HeBS Digital Generated 30:1 Return for a Hotel Client with a Cyber Monday Campaign
By Sara O’Brien
Online shoppers spent $1.74 billion dollars on Cyber Monday last year, making it the largest online shopping day in history. This year Cyber Monday is on December 1, which is perfect to generate revenues for the slow months of Q1 2015!
By offering potential guests a highly valued special package including discounted rooms and / or onsite add-ons, hoteliers can watch the revenue pour in this December 1st.
The main goals of the Cyber Monday campaign are to:
Increase Revenue: The property’s special package will encourage potential guests to book rooms on Cyber Monday to boost occupancy in Q1 2015.
Generate Awareness: The Cyber Monday campaign will generate awareness surrounding the property and the special sale.
Increase Customer Engagement and Marketing Database: The campaign will create a group of highly engaged customers and a database of email opt-ins and reach for future marketing initiatives.
We recommend that hoteliers utilize a Limited Time Offer Application such as HeBS Digital’s Interactive LTO Application that creates a highly visual web presence on the three screens (desktop, mobile, tablet). The application provides key information to potential guests (promotion perks, benefits, and rules) and features a countdown clock leading up to Cyber Monday. It serves as a central destination for visitors interested in the promotion, as well as a landing page for the various marketing initiatives. It allows the hotel to create a database and opt-in email list of highly engaged customers to use for later marketing initiatives as well as engages users via social media.
Here are some quick tips for making this Cyber Monday your best yet:
Use a highly visual mini-site: HeBS Digital’s LTO Interactive Marketing Application engages customers and converts them into bookers.
Launch a multi-channel marketing campaign: Plan your Cyber Monday campaign as a multi-channel marketing campaign that includes core initiatives such as SEO, SEO, email, website promotional slides and tiles, Google Display Network targeting and retargeting, travel consumer deal alert, online media, social media and dynamic rate marketing.
Budget for success: Set aside at least $5K – $10K marketing budget for a multi-channel campaign to drive traffic to the Interactive Application and boost bookings during the promotional period.
Provide true value: Cyber Monday has become increasingly competitive and potential guests are expecting big value. We recommend providing at least a 25% discount or greater with value-adds. Value-adds can include dining and spa credits, welcome gifts and amenities, free parking, room upgrades, and more.
Do a “Power Hour” with an even steeper discount. This can be included as part of the campaign, to generate more buzz and increased bookings.
Find ways around a “discount” if needed: If you are not comfortable promoting a discount you can position the package as a 3rd or 4th night free. Or keep it private and provide the discount via email after the user signs up.
Read a case study on how HeBS Digital helps its clients take advantage of the online holiday shopping season frenzy and increase website bookings with a Cyber Monday Interactive Marketing Application and multi-channel campaign, and find out how a boutique hotel collection in New York City increased bookings by 51% YoY and generated ROI of over 3,000%.
