Different low-budget strategies can be utilized once you have possession of a property. You must market the rental vigorously if you expect to make a profit. The first important matter should be obtaining a professional website. Different sites around the internet will have a template for the do-it-yourselfer, but if you can afford to hire a web designer to customize it, you are ahead of the game. Over the years I have worked with a number of vacation rental companies, one of which is the leading provider of Vacation Homes in Cannon Beach Oregon. The strategies I describe in this blog are the exact strategies I’ve used to help them grow their business.
1. Build a Website For Your Vacation Home and Use Your Blog To Drive Website Visitors
Develop your own unique website and use your blog to drive traffic to the website. Create useful information that prospective guests will find interesting and helpful. Post to the blog often so that it does not become stale. Always include photographs. Potential guests like to see what and where they will be staying. Give potential clients information about the area, the best places to go, things to do, information about you, and any enticements that will make people want to visit. Always be truthful because the more positive reviews you can garner, the more bookings you are likely to have.
Hire a Search Engine Optimization Company To Improve Your Google Search Results
Search engine optimization (SEO) is an important factor in developing your website. Without it, you will not be noticed among the myriad competitors, who have developed winning strategies. Try googling the different ways to determine the keywords that will drive traffic to your site. Create a list of target words prior to writing your blog so that you will maximize the number of visitors who will view it.
Build an Email List To Promote Your Vacation Rental To Guests and Subscribers
Generate an email list from personal contacts, your blog subscribers, or former guests of your vacation property. Use a template from a service, such as MailChimp, and create a campaign to send out personalized newsletters to your email list. Updated information about your rental may remind former guests of the wonderful time they had, or it may provide new information to travelers who have not considered any rental other than a hotel. You can motivate your guests to book again with promotions and giveaways. The goal here is to create loyalty and get as many direct bookings and repeat guests as possible.
Promote Your Vacation Rental on Facebook & Instagram
A large percentage of people use social media regularly. Classify your rental property by the personality you create, such as “sparkling home by the sea” or “centrally located historical brownstone.” It will draw more attention than the dull description, “two bedrooms, sleeps four.” If you do not already have various social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or others, now is the time to do it. Strive for positive reviews by being the best host or hostess imaginable. Provide the basics, such as bed and bath linens, cookware, dishes, silverware, and toiletries. Always be clear about what guests should provide for themselves. Everything should be in working order, and the unit should be sparkling clean and fresh.
Pay For High-Quality Photography Of Your Rental For Your Website and Social Media Promotions
A beautifully showcased rental must have quality photographs that highlight the property’s best features. Guests can be finicky, so pull out all the stops when it comes to comfort, convenience, and visual appeal. If you are featuring a rustic cabin, you may be going for a minimalist appearance or an idyllic cabin-in-the-woods type of rental. Guests who are searching for that particular style will be able to see every amenity it does or does not have. If you are featuring a beach cottage, let the scenery and decor represent that. A rental that is touted as upscale should have furnishings, appliances, design, and decor that would be indicative of luxury. The point is to be true to whatever the characteristics of the property are.
Get Referrals By Build Relationships With Business Owners In Your Area
Local enterprises can be a valuable asset. Supporting and interacting with them is good business for both of you. Develop a rapport with local hotels. They may recommend your rental if they cannot accommodate a guest, and you can do likewise. Interact with former and prospective guests through social media platforms. If you live near your rental and have a hands-on approach, your personality and willingness to be helpful with small issues may go a long way toward ensuring repeat clients. You want them to rave about you in their reviews.
Create Guest Loyalty By Making Their Stay More Enjoyable
When guests arrive at your rental, they will appreciate some type of manual with information to make their stay more enjoyable. Details that they may not need to know at a hotel will become important here, such as where to find the code for the internet, where the fire extinguisher is located, how to regulate the thermostat, closest hiking trails, restaurants that deliver, and any other information that you deem pertinent to helping them have a positive vacation.
Stand Out From the Competition With Professional Drone Videos
One of the easiest ways to stand out from the competition is to invest money in professional and high-quality drone videography. Let’s face it, people love drone videos! It will give your potential guests a bird’s eye view of the property and location, prior to booking it. If your location is good, guests are likely to book your property on location alone. Drone videos of your vacation rental are an affordable way to stand out from your competition and drive more direct bookings. Hiring a local video production company to film drone videos and even photography is well worth the investment.
Morrisey Productions has worked with https://www.beachcombervacationhomes.com in Cannon Beach Oregon to produce the following videos:
Final Thoughts On Marketing Your Vacation Rental
Marketing is one of the most significant parts of being a landlord. After you have put your best foot forward and have dotted all the I’s and crossed all the t’s, you want to rent to people who will respect your property. One of the best ways is to screen them carefully. In addition to the pertinent facts, like name and contact information, ask them to tell you something about themselves, like what their expectations are, how they learned of your rental, and the number of people. A piece of the official documentation, like a driver’s license or a passport, may help alleviate any doubts of who is actually renting your property. Make sure your policies are spelled out clearly so there is no chance of a misunderstanding. If the property can only accommodate four people and guests arrive with eight people, planning to let some sleep on the floor, they need to understand what the consequences are for doing anything outside the parameters of the policies you have set.
You have obtained the property, made it rental- ready, marketed it, set your policies, and now it is time to reap the rewards of your good investment.
