1 Proritise your channels. - Ie Close out the expensive channels if you can sell weekends in summer direct.
2 Offer an incentive to book Direct. ie Free Parking, Free Late Check Out, Free Breakfast etc.
3 Make sure your website has mobile Booking Facilities. - In some countries online booking exceed PC Bookings.
4 Make sure your website is multi lingual - In London 70% of online bookings are from overseas guests.
5 Maintain a Google Adwords Campaign. - Do this or see bookings ‘bleed’ to the OTA’s.
6 Make sure the website is updated. - A ‘dead’ website makes bookers think ‘no one is in’.
7 Have ‘useful’ content on the website - ‘10 things to do on a rainy day in the area’ etc.
8 Consider ‘Paid’ FaceBook Marketing. - How else can you reach… ‘people with an interest in cycling within a 100 miles radius’?
9 Keep your FaceBook Page uptodate. - ‘Millenials’ are said to be looking at their FaceBook Feed more often than they are doing google searches.
10 Invest in good quality photography. - A website is basically a content holder for photos.
11 Promote your website address inside the property. - In the reception, in the toilets, on the breakfast table etc
12 Maintain Special offers on your website. - Stay Friday and Saturday get Sunday Half Price etc.
13 Give Departing Guests a reason to come back. - Ie A Business Card with a Promotion Code on.
14 Promote your website address in your e mail ‘signature’. - ie ‘Best Rates on our website….’ etc.
15 Simplify the Booking Process. - Ie Don’t request a postal address with Mobile Bookings.
16 Display reasons to book direct in the Booking Process. - Ie ‘Best Rate Guarantee’ notices.