Last-Minute Thanksgiving Playbook: Revy’s Favorite Holiday!
Great Time to be a pigeon instead of a turkey!
If you haven’t started promoting your Thanksgiving offerings yet, take a deep breath. You’re behind, but it isn’t too late! The Thanksgiving season is a golden opportunity, but the competition is fierce.
The good news? It’s not too late to craft a powerful, last-minute marketing push that fills your rooms.
Here’s your actionable playbook to catch up and win this Thanksgiving season.
Creating Thanksgiving Packages: Don’t Wing It!
Thanksgiving presents a prime opportunity to create experience-driven packages. While you want to be the go-to destination for out-of-town guests, you can also position your property as a destination for locals.
Your Action Plan:
Create an exclusive “Thanksgiving Getaway” package that includes a discount at your on-site restaurant. If you don’t have an on-site restaurant, partner with a local restaurant. Offer late checkout for the post-turkey food coma, a craft station for children, and a welcome apple cider for parents.
Capturing a Local Audience: Offer local visitors a stress-free holiday when they book your Thanksgiving package by offering a discounted meal with the holiday classics and a warm welcome with a local wine or cider.
Black Friday Specials: The specials don’t have to stop at Thanksgiving. Offer an exclusive discount when guests book on Black Friday to return for future holidays. Consider offering 20-50% off on a Christmas stay or Valentine’s Day stay with a free room upgrade. For loyalty members, offer a discount and free/discounted meal. Secure your current guests return with an exclusive Black Friday offering only available if they book on-site. Capitalize on Black Friday deals to create a foundation for year-round success.
Crafting competitive Thanksgiving and Black Friday packages is essential when capturing holiday travelers. Using these strategies will help you maximize revenue and finish the year strong.
"Are You Open for Thanksgiving?"
Your potential guests will be asking this! Travelers and locals, who don’t want to cook, are searching for this answer right now.
Your Action Plan:
Website & Google My Business: Don’t be missable. Place a banner on your homepage letting potential guests know you’ll be open. Update your Google My Business Listing, too.
Social Media: Use a simple, eye-catching graphic that says, “Yes, We’re Open for Thanksgiving!” and pin it to the top of your social profiles.
Leverage Local SEO: Target keywords like "Thanksgiving dinner near me," "open for Thanksgiving restaurant [Your City]," and "Thanksgiving reservations [Your Neighborhood]." Use all of these examples to get your hotel on Google’s front page.
Tap into the "Turkey Trot" Traffic
Most towns have them! The charitable, fun run that draws hundreds, if not thousands, of participants on Thanksgiving morning. These are your potential guests: families and groups looking to celebrate after their run.
Your Action Plan:
Sponsor or Partner: Check whether you can sponsor the race. If it’s too late, find out how to sponsor the race next year.
Targeted Social Ads: Run Meta and Instagram ads targeting people in your city who have expressed interest in running, local 5Ks, or the specific Turkey Trot event.
Post-Race Recovery Offer: If it’s too late to sponsor the race, promote a special post-Trot coffee, breakfast, or bloody mary special for runners to refuel before their big holiday meal.
The Event of the Season: The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
If you’re in New York, then you have the most exciting Thanksgiving Holiday tradition happening steps away from your door. Whether you’re near the parade or states away, you can create an experience that brings the parade to your guests’ door.
Your Action Plan:
Proximity to Parade: Highlight how close you are to the parade. Post a POV reel of someone walking to where they can join the excitement.
Host a Watch Party: Not in NYC? Open early and promote themed food or drinks that people can enjoy while they watch the parade.
Social Media Engagement: Live-tweet the parade, host an "Ugliest Sweater" contest, or run a giveaway for a free dessert with a meal reservation. Use the parade's official hashtags to join the larger conversation.
Fall Frenzy: Apple Picking & Seasonal Activities
Before the turkey comes the pumpkin, and the apple! This is a HOLIDAY CLASSIC. And if you haven’t already worked with a local orchard, now’s the time to start.
Your Action Plan:
Cross-Promote with Local Orchards: Find a local pumpkin patch or orchard and cross-promote with them on socials, offering your guests a discount.
Themed Menus: Feature apple pies or apple turnovers made with locally sourced apples or pumpkin pie with locally sourced pumpkins. Can’t make it yourself? Partner with a bakery that prioritizes farm-to-table goods. This allows guests to taste regional favorites.
SEO-Driven Content: Write a blog and social media post painting your guests’ perfect fall day. Use this content to highlight the apple picking and dinner at a nearby restaurant, or highlight your on-site restaurant.
It's Never too Late!
The clock is ticking, if you start now, you can still turn this seasonal rush into a success.
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