At a Glance • Key Takeaways
- Automated Efficiency: Streamline online bookings, live availability scheduling, and customer communication without manual intervention.
- Live Capacity & Conflict Prevention: Prevent double-booking across staff, rooms, activity sessions, or rental fleet assets in real time.
- 0% Platform Booking Fees: SmartBookings does not charge transaction fees or take percentage cuts of your ticket sales or customer payments.
1. What is the "How Did You Find Us" Survey?
During the checkout journey and when registering a new customer account, SmartBookings asks: "How did you hear about us?".
This delivers invaluable marketing attribution data, allowing you to see which advertising channels, social platforms, flyers, or word-of-mouth campaigns are driving paying customers to your venue.
Recommended Referral Options to Include:
- "Google Search / Online Search"
- "Facebook / Instagram"
- "TikTok"
- "Friend / Family Recommendation"
- "Local School Newsletter / Flyer"
- "Drove Past / Passed By the Venue"
- "Attended a Previous Birthday Party"
- "Returning Customer"
2. Adding New Referral Options
1 Go to Settings > How Find Us in the left sidebar menu (opens HowFindUs.aspx).
2 Review the list of existing options currently active on your booking checkout.
3 Under Add New Option at the bottom of the page:
- Enter the channel name in the Option Name field (e.g. "Local Radio Ad" or "Summer Festival Banner").
4 Click the green Add Option button. The choice is instantly added to the customer checkout dropdown!
3. Editing or Removing Outdated Options
In HowFindUs.aspx:
- Edit: Click the blue Edit button next to any entry, change the wording, and click Update.
- Delete: When an old promotional campaign concludes (e.g. "Easter Bunny Leaflet"), click Delete to remove it from the customer dropdown. Past booking records will safely retain their historical answers.
4. Analyzing Where Your Customers Come From
Referral survey answers are automatically recorded against the customer's profile and booking transaction:
- View referral sources in the customer profile under Clients > Contact details.
- Export customer data via Reporting > Export customer data (
Customers_Export.aspx) to calculate marketing ROI per channel!
Marketing Budget Tip: If 40% of your birthday party bookings select "Attended a Previous Birthday Party", focus on delivering an exceptional on-site party experience. If "Google Search" dominates your mini golf admissions, consider investing more in local Google Ads!
Ready to Automate Your Bookings?
Join hundreds of UK operators running on SmartBookings with 0% platform booking fees and automated payments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should leisure attractions track customer acquisition sources at checkout?
Tracking referral channels helps venue managers discover which marketing campaigns actually generate paying visitors. By asking a quick question at checkout, you can reallocate marketing budget from underperforming channels into your top-converting sources.
How do I add custom marketing channels like TikTok, Local Leaflets, or Word of Mouth?
Navigate to Settings > How Did You Find Us. Click 'Add Option' to input custom channel names such as 'TikTok', 'Google Search', 'School Flyer', 'Word of Mouth / Friend', or 'Highway Billboard'.
Can the referral survey be set as optional or mandatory during checkout?
Yes. You can toggle whether the referral question is mandatory (requiring visitors to choose an option before payment) or optional to maintain ultra-fast checkout speeds.
How do I run reports to calculate marketing return on investment (ROI) by channel?
Under Reports > Bookings, filter by 'Source / How Found'. The report displays total booking counts and gross ticket revenue per channel, providing clear data on customer acquisition costs.
Can referral survey options be customized for seasonal events like Santa's Grottos?
Yes. You can activate seasonal referral options such as 'Christmas Light Switch-On Flyer' and archive them once the festive season concludes.
Try SmartBookings Free
Ready to Automate Your Bookings & Boost Revenue?
Join hundreds of leisure venues, sports clubs, clinics, and equipment hire businesses. Set up your online booking system in under 10 minutes with 0% platform booking fees.
14-Day Free Trial
No Credit Card Required
Free Setup & UK Support
Start Free Trial →
Instant setup • Cancel anytime