Are you looking for ways to increase your direct bookings?
Online travel agents (OTAs) seem to take up a lot of space on Google and, with seemingly brilliant deals, it can be hard to attract guests to book directly — which can have a negative impact on your revenue!
So, what’s the solution?
In this blog, we’re exploring how you can boost your direct bookings, and eliminate your guests’ use of OTAs:
1. Make Booking Easy
When a user clicks onto your website, they’re looking for a clear and concise booking experience, and quick, easy access to the information they need.
So, to avoid a long-winded process, it’s important to limit the number of clicks needed to reach the page they’re in search of.
We can help you create a clear and intuitive design, with separate drop down menus for spa visits, overnight stays or restaurant reservations — making booking a simple and easy process to follow.
As well as this, having clear and instructive call-to-action (CTA) buttons will provide a direct transfer to the booking and payment system, abolishing a lengthy method.
Once your customer is at the check-out, the final steps need to be simple. If they have to click through five pages of details before they even reach the card payment, you’ll likely have lost the sale.
2. Use Personalised Recommendations
At Umi, we understand the importance of bolstering your customer relationships and building trust with them.
By offering a personalised experience, based on previous bookings or searches, you’re able to connect with your customers and elevate their overall experience, giving you an appealing competitive edge.
The history of an individual gives you the capability to guide them into further insights of your website, and create a timeline of their history — making it easy to dip in and out of visited pages.
3. Offer Excellent Customer Service
What makes a customer likely to return to a website? Outstanding customer service.
Excellent customer service is a positive outcome for each alternative, and our team encourages clients to create long-lasting relationships built on trust and reliability.
By offering a good service, your direct bookings are likely to increase as customers’ find enjoyment in navigating your website and speaking to helpful people.
This can be having clear contact options, such as:
- a ‘call now’ button
- pop-up chat or
- an email address.
If your customer needs help, they want to be able to access a solution immediately. If they can’t find a way to get in touch, they’ll be more likely to move on and find a different website.
4. Offer Exclusive Discounts and Incentives
One key factor contributing to the success of Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) is their promotion of seemingly affordable prices, which attract customers with the promise of the best deals.
However, the challenge arises when customers discover hidden costs and realise that OTAs lack access to real-time pricing information, making their initial appeal less value-driven.
Here’s where you’re at an advantage; by implementing an innovative booking system, you can provide customers with the latest prices and availability, ensuring unbeatable deals.
Make it crystal clear to your customers that they won’t find a superior offer elsewhere, and sweeten the deal with loyalty incentives for those who choose to book directly.
5. Employ Engaging and Effective Email Marketing
At Umi, we look to increase website direct bookings through promotional and reliable tools — and this includes using email marketing as a popular way to advertise your products and services.
You can reach out to previous guests, those who’ve booked, and potential customers, offering discounts, promotions, and deals that are only accessible by booking directly via your website.
You can send personalised messages, promote new packages or upcoming events, or even just send a seasonal message — this consistent and value-lead marketing is a great way to secure direct bookings.
If you’d like to discuss how to increase your direct bookings with Umi, please contact a member of our team.
Alternatively, why not check out our recent blog to explore what a brand protection digital ad campaign is and how it can benefit your business.