Help with marketing for next year!

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Morticia

Morticia

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So, looking for help here for marketing via newsletter next year. I already do this monthly but thought we could help each other by highlighting topics we each find get open rates up. I've been reading up on having seasonal info in each newsletter but laying out the monthly plan is what slows me down. Winging it often means I don't do anything in an organized fashion. Do you have a plan laid out for next year? Care to share some ideas?
I don't have a monthly plan, but I'll share that the number one clicked link in my newsletter is to the monthly recipe. Followed distantly by things to do in the area.
What does your monthly marketing plan look like?
 
So how many people do you send a newsletter to? Do they subscribe to it? Are you using Mail Chimp so you can see the stats of how many actually read it? Is is worth doing? Does it bring you new business? Or just your repeat customers?
I have a friend who brags about sending out a monthly newsletter to almost 1800 people but when I look at her stats, she is lucky if only 20% even open it and even fewer click on a link...maybe 5%. I keep telling her she needs to cull out the list but she insists that you never know when one article will appeal to someone??? Talk about the shotgun approach :-( Not what I would waste my time on.
 
EmptyNest said:
So how many people do you send a newsletter to? Do they subscribe to it? Are you using Mail Chimp so you can see the stats of how many actually read it? Is is worth doing? Does it bring you new business? Or just your repeat customers?
I have a friend who brags about sending out a monthly newsletter to almost 1800 people but when I look at her stats, she is lucky if only 20% even open it and even fewer click on a link...maybe 5%. I keep telling her she needs to cull out the list but she insists that you never know when one article will appeal to someone??? Talk about the shotgun approach :-( Not what I would waste my time on..
Click to expand...
I send it to about 500 guests who have signed up for it. As I get bounced email, I remove them. Open rate averages 55%. Click rate around 30%. I culled the list last year (down from 800+) when the open rate was around 35%. Kept only the emails that regularly opened.
Does it bring me a lot of new guests? None. It keeps me in touch with guests who have shown an interest. Every thank you email contains a link to sign up. I get more sign ups than I get reviews. That's worth it to me. Each guest who signs up indicates their interest in returning. It's essentially free advertising to people who are already familiar with the 'product' (other than the fee for the email program).
I used to think 'keep sending it to everyone' but figured they're not opening it so why bother. If they were opening it, under cover, they can sign back up again and their email goes into the new list.
 
EmptyNest said:
So how many people do you send a newsletter to? Do they subscribe to it? Are you using Mail Chimp so you can see the stats of how many actually read it? Is is worth doing? Does it bring you new business? Or just your repeat customers?
I have a friend who brags about sending out a monthly newsletter to almost 1800 people but when I look at her stats, she is lucky if only 20% even open it and even fewer click on a link...maybe 5%. I keep telling her she needs to cull out the list but she insists that you never know when one article will appeal to someone??? Talk about the shotgun approach :-( Not what I would waste my time on..
Click to expand...
PS - industry standard open rate for 'lodging' is 20% so she's doing ok. 5% click thru is very low.
 
Morticia said:
EmptyNest said:
So how many people do you send a newsletter to? Do they subscribe to it? Are you using Mail Chimp so you can see the stats of how many actually read it? Is is worth doing? Does it bring you new business? Or just your repeat customers?
I have a friend who brags about sending out a monthly newsletter to almost 1800 people but when I look at her stats, she is lucky if only 20% even open it and even fewer click on a link...maybe 5%. I keep telling her she needs to cull out the list but she insists that you never know when one article will appeal to someone??? Talk about the shotgun approach :-( Not what I would waste my time on..
Click to expand...
PS - industry standard open rate for 'lodging' is 20% so she's doing ok. 5% click thru is very low.
.
Click to expand...
She is not lodging she has a gift shop
 
