Email Etiquette for Hospitality Professionals

Hospitality Marketing in the Digital Age

• Focuses on strategic digital marketing and ethical practices in the hospitality business.
• Material covers email etiquette, best practices for sending large files, appropriate size of attachments, and common mistakes to avoid.

Email Etiquette Tips

• Subject Line: Keep subject lines concise and descriptive, clearly indicating the email's purpose. Avoid using all caps, excessive punctuation, or spammy words.
• Greetings & Closings: Address recipients by name and use professional closings like "Best regards" or "Sincerely."
• Brief & Focused: Get straight to the point. Break up messages into short paragraphs and use bullet points or numbered lists. Avoid rambling and unnecessary details. Aim for 3-5 sentences per paragraph.
• Professional Tone: Maintain a friendly yet professional tone. Avoid slang, abbreviations, emojis, or anything too casual. Ensure your language is polite and respectful.
• Reply Promptly: Respond to emails in a timely manner, ideally within 24 hours. If more time is needed, inform the sender. Prioritize emails requiring quick attention.
• Be Mindful: Only include recipients who need to be part of the conversation. Remove unnecessary recipients. Trim irrelevant email threads.
• Proofread: Always proofread emails carefully for spelling, grammar, and tone before sending. Consider asking a colleague to proofread important emails.

Appropriate File Size in Emails

• Gmail: Maximum attachment size is 25MB, but 12.5MB is recommended for optimal delivery.
• Outlook: Attachment size limits vary depending on the account (typically 10-20MB for most accounts).
• Yahoo and AOL: Allow attachments up to 25MB.

Best Practices for Sending Large Files

• Use Cloud Storage: Upload large files to cloud services (Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive) and share the link.
• Compress Files: Compress files to a ZIP format to reduce their size.
• Split Large Files: Split very large files into smaller parts and send them in multiple emails.

Strategic Digital Marketing in Hospitality Business

• Strategies for hotels in 2024 to stand out in a competitive market.
• Includes: website optimization, search engine optimization (SEO), social media engagement, targeted advertising campaigns, content marketing, email marketing, influencer marketing, online review management, video marketing (VDO), and utilizing metasearch engines.

Website Optimization

• A well-optimized website is a fundamental aspect of digital marketing efforts.
• The website needs to be user-friendly, mobile-responsive, and well-optimized for search engines (SEO).

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

• Investing in SEO is crucial. Key aspects include keyword research, local SEO, and creating quality content that meets potential guest needs.
• This involves optimizing meta tags, utilizing relevant keywords, and ensuring fast loading times.

Social Media Engagement

• Utilize platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to engage with potential guests.
• Regularly post, share high-quality visuals, and interact with followers to foster a community around the brand.
• Social media advertising can effectively target specific audiences.

Targeted Advertising Campaigns

• Implementation of targeted advertising through Google Ads and social media platforms.
• Include retargeting strategies to reconnect with users who have interacted with the website or social media pages, to encourage bookings.

Content Marketing

• Creating and sharing valuable content that resonates with the target audience.
• Includes blog posts, videos, and infographics about local attractions, experiences, travel tips, to attract potential guests and build brand awareness.

Email Marketing

• Effective method to connect with past customers and attract new ones.
• This includes personalized email campaigns, special offers, newsletters, and updates on special promotions or events.
• Segmenting the audience to tailor messages effectively improves engagement.

Influencer Marketing

• Collaborate with travel and hospitality influencers to increase brand visibility and reach a wider audience.
• Influencers provide authentic endorsements and opinions/exsperiences to their followers, driving traffic and bookings.

Online Review & Reputation Management

• Encourage satisfied guests to leave positive reviews on platforms like Google and TripAdvisor.
• Actively manage online reputations by responding to reviews, both positive and negative, to show potential guests that their feedback is valued.

VDO Marketing

• Showcase the hotel and its amenities with video content such as virtual tours or behind-the-scenes videos.
• This provides a more immersive experience and effectively promotes the property.

Utilize Metasearch Engines

• Listing the hotel on metasearch engines (e.g., Google Hotel Ads) elevates visibility and allows potential guests to compare prices and availability directly.

The 7Ps of Marketing Mix

• An essential framework helps hotels in 2024 develop effective marketing strategies to attract and retain guests.

1. Product

• Encompasses the range of services and amenities offered by the hotel, including personalized services, sustainability options, and wellness and leisure activities.
• Hotels should cater to various preferences and needs.

2. Price

• Pricing strategies should reflect the value offered, remaining competitive.
• This involves using dynamic pricing based on real-time data, offering value packages including meals or experiences, and ensuring transparent pricing to build trust.

3. Place

• Focuses on distribution channels and the physical location.
• Enhance visibility through direct booking websites, partnerships with online travel agencies, and highlighting the hotel's location, attractions, and unique features.
• Ensuring platforms are mobile-friendly is key.

4. Promotion

• Strategies to communicate and engage with potential guests. Tactics include social media marketing, content marketing, influencer collaborations.

5. People

• Highlights the importance of staff and customer interactions.
• Strategies involve staff training, exceptional service delivery, personalized interactions, and feedback mechanisms.

6. Process

• Systems & procedures for delivering services efficiently. This involves streamlined booking processes, efficient check-in/check-out, and well-defined processes for service delivery.

7. Physical Evidence

• Tangible aspects influencing guest perceptions.
• Examples include hotel design, online presence, and amenities/facilities.

Ethical Practices in Digital Marketing

• Hotels should uphold transparency, honest advertising, data privacy, responsible use of personalization, sustainable marketing practices, inclusivity in marketing, responsible use of personalization, and ethical influencer relationships, and accountability.

Digital Channels and Social Media Platforms

• Effective digital channels for promoting hotels and restaurants include search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, email marketing, metasearch ads, online reviews, content marketing, PPC ads, and influencer partnerships.

Test your knowledge on email etiquette specifically tailored for hospitality professionals. This quiz covers key aspects such as structuring emails, recommended phrases, and common mistakes to avoid. Enhance your communication skills in a professional setting.