Thinking Back on the Season Now Will Help You Be Set Up for Success Next Year
Congratulations! You made it through the busy holiday season, helped your guests make wonderful memories, and made everything merry and bright. Now you’ll have a little time to reflect on the season and recap while it’s fresh in your mind.
Here’s a list of things to consider as you close this season and prepare for the next.
HOLIDAY RECAP
1. THINKING ABOUT THIS PAST HOLIDAY SEASON, WHAT ARE THE MEMORIES THAT MAKE YOU SMILE?
2. EMAIL MARKETING: Did you send out any emails or newsletters during the season? How many emails did you send out to your email list? Which ones were the most successful? Which ones were not as successful? Did you have unsubscribes? How many?
3. WHERE DID YOUR BOOKINGS COME FROM PRIMARILY? Direct booking? Third party? Did you have a lot of repeat guests? Did you meet your occupancy goals this season?
4. WHAT RECIPES WERE WINNERS? Did any of your guests ask for a recipe? Set aside any holiday recipes for breakfast, baking, or social hour into a folder so they’re all together for next year and easy to put your fingers on!
5. WHAT DECORATIONS DID YOUR GUESTS LOVE? Is there anything that you need to purchase while the stores have holiday decor on sale? When did you decorate? Would you change that timing? Anything broken or not working should be repaired or discarded.
6. WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY DID YOU USE (IF ANY)? Did you post regularly? Use a calendar to plan your posts? Did you have any themes in your posts that carried through the holidays? Which kinds of posts were the most popular: pictures, history, reposts: (with likes, comments, shares)? Which were less popular?
7. HOLIDAY HIRING/STAFFING: Did you have a plan going into the season? Were you staffed up enough during the busy season? Where did you find the best people? How many people do you need to hire and train for next year? When should you start your hiring?
8. WHAT WAS YOUR PAIN POINT THIS SEASON? What could you have done differently? Better? What would you stop doing? What would help YOU enjoy the season more?
In our retail and innkeeping days, we would always say that proper planning prevents poor performance. Looking back on your season now while it is front of mind will help you later this year as you look at your holiday and begin to plan. Happy Holidays 2024!
It’s never too early to be ready! And when you need us, your InnTuners are here to help! Want a printable version of this recap? Send us an email to info@inntuners.com and we’ll be right back to you.
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