EmptyNest said:
Morticia said:
EmptyNest said:
So how many people do you send a newsletter to? Do they subscribe to it? Are you using Mail Chimp so you can see the stats of how many actually read it? Is is worth doing? Does it bring you new business? Or just your repeat customers?
I have a friend who brags about sending out a monthly newsletter to almost 1800 people but when I look at her stats, she is lucky if only 20% even open it and even fewer click on a link...maybe 5%. I keep telling her she needs to cull out the list but she insists that you never know when one article will appeal to someone??? Talk about the shotgun approach :-( Not what I would waste my time on..
Click to expand...
PS - industry standard open rate for 'lodging' is 20% so she's doing ok. 5% click thru is very low.
.
Click to expand...
She is not lodging she has a gift shop
.
Click to expand...
EmptyNest said:
She is not lodging she has a gift shop
Click to expand...
It sounds like she needs perkier subject lines!
 
We do it a little differently and it works for us. In the summer when the guests are commenting about the crowds of people, long lines, and pushing through crowds, we tell them that the town is a ghost town in Jan/Feb. One guy last summer said, "This I got to see! I'm not going to believe it until I see it for myself!" When they come for the summer music fest we tell them about the Christmas music fest and we have photo of the place decked out for Christmas. They come for Christmas, we tell them about the summer fest. They come for Spring Restaurant Week, we tell them about the Fall Restaurant Week, etc. It lets them know we are open year around and gives them a reason to visit the town in the other seasons.
 
We send out a newsletter only 3 or 4 times a year --
(1) in the fall after our season is over to encourage returning guests to claim their spots for next year sooner rather than later. We summarize the year past, discuss any planned projects or other changes, and share some personal anecdotes.
(2) in the winter (like about now) to let people know about what vacancies are still open for the coming season (e.g. for 2017, we are already fully booked for the month of August and much of July, too), report on the off-season conditions (people are curious what it is like here in the winter), maybe tell them about events planned in the town for the summer, and perhaps updates on any big projects, as well as updates on our "other" lives.
(3) in the spring (anywhere from mid-March to mid-April), again list the remaining vacancies, and really focus on events and other reasons for coming to stay in the early shoulder season (mid-May to July 4), but also throw in something about the autumn shoulder ("it's not too early to start planning a fall get-away...."). Again, other updates and news as appropriate.
(4) if we get to it, we might send something out in late July or early August focusing on the autumn season.
We always try to include humor and infotainment, perhaps something of historical interest (we are approaching our 70th year in business....) or perhaps something about our operations, maybe with a "green" twist to it (how much water or electricity do we use? we do collect data on those things, so why not share it?).
Our subscriber list is only about 200 to 250 e-mail addresses, and they have all requested to be added (or added themselves). No idea what the open rate or click-through rate is, but we always get a bump in reservation activity after sending one out. Besides the e-mail, we also post the newsletter on our website (where they are all archived), and post a link to that on Facebook.
 
OnTheShore said:
We send out a newsletter only 3 or 4 times a year --
(1) in the fall after our season is over to encourage returning guests to claim their spots for next year sooner rather than later. We summarize the year past, discuss any planned projects or other changes, and share some personal anecdotes.
(2) in the winter (like about now) to let people know about what vacancies are still open for the coming season (e.g. for 2017, we are already fully booked for the month of August and much of July, too), report on the off-season conditions (people are curious what it is like here in the winter), maybe tell them about events planned in the town for the summer, and perhaps updates on any big projects, as well as updates on our "other" lives.
(3) in the spring (anywhere from mid-March to mid-April), again list the remaining vacancies, and really focus on events and other reasons for coming to stay in the early shoulder season (mid-May to July 4), but also throw in something about the autumn shoulder ("it's not too early to start planning a fall get-away...."). Again, other updates and news as appropriate.
(4) if we get to it, we might send something out in late July or early August focusing on the autumn season.
We always try to include humor and infotainment, perhaps something of historical interest (we are approaching our 70th year in business....) or perhaps something about our operations, maybe with a "green" twist to it (how much water or electricity do we use? we do collect data on those things, so why not share it?).
Our subscriber list is only about 200 to 250 e-mail addresses, and they have all requested to be added (or added themselves). No idea what the open rate or click-through rate is, but we always get a bump in reservation activity after sending one out. Besides the e-mail, we also post the newsletter on our website (where they are all archived), and post a link to that on Facebook..
Click to expand...
For many years the Jan newsletter had a year in review section where I listed pounds of blueberries used, gallons of maple syrup, farthest away guest, oldest, youngest guest, etc.
 
