 35% higher open rate.
- Automate with Purpose: You want a system that works in various contexts. Look for opportunities to personalize the automated workflows to ensure that the emails are relevant to each user.
- A/B Test, A/B Test, A/B Test: Don’t just assume you know what works best. Test different subject lines, CTAs, layouts, and send times to optimise your campaigns. As a general rule, stick to one variable in an A/B test to ensure that your results are accurate.
- Get Mobile First: Over 60% of emails are opened on mobile devices and if it’s not optimized for mobile, then you’re missing a real trick. Remember that ‘emails that display incorrectly on mobile may be deleted within three seconds’ according to recent research.
- Email Metrics are Key to Success: Don’t just send emails without tracking the results. Track your open rates, click through rates, bounce rates, and revenue per email sent to show what’s working and what’s not.
But what about….
Now, I know what some of you might be thinking…
- “Email marketing is going to take up all my time!” Well, yes it can, if you choose to do everything manually. Use those automated tools, eh?
- “It all sounds a bit techy for me.” It’s easier than ever now, and there’s tonnes of support out there to make sure it’s as smooth as possible.
- “Pop-ups are annoying, I don’t want to do that to my customers!” Well, they certainly can be, if they’re done badly. However, done right – targeted, and offering a genuine incentive – pop ups can be a great way to capture emails, and if they aren’t your thing, there are other ways to collect email addresses.
- “We’ve tried email marketing, and it didn’t work for us!” In that case you were probably doing it wrong! If you have a clear strategy, use segmented lists, relevant content, and high quality emails that you A/B test regularly, then it’s incredibly effective.
A Last Word
Look, I’ve been in this industry a long time, and I can tell you that building an email list, when done correctly and ethically, is a game changer for a tourism or hospitality business. It’s not some magic cure, but it’s an incredibly reliable way to reach the people that matter the most – the ones who are already showing genuine interest in what you have to offer. Remember, you’re not just gathering email addresses, but you’re creating a community of engaged customers. So, you’re all ready to stop yelling into the void, and instead, start creating real relationships and meaningful conversations. If you need some expert guidance, then get in touch with us here at SATM. We’ve got a team who knows all of this inside out, and can offer you tailored advice to ensure your marketing is firing on all cylinders. We’re always happy to chat about a few ideas. You can learn more about how to Dodge the BS and Find a Marketing Partner Who Actually Gets Your Tours, or you can visit our site and check out our other Tourism Marketing Resources to get more ideas.
Don’t forget that your email marketing strategy isn’t a one and done effort. Keep on testing, analysing and refining your approach. The digital marketing landscape is constantly evolving, so make sure that you are continuing to adapt as you go.
Alright, that’s all from me. Go and build those lists, and if you get stuck, feel free to reach out.
