Personalization is key to success across a variety of industries. In fact, 80 percent of customers are more likely to do business with brands that deliver a personalized experience. This is especially true for hospitality. Exceptional stays are created by recognizing each guest as a valued individual, not simply a room number—from the warm welcome at the front desk to thoughtfully tailored upsell suggestions.
Personalization is the difference between an upsell that converts and one destined for the spam folder. If you send every offer to every guest, a high percentage of those offers will be irrelevant. Young families don’t need your conference room availability, and business travelers don’t need daycare options.
Upsells are a powerful revenue engine, boosting customer lifetime value by as much as 20 percent. With that kind of impact, investing in a well-crafted upsell strategy isn’t just worthwhile; it’s essential. Here’s how to harness the power of personalized upsells for increased return on investment—and satisfied guests!
Guest Data & Segmentation
The first step towards personalization is gathering the right data to understand your audience and their preferences. This data comes from a range of sources, including your booking form, email and SMS campaigns, face-to-face conversations, etc., and is consolidated within your property management system (PMS).
With these insights, you can segment your guests into distinct groups based on key attributes: demographic (age, gender, lifestyle), behavioral (how and why guests purchase), geographic, and psychographic (personalities and opinions). Establishing guest segments makes it possible to design targeted communications and offers for each one, delivering a truly personalized experience.
The Booking Process
The booking process is one of the most effective moments to present upsell offers, when you already have the guest’s full attention.
WebRezPro’s reservation options feature allows you to showcase targeted add-ons directly within the booking flow. Options created in the PMS can be attached to specific room and rate types for maximum relevance.
A variety of formats, including text input, menu, checkbox, and quantity selections, allow for flexibility in how options are presented to guests. You can even provide multiple variations on the same activity or amenity—for example, a breakfast add-on, offering a choice between pancakes, a fruit plate, or eggs Benedict. Images can be added to reservation options to enhance the appeal. Guests select their preferences easily, creating a personalized stay with minimal effort from your team.
However, it is important to strike the right balance. Too many offers can overwhelm guests and disrupt the booking flow (52 percent of travelers have dropped an online booking because of a poor user experience). This is where the ability to present upsell options based on room and rate type proves invaluable, ensuring every offer is relevant and strengthens, rather than hinders, the guest journey.
Pre-arrival Emails
Emailing targeted upsell offers ahead of arrival not only boosts ancillary revenue but also builds anticipation for the stay, keeping your property top of mind. Automating these emails through your PMS guarantees that each message reaches the right guest at the right time.
In WebRezPro, email templates can be linked to specific room and rate types, just like reservation options, to guarantee upsell campaigns are relevant. Guests can be directed to the My Reservations online guest portal to add extras to their stay prior to arrival—no need to contact staff! Plus, our software integrates seamlessly with leading CRM platforms such as Cendyn, Constant Contact and Salesforce, streamlining campaigns with automated segmenting and analytics.
During the Stay
With WebRezPro’s reservation options feature, staff can easily add amenities and other extras during the guest’s stay. Check-in may be an even better time to suggest upsells than at booking, with guests 24-48 percent more inclined to purchase a room upgrade upon arrival.
Personalized upsell offers can also be delivered automatically via SMS—both before and after check-in—through integrations with platforms such as Akia, Duve, and Revinate. With open rates as high as 98 percent, SMS is a powerful channel for engaging guests. However, precise targeting is even more essential if you decide to text guests while they are with you. In-stay upsell offers should feel like an opportunity, not an interruption.
Some messaging platforms come with AI agents to respond to common guest inquiries, enabling you to seamlessly incorporate upsell offers into the conversation. Because the guest initiates the interaction, these suggestions feel natural and relevant. For example, if they inquire about spa hours, AI-powered messaging can suggest a spa booking alongside providing the requested information.
Personalized upsells not only increase revenue but also deepen guest engagement and foster trust, laying the foundation for lasting relationships. By anticipating needs before they’re voiced and weaving relevant offers flawlessly into the guest journey, you provide the kind of exceptional service that keeps guests coming back.
