Getting Your Foot In The Door With Direct Bookings

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Okay, welcome back everybody. Perhaps you're a host who is dipping your toes into direct bookings for the very first time. You want to know what sort of steps you should be taking, things that you can be doing right now to to get involved in direct bookings, to really put yourself out there. So if this is your first time here, you're listening to the Boostly podcast and this is the podcast that helps give hosts the tools, the tactics, the trainings, most importantly the confidence to go out there and get more direct bookings. Today is the feature of series which is the Spotlight where we shine the spotlight on interesting people, businesses, services, things that you need to know about which is going to help your direct book and journey and ultimately is just going to help you as a host. So I'm Leo Carolan and today I'm really excited to introduce we've got Adrian Diaja, he's the co founder of Booking Mood. Really interesting piece of Tech this and I'm excited to get stuck in. So welcome along, Adrian.

Welcome. Well, thank you very much, Liam, and thanks for having me tonight.

No worries, no worries. So, so the listeners know, whereabouts are you currently and what sort of time. Whereabouts in the world are you coming from?

I'm now in the Netherlands where we are based with our team. Our head offices is based in Amsterdam, but myself and a colleague of mine, we are based in the south part of Holland near the border with Belgium. And yeah, we have our own office here, it's in the city called Hoos in the province called Zealand. And our main office is in Amsterdam. Amsterdam, where we've got some other colleagues working over there. So, yes, based in the Netherlands.

Awesome. Well, thank you for joining me. I mean, as we record this in the uk, it's about half seven and I know it's about half eight where you are, so thank you for joining us. So, let's get stuck in. What is Booking Mood? Can you give us the elevator pitch?

Well, I think it's quite easy. Booking Mood is booking software especially built for vacation rental owners. So with our booking software, you can, on the other hand, on the one hand you can create a very simple availability calendar if you just want to show availability and you want to have the contact with your. With the clients with a personal contact. And on the other hand, we have a booking calendar with a system behind it that you can create direct bookings and direct payments and everything in between is. Yeah. Within the whole Booking Mood system.

Cool, cool. So what is your history? How did, how did you get started and what has caused this passion for direct bookings?

Yes, well, Booking Mood was started about two and a half years ago, so we're not that long in the market, but we have a longer history within the. Within the vacation rental market business. Because I think about 11, 12 years ago, we had an agency, an Internet agency. We created websites and one of our clients asked us to create websites. He had about three holiday homes he rented out and he wanted a pure and simple availability calendar for that. I think it was then that we used Joomla. Maybe you know it, Elaine, but it's, I think a CMS that's not really active anymore. But at that moment it was used a lot and there was not such a thing as a simple availability calendar. So we decided to create one. We brought a developer with us and he created it and it all worked very well. And we thought, well, maybe it's a good idea to put it online and maybe other people would like to buy it as well. And from the moment we put a website live with some text and we did some Google optimization, it all went quite fast. So we grew in, yeah, in 10 years time from zero to I think about 3,000 clients. So it was a nice way to start in this market. It was a really lightweight product. We did support on it, but because it was so simple, we did not really added new features because it was purely a simple availability calendar. But in the last couple of years, a lot of existing clients, but also new clients and people who were interested asked for more features. So that got us thinking that maybe it was a good idea to create more features or create a new product. And because the name of the product is what it does, it was not efficient anymore. So we thought, well, let's start over again. Of course, the code we created for the calendar was also 12 years old. So we thought let's start with a clean sheet, start with a new developer as well. So he became the co owner, one of the co owners, and that was the start of Booking Mood. So we started developing in two years ago, two and a half years ago. And it took us about half a year to develop a whole new product with extra features. Also the availability calendar, but also the booking option. And early last year we started with Booking Mood, we put it live and from there on we grew again to about, I think about 1200 clients at the moment with it. So, yeah, that's cool.

Where does the name book and Mood, where did that come from?

It's a good one. Well, if you're a bit into creating products or when you create products, which we did in the past for several other things. One of the hardest things is to create a good name. And we had a lot of sessions on it, we had a lot of thought in it, but we really wanted something with booking in it and well, the mood, the English word mood, to get in the mood to do something. Well, yeah, that was a combination. So booking Moods sometimes we say gets you in the mood for a booking. So it can be done for the people who want to book a vacation rental home or people who rent something out. You both like to get in the mood to book. And that's, that's the, the idea behind the name.

