In the increasingly competitive world of travel, every booking counts. This means that leveraging the latest technology to boost marketing efforts, success, and ROI is now essential.
Marketing automation is one of the most powerful tools to achieve a variety of goals: enticing new travellers, improving customer engagement, streamlining processes, and ultimately increasing Return on Investment (ROI).
By personalising communications and automating key interactions, travel marketers can create exclusive experiences that inspire wanderlust, encourage bookings, and build long-term loyalty.
In this blog post, we explore five powerful ways that marketing automation can significantly improve travel ROI, helping brands stay ahead in an evolving industry.
Personalised trip inspiration
Nothing whets a traveller’s appetite like a little wanderlust.
With the use of preferences alongside browsing and booking data, travel marketers can send highly personalised travel recommendations and inspiration to trigger the travel bug.
These emails can highlight specific destinations and packages which align with the recipient’s interests and passions. In the process, increasing ROI by encouraging a first or repeat booking, and reducing the likelihood of travellers looking elsewhere.
Example
A travel brand can encourage a first purchase by utilising browsing behaviour alongside marketing automation to trigger personalised recommendations for locations at a range of price points. Incorporating eye-catching photography of the destination, or even user-generated content to spark a little FOMO (fear of missing out.)
Abandoned booking recovery
81.54% of travellers abandon their online booking. That’s a lot of missed potential revenue.
With the use of marketing automation, travel brands can identify when a user abandons the booking process and trigger an abandonment campaign focused on encouraging the user to complete their reservation.
These emails may be the last chance to engage with a potential customer, so marketers should pull out all the stops. Consider your most eye-catching imagery and video, reviews and ratings from happy travellers, similar trips at different price points, and lots of relevant information to address any concerns or questions.
Example
A travel agency can utilise marketing automation to trigger a series of emails in a short period of time to re-engage with the customer.
These emails can include a simple reminder to finish their booking complete with photos, reviews, and FAQs, followed up with similar hotels at different price points, and lastly a discount or incentive to finalise their booking.
Automated booking reminders
Travel brands can make the most of pre-travel excitement whilst also maintaining engagement with their customers by sending automated email and SMS reminders based on upcoming travel plans.
These emails can incorporate essential information, such as check-in details, weather forecasts, and nearby attractions, all of which build a positive rapport between the brand and the customer. Helping to retain customers in the long run.
In the short term, these emails can also be utilised to upsell and cross-sell services to increase average order value, which can be especially successful when the recipient is caught up in excitement over their trip. This could include hotel room upgrades, spa bookings, or concierge services.
Example
A travel agency can automate a series of emails focused on the best experiences nearby, incorporating the option to book excursions through the agency directly. This makes the booking process easier for the customer, whilst also bringing in increased revenue for the brand.
Post-trip follow-ups
The hard work isn’t over for travel brands once a trip is over.
In fact, immediately after a trip is the perfect time to reach out for feedback, ratings, and reviews.
This timing is important for a number of reasons. The customer will be highly engaged and therefore most likely to take time out to write a review. They may still be riding on their holiday high and be bursting with positive feedback. Or, if they are unhappy with their experience, it’s important to offer customers a way to vent before they hit public review sites.
And with more than 80% of travellers reporting that reviews help them feel more confident in their travel decisions, this feedback is invaluable for building brand awareness, increasing new sales, and in turn boosting ROI.
Example
Once a customer has returned from their trip, a hotel brand can automate a simple follow-up email campaign incorporating a star rating or survey. If this feedback is positive, this can trigger another email requesting a review on a public platform, to help build positive brand awareness.
Re-engagement campaigns
Despite all their best efforts, sometimes travellers simply disengage from a brand.
But after the time, effort, and resource that have gone into nurturing a customer, this is no time to give up!
Instead, travel brands can re-engage with inactive customers through marketing automation; identifying those that haven’t opened an email or booked in a period of time, and giving them the VIP treatment.
This could include a simple “We miss you!’ email, a reminder of the brand’s latest destinations, packages, and offers, or an enticing incentive to return and book.
This approach boosts ROI by retaining customers who have been invested in already, all whilst encouraging another purchase.
Example
A travel brand can use marketing automation to identify segments of recipients who haven’t opened an email in a while. With the use of prior browsing or booking history, they can automate a series of emails highly targeted at these individuals. Including destinations similar to those they regularly engage with, at a time when they usually book. They can even add a time-limited offer to add a sense of urgency in the booking.
Due to the personalised approach of these campaigns, they are more likely to encourage an email open and click, thus bringing the customers back to the website.
Next steps
Marketing automation offers a wealth of opportunities for travel brands to optimise their marketing strategies and maximise ROI.
By implementing personalised trip inspiration, brands can entice travellers with tailored recommendations that align with their interests and passions. Automated booking reminders keep customers engaged and excited whilst providing opportunities for upselling. Post-trip follow-ups gather valuable feedback and boost brand credibility. Abandoned booking recovery campaigns recapture lost revenue by re-engaging potential customers. And lastly, re-engagement campaigns revitalise interest among inactive customers, ensuring no opportunity is wasted.
These targeted, automated strategies not only enhance the customer experience but also drive significant growth and profitability for travel businesses.
If this sounds exciting, then we can help.
At Deployteq we specialise in helping travel brands increase their ROI with the use of marketing automation. Our innovative technology alongside our team of experts has been essential for brands such as Center Parcs to transform their marketing, and we’re confident we can help you too.
Get in touch today to find out more.
