For a memorable experience, each hospitality professional is taught to provide 5-star services to each guest, from booking to check-out. By being emotionally engaged with each guest who walks through your business doors, businesses are more likely to drive up their revenue by creating lasting connections with their audiences.
Hotel brands have long recognized that success and repeat business depend not just on the four walls of a hotel, but also on the human element. It is often the personal touch that draws customers in and keeps them coming back.
The art and science of emotional engagement require businesses to understand the psychology behind emotions and use this knowledge to craft marketing campaigns that resonate with their audience, so connect with TAG, your full-service marketing and PR agency.
By emphasizing emotional experiences in their promotions and exceeding guest expectations with their services, hotels can create enduring positive experiences with their brand. The hotel’s favorable reputation is reinforced and enhanced each time guests share their most fond memories with their peers.
What is Emotional Engagement?
For something to be emotionally engaging, it needs to elicit a response that stirs up emotions. This response may be positive or negative, from a smile to a scream. Research has demonstrated that emotional responses are proven to generate more meaningful and memorable experiences than neutral experiences that fail to connect on an emotional level.
While each guest may be different, it is important for your colleagues to make every possible effort to improve the state of mind in a positive manner through “emotional engagement’.
The Art of Emotional Engagement
The art of emotional engagement is all about creativity and storytelling. Businesses need to find ways to connect with their audience on a deeper level by telling stories that are relatable, entertaining, or inspiring. This involves understanding the values and beliefs of the target audience and crafting a narrative that speaks to those values and beliefs.
One of the most effective ways to create emotional engagement is through visual storytelling. Images, graphics, and videos are all examples of visuals that can evoke powerful emotions that words alone cannot. A compelling instance of this can be seen at The Foundation Hotel, which incorporates rough, reclaimed wood salvaged from the city to adorn its rooms, highlighting the city’s past and progress. The hotel’s literature showcases this effort, and visitors are always impressed by the artful presentation of history.
Additionally, emotional engagement can be created through the use of humor as an effective way of breaking down barriers and connecting with the audience. The key is to strike a balance between being entertaining and respectful, not offending or alienating their audience.
The Science of Emotional Engagement
The science of emotional engagement is all about understanding the psychology behind emotions. Our emotions are critical in our everyday decision-making, and businesses that understand this can use emotions to influence the behavior of their audience.
A key aspect of the science of emotional engagement is personalization. Using data and analytics to tailor marketing messages to the specific needs and preferences of individual customers.
To implement this, hotels and resorts can use guest data such as previous bookings, on-site activity, and social media profiles to understand guests’ preferences and recommend activities, dining options, and other amenities that align with their interests. This can create a sense of personalization and show guests that the hotel is invested in their experience, leading to increased emotional engagement and guest satisfaction.
The Financial Value of Emotional Engagement in Hospitality
Through emotional engagement, research shows that guests who feel emotionally engaged with a hotel or resort are more likely to return in the future and recommend the property to others, which can have a significant impact on the hotel’s revenue.
The Gallup Panel survey found that emotionally engaged hotel guests have a 23% higher rate of repeat visits compared to guests who were just simply satisfied with their experience.
The study also shows that emotionally engaged guests were more likely to spend more money during their stay. Guests are willing to pay more or even splurge on room service and or upgrades. Additionally, emotionally engaged guests are more likely to leave positive reviews on TripAdvisor, Google, and their personal social media which can attract new guests and boost the hotel’s reputation.
Learn to Emotionally Engage with Today’s Clientele
Today’s guests are uninterested in no-cost products if they do not add value, reliable internet, and attentive customer service are far more important.
Other factors to include:
- Craft personalized experiences, from personalized welcome messages to customized room amenities based on guests’ preferences.
- Be aware of environmental and social issues, and hotels can create emotional engagement by using eco-friendly cleaning products or supporting community efforts.
- Wellness products are on the rise. Offering spa treatments, and healthy food options can create a sense of connection while promoting well-being.
- Unique experiences create lasting memories. By creating a connection with local communities, many will feel more immersed in the destination.
Final Thoughts
Emotional engagement is critical to the success of the hospitality industry, as it creates personal connections with guests and fosters loyalty, ultimately leading to increased revenue. By creating personal connections with guests through emotional experiences, hotels can increase revenue and guest loyalty. Both the art and science of emotional engagement require businesses to understand the psychology behind emotions and use that knowledge to connect with their audience.
From visual storytelling to personalization, sustainability efforts to wellness experiences, and unique local experiences, there are many ways hotels can emotionally engage with their guests.
Our CEO and Founder, Rich Tuckwell-Skuda on average (pre-covid) conducted around 90-100 speaking engagements globally per year. He educated hoteliers, asset owners and managers, funds and future hospitality leaders on the best business practices, data analysis, marketing strategies and technologies.
At The Anything Group, we can provide extensive expertise in emotional engagement and help hotels and resorts create tailored emotive campaigns to connect with their clientele. If you’re looking to leverage this expertise, send us a message, and let’s elevate your business together!
