manager leading a team and spilling ideas on hotel sales prospecting ideas

Top Hotel Sales Prospecting Ideas to Drive More Bookings

November 19, 2023
Nathan Baws

Hotel Sales prospecting is crucial to identifying and engaging potential new customers to generate leads and drive conversions. For hotel owners and revenue managers, creative prospecting strategies are essential to filling rooms in today's competitive marketplace. This article explores innovative ways to identify hotel sales prospects across different segments and successfully convert them into booked guests.

Mine Your Existing Customer Database

Past guests represent a precious hotel sales prospecting pool to focus on. Segment your customer database by factors like:

Recency, Frequency, Spend  

Recent repeat visitors who book often and spend more make great targets for specialized offers to drive higher loyalty.

Group Size and Type

Mine data on group sizes and types who have stayed in the past, then tailor group packages and room blocks to attract similar prospects.

Special Occasions

Look for upcoming anniversaries, birthdays, or other milestones of repeat guests. Incentivize a return visit to celebrate their occasion.

Geography  

Note key feeder markets of loyal guests. Target those regions with special localized promotions.

Leverage Third-Party Guest Data

Valuable prospect data can be accessed through third-party sources:

Online Travel Agencies

Major OTAs have marketing solutions providing insights into potential guests viewing or shopping for your listing. Retarget these fresh leads.

Local Tourism Boards

DMO websites contain visitor profiles and demographic data on crucial feeder markets for prospecting.

Review Sites

Leads stay visible through reviews. Engage them personally to consider rebooking directly on the next visit.

Social Media Insights

Visitor demographics and intent signals on social channels inform prospecting. Create lookalike audiences.

Digital marketing strategies to target potential customers for Hotel Sales

Search Online Listings and Directories to Increase Hotel Sales

Major online directories contain user data to uncover sales prospects:

Search Local Business Listings

Platforms like Google My Business allow filtering by categories like "frequently in area" to find nearby prospects.

Explore Local Events Calendars

Identify conferences, trade shows, and significant events with attendee profiles overlapping your target segments.

Join Relevant Online Communities

Participate in specialty forums or social groups aligned to your audience types to connect with prospects.

Analyze Competitor Websites

Learn more about the audiences your competitors attract through their site analytics and key segments.

Use Offline Methods to Discover Prospects

Traditional offline channels still unlock quality prospects through networking and local connections:

Attend Industry Events and Conferences  

Meeting planners, corporate travel coordinators, tour operators, and other leads attend industry events.

Partner with Local Venues

Become the exclusive hotel for nearby concert halls, stadiums, wedding venues, etc., where you can connect directly with attendees.

Get Involved Locally

Join the chamber of commerce to meet other business owners. Sponsor local charities and events to network.

Request Referrals from Past Guests

Happy guests, especially locals, often voluntarily refer friends and colleagues. Incentivize referrals.

Create Target Hotel Sales Prospecting Lists

Compile lead lists from all sources into segmented prospecting lists, such as:

Corporations  

Contact local companies for discounted group rates for business travel and events.

Event Planners

Connect with planners of large conferences, trade shows, and events coming to the area.

Tour Operators

Pitch inclusion in tour packages and itineraries aligned to your property's location and audience.

Social Groups

Target specialized niche interest groups on social media with member profiles matching your marks.

Conduct Outreach Campaigns to Convert Prospects

With target prospect lists and profiles, conduct focused campaigns to convert leads:

Create Tailored Pitches

Personalize and customize pitches based on the prospect's unique needs and interests.

Provide Valuable Offers

Prospects need compelling incentives to consider you. Provide exclusive discounted rates, value-adds, and packages.

Use Multi-Channel Nurturing

Follow up across email, social media, and ads using tracking links to gauge engagement. 

Build Personal Connections

Human relationships still drive sales. Take time to establish rapport with prospects.

Overcome Objections 

Anticipate and address possible hesitations or objections to securing the booking.

Conclusion 

Dedicated prospecting leveraging both data and human outreach results in more bookings. To discuss developing a targeted sales strategy for your hotel, schedule a consultation with Emersion Wellness today. Our hospitality sales experts can help you transform prospects into guests.

See Also: How to Run a Hotel Business Successfully - Revenue Boosting Strategies for Hotel Owners

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Emersion Wellness

Our success is relative to our devotion and attitude towards hard-work and innovation.
7 Leake St Fremantle - 6160 - Perth, Western Australia

Subscribe to our newsletter



    arrow-down