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Get Fully Booked

Get Fully Booked

By: Sarah Orchard
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Get Fully Booked is for Airbnb hosts, holiday cottage and glampsite owners who are ready to master their marketing so they can ditch their reliance on online agents and grow their direct bookings. Your host Sarah Orchard, an award-winning marketing strategist, #1 Amazon best-selling author, and fellow host; will share with you exactly what it takes to grow your direct bookings and the simple marketing steps to get more profit in your pocket! She shares her proven marketing strategies and interviews fellow hosts to find out what has worked for them and how they have achieved more direct bookings.Copyright 2026 Sarah Orchard Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Marketing Marketing & Sales
Episodes
  • Deciding to buy a holiday cottage business when you have never done it before! with Nicky Cooper, Tredarrup Farm Holiday Cottages

    Deciding to buy a holiday cottage business when you have never done it before! with Nicky Cooper, Tredarrup Farm Holiday Cottages
    Jun 8 2026
    What does it actually feel like to give up a 35-year London career, say yes to a seven-acre farm you’ve never run before, inherit fifteen animals you’ve never looked after, and move to a county you’ve never lived in, all in under four months? Nicky Cooper is about to tell you.Nicky is one of Sarah’s 2026 Bootcampers and the new owner of Tredarrup Farm Holiday Cottages: a stunning North Cornwall farmstead near Port Isaac with four converted holiday cottages, fifteen animals (sheep, goats, running ducks and more), and views over the Allen Valley that she describes as genuinely hard to put into words. She moved in just a few months ago, having first spotted the property in September last year and fallen completely in love with it on the very first visit.In this conversation, Nicky shares the story behind the leap: from her corporate sales and management background, the slow-building restlessness that made her start googling “places in Cornwall with holiday potential” on a bad day at work, and how an accidental Savills recommendation led her to a property that was over budget, completely off-brief and absolutely perfect.They talk about the very practical side of buying an established holiday business: why taking on a going concern rather than building from scratch was so important, how to find these properties (more straightforward than you might think), why having a solicitor who understands both commercial and agricultural conveyancing matters and the huge advantage of inheriting existing goodwill, guest databases and marketing assets.Nicky is also brilliantly honest about the learning curve: the never-ending to-do list, the tech stack that suddenly has no IT department behind it, the challenges of going from colleagues to business partners with the person you live with and the importance of scheduling time off-site before the business completely takes over.She talks about how coaching has helped her stay grounded, why community (like the bootcamp) has been invaluable when things get lonely and why a sense of humour has proved just as essential as any business skill.If you’re a host who’s ever wondered what it’s really like to make the leap, or if you’re thinking about it and want a genuinely honest account from someone in the thick of it, this one is for you.---Key TakeawaysBuying an established holiday business gives you a running start — existing bookings, goodwill, guest data and marketing assets mean you’re not building from a blank page, which is a huge advantage if you’re brand new to hosting.You don’t have to use specialist agents to find holiday businesses for sale — Rightmove covers most live-on-site opportunities, since they’re often listed as residential properties with the business as ancillary income.Make sure you love where you live, not just the business opportunity. Running a hospitality business is full-on, and if the property doesn’t work for your life outside of hosting, it will eventually catch up with you.The tech and systems involved in running a short-term rental are consistently underestimated — especially by people coming from corporate roles where there was always a team doing it. Build in time to learn, and don’t be too proud to ask for shortcuts.Scheduling regular time off-site isn’t a luxury — it’s how you reset, stay creative, and remember why you made the leap in the first place. Nicky and her partner built this in from early on.Community matters more than people expect when they start out. The solo nature of running a property business can be isolating, and finding your people — whether a bootcamp, membership or local network — makes the whole journey more sustainable.---Find out more about Tredarrup Farm Holiday CottagesVisit the website: https://tredarrup.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tredarrupholidaycottagesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tredarrupholidaycottages---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!---Connect with Sarah:WebsiteInstagramFacebookLinkedIn---
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    31 mins
  • What Marketing Metrics should you be Monitoring in your Short Term Rental?

