Booking a break can be a big decision…

Thinking of Booking a Holiday or Short Break? Here’s What to Consider First

In this instalment of our You Ask, We Answer series, we’re addressing something that many people are currently finding more difficult than usual – making the decision to book a holiday or short break. At Woodfarm Barns & Barges, we know this process isn’t always straightforward, especially when there’s so much to consider. That’s why we’ve taken the time to explore the key factors that influence how and when people book, and we’ve created a host of content to help you along the way.

In this video, we talk about the current landscape of holiday planning, including how long it can take to make a decision, what’s most important to our guests (spoiler alert: location and surroundings come top), and what we’re doing to offer both value and support. From first-time discounts and loyalty rewards to honest insights into why some guests return and others don’t, we cover it all. We also explain the Google 7-11-4 rule and what that means for how people engage with our website, videos, emails, and social media over time before booking.

Short video version (more detailed one below it)…

More detailed video version…

Here’s what I said:

We understand that booking a short break or a holiday these days is sometimes quite a big decision. We get that. I’ve written several articles recently and created quite a number of videos kind of around this topic, and I will refer to those articles and videos during the course of this piece.

One of those articles explains the Google 7-11-4 rule, which I will touch on. Another one discusses why guests return – or perhaps, sometimes more importantly to us, why they don’t return. Another one I’ve written is on location and surroundings and why that’s the most important thing to you, based on some research that we’ve done. And if you need an extra little push, then we’ve got another article on giving you five reasons that you deserve a break in a piece that I’ve called Painkillers vs Vitamins.

But together, all of these articles highlight quite a crucial point.

Now, we fully understand that times are tricky right now. The cost of everything has gone up. However, the price of a Woodfarm break has not gone up. We’ve kept that as low as we possibly can because we’re committed to maintaining value for money, as we always have.

And to make things even easier, we offer a £50 discount to anybody staying for the first time. You simply subscribe to our newsletters on the homepage of our website – scroll down, there’s a bit there at the bottom where you just enter your details. If you can’t find it or you’re struggling with it, just get in touch with me. There’s a million ways to do it. Get in touch with me and I’ll just sort it all out for you.

But also, for returning guests, we have TOGs, which is our Loyalty Rewards programme where we make sure that you are offered a discount on every stay, based off your last one. To be honest, this is the most we can realistically do to keep things affordable, whilst maintaining the high standards that we’re known for.

So, what matters most to you when booking a holiday or a short break? Well, we carried out a poll recently and the results were quite staggering – in excess of 50% of you said that, by far and away, the most important thing is location and surroundings. That was just very, very clear from that bit of research that we did. In excess of 50% of you said that location and surroundings were the most important thing. That was way above reviews or value for money, things like that.

So, it was quite surprising – but I guess in a way, not as well. There’s more detail on that in the blog that I wrote on it (links will be in here), and the video that I did as well.

But whether or not you’re interested in the peaceful countryside that our Barns offer or the unique charm of our Barges and where they’re located in two fascinating, iconic locations in Suffolk – it’s something that we’ve always focused on: making sure that we have great locations and surroundings.

And we also firmly believe that we offer exceptional value for money in both the quality of our accommodation and our pricing. And our guest return rate is over 30%, which I believe speaks volumes. And I’ve written and done some video footage on that as well recently.

That said, we understand that guests don’t always return. Whilst we have a third of our guests returning, it does mean that two-thirds of our guests don’t return – and that’s fine. It might be that they want to explore new places, or they go away with friends, or their circumstances change, or their family grows and we can’t accommodate them – whatever it might be.

But what we do find is that an awful lot of those guests, whether they come back or not, refer us to their friends – so we get new customers that way.

And I also did a piece recently on the Google 7-11-4 rule, which I mentioned. One of the key insights from that is that when people are looking to book a break or a holiday, it’s no longer always a snap decision. And we understand that.

Pre-COVID times, it wasn’t unusual for someone to phone up and within two minutes, they’ve paid a deposit, they’ve made their booking, they’ve just done it. That doesn’t always happen now. And that’s what the Google 7-11-4 rule is all about.

