Messaging for More Revenue

Hey Zac,

The best-performing messages we see are usually not “sell them one more thing right after booking” messages. The money tends to come from turning the guest into a repeat/direct/referral guest after the stay.

From Yada’s platform data, the strongest Journeys are:

1. Post-stay thank-you / rebook Journey
Send while the stay is still fresh.

Hi {{first_name}}, thanks again for staying with us at {{property_name}}. If you’re already thinking about your next trip, book direct with us and we’ll make sure you get our best guest perks. Here’s the link: {{direct_booking_link}}

2. Seasonal winback Journey
Best for past guests before shoulder season or repeat travel windows.

Hi {{first_name}}, we have a few great dates opening up at {{property_name}} this {{season}}. Since you’ve stayed with us before, I wanted to send them your way first. You can check availability here: {{direct_booking_link}}

3. Referral Journey
Works well when sent to happy guests after checkout or after a good review.

Hi {{first_name}}, if you know anyone planning a trip to {{market}}, feel free to send them our way. Past guests are always our favorite source of new guests, and we’re happy to take care of friends of yours.

4. Loyalty / direct-booking nudge
This is less about a huge discount and more about giving them a reason to book direct next time.

Hi {{first_name}}, quick tip for next time: booking direct with us usually means better flexibility, direct support, and access to returning-guest perks. Here’s our direct link so you have it handy: {{direct_booking_link}}

The data backs this up too. Across Yada, past guests are the highest-intent audience: the platform average repeat booking rate is about 5.6%, while top operators are over 20%. In one case study, a past-guest campaign sent to 2,331 guests generated 136 bookings and $186,615 in attributed direct revenue, or about $80 per email sent. Across the platform, Yada has attributed $8.8M in repeat and direct bookings from these kinds of campaigns and winbacks.

So my recommendation: don’t just send one upsell message. Build a Journey around the guest lifecycle: pre-stay gap nights, post-stay thank-you, direct-booking reminder, seasonal winback, and referral/loyalty follow-up.