According to Destination Analysts, email still reigns as one of the top two highest channels by which travelers are receptive to destination marketing, second only to search engines. As one of the leading channels, it’s imperative that your inn take full advantage of email marketing and its potential for staying in touch with your guests and assisting in increased revenue. Nurturing your email list is one of the most effective ways to keep your audience interested and accessible.
Even so, poor email marketing is not better than nothing, which is why our dedicated campaign team works to create visually-appealing and highly effective campaigns that are launched with consistency over time. As a long-term, momentum-based strategy, it’s not something you can set and forget. With this in mind, let’s take a look at some of the top email marketing mistakes to avoid.
Don’t Include Too Much Text
When it comes to text in emails, less is more! Let’s face it, people don’t read anymore. Everyone is busy, on the go, checking their email on their phone and scrolling through numerous mobile apps all day long. The goal is to create short, sweet, and relevant email messages that are creative and eye-catching. Plus, you want to drive traffic to your site wherever possible. If all the information is in the email, there’s no reason to visit your site. You are aiming to inspire your audience to start dreaming about their next getaway to your inn, not giving them reading homework. If they already know when they’re coming back regardless of your email, make sure your content is still engaging and keeps you top of mind for them. Give your audience a reason to come back for more!
Don’t Be Repetitive with Calls-to-Action
It’s important that you don’t let your email campaign sound like a whiny toddler who asks “please, please, please” or “why, why, why” over and over. Instead, mix up your calls-to-action and actually make your audience want to click! By using creative copy or copy that’s proven to be effective in your A/B testing, you’ll garner a higher click-through-rate and receive more traffic throughout your site. In other words, don’t tell them to click, show them why they want to.
Don’t Send Boring & Uninspiring Emails
One of the most important ways to keep your audience engaged is to craft your emails with high quality photos and stellar design. Choose colors and images that speak to your branding and inspire the traveler to crave another vacation at your inn. Keep in mind that many of your subscribers will likely be loyal guests who visit the same time each year or plan their getaways around their own timing. In other words, your special offer or nicely worded email is not going to persuade them to book a last-minute trip, especially if they don’t live locally so make sure your content is helpful and engaging enough that they enjoy being subscribed just to see what you have to offer and to stay in touch with you and their favorite destination.
Ready to transform your email marketing into the most creative and effective channel it can be? Contact us today.