peaking during the offseason: an email marketing case study
DESCRIPTION
Our session walks participants through email marketing best practices, effective campaign creation, setting business goals and the art of defining a goal to maximize reservations in non peak seasons. The final part of the presentation includes a real case study which outlines the methodology, campaign structure, market segmentation and results that were achieved.TRANSCRIPT
Peaking During the Offseason: An Email Marketing Case Study That Will Give Your
Reservation Numbers a Lift
Kelly HurleyVisual Data Systems
Claire ReiswergSand `N Sea Properties
Session Outline
• About Email Marketing• Your Business – Analysis & Goals• Best Practices• Case Study• Q & A
The Online Marketing Family
The ROI Chain
What Email Marketing Is…
• A Money Making Machine• $126 returned for every $1 spent• The highest ROI of any marketing activity• A complex strategy (for highest ROI)• A guest and prospect relationship builder• Branding
What Email Marketing is Not…
• A Sales tool• A Brochure • Easy – when done right
Your Business – Trends & Analysis
• % Online Conversions• Reservations Numbers• Trends (economy, occupancy etc.)• SEO, Email Marketing & Social
Media performance
The Sand N Sea Story Begins
• Who we are• Our Market• Why We Engaged with VDS
Your Business
Your Business – Guest Profiles
Claire - Guest Surveys, Contact Us, PMS, Geographic, Observations
Kelly – Market Segmentation
Email Marketing Best Practices
1. List Building2. Market Segmentation3. Value Proposition4. Deliverability5. Tracking & Reporting
The Influencers
Creating an Effective Campaign
Creating and Effective Campaign
Creating and Effective Campaign
Creating and Effective Campaign
Case Study – Sand `N Sea Fall Success
• The goal for the Fall Campaign was to increase fall bookings(September 15, 2011 – January 15, 2012) over last year through a series oftargeted messages to past guests and email subscribers. • In 2010, there were 591 confirmed reservations for this timeframe. • The strategy to achieve this involved selected market segmentation, cleardemonstration of value proposition and messaging and testing whereappropriate.
Goal: 111 New Reservations
Case Study – Sand `N Sea Fill Up Fall Success
Methodology:• The initial scope of work outlined a series offive campaigns totaling twelve mailings.
• Based on the results of high occupancy levels for theholiday season, this was revised to ten mailings.
Case Study – Sand `N Sea Fill Up Fall Success
Message 1
Case Study – Sand `N Sea Fall Fill Up Success
Message 2
Case Study – Sand `N Sea Fall Fill Up Success
Message 3
Case Study – Sand `N Sea Fall Fill Up Success
Message 4
Case Study – Sand `N Sea Fall Fill Up Success
Message 5
Sand `N Sea Fall Fill Up Campaign Results
• By combining a broad approach with more targeted messages to specific segments, the Sand `N Sea Fall Fill Up Campaign was successful in exceeding 2010 numbers.
• Per the client’s reservation data, there were 745 confirmed fall reservations for 2011/2012. That’s an increase of 154 bookings over last year.
• We were able to achieve open and click through rates that were consistently higher than the industry average. The stand out open rate was 76.8%, and the stand out click through rate was 23.7%.
• These are impressive numbers that show we were reaching the right audience with the right message at the right time.
Goal: 111 New Reservations Actual: 154 New Reservations
Sand `N Sea Fall Fill Up 2012The Positive Surprises
• Length of stay increased• Average amount per reservation increased (%)• Spring and Fall 2012 filled up sooner• Increased Advance Reservations in 2012 (%)• Subscribers hit reply to communicate
Final Thoughts
• Using multiple operational sources, identify a clear goal
• Create a strategy to target market key segments• Implement Email Marketing Best Practices• Test messages, behavior and format• Track Results