Yeah. Cool. That's cool. So I want to dive more into the, the problem that it solves, which is, I mean, we get a lot of hosts who come to us who they've just heard about the book Direct Movement. Hopefully they've picked up Mark Simpson's book, the book Direct Playbook and they're wanting to get involved in direct bookings, but they're just on one of the OTAs, perhaps Airbnb, perhaps Verbo, perhaps booking.com and they really just want to have a very basic way to show people, and this is what we talk about in the book, is that these days is ever so easy. The OTAs make it ever so easy for people to see the availability and the dates. But when people want to book direct, then they need to see something similar. And this is exactly what Book and Mood is helping them with, isn't it? And when it comes down to it, what do they need in place to be able to work with Book and Mood? Do they need to have their own website, for instance?

Yes, ideally, yes. We have some clients who don't have a website, who don't want a website because they only use it as a system for their own background administration. But Yeah, I think 95 of our, 95% of our users have a website and it can be any website. So if it's WordPress or other CMS or is it a no code system like Framer or a lot of the new systems that come up, which are no code website systems, Booking Mood is compatible in all those systems and it's, it's very easy. So you, when you create an account on Booking Mood, you can, yeah, create all your calendars, your widgets, all the pricing you want to put in and then you can very easily embed or create an embed code and you can put that embed code into your website and that's it. We, from the beginning on, we offered also kind of a website. When we started, it was a very simple one page, one pager with only the necessary information. So some photos, some text, the calendar and some contact information, but nothing more. But the last couple of months we've been busy with creating a more advanced website builder within Booking Mood. So now you can also create your. Yeah, kind of professional website where Booking Mood is integrated automatically. But still, I think until now, maybe 90, 95% of our clients use external systems to, to have a website. Yeah.

If you're struggling on how to get direct bookings and overwhelmed on where to start, then I recommend you go and book in a call with Boostly and our team. Right now we can walk you through exactly what we're offering, how we can help you and give you a portfolio of websites that we have worked with that are matching not only your niche, but could be in your location as well. Boostly has helped over 2000 hospitality businesses all over the world increase their direct bookings and if you are interested, then all you need to do is go to boostly b O-O-S-Tly.co.uk call and book in an appointment with one of our sales team.

When it comes down to. You mentioned that you can control payment, you know, so they might have one price on Airbnb or hopefully not, but be using smart pricing by Airbnb or something like that. How do they. When somebody's seen the availability so they've gone on to the client's website, how do they pay? Is it a case of getting in touch via email and phoning the, the host and then the host obviously blocking those dates? And is it. Do they need their own payment merchants and stuff like that set up?

Yeah, it's very flexible. So if you just want to show the availability and want direct contacts with a client through for example, email address or phone number, of course that is possible. That is what we started with with availability Calendar.com but if clients want a booking form where people can fill in their contact details and first they make a choice of the dates they want to book, then they, then that's an option as well. So when they filled in the form, it will be sent to the owner's email address and the booking comes in. And now it's also possible to get a direct payment. So what you see a lot is that people have to pay the 50% or 40% onwards before you enter the rental on vacation, it's all very flexible. So people can choose what they want.

Yeah, that's cool. And so they could already have, you know, they might have built their own website on Wix or on WordPress or something like that, but they just need a way to take the bookends. Then they, you know, they can come to you. Or if they are a host who's just thinking about starting down the direct bookings path, they can, they can also come to you and use it then as well, which is cool. Awesome. Awesome. So one of the things which, which I'd love to ask is where do you see Book and Mood in five years? What is, what is on the horizon for Book and Mood?

Yes, well, of course we hope that we can grow a lot bigger. That's of course one of our main goals in the, in the form that we are now so purely as a booking system for the vacation rental owner. A lot of our owners, the biggest group of our owners are independent rental home owners. So they have one to maybe maximum five houses they own, but now the last couple of months we see quite some interest from the bigger parties. So we also have some clients who rent out hundreds of spas for example, or shallots or whatever they rent out. And we also see some interest from listing sites. So people who want to set up their own listing site, so not that they are the owner of the, of the houses or the condos, but they, they manage them for, for the owners and they take commissions on bookings. That that is we see quite some interest from those parties in the last couple of months. So that got us thinking as well to maybe provide them as well in, in maybe something like a website where they can easily create their listings and show that on, on a very yeah user friendly way. So we, we're thinking about that because yeah, what I said, what I say the, the interest from those parties is growing. But yeah, to maybe to make a direct link to the, the direct bookings we we hope and that is what I really like about Boostly is that I hope we can create a movement altogether within this market to create more direct bookings by, by people who book vacation rental homes. So I think one of our goals also is to make people aware that of course you can book through an ota but you probably pay more and it's not always the best situation for the rental owner. It's, it's, it's better to, to book directly through them. So yeah, I hope really that that movement will get on and, and in the Future, yeah the OTAs will be maybe get less powerful and that that the direct booking market will grow. Yes.

