How do you attract more customers to your hotel?

Is the occupancy rate at your hotel currently too low? Want to attract customers to your hotel even outside of peak season? Then it's time to reassess your service and marketing strategy. Ready to attract new customers and convert them into regulars? Join La Lorraine Bakery Group in taking some essential steps to success.

Analyse the service and quality of your hotel

To attract more guests to your hotel, you first need to analyse what's going wrong. The only way to increase bookings is to improve your service, marketing and findability. Start with a thorough evaluation of your guests’ feedback, both online and during their stay. Discover which aspects could be improved upon, such as rooms, breakfast or customer friendliness.

Here's what we advise:

Tip: ensure that your service and range is perfected before you try to attract new customers. Staying in a hotel is a luxury for most people, therefore customers have high expectations. Ensure you have taken care of all the details to optimise your customer satisfaction.

Optimise the findability of your hotel

Findability is crucial when it comes to attracting more customers to your hotel. Some tips:

Create a website that is optimised for search engines (SEO). Make sure you include the search terms “hotel + your location”, as this will be the most frequently searched term. For example, if your hotel is in Birmingham, optimise your site for “hotel in Birmingham”. Collect reviews to prove your trustworthiness and the bookings will soon come streaming in. It's also a good idea to combine your SEO strategy with SEA (Google Ads). SEO can take time to generate leads.
So register your website with “Google My Business”. It's the perfect place to collect reviews, share photos and make your contact details visible. In addition, when you register with Google, you'll be added to Google Maps.
Is creating a website too big an investment at the moment? Consider partnering with a booking site like Booking.com. However, bear in mind that you will pay a commission per booking. Use your social media channels to attract your target audience and convince them to choose your hotel. Tip: we'd love to tell you more about social media marketing for hospitality businesses.

Increase your brand awareness

Building brand awareness is the pathway to success in the hotel sector. Some tips to accelerate this process:

Tip 1: collaborate with local entrepreneurs

Partner up with other local businesses, like museums, restaurants, breweries and shops. Offer collective promotions where guests receive a discount if they visit your hotel as well as the partner locations. This not only strengthens your position on the local market, but also allows you to offer your guests a complete package of experiences. For example, a promotion including a dinner at a well-loved local restaurant or a visit to a popular sight.

Tip 2: organise events

Organise events at your hotel that appeal to the local community, such as culinary evenings, wine tastings, art showings or networking events. These events not only attract local visitors but also give you the opportunity to position your hotel as a meeting place. By regularly organising events, you can ensure that your hotel stays at the front of your local residents and potential guests' minds.

Tip 3: make sure that you're listed in guidebooks

Ensure that your hotel is listed in guidebooks, maps and brochures for tourists. This increases the chance that tourists will find you when they are looking to visit your area. Collaborate with local tourist information boards and travel agencies, so your hotel becomes a recommendation. Tourists often use these listings to determine their choice of hotel.

Tip 4: get networking

Network with local businesses and tourist organisations. Get involved in networking events, sector associations and entrepreneur communities to promote your hotel. Building relationships with other entrepreneurs often leads to fruitful partnerships and referrals. This can result in more bookings and a wider customer base.

Tip 5: local community events

Your involvement in the local community can greatly impact your brand recognition. Sponsor events or take part in local community events like street parties, sports events or markets. Active involvement in the social life of your area will allow you to build a positive reputation and position you as an invaluable member of the community. This means that local guests as well as visitors from further afield may hear about you through word of mouth.

Develop a unique selling point

A final important step to attract more customers is developing a unique selling point or USP. Some strategies you can take:

Unique experiences: offer special tastings and tours that are different from the standard options on offer. For example, exclusive wine or beer tastings with a sommelier or local expert, guided tours through the city stopping at hidden gems that only locals know about, or wellness treatments tailored to the customer like massages or yoga sessions in unique settings. These types of experiences make your offering more appealing to customers looking for a special time.
Exceptional culinary experiences: create culinary experiences that go beyond the usual restaurant offering. Consider offering BBQ catering at a unique location, like on a roof terrace or in a beautifully lit garden. Offer a luxurious breakfast buffet with a wide choice of delicacies and fresh products. Other ideas are a themed buffet or an exclusive chef's table experience, where guests eat a special meal prepared by a renowned chef.
Popular dining times: research the most popular dining times in your region and position your offering as the best choice. For example, if there are few spots offering an extensive breakfast buffet or a cosy afternoon tea, invest in these experiences. Generate a feeling of scarcity by emphasising the fact that your location is one of the few places to offer these types of services. This helps create a sense of urgency and exclusivity among potential customers.

Quality products from LLBG for smooth service

Want to expand your range with delicious products, with no extra work? Take a look at La Lorraine Bakery Group's (frozen) product range. With a diverse assortment of quality bread products, viennoiserie, patisserie, savoury snacks and sweet snacks, LLBG is your essential partner.

3 strong brands, 1 contact person for your business