Discover How Hospitality Network’s IRE Platform Can Increase Hotel Revenue Through Upselling
Upselling is a lucrative, essential sales practice. According to HubSpot, 88% of sales professionals upsell, with 72% of professionals who upsell saying that 1-30% of their company’s revenue comes from up-selling. Any business looking to increase their revenue should consider upselling — including hospitality businesses.
Hospitality Network’s comprehensive in-room entertainment platform provides essential tools to access this lucrative strategy. Read on to learn about common examples of upselling in hotels, and key strategies to use to maximize revenue at your property.
- What is Upselling in Hotels?
- Hotel Cross-Selling and Upselling Strategies & Ideas Using In-Room Entertainment Platforms
What is Upselling in Hotels?
Hotel upselling refers to the process of selling a guest additional or more expensive products, services, or amenities via upgrades or add-ons — all at an extra cost. These upgrades and add-ons seek to provide a guest with an enhanced stay or experience, while providing hotels with additional revenue. Upselling is most effective when providing guests with services that you know they’ll be interested in. We’ll explain key ways to achieve this in our strategy section.
What is Cross-Selling in Hotels?
Hotel cross-selling refers to a specific type of upselling where hotels offer additional items, services, or amenities that complement what a hotel guest has already purchased. Think of how online shopping websites often offer purchase under the banner of “you may also like”; this is cross-selling. For hotels, then, cross-selling may include offering additional food service, room amenities, and much, much more.
Hotel Cross-Selling & Upselling Examples
Hotel upselling comes in many shapes and sizes. As mentioned above, upselling can take the form of products, services, and amenities — meaning pretty much anything can be upsold. Some typical examples of upselling in hotels include:
- Early or Late Check-Out Options: Allow guests to extend or shorten their stay on the fly for a fee.
- Larger, Cozier Rooms: Let guests expand their current rooms with more beds, a kitchen, or other in-room amenities.
- Premium WiFi Upgrades: Whether offering free or premium hotel internet, properties can offer additional options at an increased price.
- Holistic Wellness Packages: Offer deals and discounts for guests who purchase comprehensive spa, restaurant, and amenity combinations.
- Family Movie Nights: Bundle snacks and movie rentals for a cozy night that’ll delight kids and parents alike.
Hotel Cross-Selling and Upselling Strategies & Ideas Using In-Room Entertainment Platforms
While hotels can upsell pretty much anything they sell as a standalone product or service, how a hotel markets these upsells makes the biggest difference in whether or not a guest makes a purchase. Here are essential strategies to convert upsells with your guests across demographics.
Advertise Through Comprehensive IRE
One of the best ways to upsell products and services to hotel guests is through in-room entertainment platforms. Modern IRE platforms serve as a comprehensive hub for guests within their rooms, providing access to movies on-demand, video & music streaming services, internet search engines, property maps, guides to local attractions, and more. Guests can access pretty much anything from these platforms — meaning hotels can sell pretty much anything from them.
Using in-room entertainment platforms to upsell can unlock massive revenue increases for hotels. Platforms can offer direct opportunities to book event reservations, purchase amenities, upgrade WiFi packages, and more. When leveraged with the right guests, IRE platforms can put beneficial upsells in front of guests whenever they turn on their television.
Target Amenities Directly to Specific Guests
Using demographic data, hotels can use IRE platforms to advertise the ideal upsell to every guest. Hotel personalization is already holistically transforming the hospitality industry; upselling is one more area where this rising technology carries massive significance. Through a better understanding of each guest’s unique desires, hotels can greatly increase the likelihood of converting on an upsell.
Know a guest has a tendency to check-out late or early? Offer the option to them immediately. Have a family coming for a return visit to your property? Advertise bundles with family-driven amenities. How about a solo traveler looking to decompress? Put spa services front and center within advertising. Through personalization, the opportunities for upsells are endless.
Market to Known, Larger Travel Groups
Specialized marketing extends beyond the individual level. When guests travel in large groups, hotels have the opportunity to upsell amenities tailored towards group travelers throughout the rooms of these brackets. When marketed with grace, capitalizing on these groups can lead to massive profits for hotels.
Take business travelers, for example, who often travel in large groups for conferences. Hotels can note which rooms these travelers are staying in and upsell group spa packages, higher tiers of WiFi, large dinner reservations, and more. When combined with additional, individual personalizations, hotels can offer hyper-specific upsells directly through guest televisions.
Leverage Hotel Upselling Using Hospitality Network’s Intuitive In-Room Entertainment Platform
Upselling can lead to both short-term and long-term revenue gains for your hospitality property. Through IRE platforms, savvy hoteliers can target specific guests and groups with the products they’re bound to crave. To achieve this, however, you must first install an intuitive IRE system on your property.
Hospitality Network’s industry-leading in-room entertainment platform should be your top choice. With exhaustive entertainment options, customizable advertising, and a friendly interface, our platform is tailor-made for guest satisfaction. Contact us today and increase your revenue through upselling sooner rather than later.