Morticia said:
OnTheShore said:
We send out a newsletter only 3 or 4 times a year --
(1) in the fall after our season is over to encourage returning guests to claim their spots for next year sooner rather than later. We summarize the year past, discuss any planned projects or other changes, and share some personal anecdotes.
(2) in the winter (like about now) to let people know about what vacancies are still open for the coming season (e.g. for 2017, we are already fully booked for the month of August and much of July, too), report on the off-season conditions (people are curious what it is like here in the winter), maybe tell them about events planned in the town for the summer, and perhaps updates on any big projects, as well as updates on our "other" lives.
(3) in the spring (anywhere from mid-March to mid-April), again list the remaining vacancies, and really focus on events and other reasons for coming to stay in the early shoulder season (mid-May to July 4), but also throw in something about the autumn shoulder ("it's not too early to start planning a fall get-away...."). Again, other updates and news as appropriate.
(4) if we get to it, we might send something out in late July or early August focusing on the autumn season.
We always try to include humor and infotainment, perhaps something of historical interest (we are approaching our 70th year in business....) or perhaps something about our operations, maybe with a "green" twist to it (how much water or electricity do we use? we do collect data on those things, so why not share it?).
Our subscriber list is only about 200 to 250 e-mail addresses, and they have all requested to be added (or added themselves). No idea what the open rate or click-through rate is, but we always get a bump in reservation activity after sending one out. Besides the e-mail, we also post the newsletter on our website (where they are all archived), and post a link to that on Facebook..
Click to expand...
For many years the Jan newsletter had a year in review section where I listed pounds of blueberries used, gallons of maple syrup, farthest away guest, oldest, youngest guest, etc.
.
Click to expand...
That is a great idea.
 
Mort, I read your newsletter. I love it.
I am not sure which marketing news I subscribe to sent me this suggestion. I'm applying it to your situation
You send an email to your list with a big graphic HAPPY 30th ANNIVERSARY, HERE'S $30 OFF (or HERE'S YOUR GIFT!) Then you give the details of the offer. It was very appealing, very quick, and I predict would get bookings. The reason for my prediction is because I respond to offers like this.
Wondering if you saw it. The offer is the only thing you send in that email to your subscribers.
 
seashanty said:
Mort, I read your newsletter. I love it.
I am not sure which marketing news I subscribe to sent me this suggestion. I'm applying it to your situation
You send an email to your list with a big graphic HAPPY 30th ANNIVERSARY, HERE'S $30 OFF (or HERE'S YOUR GIFT!) Then you give the details of the offer. It was very appealing, very quick, and I predict would get bookings. The reason for my prediction is because I respond to offers like this.
Wondering if you saw it. The offer is the only thing you send in that email to your subscribers..
Click to expand...
I didn't see that. But I'll keep it in mind for next month. No one has piled on for the anniversary deal yet.
 
I moved a folder on my desk with notes from a state tourism marketing class I went to and here is what I saw, and am passing on, fwiw (and it is the opposite of what SS said, sorry SS, not trying to be anti-SS):
"Stop talking about yourself. Talk about what people are looking for"
Then the next line I wrote
"Timely. Right message Right time. Right people... example, before Veteran's day write about/blog/eNews Battlefield Hikes" this will be open-worthy inbox material.
My other advice - is go to Google incognito (in your browser window top right corner see the three dots, click there and then on "new incognito window" and then do your search.
Go by ABC's if you want. My Town A... then My Town B... then My Town C... (it will populate what folks are searching for) and whatever comes up are the top searches for My Town. See if you can write a blog/eNews about these.
Putting the top comment in perspective. I can think about my own state, I don't care if a B&B has an anniversary, but if they share neat things to see and do near them I will want to stay there. I don't really want a gift, I don't want an incentive, I do want inside info, or to learn about a place I have never been. New guests are harder to get than repeats (and always cost more marketing time and money). So repeats I would do something similar, introduce them to OTHER things to see and do - this is the package idea. Just my 2 cents worth. :)
 
