Who is Chris Maughan?

Chris is a self-made entrepreneur who built AES Accommodation and Events from a tiny studio flat into a successful luxury short-term rental and events business. The success of AES was particularly due to Chris’ earliest methods of trust marketing, which he used to attract clients without ever relying on online travel agencies (OTAs). 

Further, Chris invested in the creation of I-PRAC, a global verification and membership platform, which has revolutionized the short-term hospitality sector. The platform introduced a verification process that guarantees 100% protection from rental fraud, helping hosts, property managers and legitimate operators, as well as worldwide travelers.

Chris’s public endorsement by other industry leaders, such as Will Plummer and Mark Simpson, and the success of his businesses demonstrate his unique expertise in building trust, which he considers an absolute necessity in the industry. His I-PRAC platform has put the importance of trust in the spotlight and driven its value even further. 

Reflecting on his previous experience, current industry environment, and beyond, Chris’s Masterclass will aim to help our hosts get the best direct booking results.

What is Trust Marketing?

Trust is at the forefront of your guests’ minds, especially now that travel is easier than ever in its post-pandemic boom. Since the short-term rental industry is not immune to fraudulent activity, it is essential to have trusted partners and service providers to mitigate these risks. Further showcasing your efforts to potential guests is the next step in credibility building.  

Through accreditations and licensing with leading industry operators, professionals like Chris have the opportunity to help both large-scale property managers and individual hosts create a trust-based brand out of their direct booking listings. By obtaining certifications and communicating the importance of trust in a professional yet engaging way to your guests, you can increase conversion rates, generating more bookings.

All in all, trust marketing is not just about in-build software and machine-led verification. It focuses on using various techniques and strategies to establish credibility, reliability, and honesty. There might be already plenty of tools to technically mitigate fraudulent activity, but Chris calls for re-approaching short-term rental businesses as a whole to succeed in the ever-evolving industry.

Curious to learn credibility-building tips and tricks?
Then our Masterclass is definitely for you!  

Masterclass Agenda

During his talk, Chris will discuss the benefits of using direct bookings and how to build and promote a direct booking website. Throughout the Masterclass, he will highlight the importance of trust and credibility and how they can be used to attract more guests, as well as the role of platforms, such as I-PRAC, in the success of short-term rentals.

More specifically, Chris will take us through the following topics:

• The reasons to use direct bookings from the start
• Best advertising methods for your direct booking business
• Key elements of building a successful direct booking website 
• Importance of trust in the short-term rental industry
• Using trust marketing to attract more guests 
• Role of certifications in the short-term rental industry

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from an industry expert and gain valuable insights on advancing your credibility, direct booking strategy and tools. Register for the Masterclass today and join us on March 30th, 2023, for a fun, interactive, and informative session.

Can’t make it? Register anyway and we’ll make sure to send you the recording.