Marketing Monday

[Evelyn0]

As I looked at my upcoming reservations I noticed the inevitable slow season of January. With only 10 days booked for two listings I need to get my marketing up.. This is what I'm doing.

I have a google document where I keep track of ALL my guests information, including my own notes. What do I have in my document?

1. Name
2. Personal email (I request it upon booking, sometimes they give it sometimes they don't)
3. Phone number
4. Dates
5. Listing Name (I have two listings)
6. Amount Paid
7. Number of nights
8. A note about the guests - example - coming to visit a grandchild, journalist researching a book, I don't want them in my home. EVER. Just notes for me to remember them. 

Now back to Marketing:

I'm sending a "Happy Holidays" email to my guests, with the shown photo. It's a template I wrote but I also personalize it by adding a "how's your grandchild?" note within the body of the email. I also give them a special discount at the moment of 20%. Why? Because these are proven guests, I already know them and they know my home. I'm already discounting my prices by 10% so an additional 10% makes them feel special and puts money in my pocket.

It's time consuming but I just started sending it (only 4 so far) and one of my guests (from 5 years ago) remembered me, a particular chair his son loved, and it's interested in the discount.

Are you doing anything for the "holidays" or your slow season?

[Dave-and-Deb0]

Greta idea @Evelyn0,

I know you are a person who uses Google so might I suggest you save some time and use Google Sheets and there is an awesome Add-on called Not Yet Another Mail Merge.  Once you have it setup, you send it out and it also tracks who has opened it.  I use this to email my student's parents everyday and it is very slick.  If you want a quick run through, I could show you over a Google Hangout.  

Cheers

Dave

[Evelyn0]

@Dave-and-Deb0 Thanks for the tip.  I LOVE google.. I'll check it out and if I can't figure it out. I'll let you know.

[Maria-Lurdes0]

@Evelyn0 Girl, you know momma wants in on this action.

Edmonton Dave and Deb (Vancouverite here), I would love a lesson in the google 'not a merge' as I also send emails out but this year I'm doing a Happy New Year one instead of  Merry Christmas one.

[Evelyn0]

Here is the tutorial from Google.. But you have to use a gmail and I don't, yet.

[Regina0]

Hey @Evelyn0 if only I could be as organzized as you!

[Evelyn0]

Thank you

[Lizzie]

Hello @Evelyn0,

Great post, thanks for sharing. 🙂

Has anyone else been doing anything similar?