How to provide yacht charter guests with an experience they will remember? Make it personalized.

• 19.02.2024.
• News, Marketing

Do you know how you can persuade a guest to choose your yacht charter instead of the competition - which has the same vessels and prices? Are you ready to offer guests what they want besides the boat in your charter? Find out how to personalize experiences in your yacht charter from the very beginning of communication with the guest.

Each yacht charter company should be able to create its own story and put its own stamp on everything...  
   
And that stamp can be achieved with the help of personalization.  
   
Personalization is the best way to attract guests because, in the yacht charter industry, you need to adapt to each guest's wishes and needs. You need to be able to offer more than your primary service, such as boat rental.  
   
Yacht charter companies should (and must) focus on better understanding the guest, offering additional services, and a better approach to the guest...  
   
It is essential to know in advance exactly what the guests want and offer them exactly that. Along the way, achieve that they feel as if you have dedicated yourself to them.  
   

Creating customized and personalized experiences (but at sea)  

As a yacht charter company, you have a unique opportunity to stand out from the competition, which has similar vessels and the same prices as you.  
   
You have the opportunity to offer your guests a lot of experiences that will make their vacation unforgettable. Something that will differ from the standard "we have this vessel available, here it is" procedure. Here are a few ways you can make it happen:  

• Personalized routes - there is a high probability that the guests in your yacht charter have already determined the route they want to sail in advance. But regardless, recommend a route where they will see and experience all the best that the Adriatic offers. Offer them information that "only you" with many years of charter experience can know, some less-visited hidden bay or beach known only to the local population.  
• Restaurant recommendations - a good route recommendation must always include restaurants or taverns that your guests must not miss. Your recommendations should be establishments that offer authentic gastronomic experiences. Include recommendations for restaurants with traditional Croatian dishes, but also those hidden taverns known for excellent "marenda".  
• Recommendations for autochthonous experiences - if you want to go a step further, get more involved in organising your guests' vacation. Recommend them or organize private wine or olive oil tastings in local vineyards and olive groves. You will not lack contacts because the coast is filled with OPGs that offer an autochthonous experience.  
• Cooperation with local guides - recommend local tourist guides or agencies to your guests. Make sure your offer is stronger than the "extras" you offer. Some offers also contain a list of various contacts and various excursions, such as walking tours, trails around the islands, or guided tours around old towns and walls.  
• Thematic packages - if you want to go to the next level, start working with the above-mentioned tour guides or agencies. Offer your guests personalized experiences and create, for example, themed packages that focus on the specific interests of your guests. It can be a combination of offers for nature lovers, lovers of wine and autochthonous delicacies, history, etc.  

In the end, the key is how flexible your yacht charter company is. To what extent are you able to personalize your service and adapt to the individual wishes and needs of guests.  
   
And what do your guests really want? The best way to find out is to communicate with them.  

  

The first step in personalization? Communication.  

The beginning of communication is the moment in which you will "catch" potential guests by personalizing your communication.  
   
With personalized communication right from the start, you will ensure that every guest feels valued and their wishes and needs are recognized.  
   
We recommend focusing on these four basic points in communication with guests:  

1. The first point of communication  
2. A personalized response 
3. Follow-up communication  
4. Communication before arrival  
      
      

1. The first point of communication - inquiry  

If you received an inquiry for one of the vessels in your yacht charter through a website or social networks, ensure that you have automated and personalized welcome messages.  
After a potential guest leaves an inquiry, have an immediate welcome message back, which looks personalized.  
   
Example: "Good day, [Name]! Thank you for your interest in our yacht charter services. We look forward to helping you organize an unforgettable trip on the Adriatic. We will respond to your inquiry as soon as possible. Until then, feel free to browse the blogs on our website [Link to blogs]!"  
   
After receiving the inquiry, it is necessary to analyze it thoroughly so that they are ready to give a personalized answer with a suggested route, etc.  
   
Be sure to make sure that there is room in your initial communication to answer questions such as "What would you especially like to see/experience/try while on vacation in the Adriatic?"  

