Confident Hosts Do This Differently - with Boostly's Founder Mark Simpson

Are you putting all your hosting eggs in the Airbnb basket? What if there's a smarter way to grow your short-term rental business?

In this eye-opening episode, we sit down with Mark Simpson, founder of Boostly and one of the world’s top experts in direct booking strategies. From running a family farm stay to becoming a global authority on short-term rental marketing, Mark’s journey is as inspiring as it is informative.

Discover why relying solely on one platform can be a risky move—and how you can take back control. Mark shares powerful, practical tactics for boosting direct bookings, defining your ideal guest avatar, and using tools like AI and ChatGPT to optimize your listings and guest communication.

Whether you're just starting out or managing a portfolio of properties, this episode is packed with golden nuggets that will help you build a resilient, profitable business that doesn’t depend on just one booking site. Don't miss this one—Mark’s insights might just be the game-changer your hosting journey needs.

Things we discussed in this episode:

• The importance of diversifying booking platforms beyond Airbnb to reduce business risk
• Mark Simpson's background growing up in a family farm stay and how it shaped his hospitality perspective
• The concept of creating an ideal guest avatar to improve marketing and listing effectiveness
• Utilizing property management software (PMS) as a central "zone of truth" for booking management
• The role of AI tools like ChatGPT in improving listing copy, marketing, and operational efficiency
• Boostly's evolution from a training platform to offering website design and API integrations for direct bookings
• The shift in hospitality marketing from traditional newspaper ads to digital platforms and social media
• Strategies for getting more direct bookings, with a goal of reaching 65% direct booking rate
• The importance of becoming a brand ambassador for your location, not just focusing on property features
• How technology and AI are changing the short-term rental industry, with a focus on freeing up time for hosts and improving guest communication

Get in touch with Mark:

• Facebook -   / boostlyuk  
• Instagram -   / boostlyuk  
• Linkedin -   / mrmarksimpson  
• Website - https://boostly.co.uk/

➢ Subscribe:    / @smartstayshow  

• [0:00] Mark's Hospitality Roots: Growing Up in a Farm Stay
• [3:17] From Family Business to Global Direct Booking Expert
• [7:40] The Evolution of Booking: From Newspapers to Online Platforms
• [10:12] Why Diversifying Beyond Airbnb is Crucial
• [14:57] Building a Multi-Platform Booking Strategy
• [20:34] Boostly's Mission: Empowering Hosts with Direct Bookings
• [26:09] The Importance of Understanding Your Ideal Guest
• [31:51] Leveraging Social Media for Property Marketing
• [32:53] AI's Game-Changing Role in Short-Term Rentals
• [40:35] Mark's Global Perspective and Future Conference Plans
• [41:53] How to Connect with Mark and Boostly