Tips
If you work at a resort right now, we know that you’re traditionally very busy at this time of year. The start of the 2020-21 winter season is even more complicated in the ever-changing landscape of travel and recreation. Our team complied this list of quick reminders to help keep your to-do list on track! We know you have a lot to do, so we’ll keep it short.
If you haven’t already, test your daily snow report. Many resorts have delayed openings due to uncooperative weather or Covid-related restrictions, but don’t let that delay verifying your report is working as expected. Your guests expect the snow report to land in their inbox on opening day. They are looking forward to it!
With the Thanksgiving holiday drawing near, so is the start of the holiday shopping season. Most retailers have already kick-started their Cyber Week sales, which is seen as the biggest sales opportunity of the year. This year, guests will want and need outdoor, socially-distant experiences. Help them complete their holiday shopping by offering some great deals to get outside and enjoy the best of winter. To help you determine the best time to send your campaign, read about The Best and Worst Days for Resort Email Marketing.
Guests love to be reminded of their wonderful, past experiences. Entice them to rebook by sending them a Stay Anniversary Reminder email. By simply sending a reminder for guests to return, resorts see a consistent, incremental increase in bookings from those customers. A returning customer has a higher propensity to return than a new prospect. Combine that with the average lodging spend at your resort and you can quickly see that this simple email – which costs almost nothing to send – provides some of the most efficient campaign returns.
While it seems as though protocols are changing by the week, day, and sometimes hour, there are still things you can do to prepare. Review all your existing email templates and automations, webforms, and contact lists. If your content changes, your templates will be ready to use. Think about what your needs are for winter guest surveying. Get those into place and test them ahead of time. Verify and adjust your 2020-21 passholder guest types, as well as any other key 2020-21 guest segments to whom you may need to perform periodic outreach this year.
Much of your recent communication is probably centered around new protocols and guidelines. Don’t forget to tap into that deep-rooted desire that all skiers and riders have when opening day is approaching. They love the sport and are coming to have fun! Remind them that it will still be fun and that they will be creating new memories with their families. Maybe this is the year someone’s little one straps skis on for the first time or that a guest truly experiences how the mountains are good for the soul.
If you need any help with these tasks, reach out to your Strategic Account Manager. We’re looking forward to this winter, too!
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