Are you tired of trying to drive direct bookings by engaging with random guests on social media, only to see no results?
It’s time to ditch the ineffective approach and focus on what really works. Join me in this episode and discover the power of engaging with perfect guests on social platforms, showcasing property benefits beyond just amenities, producing compelling content that captivates potential guests, and promoting a property by emphasizing advantages for guests. With our proven three-step strategy, you’ll finally be able to harness the full potential of social media to boost your bookings and grow your short-term rental business.
‘It’s not all about you. It’s about the guest and what you can give them.’ – Jenn Boyles
In this episode, you will be able to:
- Discover the power of engaging with perfect guests on social platforms.
- Learn the techniques of showcasing property benefits beyond just amenities.
- Uncover the art of producing compelling content that captivates potential guests.
- Master the skill of promoting a property by emphasizing advantages for guests.
- Get a proven three-step strategy to drive direct bookings using social media.
Take the challenge
From Likes to Bookings: A 3-Part Social Media Challenge for Vacation Rental Managers: https://directbookingsuccess.com/fromlikestobookings
Show notes are available at: https://directbookingsuccess.com/podcast/
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directbookingsuccess
Join the Marketing Hub Free Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/marketinghubforholidayrentals
Sign up to the Free Direct Booking Success Summit 2023: https://directbookingsuccesssummit.com/
Transcript
You are listening to the Direct Booking Success podcast, bringing you all the information you need for your short term rental to stand out from the crowd. I'm your host, Jenn Boyles. As an owner and manager myself, I know how hard it can be to navigate hospitality and history. I'm here to help so you too can have Direct Booking Success. Hello and welcome to another episode of Direct Booking Success podcast.
I'm Jenn Boyles, your host, and I am super delighted to have you here with me today. Today you've got me and only me and I want to speak to you about social media. You may not enjoy it, but I'm afraid it's something you've got to do. Full stop. In my Direct Booking Success programs, there are three sections and one entire section is devoted to social media.
It's important. You need to learn how to use it to drive more direct Bookings and not be chasing vanity metrics. Vanity metrics are the number of followers you have. Yes, it can look impressive if you have thousands. But if those in that audience aren't booking with you, then what good are they?
Instead, you want to have an engaged group of followers who identify with your ideal guest. They are a perfect fit for you and your property. So how do you do this? I'm going to give you three steps to focus on in order to get bookings from social media while feeling good about the content you are putting out there. And one of them is not going to spend more time on social media.
In fact, I'm going to guess you are probably already spending too much time there. So what if I told you you could increase your direct bookings from social and at the same time decrease the amount of time you spend on the platforms? Intrigued? Well, let's get started. Let's start with who is that perfect fit to stay in your property?
Who will have the best time? Who will give you the best five star reviews? Who will tell their friends about their stay? And who won't be driving you nuts with after hours phone calls looking for the corkscrew? Who is your ideal guest?
Now, notice that I don't use the words avatar or persona. That is really marketing. Gobbly goop. Your ideal guest has to be a real person in your eyes. If they aren't, you won't use them.
And this has to be someone who is the perfect fit and someone you can speak to in your marketing. So who are they? No, they aren't a demographic I don't want to hear. They are 30 to 40, female and have a job. I want to know their name, what their life is like, why they want this holiday, and why your place would be a perfect fit for them.
Only by figuring this out and starting to speak to them in your social media posts will you finally reach those who identify with your ideal guest. And then the bookings will start to come. Next, you need to look at why your ideal guest would book with you. What will they get out of it? Every day I see social media posts that list the number of beds they offer.
They have kitchens or whatever it may be, whatever the amenities are and their availability, who cares? Unless I was already thinking of having a holiday at that place. I'd be actually put off like a post like that. There's nothing in it for the guests. It's all about you and the guests don't really care about you.
Sorry, sounds harsh, but it's true. Guests want to know what's in it for them, in the same way you would be if you were the guest. It's not all about you. It's about the guest and what you can give them. In marketing speak, it's features versus benefits.
Instead of listing your amenities, you can be explaining how the guests will enjoy themselves. So how can you do this? Use my soap test. As long as the Amenity you have matches what your ideal guest wants, then you're good to go. You have a hot tub, so what?
The benefit is that your ideal guest gets to relax at the end of a day of sightseeing. You have a barbecue, so what? The benefit is that your ideal guest can enjoy a wonderful outdoor meal with their family. You have board games, so what? The benefit is that your ideal guests can have a great evening, reconnecting with their children while having some fun.
Maybe you have bikes the guests can use. So what? Guests don't have to drive anywhere. They can exercise, spend time with their family, enjoy the outdoors and your area. Maybe you are your own USP with your local knowledge.
So what is the benefit for your guest? They can have the insider scoop on all the fabulous places locals go to. I love the So what test. Actually, I think I love it a bit too much. It goes through my head several times a day, I think.
Anyway, it is a good test so that you get out of your own head and into that of your ideal guest. So once you have nailed your ideal guest and you've sorted out the benefits your place provides for them, the next thing is to stop shouting on social media. Do you know what I mean by stop shouting? Stop shouting about your availability or your cancellations or how many bedrooms you have or what amenities you have. Shouting doesn't work.
Think of a time when you know you're being sold to, unsolicited. It's not really a nice feeling, is it? Start providing value for those looking at your social media posts. Create posts. Whether they're images, carousels, videos or reels, create posts for your ideal guest.
Ones that tell them about your local area. Ones that open the curtains about what really happens behind the scenes, social posts that engage with your ideal guest and finally, create posts that sell. But do it in a way that uses the So what test that helps your ideal guests see what they will enjoy and experience when they book a stay. Once. And only then will the booking start to flow.
If you'd like to take this further, I've created a three part challenge to walk you through the process that I use in the Direct Booking Success program. Head to my website, DirectBookingSuccess.com/fromLikestobookings. I'll put that link in the show notes as well. Let me know how you get on with it. That link again, DirectBookingSuccess.com/fromLikestobookings I'll see you next week.
Hey, thanks for listening to the Direct Booking Success. For more information about this episode and others, head to the website Direct Booking Success podcast. See you next time.