The Small Stuff Matters: Turning Tiny Interactions Into Big Loyalty Wins
In times of visitors tightening their budgets, it’s the little things that can be your big competitive edge. A cupcake-sized "Birthday Kid" pin for their child. Welcoming an anniversary couple to find chilled champagne and a handwritten note in their suite. An ADA audio device at the ready makes exhibits effortlessly inclusive and accessible. These personalized details separate the good from the must-tell-everyone hotel and attraction experiences.
These moments, though small, are mighty loyalty maximizers. And coupled with perfectly timed asks, they can open new avenues for revenue and building brand trust. Because when you make visitors feel seen and valued before, during, and after their experience with you, they’re more likely to linger longer, spend more, and tell their friends, even through economic jitters.
The secret to sparking emotional connections — ones that compel referrals and return visits — is in the details.
Seize the Micro-Moment With Optimized Offers
Understanding your guests seems downright impossible sometimes. After all, human behavior is fickle. But there are predictable points along the customer’s journey you can use to your advantage: The rush of booking a dream vacation; the eager planning and anticipation leading up to it; the warm afterglow following a memorable experience.
Seizing these heightened moments to offer relevant upsells and cross-sells is what sets savvy hotels and attractions apart.
Offer an Upgrade Right After Booking. Whether you’re a hotel or beloved attraction, you have more to offer than what your visitor initially signed up for. During the height of a just-booked experience is the perfect time to offer a way for the visitor to take their experience to the next level. A spa appointment right after check-in? Yes, please!
Elevate Efficient Options the Day Before. In the rush leading up to a hotel stay or visit to an attraction, your guest may feel like there’s a lot on their list. Make it easier on them and ease them into a better experience by offering add-ons like dinner reservations after a long day of travel. Or offer a ‘fast pass’ to skip the lines. Convenience is like currency on bustling travel days.
Keep the Warm Fuzzies Alive Post-Visit. There’s always a bittersweet feeling that lingers after a great experience as you reflect on the happy memories made and sit in the sadness that it’s over. Your visitors feel that, too. Keep the positive vibes pumping by staying top-of-mind, riding that post-vacation wave as long as possible. Reach out with a loyalty discount to make their next booking easier, or ask them about their experience and to stay connected on social media. Booking the next visit will be a no-brainer when you’ve maintained a positive emotional connection.
No matter what service or offering you choose to pitch, it’s key to recognize and make the most of the natural enthusiasm swirling around these moments. So meet guests when they’re already feeling positive and optimistic — new booking, pre-arrival, going out on a high note — and watch incremental revenue and loyalty grow.
Data-Driven Touches Spark Emotional Connections
You don’t have to be a mind reader to create personalized moments and enhanced experiences for your guests. Dive into data to inspire your interactions and leave the guesswork out of it.
There are two ways to use the power of data to inform how you elevate your guests’ experiences. The first is using external third-party data for targeted marketing. Media partners provide psychographic and behavioral data to help you identify and reach your ideal audience segments through customized messaging. This goes beyond surface level demographic data to uncover details like consumer behaviors, unique interests, and the motivations and needs of your ideal guests. Knowing details like this open the door to crafting specific messaging that resonates with those who are already looking to visit, spend, and become loyal guests.
The second strategy is collecting first-party data directly from your guests. You already do it when they book, but take it one step further. If you don’t ask already, find out more information about the reason for their visit, or any special needs or preferences. Don’t ignore it — dig in and highlight how to provide personalized touches.
While third-party data offers useful marketing insights, directly collecting opt-in data from guests enables hyper-relevant personalization during the experience itself. A strategic two-pronged approach can help drive revenue through elevated experiences and emotional connections.
For hoteliers, this could look like offering:
A free drink at the hotel bar in celebration of a birthday
A handwritten note and bottle of Champagne for an anniversary
Assistance with luggage for guests with disabilities, in a room equipped to accommodate their unique needs
A special kids’ kit containing activities to keep children entertained
Automatic late checkout for the girls’ or guys’ trip
There are many options for attractions as well, like:
Highlighting milestone celebrations on welcome signage
Giving each child a special gift or sticker on their first visit to remember you by
Offering a free coffee from the cafe or 10% discount in the gift shop on their 2nd visit
Dream big and be as creative as you wish. The goal is to trigger moments of surprise and delight throughout your guests’ time with you to foster an enduring connection and trigger return bookings. The more relevant data points you can gather (consensually!) to anticipate your guests’ needs, the more meaningful moments you can deliver.
Surprise and Delight for Customer Retention, Not Just Acquisition
No matter what the economic outlook is, the emotional connection you establish with your guests lasts well beyond when they walk out the door. And when done well, that connection gives way to a word-of-mouth referral, an annual tradition, and a no-brainer to re-book. This connection is crucial for generating revenue, maintaining efficiency, and building brand loyalty.
True, creating captivating moments for guests isn’t free, but these memorable moments don’t have to be a big line item. Freebies can be as simple as a color-changing pencil with your destination’s name on it given to the kids on their way out the door.
The payoff goes beyond warm fuzzies. It's more cost-effective to focus on providing your existing guests with an exceptional experience rather than constantly pursuing new ones. And, who knows? A complimentary guest portrait (Banksy style) from your contemporary art museum could morph into a membership.
As you exceed expectations, guests become fans, ambassadors, and repeat customers. By doubling down on joy-sparking moments in tough times, you secure not just survival but the chance to thrive — emerging stronger with brand advocates who say yes to the upgrade and come back for more.