How to convince people to begin accepting Online Bookings
Last updated: June 7, 2021
This is the new pitch to convince people to begin accepting online booking (if they don’t currently).
Phone Bookings = 9 days before activity
Online Bookings = 12 days before activity
“We work with over a thousand activity companies across the country. We’ve learned that on average, phone bookings are made 9 days prior to an activity date, but online booking are made 12 days prior to the activity date. This data is telling us that there are three days when people are shopping around before they call – we can ensure you secure the customer right then and there earlier in the process – and ensure you don’t lose them in the three days before they decide to call.”
Let’s pretend you’re pitching to a boat tour company in Savannah, GA that doesn’t accept online booking [assuming you’ve already talked about Mr. Midnight]. Explain this narrative over screenshare while pointing to a calendar:
- Mr. Midnight and his family are coming to Savannah two weeks from this Saturday
- Mr. Midnight books online on this upcoming Monday (12 days prior to activity date). Maybe he’s actually surfing the internet on Monday at work and can’t call to book. He’s daydreaming about coming out with you in a couple weeks. (this also supports the FH data point that Monday is the day we see the most online bookings and Saturday is the “biggest activity day”)
- Without the chance to book online, you’re taking a gamble. From Monday to Thursday if this guy is dead set on booking his boat tour online while at work… you lose the sale. If you’re lucky, he ends up giving you a call on Thursday on his way home (9 days prior to activity date).
- “I totally understand why you don’t want to accept online booking [restate their objection to show you understand], but this data confirms that if you don’t give him the opportunity to book 12 days prior… on that Monday, you may lose the sale to a competitor – and could losing customers who were right there on your website ready to book. Let’s give people on your website the opportunity to book in their sweet spot, 12 days prior.