EditorsOwning a vacation rental is fun until there is little interest and it no longer pays for itself. Although some people do not use vacation rentals as their main income or job, it can be the source of a good hustle. What you put into it is what you get out of it. For those that are looking to boost interest in their vacation rental, here are some tips.
Appearance matters
The overall appearance matters when it comes to trying to gauge interest in your vacation rental. What people see from the pictures is often what peaks or denies their interest. If your vacation rental looks old, dirty, or messy, then it will be difficult to pique the interest of vacation goers. Thus, making it look good really does work.
A company like Mark Stewart Home Design can help you meet your interior and exterior dreams. Working with an expert team will allow you to bring your ideas to fruition and bring out the best side to your vacation rental. Working on the design may seem like a waste of money if you aren’t living there. But, the first impression counts for people looking to rent somewhere for their vacation. They will want somewhere with character, that is livable and unique. Thus, if you may it into a home it will sell itself.
Update the description
Second, to the photos, people will likely read into the description. No description should be short and sweet. Renters will want to know every detail that you can give them.
If your description is old and outdated, then you might want to think about refreshing it. At the top, add its unique selling points. This could be its size, vast social space, or luxury beds. Then, you should detail all amenities, dimensions, what to expect, local transport and what’s in the neighborhood. Every detail will be taken on board and there more detail, the better.
Increase your marketing reach
The marketing of your vacation rental will help expand your property to more people. If you stick to using a solo website or one third-party site, then you might want to consider expanding to more. It can also help to market your vacation rental on social media. You can create social pages for it to promote the photos, sales, and reach more audiences.
You can pay for social media promotion, which allows you to target certain audiences. If your audience is families, then you can select that category and the platforms will share your property with the appropriate audiences, which will boost interest.
Offer deals on long stays
Everyone loves a discount. To boost interest and the likelihood of people booking your property for long stays, you could offer a discount.
Many places manage to secure customers by offering discounts on stays over a week long. The more days you add, the bigger the discount could be. This will satisfy the financial needs of customers and give your vacation rental a good name.
Ask for reviews
Having good reviews online will boost the interest in your property. If customers have nothing but good words to say, this will impress future customers.
Asking for reviews is not nagging. Instead, it is a way to build your review portfolio, which acts as good marketing for your property.
Some rental platforms like Airbnb request reviews on your behalf. They also allow you to review the customer on their cleanliness after staying, communication, and more.
However, not all platforms have this feature. It doesn’t hurt to ask for reviews and testimonials. They are a free way of marketing and people often rely on word of mouth and genuine reviews more than anything.
Offer a flexible calendar
People may be interested in your property but cannot find appropriate dates. If your property is not free all of the time, this could quickly decrease the interest in your property. Customers will likely have set dates in mind and if your property isn’t available due to closing for the season, then you will lose a potential customer.
If you can afford to, it can benefit your business to offer a flexible calendar that offers year-round availability.
Competitive pricing
You will likely have competition, no matter the location of your property. People are setting up vacation rentals everywhere nowadays. Even if there are minimal vacation rentals, there will likely be hotels nearby. Thus, you will want to ensure that your pricing is competitive.
It won’t help your property or business to offer the lowest price possible. But, offering somewhere in between the price of other properties will help people stay interested in your property.
If your property is worth more due to amenities, location, or size, then state that in the description. Customers will want to be aware of what they are paying for, so let them know.
For those properties that are for the luxury market, it can help to share and market your place on luxury rental property sites as well as social media. This will ensure that your property is in the eyes of the right audience.
Increase your amenities
Having more amenities and features will sell your property. If a vacation rental has no amenities, this will increase the cost of the customer externally. Thus, if you can offer towels, kitchen appliances, and more, then the customer will be more willing to pay a little more. And making your vacation rental eco-friendly always serves both sides well.
Or, you could offer these amenities as a selling point and not increase the price. If you can offer your customers a home-from-home feel, they will likely show more interest and want to pay for your property over others that offer no amenities. It will also show that you have the customer’s needs in mind.
Consider discounts on request
Customers might ask for discounts. Not all property owners can afford to. Some might not want to offer discounts. But, it can help rent out your property during the off-peak months.
Wouldn’t you rather earn money and rent out your property during off-peak months than have it go unattended? If so, considering discounts could be an option. For the discounted price, you could ask the guests to bring their own amenities that you would otherwise offer. Or, you can ask for a guaranteed review, which is free marketing for your rental and can benefit your business.
Go the extra mile
Extra amenities can boost the interest of your vacation rental to a certain extent. Extra bonuses can enhance the interest further.
Some rental properties offer a car, neighborhood guide, or personal tour, which makes the experience and price more worthy. If you can offer additional bonuses with your property, it will likely pique the interest of customers that are looking for an extra special vacation.
Bonuses are ideal for luxury customers who like to have everything in one package.
Taking customer suggestions on board will satisfy their needs and enhance your vacation rental for future rentals. You may have never thought to create a neighborhood guide. You never know, it might be a unique selling point for your property in the future.
Finally…
Instead of allowing your vacation rental to suffer, take on board these suggestions to boost the interest of customers. It can be as simple as updating the photos, adding extra amenities, and showcasing good reviews to pique the interest of new or regular customers.
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