Five years. Can you believe it?

Get Fully Booked is officially five years old, and I'm not letting this one slip by quietly. Because if I've learned anything from working with hundreds of hosts, it's that we are absolutely terrible at celebrating our own wins. We hit a milestone, give ourselves a quick nod, and then crack on as if nothing happened. And I'm calling us out today!

This episode is a little bit different. Yes, I'm celebrating, but it's also evidence. Five years in business is no small thing when you consider that almost half of all businesses don't make it this far.

But beyond the celebrations, I want to give you something genuinely useful to take away.

Business milestones are a seriously underused marketing tool. Whether you're approaching your first year, just had your 100th direct booking, or you've just landed your 50th five-star review, there is real marketing gold in that moment if you know how to use it.

I'm walking you through why celebrating publicly actually builds trust with future guests, how to use milestones to deepen connection and drive engagement, and the practical ways you can turn your next business anniversary or achievement into a proper marketing moment - not just a one-and-done Canva graphic.

And yes, I'm sharing a little of my own journey too - the highlights, the hard bits, and why after 30 years in marketing, I'm still absolutely not done.

Here's to the next five. 🥂

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Key Takeaways:

1. Business milestones aren't just something to feel good about - they're a powerful trust signal that shows guests and potential clients you're the real deal and here for the long haul.
2. Almost half of all UK and US businesses don't survive to year five, so if you've hit a significant milestone, that is something worth shouting about.
3. Celebrating publicly isn't showing off - it's evidence of your experience, consistency and commitment, and in a market saturated with AI-generated listings and faceless businesses, that really matters.
4. Don't let a milestone pass with a single post and a quiet nod - plan it, build content around it, and use it to create genuine engagement with your audience.
5. Milestones are a brilliant excuse to look forward as well as back - share what's coming next in your business to keep your audience hooked and following your journey.
6. Whatever your next milestone is - your first direct booking, 100 Google reviews, a fully booked month - grab it with both hands and make it count for your marketing.

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Do you have a marketing roadmap for your business?

No more winging it and feeling like you are in constant marketing chaos! Create your easy-to-follow marketing roadmap for the year ahead. My Direct Bookings Bootcamp is now available ON DEMAND! Let’s make this the best year yet for direct bookings! Head to my website for more info.

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What would you do with an extra £20k+ in your holiday business?

I've saved £100k in commission in 5 years by taking 100% direct bookings and now I show Airbnb hosts, holiday cottage and glampsite owners how to do the same.

It is easier than you think to move to 70%+ direct bookings.

If you currently rely on Airbnb or another online agent (OTA), take Sarah's FREE quiz here - it's time to give them the boot!

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Connect with Sarah:

Website

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn

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This week, I'm chatting with Ben Makin, who runs a lighthouse keeper's cottage near Wick in Scotland – possibly the most remote location of any of my marketing club members.

Ben's got a really interesting guest mix, with around 38% of her bookings coming from overseas visitors. She's worked out exactly who her ideal guests are and has even given them names. There's Christine, her UK off-season guest who comes with her husband and a couple of dogs, and Christophe, the European family road-tripper who books nice and early.

What's brilliant about Ben's approach is how data-driven her marketing is, but not in a boring way. She uses a simple paper questionnaire that's working incredibly hard for her business, giving her insights into what guests searched for, what they valued, and what they loved about their stay. This information has completely transformed her marketing messaging.

We get into the nitty-gritty of hosting international guests versus UK visitors – their booking patterns, how long they stay, and what they need from their experience. Ben shares some really practical ideas like using Google Translate for guest communications, having translated activity sheets, and even writing welcome messages on a chalkboard in guests' native languages.

On the marketing front, Ben's got a pragmatic approach to OTAs. She doesn't hate them because she's worked out how to use them strategically, particularly for attracting US guests who really love Airbnb and Booking.com.

If you're thinking about how to appeal to overseas visitors or are more off the beaten track than most, this episode is packed with practical insights from someone who's actually doing it successfully.

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Key Takeaways:

1. Know your ideal guest avatars in detail – Ben has two distinct profiles with names and booking characteristics.
2. International guests often book earlier and at higher prices, filling your calendar before UK guests start booking.
3. Around 70% of US guests use OTAs versus only 20% of UK guests – understand these different booking preferences.
4. Add OTA commission fees on top of your rates so you still get your full amount.
5. Use the strictest cancellation policy on OTAs to prevent excessive cancellations.
6. Mine your data from website analytics, social media insights, and guest feedback to inform your marketing activity.

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Find out more about the Lighthouse Keeper's Cottage Noss Head:

Visit the website

Like on Facebook

Follow on Instagram

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Do you have a marketing roadmap for your business?

No more winging it and feeling like you are in constant marketing chaos! Create your easy-to-follow marketing roadmap for the year ahead. My Direct Bookings Bootcamp is now available ON DEMAND! Let’s make this the best year yet for direct bookings! Head to my website for more info.

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What would you do with an extra £20k+ in your holiday business?

I've saved £100k in commission in 5 years by taking 100% direct bookings and now I show Airbnb hosts,...

In this episode, I tackle something I hear constantly – "I don't want to spam people." I'm tackling this mindset head-on because it's holding so many short-term rental and glamping site owners back from using one of the most powerful marketing tools available to them. Yes, even more powerful than social media!

I'll walk you through what actually counts as spam, how GDPR actually works for your business rather than against it, and why a small engaged list will always outperform a massive uninterested one. We'll also cover the three questions you should ask before hitting send on any email campaign.

If you've been avoiding email marketing because you're terrified about being annoying your past guests or getting GDPR wrong, this episode will help you see it differently.

Email marketing isn't spam when it's done right – it's just good old hospitality.

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Key Takeaways:

1. Sending emails to subscribers who opted in is NOT spam – it's permission-based marketing
2. Email marketing returns £36-42 for every £1 spent, compared to £2.80 from social media
3. A small engaged email list will always outperform a large uninterested one
4. Always include a working unsubscribe link and make it easy for people to opt out
5. Before sending any email, ask: Is it timely? Is it relevant? Is it permission-based?
6. Don't fear people unsubscribing – you don't want to pay to email people who aren't interested in hearing from anymore!

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Further resources:

Start email marketing with ease using Mail Chimp - access step-by-step training in my marketing club membership

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Do you have a marketing roadmap for your business?

No more winging it and feeling like you are in constant marketing chaos! Create your easy-to-follow marketing roadmap for the year ahead. My Direct Bookings Bootcamp is now available ON DEMAND! Let’s make this the best year yet for direct bookings! Head to my website for more info.

---

What would you do with an extra £20k+ in your holiday business?

I've saved £100k in commission in 5 years by taking 100% direct bookings and now I show Airbnb hosts, holiday cottage and glampsite owners how to do the same.

It is easier than you think to move to 70%+ direct bookings.

If you currently rely on Airbnb or another online agent (OTA), take Sarah's FREE quiz here - it's time to give them the boot!

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Connect with Sarah:

Website

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn

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