JBloggs said:
I moved a folder on my desk with notes from a state tourism marketing class I went to and here is what I saw, and am passing on, fwiw (and it is the opposite of what SS said, sorry SS, not trying to be anti-SS):
"Stop talking about yourself. Talk about what people are looking for"
Then the next line I wrote
"Timely. Right message Right time. Right people... example, before Veteran's day write about/blog/eNews Battlefield Hikes" this will be open-worthy inbox material.
My other advice - is go to Google incognito (in your browser window top right corner see the three dots, click there and then on "new incognito window" and then do your search.
Go by ABC's if you want. My Town A... then My Town B... then My Town C... (it will populate what folks are searching for) and whatever comes up are the top searches for My Town. See if you can write a blog/eNews about these.
Putting the top comment in perspective. I can think about my own state, I don't care if a B&B has an anniversary, but if they share neat things to see and do near them I will want to stay there. I don't really want a gift, I don't want an incentive, I do want inside info, or to learn about a place I have never been. New guests are harder to get than repeats (and always cost more marketing time and money). So repeats I would do something similar, introduce them to OTHER things to see and do - this is the package idea. Just my 2 cents worth. :).
Click to expand...
I'll give that a try for topics to write about.
 
JBloggs said:
I moved a folder on my desk with notes from a state tourism marketing class I went to and here is what I saw, and am passing on, fwiw (and it is the opposite of what SS said, sorry SS, not trying to be anti-SS):
"Stop talking about yourself. Talk about what people are looking for"
Then the next line I wrote
"Timely. Right message Right time. Right people... example, before Veteran's day write about/blog/eNews Battlefield Hikes" this will be open-worthy inbox material.
My other advice - is go to Google incognito (in your browser window top right corner see the three dots, click there and then on "new incognito window" and then do your search.
Go by ABC's if you want. My Town A... then My Town B... then My Town C... (it will populate what folks are searching for) and whatever comes up are the top searches for My Town. See if you can write a blog/eNews about these.
Putting the top comment in perspective. I can think about my own state, I don't care if a B&B has an anniversary, but if they share neat things to see and do near them I will want to stay there. I don't really want a gift, I don't want an incentive, I do want inside info, or to learn about a place I have never been. New guests are harder to get than repeats (and always cost more marketing time and money). So repeats I would do something similar, introduce them to OTHER things to see and do - this is the package idea. Just my 2 cents worth. :).
Click to expand...
I tried using incognito and nothing comes up. I actually have to type whole words, so defeats the purpose of seeing what random things guests are searching. It does work without going incognito tho. Everyone wants to know the assessor's phone number. Not what guests are searching, strictly local searches. Dang.
Works fine on computer, not tablet. Good to know that the top things guests are looking for (so far) we have a page for it so show up on the first page for most searches.
Gluten free is a top search under 'g'.
 
