A luxury travel advisor has revealed that she received five enquiries totalling £100,000 after a social media post that received hardly any engagement.

Louise Rush, founder of Louane Tailored Travel, took to Facebook last Tuesday (28 July) to inform clients she'd be going on holiday this month – and to encourage bookings before her departure.

But despite her page having more than 1.4k followers, the post itself received only nine likes and zero comments.

“To the outside world, that must have looked like tumbleweed!” Louise said. “I’d forgive anyone for wondering, ‘Does she actually get any work?’”

It materialised that the interest was simply not visible online.

Within three hours of this 'ghosted’ Facebook update, Louise received five enquiries – leaving her with more than enough work before she goes on holiday. 

The prospective bookings included a Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection cruise for summer 2027, a stay for four people at Atlantis The Royal Dubai this November, and a business class trip to Tanzania and Zanzibar. In total, the value of these enquiries exceeds £100,000.

For Louise, this stark contrast between her social media engagement and high-value enquiries proves a key point: going viral on the internet doesn’t always equate to revenue.

Louise Rush

“If I’m being honest, I’ve never relied on social media,” she admitted. “I accept that I’ll post something and it never gets many reactions.”

For Louise, platforms like Instagram and Facebook are simply tools to keep her existing clients updated on her services.

“I've always used social media to promote myself, but I've never expected it to be a way to drive bookings,” she explained. 

'I'm not chasing volume'

Rather, Louise has built up a loyal client base the old-fashioned way – through meeting people in real life. 

“I’ve picked up new clients at clubs such as gyms and fitness boot camps, where it’s easier to build genuine relationships with people,” she said. 

Louise says this approach has also protected her from overexposure, thereby giving her more control over who she works with. 

“I’m not going after volume – I’d rather have a nice handful of good customers who go on to refer like-minded friends and family,” she explained. “That’s the best form of advertising.” 

Louise has even decided against sharing her phone number publicly – another way of deterring window shoppers. 

“Anyone who has worked with me before has my number, but I ask my clients not to share it with other people,” she said.

Should a client wish to refer a friend or family member, Louise requests clients message via her website. 

“If you just have an email address, people fire off the same copy-and-pasted enquiry to 20 different agents,” she explained. “This filters out the time wasters.” 

Louise also believes this gatekeeping of her contact details adds an exclusive element to her business. 

“It makes my existing clients feel special,” she said. “It also means I have more time for them, because my phone isn’t ringing every five minutes!” 

Find out more in the TTG Homeworking Hub, packed with advice for existing and would-be homeworkers, and a Matchmaker tool to help you find the right homeworking company for you.