Retaining hospitality guests, that’s naturally what you as a hospitality entrepreneur want to achieve. Once a guest has visited, the next step is to encourage them to come back again. This is where hospitality entrepreneurs need to get creative. It’s not enough to simply give them a loyalty card, send them discount coupons, or email them with special offers. We need to go the extra mile to ensure that they keep coming back for more. Read on for some ideas on how to bring your guests back for more and increase their visit frequency. You might think that the ultimate goal of any business is simply to keep selling as much as possible and maximize profit on each individual transaction. However, this overlooks an essential point of a hospitality establishment: you’re also in the business of serving your guests so that they come back again after their initial visit – and hopefully tell their friends about you too!
Give them something to look forward to
One of the most effective ways to bring guests back is to give them something to look forward to. This can be something like a guest appreciation event. It’s a great way to reward your guests for their loyalty and encourage them to keep coming back. And it doesn’t have to be an expensive marketing method either. You can organize a simple event in your establishment for your guests – such as a weekly happy hour, a monthly dinner for regular guests, or a special themed party like Halloween or Christmas. You can also give your guests something to look forward to with your loyalty program. A loyalty program is a popular marketing technique where guests are rewarded with points or special coupons after making purchases. This will not only ensure that your guests return, but it will likely increase their average spending as well.
Surprise and delight them
If giving guests something to look forward to doesn’t align with your business model, you can also try surprising and delighting them instead. This can be done through a complimentary gift upon arrival, a free or discounted extra service, or a gesture that shows your appreciation for them. Whatever you choose, it should be something unexpected. The key here is that it has to be genuine. You don’t want to give the impression that you’re doing this just to make guests come back for more. Ideally, you want your guests to feel like they’re more than just a transaction to you. They’re individuals who deserve to be treated with respect, gratitude, and appreciation.
Be transparent and communicate with your guests
Let’s face it, we’ve all experienced bad service at some point, and we know how much it affects guest loyalty. In fact, it’s often the lack of service that leads to guests not coming back. So how can you ensure that this doesn’t happen with your business? First and foremost, be transparent in all communication with guests. This includes signage, social media posts, website, email communication, and everything else. Every communication should be clear and consistent. Your guests should feel like they know what you expect from them, what you offer, and what they can expect from your establishment. You should also make sure to respond to any complaints or concerns your guests may have in a professional, polite, and timely manner.
Send them a thank-you note
Lastly, another great way to stay in touch with your guests is by sending a thank-you note. This can be for their first visit, for participating in a survey, for referring a friend, or for any other reason you can think of. It can be handwritten for that extra special touch, but you can also send it electronically via email. This is a great way to stay connected with your guests and show them that you’re grateful for their visit. Plus, it’s also very cost-effective to do.
