Winged Boots isn’t re-inventing the wheel when it comes to travel sales, but it certainly knows an effective trick or two for keeping those wheels in motion. 

The luxury concierge company has flown a little under the radar since its establishment, building a loyal customer base through highly personalised service given by its consultants over the past 13 years.

Today, it delivers ‘next level’ luxury travel experiences in worldwide destinations for around 800 high-net-worth individuals from a range of industries, including sports, music, media and business. Its attention to detail has not gone unnoticed - it holds a five-star rating on TrustPilot and won the Luxury Travel Retail Business of the Year award at the 2023 TTG Luxury Travel Awards, after wowing the judges with its bespoke concierge programme. 

In light of this success, Winged Boots has also now appointed Rooster as its integrated communications agency to boost its national profile, with the aim of expanding its customer base beyond the south of England. However, unlike many of its competitors, its focus will remain on connecting with people in real life, while fostering long-lasting client relationships.

“Our marketing has always been driven by word-of-mouth, recommendations, referrals and networking,” Winged Boots managing director David Ox tells TTG Luxury. “We’ve not found that the client we’re looking for is there through digital marketing.” 

Nowhere is Winged Boots’ commitment to human relationships more evident than in Its ‘Extra Mile Guarantee’ programme. The initiative promises each customer a number of services from the moment they make the booking, including dedicated travel managers, holiday protection and transparent prices. Its key marketing strategy is also evident here, as Winged Boots invites its clients to multiple complementary events a year – purely to recognise and reward their loyalty. 

“Last year, we held 11 events for 350 clients. This year, we’re looking to host 400 clients across 12 events,” Ox says. These events, all of which are free for customers to attend, range from clay pigeon shooting and golf days, to summer soirees and Aston Martin track festivals. 

“The way we meet our best customers is in building contacts through our existing clients,” Ox explains. “We look at the long term value of a customer. We’re not looking at the next booking or the next two bookings – if we want to meet more long-lasting customers, we tend to meet them through our existing clients.”

Winged Boots also hosts a ‘patrons’ lunch’ every Christmas for 25 of its best referrers. The festive event, held in a private dining room at a luxury hotel partner, was sponsored by Corinthia London last Christmas, and featured a three-course meal, entertainment and swish raffle prizes courtesy of the hotel. 

“These events actively encourage our existing customers to refer more business to us, and it’s also our way of saying thank you to them,” Ox says. “That recognition is hugely important; I think a lot of people take their customers for granted, and I’d like to think we don’t do that. A small gesture goes a long way.”