A personalized response with a suggested plan  

Create a customized offer for your guest based on the information from the first inquiry. Have an answer and offer prepared in advance for everything your guests might be interested in. Create a customized proposal that includes specific "good" itineraries, marine activities and special services that may interest the guest.  
   
For example, if the guest expressed a desire to try Dalmatian wines: "Great choice [Name]! We are ready to help you and have selected a list of wineries on your route that have organized tastings of their wines."  
   
You can always insert interactive elements into the communication; include links to video content or photos of routes you have on your web or link to a blog you have about that location. Of course, in an agreement with wineries or restaurants, it is always good to insert a link to their websites so that the guest can immediately create his own impression of the experience he can expect.  

Follow-up communication  

Remember that your yacht charter is undoubtedly not the only one with which your guest interacts. But what you can do to get your guests at the very beginning is to send them a personalized follow-up email or a message on social networks. While the guests are thinking and considering whether to choose your yacht charter or not, and just at that time they receive a personalized message asking if everything is evident in the offer and if they have any additional requests or questions - this is what can encourage them to make a final booking.  
   
This could be an email that says: "Greetings [Name], We hope this email/message finds you in good health and spirits. We're just checking to see if you've received our offer and if you have any questions or special requests we should consider?"  
 

Communication before the guest arrives at the marina  

After your guests have made the booking and all the necessary payments, do not turn off communication and wait for them to come to your office on the day of check-in. Make sure they also receive personalized information that would be helpful to them, preferably a few days before their arrival. Send guests any information they may find helpful, such as how to get to your marina, check-in details, and a reminder of included services and activities in and around the marina.

For example: "Dear [Name], we look forward to your arrival! Here is some useful information before we meet at our base..."  
   
In the communication before arrival, include recommendations for restaurants or shops in the marina or nearby. If the guests previously expressed any special interests, such as the vegetarian offer, etc., have that information in this communication.  
   

Digital marketing for yacht charter personalization  

An effective personalized yacht charter service includes digital marketing strategies, not just traditional sales, as it usually does.  
   
It is necessary to establish a connection with potential guests. You will do this by presenting unique offers that they can experience. This will position your yacht charter company as their first choice, above all others.  
   
To reach those looking for specific "tailored" experiences, consider the following digital marketing tactics:  

• Campaigns on social networks - advertise in a targeted way, for example, with a Facebook campaign aimed at guests who are attracted by unique experiences, wellness, good food, etc. Use high-quality (and beautiful) pictures and stories of previous guests to directly influence the wishes and tastes of your target audience.  
• Content marketing - should drive potential clients to your services, so post blog posts on topics that interest your audience. Also, create YouTube videos showing Dalmatian gastronomy or less visited beaches.  
• Prove by example - create a series of Instagram posts with videos of your guests sailing on your vessels and surrounded by the beautiful seascape. In addition to showing the beauty of the Adriatic and the uniqueness of the experiences in your yacht charter, credibility is also developed through authentic stories.  
• Use of CRM tools - implement CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tools to monitor communication with guests. In this way, you can record the preferences and interests of each guest for future communication.  

   
   

Build long-term relationships through personalization  

Personalization serves to exceed guest expectations and to create truly exceptional experiences.  
   
Suppose your guests feel that they were treated the way they deserve, that you dedicated yourself to them and took into account their wishes and interests. In that case, there is a high probability that they will become guests who will return to you next year.  
   
Do your best to personalize your yacht charter and tailor experiences to individual guests. Rely on the help of digital marketing and CRM to nurture strong, lasting relationships with them.  
   
   
So, can you focus on the details? Can you turn the simple booking into an unforgettable experience for your guests? Can you surround your guests with experiences that will leave a lasting impression on them?  
   
If your answer is yes, we recommend that you stay updated with news from the yacht charter industry through our newsletter.  
   
But if your answer is "no", - contact us, and we will advise you on the best way to introduce personalization into your strategy and communication.

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