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.

Personally, we don’t focus too much on “selling more” during the stay.

What works best for us is building a relationship with the guest and creating a memorable experience. We don’t hesitate to offer a discount for future direct bookings, call guests when we feel it will help us better understand their needs, and provide small thoughtful touches.

For example, on longer stays we may leave extra supplies (laundry detergent, toilet paper, etc.) and sometimes a small local gift. These things cost very little but are often remembered.

My advice would be: put yourself in the guest’s shoes. Think about your own travels. What are the things you still remember years later? Usually it’s not the upsell offer, it’s the host who anticipated a need, gave good advice, or added a personal touch.

In my experience, that’s what creates repeat guests, referrals, and ultimately the most valuable revenue.

Our best message is a custom code that adds this info to our check out email:

The night after your check out is still available - if you wish to extend your stay we'd be happy to give you a 25% discount on the advertised nightly rate. Just send us a message and we'll provide you a quote for review.