Morticia said:
JBloggs said:
I moved a folder on my desk with notes from a state tourism marketing class I went to and here is what I saw, and am passing on, fwiw (and it is the opposite of what SS said, sorry SS, not trying to be anti-SS):
"Stop talking about yourself. Talk about what people are looking for"
Then the next line I wrote
"Timely. Right message Right time. Right people... example, before Veteran's day write about/blog/eNews Battlefield Hikes" this will be open-worthy inbox material.
My other advice - is go to Google incognito (in your browser window top right corner see the three dots, click there and then on "new incognito window" and then do your search.
Go by ABC's if you want. My Town A... then My Town B... then My Town C... (it will populate what folks are searching for) and whatever comes up are the top searches for My Town. See if you can write a blog/eNews about these.
Putting the top comment in perspective. I can think about my own state, I don't care if a B&B has an anniversary, but if they share neat things to see and do near them I will want to stay there. I don't really want a gift, I don't want an incentive, I do want inside info, or to learn about a place I have never been. New guests are harder to get than repeats (and always cost more marketing time and money). So repeats I would do something similar, introduce them to OTHER things to see and do - this is the package idea. Just my 2 cents worth. :).
Click to expand...
I tried using incognito and nothing comes up. I actually have to type whole words, so defeats the purpose of seeing what random things guests are searching. It does work without going incognito tho. Everyone wants to know the assessor's phone number. Not what guests are searching, strictly local searches. Dang.
Works fine on computer, not tablet. Good to know that the top things guests are looking for (so far) we have a page for it so show up on the first page for most searches.
Gluten free is a top search under 'g'.
.
Click to expand...
I think it does it by what you search for most so it would be different on each computer/tablet/phone. Like "g" for me brings goo gle and "i" brings up innspiring or inn rewards. Maybe I'm wrong but that what I thought.
 
Duff2014 said:
Morticia said:
JBloggs said:
I moved a folder on my desk with notes from a state tourism marketing class I went to and here is what I saw, and am passing on, fwiw (and it is the opposite of what SS said, sorry SS, not trying to be anti-SS):
"Stop talking about yourself. Talk about what people are looking for"
Then the next line I wrote
"Timely. Right message Right time. Right people... example, before Veteran's day write about/blog/eNews Battlefield Hikes" this will be open-worthy inbox material.
My other advice - is go to Google incognito (in your browser window top right corner see the three dots, click there and then on "new incognito window" and then do your search.
Go by ABC's if you want. My Town A... then My Town B... then My Town C... (it will populate what folks are searching for) and whatever comes up are the top searches for My Town. See if you can write a blog/eNews about these.
Putting the top comment in perspective. I can think about my own state, I don't care if a B&B has an anniversary, but if they share neat things to see and do near them I will want to stay there. I don't really want a gift, I don't want an incentive, I do want inside info, or to learn about a place I have never been. New guests are harder to get than repeats (and always cost more marketing time and money). So repeats I would do something similar, introduce them to OTHER things to see and do - this is the package idea. Just my 2 cents worth. :).
Click to expand...
I tried using incognito and nothing comes up. I actually have to type whole words, so defeats the purpose of seeing what random things guests are searching. It does work without going incognito tho. Everyone wants to know the assessor's phone number. Not what guests are searching, strictly local searches. Dang.
Works fine on computer, not tablet. Good to know that the top things guests are looking for (so far) we have a page for it so show up on the first page for most searches.
Gluten free is a top search under 'g'.
.
Click to expand...
I think it does it by what you search for most so it would be different on each computer/tablet/phone. Like "g" for me brings goo gle and "i" brings up innspiring or inn rewards. Maybe I'm wrong but that what I thought.
.
Click to expand...
Duff2014 said:
I think it does it by what you search for most so it would be different on each computer/tablet/phone. Like "g" for me brings goo gle and "i" brings up innspiring or inn rewards. Maybe I'm wrong but that what I thought.
Click to expand...
It looks like you're getting responses based on your previous searches.
 
JBloggs said:
I moved a folder on my desk with notes from a state tourism marketing class I went to and here is what I saw, and am passing on, fwiw (and it is the opposite of what SS said, sorry SS, not trying to be anti-SS):
"Stop talking about yourself. Talk about what people are looking for"
Then the next line I wrote
"Timely. Right message Right time. Right people... example, before Veteran's day write about/blog/eNews Battlefield Hikes" this will be open-worthy inbox material.
My other advice - is go to Google incognito (in your browser window top right corner see the three dots, click there and then on "new incognito window" and then do your search.
Go by ABC's if you want. My Town A... then My Town B... then My Town C... (it will populate what folks are searching for) and whatever comes up are the top searches for My Town. See if you can write a blog/eNews about these.
Putting the top comment in perspective. I can think about my own state, I don't care if a B&B has an anniversary, but if they share neat things to see and do near them I will want to stay there. I don't really want a gift, I don't want an incentive, I do want inside info, or to learn about a place I have never been. New guests are harder to get than repeats (and always cost more marketing time and money). So repeats I would do something similar, introduce them to OTHER things to see and do - this is the package idea. Just my 2 cents worth. :).
Click to expand...
OK, that was an excellent exercise! I've got a bunch of things to write about.
 
