If you own a holiday let you ought to have a marketing plan. This plan will help you bring in more bookings throughout the year. However it’s not enough to create a marketing plan and never return to it. This plan should be revisited and evaluated constantly throughout the year, in order to maximise bookings and bring in more revenue in the future.
Are you focusing on key local events throughout the year?
Regardless of where your holiday rental property is, there will be events taking place locally that guests may be interested in. These could be connected to major attractions such as castles, theme parks and quaint villages. Alternatively they could be seasonal – summer fetes, Christmas markets and the first sight of spring bulbs in the local area are good examples.
Find out which events and occasions your holiday let is close to. You can write about each one and add the information to your website ahead of the actual event, to give people enough time to book. Think about offering special deals to encourage people to visit during specific times as well.
Are you promoting the improvements you have made to your holiday let?
Every holiday rental owner will need to maintain and/or improve their property on a regular basis. Check the comments you receive from previous visitors as these can unearth things you need to improve on.
For instance if a couple of visitors have commented that the outside of your property looks a bit underwhelming on arrival, think about how to change that. You may decide to redo the paintwork, put new flowers in the flowerbeds and add a hanging basket either side of the front door. Sometimes small changes can lead to big improvements.
Are you targeting the right guests?
Your marketing plan should include an idea of what type of person is most likely to rent your holiday let. Your property might be ideal for families with young children for example. Alternatively it could be better suited to couples looking for a romantic break getting away from it all.
Consider whether you are actually booking in the right type of people. If you are falling short, think about how best to appeal to those people. You can also consider whether there are any other guests you could effectively target to get more bookings.
Check your marketing plan on a monthly or seasonal basis
If you can review your marketing plan monthly, so much the better. Review it seasonally at least, so you can continue to improve your offering. There is always more you can do to bring in more bookings, and reviewing your marketing plan on a consistent basis is a big part of the puzzle.
It might seem daunting to do this at the beginning, but once it becomes a regular event you will get better at finding the right solutions to enhance your property and make it even more appealing. You should then see a rise in bookings as a result.
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