When you plan to build better email campaigns, do you plan for segments based on guest data? If not, you’re missing a great opportunity.
Segmented campaigns are opened almost 15 percent more than non-segmented campaigns, and garner over double the clicks. Using what you know about your customers can make a big difference.
Data overload is a genuine problem, but most of us aren’t using the data we already have. By using the data available in booking software reports, you can learn more about customers’ booking habits. Once you turn those habits into email campaign segments, you can easily drive repeat bookings.
Here are 7 types of customer data you may be overlooking:
Repeat customers
Loyal customers are obviously important, but so is knowing who they are. If a customer has booked more than once in the past few months, you should know about it.
With Rezgo, that’s as easy as running a booking report. Simply sort your results by name, and you can see any customers who’ve booked multiple times in the reporting window. Once that’s done, create an email segment specifically for your loyal customers, and recognize that loyalty in your emails.
Discount hunters
Have you run any big discounts lately? If so, look into who took advantage. You can sort reports by promo codes, specific options or price tier, or the price of the booking. The best method will depend on how the discount was offered. If you find new or repeat customers who showed up for the discount, they should be segmented into a list for future discounts, too.
Referrers
If you use Ref IDs or user accounts to track where bookings come from, you can use that information in a great targeted email campaign. Knowing where your customers come from allows you to appeal to the very thing that brought them to you. You might even work with a referring company to offer deals for repeat customers of both businesses.
Purchase source
If customers book through the web, they’re easy targets for any email campaign. If they only book in person or over the phone, you may want to be more thoughtful about reaching out to them via email. They may not be as Internet-savvy as someone who books online, so consider outlining any calls to action in detail. You may even want to put a phone number front and center.
Feedback
Reviews and complaints aren’t tracked through Rezgo, but you may want to note the people who leave feedback anyways. An email marketing campaign can show appreciation for customers who are kind enough to give your company a second chance, or for customers who have shared their love of your company online.
Location
Are your customers local? Or do they hail from distant cities? That one piece of information can make a world of difference to your email campaigns. Target nearby guests with email campaigns that involve other local businesses and appeal to local pride. Offer them great discounts on near-future bookings. Guests that need to travel may not be interested in those emails, but they’ll love deals that leave them lots of time to plan.
Inventory
This might seem obvious, but it’s often overlooked: You can segment your email lists based on the inventory your guests tend to book. You can get much better response rates by promoting the right inventory to the right customers. This is especially important if you offer very disparate items, like lessons for different age groups, or tours that appeal to several distinct interests.
Wrapping up
However you choose to do it, segmenting your email campaigns helps. The better you can identify your customers, the better you can reach them with the promotions they’ll care about. With email marketing, that can make all the difference — especially to your open rates.
Written By | Nissa Campbell
