How to make $100K of bookings in 2026 (5-steps)

If you want to earn $100K of bookings from social media in 2026, this is for you.

In 2025, if you didn't get as many bookings as you wanted, the problem isn't your property.

You don’t have an easy way to:

• Drive attention.

• Gain trust from guests.

• Earn their booking.

The best way to do this requires 5 super-duper simple steps.

1. Get attention

2. Create a lead generator

3. Send emails

4. Run Meta Ads

5. Work with influencers

Follow these 5 super-duper steps and you'll create a wonderful booking machine.

Let's dive in, shall we?

Step 1: Get attention on social media

When we starting working with our first airbnbs, our videos would look like an HGTV home tour. We would focus on:

• The rooms

• Premium amenities

• Wooden interior

This got zero attention.

We quickly learned the house is NOT what sells.

It's the experience.

After that eureka moment, we decided to shoot around one main requirement:

"Live the typical day in the most desirable way possible."

• We would cook bright, healthy and colorful meals

• Experience the premium amenities (rather than just show it)

• Play games at night

Here's what happened:

• Our social content began to be shared.

• Views and followers skyrocketed.

• Bookings came in like they were on sale.

It's not the stay that sells.

Instead, it's creating content around a one-of-a-kind experience that sells. 

This is how you get attention.

Step 2: Create a lead generator

Most rental operators give guests two options on their website:

• Book

• Leave

Since most people aren't ready to book (maybe 1%), most leave and never come back.

Which makes sense.

Few people impulsively book a trip. They still have to:

• Get time off work

• Round the troops

• Find things to do

You have sparked their desire to book. Well done! They just need time to make a decision.

This is called the interest phase. Bookings are earned here.

The best way to sell guests overtime is email. The best way to build an email list is through lead magnets.

Bad lead magnets:

• a mysterious box that says "subscribe for updates."

• a newsletter.

• an opt in for some unknown "email list"

Good lead magnets:

• Offer a discount: Offer a percent of dollar amount off your nightly rate in exchange for an email address

• Voucher to a nearby restaurant: Ask a local bar or restaurant if they'd be willing to giveaway a $20-$50 voucher to future guests.

• Quiz: Create a quiz that helps guests pick their "perfect stay" with you.

• Spin wheel: Have a guest click a spin-wheel pop up to win a discount. They don't know winning is guaranteed.

• Giveaway information: Give website visitors exclusive information about your area.

• Gift cards: Offer a $20-$50 gift card to your stay. It's essentially the same thing as offering a discount but feels more tangible.

If you don't have a way to capture leads, you're missing out.

Now, let's do something with those leads.

Step 3: Send emails

Over a months time, send two emails talking about:

• Best dates to book

• Things to do

• Upcoming deals or promotions

Once you start making money (bookings) from email...

Send 3 per month.

Then 1x per week.

Because if you're making money, why not send more?

Best emails to send:

We send dozens of emails per month. These are our best:

• Best dates to book: 

  • Tell readers what dates to book. Give a good reason.

  • Examples: Fall foliage, eclipse, nearby festival, etc…

• Things to do:

  • Share your favorite things to do. Hack: Share hidden secrets

  • Tell people where to eat and why

  • Some things to do should be paid and some free

• Upcoming deals or promotions:

  • Run deals? Give people a heads up

See what good emails look like by signing up for my webinar. It's free.

Step 4: Run ads

If you ONLY execute step 1-3, you should start to see these things happen:

• People will start following you on social

• Asking questions in the comments

• Signing up for the lead generator

• Booking direct through email

The only thing you need now is more:

• People to follow you on social

• Becoming a lead through your lead generator

• Booking direct

Nothing new has to be built.

If bookings are coming in, the machine is clearly working. You just need more people to go through the machine.

The best way to do this is ads. How ads work is simple:

• Take the content that performs well

• Pay Meta to show it to more people

• That's it

Goal: Get a 3-to-1 ratio.

Example: If a booking is worth $600 and you paid $200 to get that booking through ads, you've achieved a 3-to-1 ratio.

Step 5: Work with influencers

How to find the perfect influencer:

• Identify your perfect guest

• Find influencers who are in that niche

1) How to identify your perfect guest

Who is your perfect guest? If you don't know, here are two ways to find out:

1. Chances are the perfect guest is you. What drew you to the property at first? (love the outdoors, great family getaway, etc…)

2. Read reviews. This is a dead giveaway. Guests will drop keywords like “stayed with my family”, “family retreat”, “couples getaway.”

Don't overthink this. Just figure out:

• Who is coming

• Who they're bringing

• Where they're coming from

That will be a good start.

2) How to find influencers that are in that niche

Any influencer you hire should have:

• Follower count: 10K+

• Engagement rate: 2-4%+

Note: They don't need to be focused just on airbnb's and hotels. But, they do need to be focused on local hospitality.

Finally, hire them

Some creators charge nothing, some charge $3,000+

First, start small. Try to spend $1,500 or less so you know how this relationship works. Then, build up from there.

Follow this process and I promise...

You will:

• Get people to love your airbnb or hotel through social media.

• 10x your Instagram following by creating content that demands attention.

• Use the best marketing channel in the world to drive bookings.

• Turn Instagram traffic into bookings.

That's all for today. I'll see you in the next article.

P.S. Writing this from Wisconsin. Back for some good ol’ fashioned sibling bonding. Played a lot of pool. Which is my latest obsession. My current side quest is to play a game where I win in less than 10 turns. It’s a noble quest. May take all winter. Stay tuned.

Before you go

I spend about 10 hours writing this newsletter each week. The rest of my time is spent running Lodge Social.

Our marketing team will help you get more guests to like, share and book.

Work with me and my team here.

Links you might like:

1. My newest webinar: Snap, Post, Send. Ends Tomorrow (SIGN UP HERE)

2. Your team is your best content (The Unique Stays Guy)

3. 6 dead-simple ways to make your place feel “premium” (Instagram)

4. Lodge Social Q3 2025 recap. What we learned… (The Lodge Social)