It is an example. No one is saying give them $100 off a room.
No one is going to book a room because you
give them a bday cake. The point is a promotion - to save "bucks" therefore entice someone to book a room..
Right, it's an example. And I'd offer a free birthday cake if I did something like this. Sometimes it's more about having something different than $$$ off. I do enough $$$ off and see no bookings on the offer. Except the $10 book online one. That seems to work.
I like presents (me personally). I'd like a cake in my room or a gift. If the choice was 'nothing' or 'cake'.
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What other kind of money off offers have you done that don't work? I would be curious to know and probably others about what might not be working well.
Frankly, I ALWAYS do something special for birthdays or other special occasions for my guests. Very, very rarely do they mention it. However, they are ALWAYS grateful and thank me for discounts that I offer (military, local university, corporate rates, repeat guest discount).
I still think that this year people will continue to be expecting more for less $$.
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I've done weekend packages (ala the type that bandb.com does midweek) on slow weekends, offering 25% off. If the weekend is slow, 25% off is not bringing them in, they just don't want to be in town that weekeend! But, everyone wants that discount in the summer.
I would say that in 5 years, maybe 3 guests have thanked me for the repeat guest discount. And I DO point it out to them so they know they're getting it. Not a peep out of most of them. Last year, I did a free night for my very best guests. It was on their confirmation and every last one of them was surprised by it at check in (no one reads) and most said, 'That wasn't necessary,' so I stopped doing it. Why give away the money?
If I know it's a b'day, I give a card & gift. Ditto an anniversary. Comments? Nary a one.
Someone else posted on here that they give 'things' instead of money off. Mugs, t-shirts, basically advertising to the guests as a thank you. I like that better than what I'm doing.
Just the other day I got a call about a pkg I'm doing. No discounts but you get a gift. The person booking never asked about a discount, but she did say, 'And this includes the gift you mentioned, right?' Wait until she finds out she gets TWO of the gift because it's one for each person in the room and I doubt her husband will want it.
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Morticia said:
I would say that in 5 years, maybe 3 guests have thanked me for the repeat guest discount. And I DO point it out to them so they know they're getting it. Not a peep out of most of them. Last year, I did a free night for my very best guests. It was on their confirmation and every last one of them was surprised by it at check in (no one reads) and most said, 'That wasn't necessary,' so I stopped doing it. Why give away the money?
And your experience is actually typical. Most frequent stay programs focus on freebies or discounts and that's not what most frequent guests are looking for.
So yes, when you're discounting to folks who don't expect it and would come back without the discount, you are giving away money.
What do they want? Ask them. Each inn has such unique offerings, it's difficult to pick any particular thing guests want. But there are some things all frequent guests want: the personal touch. If you know they like a particular wine, have it in the room for them as a surprise. If you know they love a particular restaurant, arrange to pay for the dessert for them when they go.
In other words, frequent guests require a good bit of creativity in choosing some level of appreciation that touches them.
But the vast majority of them do not react as well to discounts as folks would assume they do.
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What about "either or". You can either take advantage of a certain discount or take the free gift (mugs, t-shirts, whatever)
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You know, I've never been a big fan of the either or school of specials. I know places, for example, that do stay 2-nights-get-3rd-free OR 20% off entire stay.
To me, that just defeats the purpose of a multiple night stay reward.
Rather than offer unnecessary discounts, which have a serious downside if they're not necessary, I always advocate instead focusing on those guests who will come back no matter what but just need a reminder. Or a little incentive.
I'm all for free upgrades, for example, for frequent guests. Always appreciated by the guests. And it's just amazing how often they'll get used to the better room or suite and just start booking it at full rate.
And I'm all for multiple night rewards. Third night free in off-season. Or some incentive, even in season, for booking multiple nights.
To me, it all comes down to thinking about what you really want to reward and where you really get the most bang for your buck.
The free coffee cups, T-shirts, etc are great bang-for-your-buck incentives. I also like free stainless steel sports bottles (really inexpensive to have imprinted at Discount Mugs, BTW) as incentives that will keep your name in front of the guests (and their friends/family) for a long time.
Those kind of incentives always get my vote.
But the thing to be especially mindful of is that once guests get used to discounting, they think of that as the rate. And that's what they expect going forward. Don't fall into the trap. There are other ways.
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