So it basically says – and do go and have a look at that article – but it basically says that people take a long time, many hours, when making a decision like this, across a number of different platforms. And we’ve got all of those for you – so whether that’s our emails, or video footage like this and on our YouTube channel, or on our website, or by getting involved in our social media antics as well.

But also that they like to do what Google refers to as ‘touch points’ – so places that you can physically touch Woodfarm in an online sense. So what it basically boils down to is it’s not just a snap decision. It often takes a bit of time.

So today, the decision-making process does take longer. Many of our bookings come from guests who have taken weeks or months researching us, looking and making sure that we’re the place they want to come to – and we want you to be happy with that.

But the good thing is that it is a cyclical process. So we’ve got people that will book today that may have been looking for a couple of days, or a couple of weeks, or even a couple of months. And then tomorrow, we’ll get some more people. And then, you know, people looking – if you’re viewing something on Woodfarm for the first time right now, it might take you a day, a week, a month to book – and that’s absolutely fine, because we understand it’s cyclical. And we’ve got to get people in that process for them to go through to the booking stage.

So if you’re still debating whether or not Woodfarm is the right thing for you right now, you might find it helpful to look at the other resources that I talked about.

And one of the other pieces that I’ve written recently and done a video on is Five Reasons You Deserve a Break, and it’s looking at the difference between our attitude to painkillers versus vitamins. And a lot of people think that holidays are nice to have, but to be honest, sometimes we’re desperate for a reset and we need a painkiller rather than a vitamin. And I’ve got a longer piece on that where I go into that in a lot more detail.

So, in summary – we understand that booking the holiday can be a big decision. And that’s why we’ve done everything we possibly can to make it as easy as possible for you. That’s from maintaining our prices and offering discounts where we can, to providing as much information on our accommodation – but also the incredible locations that we’re lucky to be based in.

And we’re just here to make that booking process as simple and as stress-free for you as possible.

If you’re not sure, please pick up the phone. Just give me a ring. I get so hacked off when I’m on a website and I cannot find a phone number on there or even an email address. We splatter all of our contact information all over the place, so wherever you are on the site, it’s very easy for you to find my phone number. Pick up the phone, get hold of me, and we can have a chat – and I will answer any question you’ve got.

So I hope that’s been helpful. But please do subscribe to our YouTube channel so you can watch loads of other videos that we’ve got, talking about our accommodation and the places that we’re in, and the things that we recommend in the area.

And do subscribe to our newsletters by going onto the homepage of the website, as I’ve said – scroll down to the bottom, enter your details. That way, I can let you know about any cancellations, competitions, things like this as well.

But just make sure that you immerse yourself in as much Woodfarm info as you need. We’ve got FAQs answered, we’ve got loads and loads of ideas of things for you to do. So do get in touch if you have any other questions.

But thanks so much for watching, and I’ll see you on the next video.

I refer in this video to 4 other resources. Here they are:

The Google 7-11-4 rule explained…

Five Reasons You Deserve a Break at Woodfarm

Why guests return… and why they don’t!

Location and Surroundings: crucial when booking your holiday

Key Pages you might find helpful

Last minute deals
From time to time, we have last-minute availability, and when we do, we like to make it even more tempting with a discount. If you’re in the mood for a spontaneous break, check out our page and see if there’s something waiting for you!

Location & Surroundings
Our latest poll showed that Location and surroundings were the key factor in holiday making choices, so why not see how we have this sewn up for you on our Location page? Nestled in the heart of rural Suffolk, Woodfarm Barns & Barges offers the perfect blend of countryside charm and waterside tranquillity.

Dog-friendly credentials
Discover retreats where luxury meets the wagging tail, offering you and your dogs plush accommodation, artisan treats, and endless country or riverside adventures. Dog-friendly accommodation at Woodfarm: ensuring your relaxation is as indulgent as their play.

FAQ’s: Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re someone who carefully considers every detail, then our FAQ Page is the right place! It’s where we provide extensive content for those who like to dive deep into the details before making a decision. If you can’t find your answer, then just get in touch here:

Contact Us
Whether you’re curious about availability, our accommodation, or planning your perfect Suffolk getaway, don’t hesitate to get in touch. I’m here to make your experience seamless and enjoyable, so just visit our Contact Us page and say hi.