10 Things to Do Today to Get More Shoulder Season Vacation Rental Bookings
During the peak travel season, it might be quite easy to get bookings for your property on the Outer Banks. However, you might be struggling trying to get enough bookings to fill up the shoulder season, the time between the peak and off seasons.
Fortunately, there are some things that you can start doing right now so you do not have to worry as much about getting those bookings during the shoulder seasons.
#1 Consider Reducing the Price
Naturally, one of the best ways to entice more people to stay at your property during this travel period is to provide a lower price than what you charge during your peak season. However, before you decide that you will lower the price, consider the demand for properties in the Outer Banks during this time. This way, you will not lower the price too much. After all, you still need to make money on your rental rather than just breaking even, and you never want to lose money on your rentals.
To get an idea of what a good rental rate is during this period, spend some time looking at the competing properties in the area that are comparable to yours. This will give you a good sense of what you should be charging if you want to be competitive.
#2 Reduce the Minimum Stay Requirements
During the peak season, you might have certain requirements for a length of stay. If you require that there is a minimum seven-day policy, reduce it to three days for a weekend getaway, for example. Even though you might not be making as much as you would during a seven-day stay, you are still going to make money, and you will find that many more people might be interested in this option, and this can help you have consistent bookings.
#3 Remember the Weekdays
You should also make sure that you consider making weekdays attractive to travelers. Even though weekends tend to be the bread and butter of vacation rentals, some people may want to travel during the week. You might want to consider having a special for those who decide to stay during the middle of the week. You could give them three days for the price of two, for example. This can provide them with more of an incentive to book.
#4 Add Something Extra
Another good idea to entice people to stay at your property during the shoulder season is to offer them something extra for staying. This does not have to be overly expensive, but it should be something nice enough that it will make people want to stay in your property. You could offer a free bottle of wine that will be awaiting them in the property. You might want to offer them a meal at one of the nice restaurants in the area. If there are any local events happening, consider providing the visitors with two free tickets to the event.
#5 Highlight the Benefits of the Shoulder Season
During this season, fewer people are traveling, and that can mean some nice advantages to your guests that you can highlight. The restaurants and attractions in the area are not going to be as busy, which means they will not have to fight through crowds to enjoy all that the Outer Banks
#6 Consider a Hot Tub
This can be especially effective for those who cater to couples who are looking for a romantic vacation, but it can be quite nice even for families. If you have the space on your property, consider adding a hot tub. This is a nice choice for evenings and whenever the temperatures start to drop. This is a fantastic amenity that will help you to attract more guests during the shoulder season, but you will find that it can attract more guests at any time of the year.
#7 Get in Touch With Past Guests
Your past guests might just be in the mood for another vacation. Now that you have reduced the minimum stay for the season and have deals for the middle of the week, your property might just interest them again. They might be looking for a quick getaway, and if they’ve already stayed at your property and enjoyed the experience, they know what they are going to get. Still, you can provide these guests with the same perks that you would new guests, such as those extra touches mentioned earlier.
#8 Ask for Referrals from Past Guests
If the guests you contacted were not able to visit the property for a vacation now, they can still help you. They might have friends or family members who are looking for a place to stay, and they could provide you with some great referrals. Of course, you want to give them an incentive for referrals. When they send these referrals your way, let them know you appreciate it with a small gift. A bottle of wine, some nice chocolates, and other little treats are a great option.
#9 Contact People Who Did Not Book
You will likely have some people who have expressed interest in your property, but who did not book for one reason or another. Now is a good time to contact them again. Let them know about the deals that you are currently offering and see if they might be interested. This does not always mean that they will book with you right now, but it is always good to keep marketing to those potential customers, which leads us to our next tip.
#10 Keep Marketing
Just because it is the shoulder season does not mean it is time to slow down on your marketing. You can and should still be active on social media, your blog, and your other marketing outlets. Make sure that you present the deals you are offering, talk about the benefits of coming to the Outer Banks during this season, and make it as attractive as possible to people.
When you start implementing these tips, you will find that it starts to become much easier to get the bookings you need.