Challenge
WERFY’s main marketing channels were Google Ads and social media for new guests, but they weren’t leveraging ways to target previous guests. Most travelers browsed the website, then booked on OTAs because those brands felt more familiar and trustworthy. As WERFY explored email marketing to re-engage previous guests, they needed:
- To run real email marketing without moving contacts into another system
- A simple workflow to re-engage past guests and shift more bookings away from OTAs
- A channel they truly owned to build guest trust and highlight direct-booking benefits
Stanislav Naborshchikov, Digital Marketing Specialist at WERFY, explained:
“Guests trust Booking.com or Expedia more than the property. Email helped us build trust, show convenience, and bring direct clients back.”
Solution
WERFY adopted Akia’s Marketing Suite as its primary email platform for all promotional campaigns.
Seamless access to guest data
Because WERFY already used Akia for their guest communication, all past guest information, including OTA stays, was automatically available. Onboarding was easy and quick, allowing them to jump into setting up audiences for their campaigns and launching immediately. Stanislav shares:
“We were looking into other platforms, but since Akia had all our guest data, we can set up a list, and it’ll sync to our email audiences. We didn’t have to move anything.”
Smarter segmentation and cleaner sends
For different campaigns, they used Akia’s filters to:
- Exclude guests who just booked
- Target by stay history or past interactions
- Segment direct vs. OTA bookers
- Run seasonal offers for lower-occupancy months
Seasonal campaigns tailored to occupancy
WERFY runs deeper discounts only in their quiet months (October-November). Examples:
- Terra Perma Campaign – promoting nature-focused stays like cabins and treehouses
- Halloween Campaign – 25% off for October & November
- General Seasonal Offers – 20–25% off during slow periods
