Brett Johnson didn't set out to become a marketing expert when he and his wife bought Henry House in Stratford, Ontario during the middle of COVID. They were leaving Toronto, looking for a different pace of life, and hoping to create something that would provide financial freedom without the constraints of a traditional pension. What they built instead was a masterclass in hospitality marketing that any short-term rental operator can learn from.
Five years in, Brett now generates roughly 70% of his revenue from direct bookings. That number started at zero. The journey from complete Airbnb dependence to genuine business sovereignty wasn't about hacks or shortcuts. It was about treating guests like human beings, building a real brand, and thinking like an actual business owner rather than someone just listing a property on a marketplace.
The turning point came early when Brett realized he couldn't outsource guest acquisition to Airbnb or Vrbo forever. It's an attractive proposition at first. You can set it and forget it, let the platform send you people, and collect your money. But that approach leaves you vulnerable to every algorithm change, policy shift, and fee increase the platforms decide to implement.
Brett's first move was simple but powerful: he started texting his guests. At the beginning, this meant manually copying phone numbers from booking platforms into his personal cell phone, then copying and pasting messages from Apple Notes. It was painful and time-consuming, but it worked. Guests wanted to connect via text rather than through clunky platform apps, especially on Booking.com where the messaging experience is notoriously poor.
This manual process evolved when Brett discovered services that provide dedicated phone numbers for business texting. Suddenly he could automate parts of the outreach while maintaining that personal touch. He could segment his guest list and send targeted messages based on when people had visited, what suite they stayed in, and what might interest them for their next trip.
The principle underneath all of this is straightforward: if you care about the people spending money with you, if you make it easy for them to communicate with you, and if you remember details about their stays, they will come back. They will also tell their friends.
Stratford has a unique advantage. It's home to a renowned theater festival, and many visitors return year after year. Brett has guests who have been coming to Stratford for 35 consecutive years. One couple even came during COVID just to keep their streak alive. These aren't transient travelers passing through on a road trip. They're people with deep connections to the town and its cultural offerings.
Brett recognized this pattern and leaned into it. Rather than treating each booking as a one-time transaction, he treats past guests as his most valuable marketing asset. He sends them personalized video messages when they book, welcoming them by name and mentioning which suite they'll be staying in. These videos aren't scripted or polished. They're genuine, human moments that make guests feel seen and valued.
This approach stands in stark contrast to the typical short-term rental playbook, which often focuses on maximizing revenue through upsells like early check-in fees or late checkout charges. Brett experimented with that model briefly, considering whether he could charge an extra fifty dollars for early check-in. But the logistics were complicated, and more importantly, it didn't align with the experience he wanted to create.
Instead, he decided never to mention early or late check-in unless a guest asks. When they do ask, he accommodates whenever possible at no extra charge. Only about one in twenty or one in thirty guests even bring it up, and those who do receive a response that makes them feel cared for rather than nickel-and-dimed. The result? Better reviews, stronger relationships, and guests who talk about Henry House to their friends.
When Brett first started, he had no idea what to charge. Like most new hosts, he looked at comparable listings on Airbnb, tried to assess where his property fit in the spectrum, and picked a number somewhere in the middle. That number was around $170 per night.
Over the years, he's systematically increased his base rate. First to $270, then to $370, and now to $470. Each time, he had to overcome his own discomfort. Would he personally pay that much for a place like this? Would guests think it was too expensive? Would he be embarrassed to tell someone what he charges?
But the bookings kept coming. The calendar kept filling. And Brett realized something important: pricing isn't just about covering costs or matching the market. It's a signal of value. It's part of your brand.
He also learned to reframe negative feedback about pricing. On Booking.com, there's a specific rating question about whether guests felt they received value for their money. When Brett first started seeing the occasional guest say no, they didn't feel it was worth the price, he worried. Then he realized that if everyone thinks your place is incredibly cheap for what they got, you're leaving money on the table. A small percentage of guests feeling the price was high means you're at the ceiling, not the floor. You're in the sweet spot.
This doesn't mean you can charge premium prices for a mediocre product. Brett's property is genuinely special. The experience is thoughtfully designed. The communication is excellent. The location is ideal. But many hosts have great properties and still undercharge because they lack the confidence to position themselves as a premium offering.
Stratford's theater season runs roughly five months of the year, during which Brett generates about 80% of his annual revenue. The other seven months account for only 20%. Like any smart operator, Brett started thinking about where to focus his energy. Should he try to squeeze another 10% out of the high season, or should he work on doubling that off-season revenue?
He chose the latter. And his vehicle for doing it is a campaign built around the Nashville Takeover, a new multi-city music festival where Nashville songwriters perform intimate shows at top restaurants and venues across Ontario. Stratford is one of thirteen cities hosting the event over a weekend in March.
