What are booking automations?
Automations is a feature that automatically sends emails or SMS. You choose the recipients, when it should be sent, and what message to send, and then the automation will handle the rest.
Booking automation is based on when a booking takes place. With this automation, you can create the following:
In-stay automation
To read more about automation, click here.
How-to video
Step 1: Choose automation recipe
Go to Automations → Create Automation and select the type of automation you want to create. The available booking recipes are Pre-stay, In-Stay, or Post-stay.
Step 2: What to trigger for
Here, you use the filter to select which bookings should be part of your automation and receive the email or SMS. For example, if the automation should trigger on special rate codes or properties.
All filter triggers (except for end date and start date) have multi-select as an option. If you select more than one, you decide whether the booking should Match all or Match any of the triggers.
Step 3: When to trigger
Choose when you want the automation to trigger in relation to the booking. This step will vary based on what automation recipe you have chosen.
Pre-stay emails: X days before the booking starts.
In-stay emails: on the day the booking starts or on the day the booking ends.
Post-stay emails: X days after the booking ends.
If you choose to Trigger for Late Orders (available for Pre-stay automations), the automation will start to go out X days before the booking starts and continue to send greetings to new visitors who match the rules up until the last chosen day.
Step 4: Set the communication type
Is it marketing or non-marketing communication? If marketing, select one or more subscription types.
Step 5: Name your automation
Give your automation a name. This is only for internal use and will be displayed in the automation overview.
Step 6: Add filters (optional)
The second block, Add a filter, is optional. Use it if you wish to further narrow down the target audience, such as excluding those who bought a specific add-on product or booked a special rate code.
Once you click on the block, a new window with the MarketHype filter will appear on the right. Above the regular filter, we have added some suggested quick filters for you to use in your automation. Click on one of them, and the filter will be updated.
To adjust the filter and select specific add-on products or activities, simply click on the filter block and make the adjustments.
When using this filter, it's important that you think about how you use it when filtering on order attributes. If you only want to include/exclude visitors based on their next upcoming visit with you, you need to make sure to include the Start date or Order date filters stated below to target the right booking. Otherwise, MarketHype will look at the customers' whole purchase history.
"is between the booking was made and their stay"
"is between the booking was made and their stay ends"
"is during their stay"
"is during or around their stay"
For example, if you exclude everyone who bought an add-on product. If you only do this type of filter (stated below), MarketHype will look at the whole order history and exclude a visitor who bought the add-on product for a previous visit but still hasn't for its upcoming visit.
But, if you choose to add any of the date filters stated above, MarketHype will adjust and only look at the relevant booking.
Step 7: Create your email or SMS
Email automations
Click on the Send email block followed by the Design email button to design the email. Once ready, jump out of the editor to fill in the sender, subject line, and preview text.
Keep in mind that you can use our display filters in your email design to customize which content is visible to specific recipients. For example, to promote a 3-course dinner at your restaurant, but ensure that it is only displayed to those who haven't already booked it.
SMS automations
Click on the Send SMS block to choose the sender name and compose the message. This article explains more about creating an SMS.
If you have chosen Marketing communication in step 4, you also need to specify the language for the opt-out instructions. This is done when composing the SMS text.
Merge tags in email and SMS automations
Besides MarketHypes' general Merge tags, you will find specific merge tags for booking automations based on order or booking. These are:
Order Id - order number from the external booking system
Order URL - a link to the external booking system where customers can see/modify their order. This varies based on the booking system (not available for BookVisit users).
Order date - when the order was made
(Booking) Start date - arrival date/start date
(Booking) End date - departure date/end date
These can be included in both email and SMS automations.
Step 8: Test your automation
Email automations
Open the Send email block and hover over the email design to find the Preview and Test button. Here, you can preview the design in desktop vs. mobile view, share a preview link with colleagues, and send test emails.
SMS automations
Open the Send SMS block, and a Send test SMS button will appear at the bottom.
You can also test any display filters (for email only) and merge tags used in your emails and SMS.
Step 9: Start your automation
When you are happy with your automation, it is time to activate it. Press Start in the upper-right corner to review the setup. Once you confirm, the automation will start to send according to the automation rules! 🎉