    What Marketing Metrics should you be Monitoring in your Short Term Rental?
    Jun 1 2026
    If the words “marketing metrics” make you want to switch off immediately, I get it. Numbers and spreadsheets weren’t what drew most of us into hospitality. But this episode might just change how you feel about them — because the hosts who track the right things are the ones who stop making decisions based on panic and start making them based on evidence.In this solo episode, I’m walking you through the marketing metrics that I think every short-term rental host should have an eye on. Not vanity metrics. Not “look how many followers I’ve got” metrics. The ones that tell you whether your marketing is ACTUALLY working.We start with your website and why your conversion rate can reveal far more about your marketing effectiveness than your occupancy rate ever will. I explain why lots of traffic with low bookings isn’t always a traffic problem, and what it might actually be telling you instead.Then we move into email marketing, an area I will always champion because unlike social media, your email list is an asset you actually own. I cover the numbers you should be watching, why a high open rate with no clicks is a red flag, and the single biggest mistake hosts make with their email marketing.Finally, we get into booking behaviour — booking windows, average length of stay, repeat guest percentage and direct booking ratio. These are the numbers that help you spot trends before they become problems and shape your marketing campaigns with intention rather than pure guesswork.One quiet week in February does not mean your business is failing. But patterns matter. This episode shows you exactly what to look out for.---Key Takeaways:Your website conversion rate is more revealing than your occupancy rate — it tells you whether your marketing is convincing the right people to book, not just visit.Lots of traffic with few bookings isn’t always a traffic problem. It could be a messaging, pricing, usability or trust issue — and you won’t know until you look at the numbers.Your email list is one of the most valuable marketing assets in your business. Social media reach can disappear overnight; your email database is yours.Don’t just email when you’re desperate for bookings — guests can feel that energy. Build a consistent relationship and the bookings follow, often weeks or months later.Booking window trends tell you a huge amount about consumer confidence. Shorter booking windows don’t mean demand has gone; they often mean people are delaying commitment.Marketing becomes far less stressful when you stop relying on gut feeling. Track consistently, spot patterns early, and market with intention instead of desperation.---Is your marketing actually working? Find out with a Marketing MOT with SarahThis intensive 2.5-hour Zoom session is a full audit of your current marketing capability and KPI performance. We discuss your goals, and I advise on immediate improvements to get you there quicker. You receive a video recording of the call and an Action Plan with next steps to keep you on track.Find out more and book your Marketing MOT here---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!---Connect with Sarah:WebsiteInstagramFacebookLinkedIn---
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    19 mins
  • Marketing your Holiday Cottage or Glampsite in Turbulent Times!

    Marketing your Holiday Cottage or Glampsite in Turbulent Times!
    May 25 2026

    When the market feels uncertain, it’s very easy to assume your business is failing.

    The quieter inbox.

    The later bookings.

    The random gaps in the diary that suddenly appear where they never used to.

    And meanwhile, social media is full of hosts apparently having their “best year ever” while you’re wondering whether everyone else is somehow in a totally different economy!

    So today, I’m talking about what’s actually happening in the UK short stay market right now and why many hospitality business owners, like you, are feeling unsettled.

    Because the truth is, the market hasn’t collapsed. But guest behaviour has changed dramatically.

    I’m also sharing in this episode why I think some of the pressure hosts are feeling comes from comparing today’s market to the unusually exceptional post-pandemic travel boom and why that may be creating unrealistic expectations around typical occupancy and bookings.

    This episode is about perspective, adaptability and learning how to market your holiday cottage or glampsite confidently during uncertain times instead of making emotional decisions based on one quiet week.

    Because different doesn’t mean doomed. But it does require a smarter strategy.

    ---

    Key Takeaways:

    • The UK short stay market in 2026 is broadly flat overall, but booking behaviours have changed significantly
    • Guests are booking later, staying shorter and becoming more spontaneous with travel decisions
    • Shorter stays are growing rapidly, meaning flexibility and gap-night strategies matter more than ever - I share my tips with you.
    • OTAs and Airbnb are gaining market share in late bookings while direct bookings become harder to secure last minute
    • Many hosts may still be benchmarking success against the unusually high demand seen during the post-pandemic travel boom
    • Consistent visibility, email marketing and repeat guest strategies are increasingly important in a more competitive market
    • Successful hospitality businesses in uncertain times are often the most adaptable, not necessarily the biggest or fanciest

    ---

    Looking for more support?

    If you're looking for a supportive community and the latest marketing advice for our turbulent times - I have something for you. Take a look at my marketing club membership here.

    ---

    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!

    ---

    Connect with Sarah:

    Website

    Instagram

    Facebook

    LinkedIn

    ---
    Show More Show Less
    18 mins
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This is a super informative podcast full of actionable and practical information about marketing! Really enjoyed it, and very good listening.
Sarah is great to listen to and
clearly knows her stuff.
Great to hear Wendy’s host journey from the beginning. Really enjoyed this ❤️

Easy listening but super informative!

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Sarah is really easy to listen to, loved her podcasts so far and already full of food for thought. I highly recommend checking out her Get fully booked business club too for more training and help 🙏

Full of food for thought

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A really insightful podcast, with plenty of food for thought. Looking forward to future episodes!

Brilliant podcast!!

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