Duff2014 said:
Morticia said:
JBloggs said:
I moved a folder on my desk with notes from a state tourism marketing class I went to and here is what I saw, and am passing on, fwiw (and it is the opposite of what SS said, sorry SS, not trying to be anti-SS):
"Stop talking about yourself. Talk about what people are looking for"
Then the next line I wrote
"Timely. Right message Right time. Right people... example, before Veteran's day write about/blog/eNews Battlefield Hikes" this will be open-worthy inbox material.
My other advice - is go to Google incognito (in your browser window top right corner see the three dots, click there and then on "new incognito window" and then do your search.
Go by ABC's if you want. My Town A... then My Town B... then My Town C... (it will populate what folks are searching for) and whatever comes up are the top searches for My Town. See if you can write a blog/eNews about these.
Putting the top comment in perspective. I can think about my own state, I don't care if a B&B has an anniversary, but if they share neat things to see and do near them I will want to stay there. I don't really want a gift, I don't want an incentive, I do want inside info, or to learn about a place I have never been. New guests are harder to get than repeats (and always cost more marketing time and money). So repeats I would do something similar, introduce them to OTHER things to see and do - this is the package idea. Just my 2 cents worth. :).
Click to expand...
I tried using incognito and nothing comes up. I actually have to type whole words, so defeats the purpose of seeing what random things guests are searching. It does work without going incognito tho. Everyone wants to know the assessor's phone number. Not what guests are searching, strictly local searches. Dang.
Works fine on computer, not tablet. Good to know that the top things guests are looking for (so far) we have a page for it so show up on the first page for most searches.
Gluten free is a top search under 'g'.
.
Click to expand...
I think it does it by what you search for most so it would be different on each computer/tablet/phone. Like "g" for me brings goo gle and "i" brings up innspiring or inn rewards. Maybe I'm wrong but that what I thought.
.
Click to expand...
You need to sign out of google and even better, clean your cache before you sign out
 
Morticia said:
JBloggs said:
I moved a folder on my desk with notes from a state tourism marketing class I went to and here is what I saw, and am passing on, fwiw (and it is the opposite of what SS said, sorry SS, not trying to be anti-SS):
"Stop talking about yourself. Talk about what people are looking for"
Then the next line I wrote
"Timely. Right message Right time. Right people... example, before Veteran's day write about/blog/eNews Battlefield Hikes" this will be open-worthy inbox material.
My other advice - is go to Google incognito (in your browser window top right corner see the three dots, click there and then on "new incognito window" and then do your search.
Go by ABC's if you want. My Town A... then My Town B... then My Town C... (it will populate what folks are searching for) and whatever comes up are the top searches for My Town. See if you can write a blog/eNews about these.
Putting the top comment in perspective. I can think about my own state, I don't care if a B&B has an anniversary, but if they share neat things to see and do near them I will want to stay there. I don't really want a gift, I don't want an incentive, I do want inside info, or to learn about a place I have never been. New guests are harder to get than repeats (and always cost more marketing time and money). So repeats I would do something similar, introduce them to OTHER things to see and do - this is the package idea. Just my 2 cents worth. :).
Click to expand...
OK, that was an excellent exercise! I've got a bunch of things to write about.
.
Click to expand...
Morticia said:
OK, that was an excellent exercise! I've got a bunch of things to write about.
Click to expand...
Glad to hear it.
 

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