MAFHAF

The second you focus on direct bookings, you'll start to build a goldmine most rental operators ignore.

• One morning you'll see an inquiry roll in

• Then 3 more the next day

• Someone asks about rates

• Another wondering if dogs are allowed (even though the website says "yes")

• A quick query about if the hot tub is indeed hot and a tub

These are all leads.

Here's the thing about leads:

Leads are people who need to learn more. They are typically one or two questions away from taking out their credit card.

They are excited RIGHT NOW. Not tomorrow or next week.

Yet, most rental operators treat leads like they're spam or annoying siblings:

• Wait a few hours

• Send a boring, corporate response

• Skip the follow up

I watch this guy on Instagram who is a salesman for a roofing company. His whole philosophy on sales is simple:

MAFHAF

Make A Friend. Help A Friend.

That's how leads should be treated too.

• View them like your best friend who wants to book

• Answer all their questions

• Keep following up to make sure they have all the info needed to buy

But, in order to MAFHAF, you need to get leads. Here's how:

How to get leads and MAFHAF

There are 3 common ways people become leads on a direct booking website:

1. Lead magnet

2. Email address

3. Contact form

Lead magnet

I love lead magnets. They are the quickest way to get email addresses.

Here are my favorites:

• $ amount off a booking

• Giveaways

• % amount off a booking

Most people who become a lead this way aren't ready to book now. It may be a couple weeks or months.

Use an automated welcome email sequence to keep in touch.

If someone is ready to book now, they will become a lead using a more urgent option.

Email address

This is the most urgent way for someone to become a lead.

Place your:

• Customer support email

• Guest services email

• Or personal email

Somewhere easy to spot on your website.

People will use this option if they have one or two questions they must get answered before booking.

• If you don't offer your email

• They won't contact you

• And you'll lose an easy booking

Hand out your email address.

Contact form

People who use contact forms have specific and less urgent questions. Maybe they're:

• Bringing the whole family and gotta know what the parking situation looks like.

• Are in town for a work event and need to know proximity to specific things.

• Wondering if 4 bedrooms means 4 separate rooms. Rather than 2 rooms + futons.

Place this form at the bottom of your website with "contact us" buttons scattered throughout.

If you have a stay that's $500+ per night, don't skip this.

Putting it together

Leads are humans who saw something on your website and:

• Intentionally gave you their contact information

• Want to learn more

• Are steps away from booking

Use this as an opportunity to Make a Friend and Help a Friend.

No one does this. That's why you'll earn their booking.

If your website gets visitors and you have a:

• Lead magnet

• Email address

• Contact form

You will get leads.

If you want more, use Meta or Google Ads to get them. This is the quickest way to do that.

The more friends you help, the more money you'll make.

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

P.S. Writing this from Boston. My good friend from home visited over the weekend. I take every first time guest to the Boston Marathon finish line on the first day. Then start spewing random facts. Usually no one cares.

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 7 favorite lead magnets (The Lodge Social)

2. More about the welcome email sequence (The Lodge Social)

3. Airbnb vs. Google vs. Meta (The Lodge Social)

4. 16 hotels awarded 3 Michelin Keys in the US (LinkedIn)