Here are actionable tips to grow your email list and keep your subscribers engaged, specifically tailored to the attractions, heritage, and hospitality sectors, with some features supported by LOOP.
Add Site-Wide Email Sign-Up Forms
Make it easy for visitors to join your mailing list by integrating sign-up forms across your website.
- Where to Place Forms: Include forms on high-traffic pages such as your homepage, event pages, and blog posts. A heritage site could place a sign-up form below their “Upcoming Tours” section. LOOP enables easy integration of sign-up forms on key pages.
- Key Messaging: Highlight the benefits of signing up, such as exclusive discounts, event previews, or behind-the-scenes content.
- Example: A zoo might offer a free downloadable "Animal Spotting Guide" to anyone who subscribes to their email list
With LOOP you can enable a site wide call-to-action section above the footer to have a sign up form visible on every page.
Run Regular Competitions
Competitions are a fantastic way to incentivise sign-ups while engaging your audience.
- Offering Unique Exciting Prizes: Offer prizes relevant to your brand, such as free tickets, annual passes, or gift shop vouchers.
- Easy Entry: Require participants to enter their email to join. Promote the competition on your website, social media, and in-venue signage. LOOP allows seamless integration of competition entry forms.
- Example: A family attraction could run a contest where subscribers have a chance to win a “VIP Family Day Out,” including exclusive access to an exhibit or a private tour.
With LOOP, it's easy to create competition sign up forms and landing pages within a matter of minutes. This is very much a 'done is better than perfect' situation, as even a small - medium attraction could generate an additional 5 - 10k signups across a year with regular competitions.
Add Sign-Up Pop-Ups
Capture the attention of visitors as they’re browsing your website with a modal sign-up form.
- Enticing Offers: Include a compelling offer, such as “Sign up now and get 10% off your first booking” or “Be the first to hear about our holiday specials.”
- Simple Design: Ensure the pop-up is easy to dismiss while making the call-to-action clear and enticing.
- Example: A boutique hotel could use an exit pop-up to promote their seasonal getaway packages to departing website visitors.
LOOP makes it simple to set up customisable exit pop-ups. You can setup different pop-ups on different pages, or schedule them to align with your competitions and campaigns. Be sure to review them regularly and use sparingly so as not to overwhelm or annoy your guests!
Create a Welcome Series of Trigger Emails
Once a visitor signs up, don’t let the momentum fade—use automated welcome emails to build a strong first impression.
- Email 1: Warm Welcome: Introduce your brand, highlight key offerings, and thank them for subscribing.
- Email 2: Exclusive Perks: Share a discount code, upcoming events, or insider tips.
- Email 3: Engage Further: Encourage them to follow you on social media, explore your blog, or book tickets.
- Example: A museum could send a welcome series introducing its most popular exhibits, followed by a discount on guided tours.
This is an underrated but important tactic because guests are more likely to open emails shortly after they sign up. This is good because it reinforces to the guest to open future emails, and also helps highlight to their spam filter algorithm that they're interested in your emails. It's surprising how often attractions don't do this - and if you don't, a guest could go weeks without hearing from you if they only get your standard monthly emails.
Segment and Target Your Audiences
Tailored content performs better, so segment your audience based on their preferences and behaviours.
- Types of Segments: Group subscribers by demographics, booking history, or interests (e.g., “Families,” “Art Enthusiasts,” “Local Residents”).
- Targeted Campaigns: Send families information about kid-friendly events, while art enthusiasts receive updates on new exhibits.
- Example: A historic site could offer exclusive after-hours tours to subscribers identified as “history buffs.”
Leverage Seasonal Campaigns
Tie email campaigns to key seasonal events or holidays to stay relevant and timely.
- Holiday Themes: Promote holiday-specific activities like Christmas markets, Easter egg hunts, or summer festivals.
- Early Bird Offers: Encourage early bookings with limited-time discounts.
- Example: A hospitality brand could send a “Top 5 Reasons to Visit Us This Summer” email featuring their poolside bar, summer menus, and outdoor entertainment.
With LOOP, there's a variety of tools you can use to tie in with email campaigns. It's easy to create custom landing pages, and be sure to have a look at the 'Daily Offers Grid' block - that lets you unveil a new offer daily, perfect for an Advent Calendar campaign or daily deals idea.
Showcase Social Proof and Testimonials
Build trust and credibility by sharing positive experiences from past visitors.
- Highlight Reviews: Feature TripAdvisor ratings, Google reviews, or customer quotes in your emails.
- User-Generated Content: Encourage visitors to share their experiences on social media and feature the best ones in your campaigns.
- Example: A heritage railway could include a quote like, “Highly recommend - we had a magical family day out!” from a satisfied customer.
Use Visual Content to Bring Your Brand to Life
Keep your emails visually engaging with high-quality images and videos.
- Dynamic Media: Include video teasers of upcoming events or time-lapse footage of an exhibit setup.
- Exclusive Previews: Share behind-the-scenes glimpses to make subscribers feel like insiders.
- Example: An attraction might showcase a 30-second video of a new ride being constructed, encouraging visitors to book tickets in advance.
That said, experiment with text-only emails too. A concise easy-to-read plaintext email can often cut through the noise and deliver great open / engagement rates.
By implementing these strategies, attractions, heritage sites, and hospitality brands can create a thriving email list and maintain meaningful engagement with their audience. The key is to deliver value at every stage—whether through exclusive offers, inspiring content, or tailored experiences.
