In this episode, Jamie Lane, Chief Economist at AirDNA, welcomes Mark Simpson, the founder and CEO of Boostly. Mark shares his journey from growing up on a bed and breakfast farmstay in Scarborough to building Boostly, a comprehensive platform that assists hosts in the short-term rental industry to maximize direct bookings. Reflecting on his early experiences with offline marketing and Boostly's current success with 2,500 customers and 10,000 listings, Mark emphasizes the critical transition from being a hobbyist host to a business owner. He breaks down the stages of growth, offering valuable insights for hosts looking to scale from one property to managing multiple properties.

Mark delves into the core strategy of transforming guests into influencers and superfans, highlighting the importance of social proof and building a loyal customer base. He explains how this approach is universally effective, regardless of the property's location or niche. Jamie and Mark explore essential metrics that hosts should monitor, such as booking activity and website engagement, to optimize performance.

For hosts at various growth stages, Mark provides actionable steps, underlining the importance of property management software tools, the evolution of branding as property numbers increase, and the vital role of a direct booking website in establishing a unique identity. He also shares key metrics that hosts should concentrate on and recommends tools like Crazy Egg for comprehensive website analytics. Mark's expertise shines as he guides hosts from being solo entrepreneurs managing one property to becoming business owners with expansive portfolios. His ambition for Boostly includes achieving 100 million dollars in tracked direct bookings and positioning the platform as a significant voice for hosts in discussions with major OTAs.

Mark's passion for empowering hosts with effective marketing strategies and data-driven insights makes this episode a must-listen for those seeking to boost their direct bookings and successfully grow their short-term rental business. Don't miss this episode!

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Episode 67