20 Tips in 20 Minutes for Selling Rooms Direct

Recently we had to provide a list of '20 tips in 20 minutes for selling rooms direct'. Although this is likely to be 'old hat' for many of our customers we thought it might be worth casting your eyes over whilst drinking a cup of coffee.

1 Check and adjust room prices often. -  If you are working with a Channel manager changed rates will display worldwide in seconds
2 Proritise your channels. - Ie Close out the expensive channels if you can sell weekends in summer direct.
3 Offer an incentive to book Direct. ie Free Parking, Free Late Check Out, Free Breakfast etc.
4 Make sure your website has mobile Booking Facilities. - In some countries online booking exceed PC Bookings.
5 Make sure your website is multi lingual - In London 70% of online bookings are from overseas guests.
6 Maintain a Google Adwords Campaign. - Do this or see bookings ‘bleed’ to the OTA’s.
7 Maintain a TripAdvisor Business Listing. - Some stats say 82% of new customers check you out on Tripadvisor before booking.
8 Make sure the website is updated. - A ‘dead’ website makes bookers think ‘no one is in’.
9 Have ‘useful’ content on the website - ‘10 things to do on a rainy day in the area’ etc.
10 Consider ‘Paid’ FaceBook Marketing. - How else can you reach… ‘people with an interest in cycling within a 100 miles radius’?
11 Keep your FaceBook Page uptodate. - ‘Millenials’ are said to be looking at their FaceBook Feed more often than they are doing google searches.
12 Send E zines to your customers. - Keep it light hearted and informal –Not all sales!
13 Invest in good quality photography. - A website is basically a content holder for photos.
14 Promote your website address inside the property. - In the reception, in the toilets, on the breakfast table etc
15 Offer FaceBook Guests preferential rates. - Display a Promotion Code on your FaceBook Page.
16 Maintain Special offers on your website. -  Stay Friday and Saturday get Sunday Half Price etc.
17 Give Departing Guests a reason to come back. - Ie A Business Card with a Promotion Code on.
18 Promote your website address in your e mail ‘signature’. - ie ‘Best Rates on our website….’ etc.
19 Simplify the Booking Process. - Ie Don’t request a postal address with Mobile Bookings.
20 Seek links from other websites to yours.  Ie From the laundry suppliers website etc.
21 Display reasons to book direct in the Booking Process. - Ie ‘Best Rate Guarantee’ notices.