How Emails Can Boost Your Bookings
By Shelby Clements, guest columnist
As a vacation rental manager, your goals are pretty simple, right? You want your homes to be fully booked out while raking in the five-star reviews, and you want to be at the top of the list in your location for any potential guests.
But the past few years have been crazy with constant changes and cancellations. Health regulations and restrictions keep updating and guests keep canceling or changing their reservations— for one reason or another.
It takes what seems like endless effort to reach those who want to rent your vacation property. What you need is a way to get them to either your booking website or your OTA listing— easily and quickly. Or, you might need to get a message out there about updates and promotions. And while social media may seem to be the obvious choice for getting your voice out there— there is another, better way to reach them. Email newsletters are an efficient marketing strategy—and maybe the missing piece to your online marketing puzzle.
Emailing is a great way to update renters about what to expect and let them know the value they get from booking your property. Let’s take a look at what exactly an email campaign can do for your vacation rental property in 2022.
Email Campaigns Have Purpose
There are multiple reasons to send out an email, and the key to success with an email is to be as clear as possible on its intended purpose. Keep in mind that if the subject isn’t relevant or useful, your readers will simply ignore it and— gasp! — may delete it before they even read it. You’ll want your emails to have a purpose that serves your potential renters directly and keeps them interested.
To get the ball rolling, here are a few ideas for email topics:
Inform your potential guests how you’ve accommodated health regulations and made your home(s) a safe place to vacation
Tell them some insider tips on the top 5 popular activities in your area
Let them know some special amenities and extras you now offer
Of course, the list of purposes goes on and on—it just depends on what your goals are. After you figure out your purpose, then you build and design your email with creative images and relevant content.
You need a subject line that spikes the renter’s attention, making them want to open the email to read through. Personalizing the newsletter by addressing the reader by their name with a customized message can help you stand out in a crowded inbox. Say you’re having a slow month and you’re looking to change that— sending out an email with a special promotion or discount could certainly help boost your bookings. And a discount that is personalized to that guest and delivered directly to their inbox is much more effective than a blanket promotion on social media.
Weekly emails or even a welcome sequence for your subscribers can help build awareness of your property. Keeping in touch can inspire your guests to travel. It also makes it easier to respond to complaints, feedback, and suggestions. This is a great way to keep communication open and active between you and your potential guests.
Emails Help Boost Your Off-Season Bookings
There are many ways to boost your off-season bookings. So you don't have to wait for guests to scroll and find your vacation property. Regular email newsletters are a great way to create a relationship with past or potential renters. By sending offers and reaching out to the right people you’re likely to have a successful off-season.
There are so many types of newsletters you can send to boost your off-season bookings:
Rewrite your listing to highlight the season. For example: If you’re located near the beach, promote a ‘Christmas on the Coast’ to get away from the cold.
Offer a percentage off or a seasonal deal. Then give it a limited-time offer to book within the next 48 or 72 hours. Giving guests a timeframe helps motivate them to book with you simply because they don’t want to miss out on such a great deal.
You can also market to business travelers. Reach out to local companies that have traveling employees and offer your vacation rental home(s) as an option instead of a stuffy hotel room. You can use this opportunity to rebrand your off-season by offering a ‘special business traveler price’.
Offers like these can be a great way to fill your vacation rental home during the slow months, and emailing is the best way to get the word out about your property. By sending the info straight to their inbox, you no longer have to wait for them to come across your ad or scroll through to your property on the OTAs.
Emails are Well Worth the Effort
Your email newsletter needs great content to strike emotional responses for renters to book your vacation home. You can use some sensory adjectives to help initiate those responses. Describing the feeling of things like a fresh ocean breeze, heat from a cozy fireplace in winter, or the thrill from standing on top of a mountain will intrigue the reader to want just that. Gorgeous descriptions like these place the reader inside your home before they even arrive and share the memorable experience they’ll have from booking with you.
With email marketing, you’ll generally spend much less than you do with paid ads, and have the opportunity to bring your offer straight to your guest. Allowing them, in turn, to easily book direct with you.
Email marketing strengthens your relationship with your current, past, and potential guests. It’s the best way to communicate and keep up with your guests. Sure, there’s a bit of leg work that goes into a successful email campaign, but the rewards and returns are well worth it. And though email marketing may seem like just one more thing to add to your already lengthy to-do list, you don't have to add an extra workload to your daily routine. That’s where I come in.
With my expertise in writing newsletters for vacation rental properties, I'd make sure your property gets noticed, recognized, and booked— without you lifting a finger. You can rest assured knowing that your headlines would be click-worthy, your emails will be entertaining and filled with interesting info, and your booking calendar will be chock-full of five-star guests.
Contact me today to get started.