What Makes Your Customers Click “Book”? The Hidden Psychology Of Hotel Reservations
KEY POINTS
- Social Proof is Crucial: Customers are more likely to book a room when they see positive testimonials and video reviews from other guests. This social proof reassures them about the quality of their stay.
- Creating Urgency Enhances Bookings: Reminding customers that only a few rooms are left creates a sense of urgency, pushing them to book immediately to avoid missing out.
- Professional Visuals and Copy are Vital: High-quality images and well-crafted descriptions on your website can significantly influence guests’ decision to book, showcasing the expected experience at your hotel.
Successful entrepreneurs know that getting their customers to click “book now” is essential for selling services and booking rooms. But how do you get them to do this? That’s the problem this post tackles.
We explore the factors that make your customers click the reservation button and pay you money upfront.
Contents
Social Proof
The first thing that makes customers book your rooms is social proof. Showing them other customers are having a great time staying with you encourages them to do the same.
You can provide social proof by posting testimonials and reviews of your hotel. However, you can also get people to give video reviews. Skeptical prospective guests are more likely to take these seriously.
Urgency
You can also try urgency to get customers to book reservations with you, as https://www.linkedin.com/advice/3/how-can-you-create-sense-urgency-among-potential suggests. Reminding them there are only “three spots left” can be an excellent way to force them to take action. (Waiting could mean they lose the reservation).
Urgency also reduces the risk of customers telling themselves they will return to booking a room with you once they finish the dishes. Often, they get distracted and then never go back to making the reservation because something else comes up in their lives.
Visuals And Language
Visuals and language can also influence whether prospective guests make room bookings. Your images and writing convey the experience guests will likely have once they reach your hotel.
Therefore, getting professionals to do your website and copywriting is a good idea, as sites like https://www.gourmetmarketing.net/hotel/website-design suggest. Professionals often know what to include to trigger prospects to convert (and prevent them from booking with a nearby competitor instead).
Engage In Storytelling
As part of this, you want to engage in storytelling with your customers. Guiding them through a narrative explaining why they should stay with you and not a competitor can be exceptionally compelling.
The best way to do this is to start by empathizing with your prospects and their challenges when booking hotels. Then, you can tell them how you solve these issues using your approaches and methods.
You might also consider comparing yourself to other hotels and explaining how you do things better. Rising above the competition increases dwell time on your site and raises your rankings.
Clear Cancellation Policies
You also want to be transparent about when you will allow canceled bookings. Customers may want the option to back out, just in case their plans change.
As a hotel, it is your discretion whether you allow this. Some chains do this because it encourages future booking. However, it can be an annoying practice if customers simply change their minds the day before.
Psychology of Hotel Reservations: Booking Flow And Hand-Holding
Finally, you have to create a clear booking flow that leads customers from initial interest to final sales. Having a digital system that guides them through the process makes it considerably more likely they will convert at the end.
Focusing holding their hand, and the conversions should follow fast.
