Your hotel's direct booking strategy: Targeting the guests of the future Did you know that today’s digital-savvy consumer is subjected to 3,000 marketing messages a day! That’s a staggering statistic proving just how difficult it is for businesses to cut through the noise in order to be heard. For hoteliers, it can be even harder to know how to reach the right people – and that’s assuming they have their target audiences fully marked out. In this free presentation we’ll share: The six groups of travellers – your future hotel guests Strategies to entice these travellers to book direct

1. Your hotel’s direct booking strategy
Targeting the guests of the future

2. Introductions
PRESENTER
Emaad Ahmed,
Sales Executive
MODERATOR
Cassandra White,
Marketing Coordinator

3. • Consumers are exposed to more than 3,000
marketing messages every day
• Reaching niche groups of travellers is
increasingly difficult
• And getting them to book direct is even harder
Cutting through the noise
is difficult

4. Who are these future hotel guests?

5. • Quick and seamless booking experience -
with no more than two steps
• Mobile-friendly booking process - most tasks
are completed on their mobile
The Time-Poor Urbanites
“I’m all about convenience and taking shortcuts.”
In 3 words:
RELAX | REFRESHED | DAYCATION
Direct booking requirements

6. • Booking via social e.g. Facebook is important
- ensure your booking engine integrates with
your Facebook page
• Offer this group of travellers loyalty incentives
for booking direct
The Social Media Nudgers
“I like to ask questions – and publicly, too!”
In 3 words:
DEMANDING | IMPULSIVE | FORGIVING
Direct booking requirements

7. • Give them an aspirational website so they can
dream about their next holiday
• Offer them relaxing extras, such as sleep-kits
or an evening massage
The Sleep-Deprived Travellers
“I see sleep as more of a lifestyle choice.”
In 3 words:
TIRED | ACTIVE | DIGITAL
Direct booking requirements

8. • Provide local information and recommendations of fun
and interesting things guests can do when they stay
• Sell conveniently-packaged extras and hotel facilities,
like spa days or dinner and drink options
The Energised Ageing
Baby Boomers
“I use my pension to book holidays.”
In 3 words:
GENEROUS | CULTURED | ACTIVE
Direct booking requirements

9. • Unique booking engine features such as room order
auto optimisation will help them skip pages of irrelevant
information on your website
• Provide a mobile-friendly website combined with a
positive social media presence. Your web presence is
your online reputation and this group will definitely be
engaging with you.
The Spending Singles
“I have few commitments, and I spend big.”
In 3 words:
PREMIUM | AUTHENTIC | CREATIVE
Direct booking requirements

10. • Use aspirational images to inspire them to visit not
just your hotel, but your destination, too
• Ensure you send pre and post-stay communication
that creates loyalty and gets them excited about
staying at your hotel
The Solo Travellers
“I’m all about adventure and experiencing new
things.”
In 3 words:
SINGLE | SOCIABLE | EXPLORERS
Direct booking requirements

11. What are the key tactics your hotel should be
implementing to drive more direct bookings?

12. 1. Use data to identify your target markets
The Time-Poor
Urbanites
Look at booking
window + device
The Spending
Singles
Look at number
of guests +
spend per guest
The Social Media
Nudgers
Look at social
booking channel +
promo code
The Energised
Ageing Baby
Boomers
Look at length
of stay +
booking channel
The Sleep-
Deprived
Travellers
Look at
check-in time
+ booking
channel
The Solo
Travellers
Look at
number of
guests + page
views

13. 2. Adapt to the upsurge in mobile device data
Source: Google & TNS, reported by Tnooz

14. 3. Provide a seamless, user-friendly
booking experience
Source: SaleCycle

15. Attract, reach and convert these groups of
travellers with smart and simple
technology...

16. Add TheBookingButton to your
website and increase your direct
bookings with a seamless
booking experience for guests
"Since going live with TheBookingButton, we
have received a substantial increase of
reservations from our website as it looks
more professional, it’s easy..."
Newmark Hotels, South Africa

17. Canvas can help deliver
a beautiful hotel website in an
instant – without the need for
design skills
“Working with Canvas I was very pleased with the
results immediately. And now I can make changes to
my website directly without risking its design or visual
elements. As someone with only basic computer skills,
this is a key benefit of the product for me.”
Thelma Gray, Cowra Country Gardens Motor Inn

18. The Channel Manager can help
you reach these travellers on the
booking sites they frequent… and
identify them using metrics like
Length Of Stay and Average
Revenue Per Booking
"What we enjoy about SiteMinder's
technology is its simplicity and practicality,
and its ability to provide us with accurate
data. And, because the products..."
BIRD Hotels & Residences

19. See how Prophet allows you to
respond to the market in real-time
“Being a property of nearly 90 rooms, we find that
even half a dozen rooms moving on any single date
can result in major changes to occupancy
percentage, and ultimately result in lots of changes to
how we manage our revenue overall. So, speedy and
visually easy-to-read data is vital – and SiteMinder’s
Prophet provides that to us. It’s definitely made comp
set rate analysis easier and quicker.”
Jeremy Longstaff, general manager, Quest
Southbank - Melbourne

20. For more on direct bookings, visit:
www.siteminder.com/resources