Beyond OTAs: Building a Resilient Short-Term Rental Business
Damian highlights the importance of direct bookings as a part of a multi-channel strategy and shares practical tips on establishing strong relationships with guests to build loyalty and drive repeat direct bookings.
In this episode of the Hospitable Hosts podcast, our special guest is Damian Sheridan, Founder and Director of The Book Direct Show, an in-person conference dedicated to short-term rental hosts and property managers looking to generate more direct bookings away from traditional OTAs. Damian is also a founder of SCALE, a global movement for ambitious short-term rental professionals looking to scale profitably and sustainably.
With over 22 years of experience in the short-term rental industry, Damian has a genuine passion for sharing knowledge and is a prominent direct bookings advocate. In this episode, Damian highlights the importance of direct bookings as a part of a multi-channel strategy and shares practical tips on establishing strong relationships with guests to build loyalty and drive repeat direct bookings. He also discusses using social media to connect and engage with potential guests, and reveals ways to drive direct booking traffic on a limited budget.
Press Play now to learn about effective strategies for getting direct bookings and reducing your reliance on OTAs
Do you prefer to read the highlights? We’ve got a summary of the key takeaways below.
Damian’s Short-Term Rental Journey
Damian has been involved in the short-term rental industry since 2003, when he acquired his first property in southern Spain and began renting it out. However, he was working in London until about 2013 on various corporate travel websites, where he gained a great deal of knowledge about Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
When he reached the point where he couldn’t handle business travel in the corporate world anymore, Damian launched his own website to teach people how to rank websites organically and achieve higher rankings on search engines like Google. And since Damian had an interest in short-term rentals, he started working as an SEO consultant for STR property management companies.
Damian says he had many clients who asked him to help them with branding, email marketing, and building their social media presence.
“That led to the idea of what is now the Book Direct Show. So, having an event specifically for direct booking strategies, helping property managers and hosts who really want to reduce their reliance on OTAs, not just go against them, but try to be totally independent, because we know that’s very, very difficult. But really to increase their distribution channels elsewhere.”
Damian says they had their first Book Direct Show in 2020, and now they are moving to the seventh, which will take place on 13th November in Manchester, UK.
Direct Bookings: Why They Matter?
Damian points out that direct bookings “can’t be the single egg in the basket,” but they are essential for short-term rental success as a part of a multi-channel strategy.
“We can't just be purely reliant upon one or even two channels. We need to be aware of all the other distribution channels available to us. And if it’s your own website, social media, OTAs with subscription models (which still exist), or niche platforms, there are numerous outlets for us to really push and secure more direct bookings. It’s just important for us to realize that they are there for us, and if we want to take that jump, it’s available.”
Damian underlines that direct bookings allow hosts and property managers to reduce their reliance on OTAs and take control of their business while enhancing the guest experience. Still, going direct isn’t necessarily for everyone, as it can be tough and often requires a mindset shift and education.
“If you’re a hobbyist and this is something that’s just bringing you a bit of extra pocket money, then maybe Airbnb or Booking or Vrbo is quite fine. It's not going to kill you overnight if you lose your listings. However, if you exceed a certain threshold, such as owning five properties or more, I certainly think you should consider it.
And it’s not just about the commissions. It’s about having access to all your guest data, being able to communicate with them in any way you want, sending a link, implementing your own cancellation terms, and taking payment when you want it.All of these things are outside of your control on other third-party platforms.”
Getting Repeat Direct Bookings
“I think repeat bookings are probably the lowest hanging fruit in terms of direct bookings for many hosts,” Damian notes. “We get the bookings in, and that’s great, and the OTA is doing a great job for that. But the onus is on us then if that person is ever coming back to your area, to make you and your property the first place they think of when they’re coming back.”
Damian emphasizes that the key to securing repeat direct bookings is meeting guests’ needs, delivering exceptional service, and fostering long-term relationships with them. “We get the bookings from the OTAs, and they might bring in thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions per year. But what are we doing to harness the relationship with that guest? And for me, the communication and the service we provide are, by far, the most important aspects. But one email to your guest is not enough. It should be a point of booking, before the stay, during the stay, and after the stay. Keep the relationship going, letting your guests know about your brand.”
Using Social Media
Damian points out that social media and your direct booking website are the channels where you can express yourself and tell your story. You should use social media not just to promote your property and offer deals, but to post engaging content and interact with potential guests.
“On social media, we shouldn't be just a pure sales hit every time you make a post. We've a great property; you should stay there. That’s not of interest to anyone. We need to engage them. We need to be like the local expert on Facebook groups and on creating really engaging videos, for example, on Instagram. There are a lot of things that can be done there.”
Listen to the full episode of the Hospitable Hosts podcast to get actionable insights from a true short-term rental expert.
