Picture this: Three Site59 co-founders and ex-Travelocity transaction guys gather at Soho House in Manhattan in early June 2008 to brainstorm about launching a travel startup and what business problem to tackle.
The trio — Richard Harris, Josh Feuerstein and Damon Tassone — knew that Travelocity and other online travel agencies convert perhaps 3% to 5% of site visitors, possess databases full of intent data about consumer shopping behavior and give a ton of money right back to Google when non-bookers continue their searching elsewhere.
None of them knew him personally, but Richard Branson, Virgin Group chairman, happens to be sitting at a nearby table and they ask him for any advice he might want to pass along.
Read full story at: http://www.tnooz.com/2012/05/30/news/intent-media-how-ex-travelocity-transaction-guys-monetize-non-bookers-for-otas/