Brett could have simply sent an email to past guests saying, "Hey, there's this cool music thing happening. Book now." That would have been fine. He might have filled his two suites for the weekend and made a thousand dollars. But that's first-order thinking.
Instead, Brett created a sweepstakes exclusively for past guests. The prize includes a two-night stay at Henry House during the Nashville Takeover, tickets to the festival, and a professional photo session. But here's the clever part: the sweepstakes encourages past guests to bring their best friends. Henry House has two suites, so the prize is designed for two couples.
When past guests enter, they're asked to name who they would invite if they won. Those friends are then encouraged to enter as well. Even if they don't win, Brett now has their contact information, and they've heard great things about Henry House from someone they trust. The campaign turns past guests into active brand ambassadors, creating a referral engine that extends far beyond a single weekend's revenue.
This is the kind of marketing that real businesses do. It requires an upfront investment. Brett is foregoing the revenue he could have earned from those two suites that weekend. He's paying for the festival tickets and the photographer. But the return isn't measured in one weekend's bookings. It's measured in new names on his email list, new relationships with potential guests, and the compounding effect of word-of-mouth marketing.
Brett talks about the billboard effect, the idea that your brand should be visible at every possible touchpoint. On his Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com listings, he consistently uses the phrase "by Henry House Stays." When people scroll through listings, they see that phrase repeatedly. It signals that this isn't just a random property. It's part of something bigger.
Within his listings, he mentions that he offers savings codes and directs people to DM him on Instagram. This is perfectly within platform rules, but it creates an off-platform connection. Once someone sends that DM, Brett has a one-on-one relationship. He can share phone numbers and email addresses. He can offer a discount code that saves them money compared to booking through the OTA. And he's captured a direct relationship that he owns.
He also promotes his Google reviews within his listings. When potential guests see that Henry House has 150 five-star reviews on Google, they're likely to search for it. That search leads them to his website, his social media, and all the other touchpoints where he controls the narrative.
Even physically, Brett has placed a sign in front of his property with photos of Henry House, the name, and a QR code. During tourist season, he gets five to seven scans per day from people walking by who are curious about what's inside. Right now, that QR code leads to his website, but there's an opportunity to make it even more effective by directing people to a digital guidebook where they can enter their email address in exchange for more information.
These tactics aren't complicated. They don't require a massive budget or specialized expertise. They just require thinking like a brand rather than thinking like someone with a listing.
What separates Brett's approach from the typical short-term rental operator is his focus on the long game. He's not optimizing for the next booking. He's building a flywheel where each guest experience leads to more guests, more referrals, more brand equity, and ultimately more freedom.
This mindset shift is what true business sovereignty looks like. It's not about rejecting marketplaces entirely. Brett still gets about 30% of his bookings from Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com. But he's not dependent on them. When Airbnb makes a policy change that frustrates hosts, Brett looks at his pipeline and sees that almost everyone moving forward is coming from other channels. That's peace of mind. That's control.
It's also worth noting that Brett's demographic skews toward guests who arrive in cars he can't afford, carrying luggage that costs more than most people's monthly rent, and spending fifteen thousand dollars on a week-long trip to see theater. These are not people who care about saving twenty dollars on an early check-in fee. They care about feeling valued, having a seamless experience, and staying somewhere that feels special.
Understanding your guest demographic and what they actually value is crucial. If you're hosting budget travelers passing through on a road trip, your strategy will look different. But if you're hosting people who are investing significant money in a cultural or leisure experience, the last thing you want to do is make them feel like they're flying Spirit Airlines.
The lessons from Brett's journey are applicable regardless of your market, property type, or experience level. Start by capturing guest contact information and using it thoughtfully. Text messaging is underutilized in this industry, and it's one of the most effective ways to build relationships.
Think about your brand. What makes your property different? Why should someone choose you over the dozens of other listings in your area? If you can't answer that clearly, your guests certainly can't either.
Consider your pricing strategy. Are you charging what you're worth, or are you anchoring to what everyone else charges? Premium pricing requires a premium experience, but if you're delivering that experience and still charging mid-market rates, you're leaving money on the table.
Look for opportunities to activate your past guests. They're your best marketing asset. Can you create a referral program? Can you build a campaign around a local event that gives them a reason to talk about you with their friends?
Finally, think about where your brand shows up. Are you just a listing on Airbnb, or are you building something that exists independently? Every touchpoint is an opportunity to reinforce your brand and create a direct relationship.
Brett didn't have all of this figured out on day one. He started with manual text messages and a basic website. He experimented, learned, and gradually built a system that works. Five years in, he's created something that provides financial freedom, allows him to live where he wants, and gives him control over his business. That's the promise of true STR sovereignty.
Watch the full conversation with Brett here: