Marketing Your Vacation Rental
You have a wonderful vacation rental property on the Outer Banks, and you can’t wait to start bringing in money from your property. However, you need to realize that simply having the property is not enough. Just because you have it does not mean people can find it and book it.
You need to make sure you are getting as many bookings as possible for your vacation rental, and that means you need to think about proper marketing for your property, just as you would need to market any other type of business that you want to be a success.
Let’s look at some of the best ways that you can make sure you are getting your home marketed properly so you can fill it up with bookings.
Work With a Property Manager
If you are not in the area and you do not have the time to take care of all of the marketing on your own, you might want to consider the benefits of working with a property manager. The property managers have the marketing skills, not to mention experience, to make sure your property is running efficiently and that you have a lot of bookings.
When you choose a property manager, though, you want to make sure you are working with someone who can provide you with bookings throughout the year, not just when things are busy in the area.
Market Using Online Vacation Home Sites
Vacation home websites on the Internet have become very popular marketing tools for homeowners today. They could be a good avenue for you to explore if you would like to have an additional way to market your property. Once you put your information up on the site, it allows vacationers who are searching for properties on the Outer Banks to rent to find your rental.
However, you need to make sure you can answer the emails and the calls you will be receiving regarding your vacation home. The inquiries can come in throughout the day, so if you are only able to make time to answer them in the evening, there is a chance you could be missing out on many bookings. If you do not get back to people right away when they have questions about your property, they will simply contact someone else at a different property.
You need to make sure you are organized enough that you can follow up with these guests. This can take a substantial amount of time on your part, and you could end up making mistakes by overbooking certain days if you are not careful.
If you can’t do it on your own, you should consider the property management companies discussed earlier.
Talk With the Neighbors
Sometimes, large families or groups of friend are planning a vacation together. If you and a couple of your neighbors could all offer this group properties that are next to each other, it could make it more convenient for the travelers. It could also make it easier to book your property. This does not have to be something that you pursue with each booking, but if you know you are working with a larger group of people, it might be wise to talk with your neighbors.
They could turn around later and do the same thing for you, which could mean even more bookings.
Remember Past Clients
Once you have been in business for a while, you will have a list of people who have stayed at your property. You need to remember to keep marketing to these people. You can offer them incentives to stay at the property, such as a discounted rate if they decide they want to come back and stay again at a later date.
In addition, when you reach out to those past clients, they could always refer you to someone they know who might need a vacation rental.
Good Rates
When you are coming up with your rates, you need to use competitive pricing. This does not mean you need to offer rock bottom prices on the homes you rent. However, it does mean you should take the time to look at some of the comparable vacation rentals in the area to see what they are charging at different times of the year. After all, your rates may change during the off season.
Since there are fewer people who need places to stay in the off season, offering lower prices can be more enticing to them.
Getting Visual
While you might be capable of writing a fantastic description of your property, you will find that the saying a picture is worth a thousand words is very true. The same can be said for video. Before the photos are taken, make sure you stage the house so it looks as nice as possible. Have professional photos taken of the house, as well as professional video if you can afford it. You want people to see the vacation home so they can actually picture themselves spending time there relaxing.
Great visuals are a fantastic way to market.
The Right Amenities
You also need to consider the amenities at your vacation property. There are certain things that people simply come to expect, such as wireless internet, cable television, a Blu-ray or DVD player, a video game console, a grill, and other similar items. Think about the types of things that you would want in a home that you rent and then make them a part of your property, if you can. Also, listen to the suggestions of your past guests.
For example, if someone says that they loved the property and your pool, but thought it would have been nice to have had a table out near the pool for dining, consider adding one. You can be sure future guests will appreciate it.
Always remember that your vacation rental on the Outer Banks is a business, and you need to market it like one.
These tips should be plenty to get you started.