‘Land of Love’ Resorts Work With Digital Alchemy to Mine PMS Database for Guest Preference Emails that Combine Recognition with High Revenue
June 22, 2016 – When East Coast couples need to decompress, many make the two-hour drive to one of Cove Haven Entertainment Resorts’ three properties. The company’s Pocono Palace, Cove Haven and Paradise Stream each have a lake-side fun outdoor feel. The couples-only properties offer guests a place to reconnect with year-round activities and evening entertainment in a romantic environment. The resorts are best known for their unique suites featuring the world famous heart-shaped whirlpool bath-for-two and 7-foot Champagne Glass. Repeat guests are a large percentage of Cove Haven Entertainment Resorts’ segment mix and Digital Alchemy, a leading provider of email marketing for hotels, helps the resort company build loyalty with guest recognition-based email marketing that keeps guests coming back to the Poconos Mountains.
“We are a drive-to destination. Most of our guests come from New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania,” said Maura Roman, Director of Sales and Marketing for Cove Haven Entertainment Resorts. “Our properties are all-inclusive with unlimited breakfast and dinner, free guest access to our bikes, driving ranges, tennis, hiking trails, water skiing and tubing and nightly entertainment. Since we have so much to offer, we work with Digital Alchemy to develop email marketing campaigns that yield a 10 to 1 return. Our campaign success is based on recognizing our guests and marketing to their preferences.”
Roman noted that Digital Alchemy is a major part of Cove Haven Entertainment Resorts’ success with guest loyalty. “Digital Alchemy’s email marketing is a huge part of our business. We partner with them to mine our Opera property management system (PMS) database for guest preferences for our campaigns. Guests respond when we recognize them and offer specials for activities they enjoy.” Roman said she works with Digital Alchemy to segment and target campaign promotions for specific audience types, date ranges and past activities in Cove Haven Entertainment Resort’s guest history. “Being a drive-to destination makes it possible to send real-time offers guests can respond to spontaneously. We also use Digital Alchemy for pre-stay confirmations with special promotions that generate revenue.” Even cancellations are an opportunity for Cove Haven Entertainment Resorts. If a guest changes his or her mind, Cove Haven Entertainment Resorts sends a cancellation notice with convenient re-booking options.
Cove Haven Entertainment Resorts’ email marketing campaigns take interested guests to a landing page and booking link so guests have two direct booking options. “We help guests book directly with our properties,” Roman said. “Once OTA guests are in our database, we can segment down a campaign and select our OTA guests for an incentive to book directly with us. Digital Alchemy’s PMS interface handles this seamlessly.”
Cove Haven Entertainment Resorts is confident of its promotions’ performance because they have the numbers. “We track each promotion’s success rate with Digital Alchemy’s reports,” Roman said. “When guests book, we know the reservation’s source because Digital Alchemy interfaces with our PMS. Digital Alchemy’s team sends us the campaign’s results on the first day, third day and subsequent days. They track the open rate, number of reservations booked, room nights and revenue for each campaign. They do this automatically without us having to ask. This is huge because we get accurate revenue and other metrics through Digital Alchemy’s interface with our Opera system. With accurate, real-time knowledge of each campaign’s success rate, we continuously refine our messages to increase revenue by recognizing what brings guests to our properties.”
Digital Alchemy works with hundreds of independent operators to create custom email communications and campaigns that increase loyalty. The company drives revenue with guest communication solutions that are specifically tailored and personalized per guest, per visit. An in-depth understanding of each customer’s needs, via ongoing client communication, ensures a 400% ROI on every email campaign. Click here for information on Digital Alchemy’s email marketing for hotels.
Cove Haven Entertainment Resorts’ properties live up to their reputation as the ‘Land of Love.’ “Besides our many property-based outdoor activities, we partner with several local vendors that offer tree-top zip lining, whitewater rafting and stock car racing experience at Pocono Raceway,” Roman said. The properties even make their own snow for winter sports and snowmobiling. “Guests at any of our properties have full access to activities and entertainment at our other resorts at no charge. We know what our guests enjoy about our properties. With Digital Alchemy’s help, this recognition strengthens loyalty and repeat business.”
