7 Marketing Strategies to Help Boost Christmas Bookings in Hospitality

At Access Hospitality, we are passionate about helping hospitality businesses make the most of every season.

With our expertise in guest data and intelligent integration with Acteol, a dynamic hospitality CRM, we have the tools to help you create unforgettable Christmas experiences to boost your bookings and increase revenue. As providers of specialist software that helps connect your customer data to a powerful CRM for targeted, personalised messaging, we know a little thing or two about the importance of effective marketing strategies, especially during busier seasons.

This year, we are sharing our top tips on how to make sure your venue is the first choice for guests looking to enjoy the festive season. From personalised experiences, to using customer data to drive campaigns, this article will give you the best marketing strategies you need to have a successful seasonal period.

Boost seasonal bookings, personalise festive packages and transform your socials

The key to keeping bookings and engagement high is to make your customers feel unique and catered for, and with customer data, you have the power to offer the best Christmas deals for guaranteed bookings. Our smart CRM and guest WiFi solutions can segment your customer data and help you organise your targeted campaigns to reach the right audience. Here are some other ways our hospitality software can kick-start your festive campaigning:

Create seasonal packages that are too hard to resist – Using customer data from your CRM you can construct festive packages that cater to specific budgets and preferences, so you hit every target market.

Get festive with targeted campaigns – Build and design newsletters and exciting promotions through our Acteol software to notify new and returning customers of special offers and early bird discounts.

Personalise your brand so guests feel included in the festivities – Our guest WiFi collates customers’ behaviours and preferences for you to deliver landing pages that resonate to their specific needs and drive more advanced bookings.

So, what are the best strategies for boosting your bookings?

1. Craft irresistible Christmas experiences

We always talk about how useful customer data can be, and at Christmas, using data can be imperative to drive targeted marketing campaigns. With Acetol, we delight your guests with Guest Wi-Fi, which helps you create personalised landing pages that showcases relevant offers and promotions. Investing in personalised experiences makes guests feel valued, and when they see tailored offers created for them, they are more likely to buy into your Christmas offerings.

Put your venue at the top of the list by promoting your key USPs that are, based on guests’ preferences, spending habits, and past visits. This data allows you to deliver tailored messages and offers that help your brand stand out to guests seeking the ultimate Christmas experience from festive family brunches to elegant corporate dinner parties.

2. Give your social media a festive flair

Social media can be a powerful tool when it comes to attracting potential guests with an average of 76% of social media users having purchased something they saw advertised whilst scrolling through their feed. By sprinkling the spirit of Christmas across your business socials, you give online visitors insight and visibility on what to expect when they choose to visit you.

Show your audience what is going on behind-the-scenes with glimpses of your festive preparations, including how the venue will be decorated, tasty food pictures and exclusive offers they could find. By showcasing your venue's Christmas cheer, you instantly show what guests can expect, setting you apart from the competition.

It is also a great way to connect with guests. Consider encouraging customers to share their positive experiences by running contests or challenges. This not only generates some authentic content but also boosts your brand's visibility. Get local influencers to promote your seasonal offerings as their reach and credibility can significantly impact your bookings.

3. Unwrap irresistible festive packages

When you’re looking to create seasonal offers, make sure you’re catering to different preferences and budgets. From intimate family dinners to big corporate celebrations, it's important to make sure your offerings are diverse so that there's something for everyone.

Limited time offers are a great solution for venues looking to boost Christmas bookings quickly by generating a sense of urgency to give guests the incentive to book sooner rather than later. Consider offering ‘early bird’ discounts or exclusive perks for bookings to ensure your venue is busy for the seasonal period.

However, it’s not just about bookings to make the Christmas period a success. You can also increase average spending on the day by offering add-on opportunities or advertise optional extras to give your guests the most memorable Christmas experience withfestive decorations, live music and themed entertainment nights to help boost profit and increase upselling.

4. Use guest reviews to build trust

It's a known fact that most people check reviews before booking into a venue, particularly when they are choosing somewhere to celebrate an occasion. This is why it is key to build trust with your customers and provide high-quality service every time. Spotlighting existing glowing reviews and positive testimonials on your website or social media is a great trick to significantly influence guests’ booking decisions.

If you are in need of more reviews for your venue to show guests why they should book with you, why not offer small rewards or discounts to encourage previous guests to share their experiences? This shows future guests that you value their feedback, positive or negative and helps to iron out any inefficiencies in service quickly.

As well as highlighting positive feedback from customers, make sure you address both the good and bad reviews promptly and professionally. This demonstrates your commitment as a brand to customer satisfaction and can also show that you’re always continuously improving service.

5. Build anticipation with a festive countdown

Christmas is a time of excitement, and an important period to boost your brand campaigns. Consider implementing a countdown clock across your website and social media to generate anticipation amongst potential guests, as well as creating a sense of urgency to book in time for the festive season. Festive quizzes, polls or giveaways will also keep visitors immersed and connected with the latest announcements of your business.

It is important to ensure your content has a focus on the upcoming seasonal period. You could offer helpful tips for hosting the perfect Christmas party, how to plan a memorable family gathering or share recipes for festive cocktails and appetisers. In doing this, you allow your audience to immerse themselves in the festivities interactively which generate more bookings at your venue.

6. Your website is your window display

Personalised touches displayed on landing pages, such as remembering a regular's favourite drink or offering personalised discounts to returning customers, can go a long way in connecting with customers and boosting loyalty to your brand.

Ensure that your website is updated and optimised by October, so you are prepared for the rush of guests looking for the perfect Christmas experience. Showcase your festive photo gallery, key dates, unique Christmas offers and important contact information, so your guests are well-informed when making their bookings. You can also use our handy website holiday update checklist to tick off your festive to-do-list and get your website ready for your online visitors.

7. Customer loyalty is key

While boosting Christmas bookings is important, customer loyalty is essential for long-term success. Building relationships with guests through your Christmas marketing campaigns ensures that they don’t just visit your venue during the festive season but keep returning throughout the year.

Creating a loyalty programme is another great way to keep guests coming back. Whether it is a points-based system, birthday rewards, or exclusive access to seasonal events, you can encourage more direct bookings. Combining this with customer data through smart software solutions like Acetol allows you to offer targeted rewards based on your guests’ preferences and habits. Regular customers will feel valued when their loyalty is recognised and lead to positive reviews and repeat visits.

So, are you ready to boost your Christmas bookings?

We know how important it is to guarantee Christmas bookings, especially with the hospitality sector being an extremely competitive market during the festive season. In this article, we've covered everything you need to know to make sure your restaurant stands out this Christmas from targeted marketing strategies and personalised experiences, to making the most of guest data and optimising your website offerings.

At Access, our smart software solutions such as Wireless Social and Acteol help you drive your online presence and utilise customer data to create personalised Christmas campaigns and make your festive season a success.

Download our website hospitality update checklist here and start getting your restaurant ready for the festive fun.

Victoria is one of our dedicated content writers here at Access Hospitality. Her rich experience in the retail, L&D and hospitality industry enables her to create engaging and informative content that encapsulates our ethos here at Access. Combined with her expert content insights and professional writing skills, Victoria helps our customers understand the importance of hospitality software and is an integral part of the content team.