Top 10 Reasons Why Your Book Direct Strategy is Broken
Top 10 Reasons Why Your Book Direct Strategy is Broken
Your direct booking strategy is a fundamental piece to the bottom line. For many property owners this important fact is often overlooked, and many independent hotels don't have the staff or partnerships in place to achieve their revenue goals. If this is you, then it’s time to develop a strategic plan around direct bookings.
In our research and conversation with clients, here are the top 10 reasons why they struggle with their direct booking program, and why you might too.
1. Your booking process has too much friction
Too many steps, not enough information, only displaying dates available, forcing phone calls vs. online reservations, ...
From our experience, travelers prefer to book direct, and online with self-service methods, so why not let them? You have to give customers everything they need in one place on a fast, visually appealing, user-friendly website and booking engine. According to Tnooz, 32% of booking abandonments result from a slow booking process. There is simply too much friction.
A well-optimized booking process should:
Be seamlessly embedded on your website
Allow guests to book online 24/7/365
Show room availability and pricing
Display what the rooms look like and list amenities
Have an inclusive price list
Be mobile-responsive
Be easy-to-navigate
Not require unnecessary fields
In short, it should be easy for the potential guest to answer their questions and book a room. A conspicuous booking button is the best way to do this. Alternatively, placing the bookings form right on your home page can also do the trick.
2. Your website is missing a Book Direct benefits page
If you’re wondering why more guests aren’t booking direct, start by looking at your Book Direct Benefits page. The goal of having a Book Direct benefits page is to encourage, share, and remind guests why they should book direct. The page includes benefits to the guest that excites them to book on the website vs. leaving to an OTA like Expedia.
Your Book Direct benefits page should include:
- Best rate guarantee
- Let your guests know that they will always get the best rate by booking direct through your website. Example: “Rates on our official website are lower than on any other website (Expedia, Booking.com, AirBnB, etc.).”
- Exclusive offers and discounts
- Offer discounts only to guests who book direct. Example: “For those who stay longer than 3 days, we offer UP TO 30% DISCOUNT. You cannot find this offer anywhere else!”
- Better service promise
- Ensure guests that booking direct guarantees them better service and a better overall guest experience. Example: “Modifying or canceling the reservation with an agency often leads to complications, because we (you and us) have to deal with the third party. Book with us and we always find the BEST SOLUTION FOR YOU.”
- No hidden fees promise
- When your guests are on your site, you need to let them know that booking direct helps them avoid any last-minute hidden fees that OTAs often charge. Example: If you book with a travel agency, you have to pay city and bed tax (per day and per person). Moreover, upon completing a reservation you often realize that there are hidden fees. By booking on our official website, you NEVER pay an extra fee.
3. You don't allow guests to book directly from social pages.
Not only can guests share their hotel experience on social media, but they can also book their accommodation on these platforms.
Integrating a booking engine that works on social media allows your guests to book directly on your social media platforms. This is a great way also to ensure that you promote positive reviews and attract potential guests.
4. You're ignoring your rates and the competition around you
Evaluate your rate disparities and monitor them! Potential guests often leave a website without booking because they think they can get a cheaper deal elsewhere. A price checker tool could directly show your best price and a competitive rate on your website.
Often, potential guests abandon the booking process at the final stage because of high prices. Staying mindful of your rates and those of your competition keeps you in the bracket of reasonable pricing.
5. You're not paying attention to your online review
Platforms are not optimized; you have a lack of reviews, and your poor ratings lack responses.
An estimated 98% of all hotel guests read reviews on the hotel website, and 80% of them make reservations influenced by these reviews. Additionally, an increase in a hotel's average user rating increases a potential customer's likelihood of making a direct booking by 13.5%.
Optimize your review platform on your website to strategically position and advertise positive guest reviews. Your reviews and ratings should be accessible on all pages, not just the landing page, till a potential guest is through with the booking process.
6. You don’t have a plan to win over OTA bookers
The reality is that OTAs have become a necessary evil in the hotel industry over the years. With so much search engine real estate under their control, you doom your bottom line if you neglect to partner with a few OTAs.
A solid booking campaign directed by an OTA may be what your hotel needs to gain more bookings. Don't miss out on the billboard effect by neglecting to have an "OTA to direct booking" campaign in place.
7. Neglecting to use paid advertising like Google PPC, meta search engines, etc.)
Trivago documents that approximately 50% of all online bookers apply metasearch to search for the ideal hotel. Metasearch engines allow customers to view and compare hotel prices listed on various OTAs. With this information, they can make informed hotel reservations.
Metasearch also shows customers the price as mentioned on the hotel website. To bypass this and not get caught unaware, advertise your website rates on metasearch. A traveler would then have to go to your branded website, giving them a boost to direct booking.
8. You’re not collecting email signups to drive future business
Not every visitor on your website turns is an immediate a guest. While some are checking your website to compare prices in hopes of planning a trip months-away, others are curious about an offer you have. How do you get these potential guests to make a direct booking?
Persuade them to leave their email address. With prospects' email addresses in your collection, you can regularly email them your latest offers, information, and fun facts about your hotel and drive plenty of future business.
How do you get them to sign up with their email address and actively read your emails?
- Add a newsletter signup form at the bottom of your website.
- Offer an itinerary guide in exchange for an email address.
- Create a giveaway vacation drawing in exchange for email, name, and DOB.
- Have them sign up for local events in the area.
9. You do not offer a loyalty program.
Turn looking guests into booking customers with effective loyalty programs. Inform them that booking directly with you comes with perks and outline them clearly. According to Skift, approximately 45% of hotel guests consider perks crucial while booking.
If you offer more value than they paid for, you'll find that you not only save on OTA commission, but you also gain loyal customers. Exceptional hotel guest experience is a big deal in today's world. Loyalty programs are a perfect way to give back to your guests and show them their value to you. A great way to remind guest of this is through the Book Direct benefits web page.
10. You don't have a booking abandonment strategy in place
Do you have potential guests who go through the whole booking process, only key in their email address and phone numbers, just to abandon the process at the 'Book Now' stage? Then your direct book strategy may not be as effective as you want it to be, or you do not have a booking abandonment strategy in place.
According to SalesCycle, 81% of online travel bookings are abandoned prematurely. Potential guests abandon bookings for the following reasons:
- High prices
- Long reservation processes
- Website technical issues
Discretely write to them or call them to try and get to the bottom of the issue. If it's a pricing concern, give them better rates with the option of booking directly with you for other perks and discounts. A personalized booking abandonment strategy can bring back most guests.
For a comprehensive approach to increasing revenue with direct bookings, download our Road to Direct Bookings Definitive Guide or contact us for a demo of our suite of lodging services.
