Mar
27
Do you think of your website as holding conversations with people?
Most website designers don't.
Instead they often follow the maxim that "a picture tells a thousand words". Of course there's nothing wrong with that approach per se, but if you want to convert lookers to bookers, you're going to have to engage in a conversation at some point.
This conversation might be engaged in by someone in your reservations or sales team. Or it might be your website. In either event if you're not having those little conversations, you're probably not getting as many bookings as you could be.
Automation isn't the answer to everything...
Most website designers don't.
Instead they often follow the maxim that "a picture tells a thousand words". Of course there's nothing wrong with that approach per se, but if you want to convert lookers to bookers, you're going to have to engage in a conversation at some point.
This conversation might be engaged in by someone in your reservations or sales team. Or it might be your website. In either event if you're not having those little conversations, you're probably not getting as many bookings as you could be.
Automation isn't the answer to everything...
There are two extreme examples which spring to mind:
First, there is the hotel that has invitations to book on every page. Why are they on every page? Is every page on your website an opportunity to close a sale? You want people to be able to enquire about dates or make a booking from any page on your website because you don't want to miss out - is that it?
Look at it from the visitors point of view and think about it as a conversation (would this happen if someone walked into your hotel?):
Visitor: "Hello, I'd like to ask about the packages you have at Easte.."
Website (interrupting): "BUY NOW!"
Visitor: "Well, perhaps I will, but first of all I need to know about the..."
Website: "BUY NOW!"
Visitor: "Look, I'm sitting here with my credit card in my hand, I know what I want, I just need to ask you about the..."
Website: "SPECIAL OFFER IF YOU BUY NOW!!!"
Visitor: "Goodbye"
Website: "BUY NOW!"
Do you see what's happened? If your website doesn't provide answers, it's not converting enquiries. Your lookers will remain lookers. Does your website answer the questions people might ask? Sometimes it can be as simple as starting an FAQ page. Sometimes you need to think about the buying process your visitors are using.
The second example is the hotel website that thinks people will book because the owner has just refurbished the hotel at great expense (including spending money on a website that is visually wonderful, but doesn't actually part with information that is of any value to the visitor). The conversation goes something like this:
Visitor: "Hello, have you got adjoining rooms with that view?"
Website: "Relax in our comfortable leather sofas, marvel at the wonderful fabrics we used throughout the hotel, aren't we clever? Aren't we cool? That fireplace cost £15,000 you know."
Visitor: "Well, actually, all I need is a room for my kids that's next door to ours, have you got rooms like that?"
Website: "All our tastefully appointed rooms have trouser presses and tea and coffee making facilities."
Visitor: "How much does it cost for the kids to take an evening meal? Is there a special place for kids to eat?"
Website: "Perfect location, sympathetically refurbished, chintz curtains, locally sourced produce, look at us, aren't we brilliant?"
Visitor: "Yes it does look nice. I suppose this would be a good place to stay - have you got any rooms available when I want to visit?"
Website: "Complete this enquiry form"
Visitor: "Look, all I need to know is if you've got two rooms on the..."
Website: "Complete this enquiry form"
Visitor: "...or if there is a special offer for families?"
Website: "Complete this enquiry form"
Visitor: "Perhaps I can phone you?"
Website: "The telephone number is hidden in small print at the foot of each page"
Visitor: "Goodbye"
Website: "Lavish mahogany bedframes, sumptuous breakfasts featuring bacon from locally reared pigs, gold plated bath taps,..."
If your website isn't engaging people, it isn't helping them make those buying decisions. A conversation happens when both parties talk and both parties listen - there has to be an interaction. Too many hotel websites just sit there and broadcast.
First, there is the hotel that has invitations to book on every page. Why are they on every page? Is every page on your website an opportunity to close a sale? You want people to be able to enquire about dates or make a booking from any page on your website because you don't want to miss out - is that it?
Look at it from the visitors point of view and think about it as a conversation (would this happen if someone walked into your hotel?):
Visitor: "Hello, I'd like to ask about the packages you have at Easte.."
Website (interrupting): "BUY NOW!"
Visitor: "Well, perhaps I will, but first of all I need to know about the..."
Website: "BUY NOW!"
Visitor: "Look, I'm sitting here with my credit card in my hand, I know what I want, I just need to ask you about the..."
Website: "SPECIAL OFFER IF YOU BUY NOW!!!"
Visitor: "Goodbye"
Website: "BUY NOW!"
Do you see what's happened? If your website doesn't provide answers, it's not converting enquiries. Your lookers will remain lookers. Does your website answer the questions people might ask? Sometimes it can be as simple as starting an FAQ page. Sometimes you need to think about the buying process your visitors are using.
The second example is the hotel website that thinks people will book because the owner has just refurbished the hotel at great expense (including spending money on a website that is visually wonderful, but doesn't actually part with information that is of any value to the visitor). The conversation goes something like this:
Visitor: "Hello, have you got adjoining rooms with that view?"
Website: "Relax in our comfortable leather sofas, marvel at the wonderful fabrics we used throughout the hotel, aren't we clever? Aren't we cool? That fireplace cost £15,000 you know."
Visitor: "Well, actually, all I need is a room for my kids that's next door to ours, have you got rooms like that?"
Website: "All our tastefully appointed rooms have trouser presses and tea and coffee making facilities."
Visitor: "How much does it cost for the kids to take an evening meal? Is there a special place for kids to eat?"
Website: "Perfect location, sympathetically refurbished, chintz curtains, locally sourced produce, look at us, aren't we brilliant?"
Visitor: "Yes it does look nice. I suppose this would be a good place to stay - have you got any rooms available when I want to visit?"
Website: "Complete this enquiry form"
Visitor: "Look, all I need to know is if you've got two rooms on the..."
Website: "Complete this enquiry form"
Visitor: "...or if there is a special offer for families?"
Website: "Complete this enquiry form"
Visitor: "Perhaps I can phone you?"
Website: "The telephone number is hidden in small print at the foot of each page"
Visitor: "Goodbye"
Website: "Lavish mahogany bedframes, sumptuous breakfasts featuring bacon from locally reared pigs, gold plated bath taps,..."
If your website isn't engaging people, it isn't helping them make those buying decisions. A conversation happens when both parties talk and both parties listen - there has to be an interaction. Too many hotel websites just sit there and broadcast.
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