And I mean this is the thing a lot of people would say, you know, like everybody goes Bruce, why do you interview everybody? Why do you, why do you speak to them? And even you guys do websites, obviously boosted Boostly do websites. Ultimately the reason we like to get everybody together is because you, you as the person listening to this podcast or watching on the YouTube, you've got lots of choices. The one choice we don't want you to make is not to do anything to get direct bookings because there's going to be everybody else in the short term rental space is moving forward and realizing just how big direct bookings they've always been big. I mean, you know, 20 years ago some of these OTAs didn't exist, but they're actually making a resurgence. And together if we all push this direct booking movement, then there's less likely that people like Airbnb, booking.com, vRBO are going to increase their commission. Instead they're Going to start to look at all of the hosts who are getting direct bookings and actually go, do you know what? We better keep our commission what it is, maybe even lower it. Who knows if we could have that effect than we'd love to have. And this is where direct bookings, which I was going to ask you about next, is just so important. So I really think that we've got to grips with what Book and Mood is, how it can help. And I hope people listening to this, if you're not doing anything about direct bookings at the moment, you know, you can go and check out Booker Mood, make sure you're. You're thinking about your next way to get direct bookings. Before we share the details of how you can find out more about Book and Mood, we're just going to ask a couple of fun, spontaneous questions. So what is your favorite movie? Adrian?

That's a good one. What is my favorite movie? I think maybe it sounds stupid, but I think one of the. Johnny English.

Why? Why?

Well, I'm a huge around Atkinson fan. Always been. Well, not to sound. I don't know how to say it in English, but I'm quite a big fan of England and English people and the country. And I visit England a couple of times every year. And I'm also a fan of the English humor. So, yeah, then Rowan Atkinson is someone who, who is famous, of course, in that genre. So, yeah, I have to go with one of those movies.

Yeah. Nice. He's had an epic career, hasn't he? Lots and lots of. From Blackadder to Mr. Bean, Johnny English. All of that is cool.

Yes.

So when you stay in England, two little mini questions. Do you book direct and where was the last spontaneous stay you. You had? Not necessarily England, but where was the last spontaneous sort of stay that you went away on?

When we book in England, we really try to book direct. Yes. So next week I'll be in England, by the way. So that's.

Have you already. Have you already booked? I mean, I know when we broadcast this badly.

Yes, but the problem is, um, it's. It's on a. An event which is very crowded and it's always difficult to find a good property. But we, we, we always try to. Well, we look first on booking. So to be honest, we search on booking.com and then we'll try to. To contact directly with the owner to. To make booking there. Yeah, absolutely.

You know, you've just executed my point of saying most people start their journey either on Google or on one of the big OTAs yes, but branding your business is just so, so important if you can make sure you've got your logo. If you're mentioning, you know the I actually say to people, top tip for everybody listening, put in brackets somewhere in the description exactly what you want them to search. You know, we are in brackets name of business, Norwich or wherever the location is. You know, Amsterdam, Holland, wherever it is. So people can easily then search that and come and find your direct because chances are when they search that although your OTA listing might come top, usually your direct book and website will come within the first few and then you're able to get that direct book in which is amazing. So yeah, and I know as well, I mean I've got a confession is that when I travel for especially work I do look at you know, properties first. But unfortunately as a solo traveler it is sometimes cheaper to book hotels, you know, is what it is. Whenever I'm traveling as a couple or as a family, I always stay in short term rental. So.

Yep. Cool.

So that brings us to the last two questions. How can we get in touch with Book and Mood? Where can we find out more information?

Yes, all the information regarding our product can be found on our website bookingmood.com and there we, yeah we have all the information I think you need to, to read about it to see what it is. You can, can contact us directly@supportbookingmoot.com so supportbookingmoo.com and we offer also a day free trial. So if people yeah really want to try it, of course you're very welcome to try and if you need more time which we see in sometimes that people really like it but really need some more time to, to dig into it, we can of course extend, extend the trial period. So that's no, no problem.

Awesome. And lastly, what is your mantra in life? What is a quote that really resonates with you?

It's a, it's a, it's a hard one. Well I, I, I, I'm not sure if it's really a quote but I'm, I'm, I really stand for to get the most out of every day. So maybe it sounds a bit cliche but I think business wise, but also in private life my experience is that life is going very fast, very in, in a very fast way. And yeah if I, it's, it's like yesterday that really we, we released Booking Mood and now we're one and a half years further on. It's going so quick. So yes it's sometimes a challenge but to get most out of every day. That is, I think, for me, it's an important thing to. To do every day. Yeah.

Nice. Thank you so much, Adrian. And that's a lovely way to. To bring it to a close. So thank you very much for listening to this on the Boostly podcast on the Spotlight series here. We know there's lots of places you can put your attention, and we thank you for putting it with us. That's it from this episode, and we look forward to seeing you on the next one. Thanks very much and bye for now.