00) Introduction

The vacation rental marketplace is a competitive environment that grows more popular every year. 

Search results have become a nightmare. Saturated with an overload of properties to compete with, it's become so easy to get lost in all the noise. 

Some properties are professionally managed, others not.

Some are luxury, and some are bargains.

Some look beautiful, and some, well, look like crap. 

Some look great but turn out to be completely misleading because the management is lazy and/or absent. 

And some even turn out to be fake! Scams posted to lure people into paying for a trip, only to arrive at their destination with the surprise that property doesn't even exist!

All of this to say that travellers have begun to dig a lot deeper when researching vacation rentals. And they now hold owners & managers to much higher standards than they used to.

As a result, vacation rental marketing has become a lot more sophisticated than it was even just a few years ago. - A factor way too many owners tend to overlook.

And despite this HUGE and yet very common misconception, successful vacation rental marketing is a whole lot more than choosing which websites to list on. - So if you're hoping that your calendars are going to start filling up again by finding some new miracle site that's going to replace all those bookings you're loosing, you've got another thing coming!

It’s all relative.

Typically, the amount a business invests into its marketing is directly related to the amount of revenue that it will generate.

i.e. Spend more ⬌ make more ✔        Spend less ⬌ make less…

And your vacation rental business is no different.

So, if you’re not able (or willing) to invest the money it takes, then you need to understand that your chances of achieving long-term success in this industry will unfortunately be slim to none.

Don’t shoot the messenger! We’re only here to help. 

Ultimately, the choice is really up to you.

But one thing’s for sure; if you properly implement these 9, very specific tips, not only will your bookings increase, but you'll also be well on your way to creating a self-sustaining & profitable vacation rental business for years to come.

Now, without further ado....

Establishing the fundamentals of a professionals of a professional vacation business:

One of the biggest shifts we're seeing in the vacation rental industry today is a growing demand for professionally managed vacation rentals.

Research shows that as much as 31% of travellers now prefer to book with professional vacation rental managers, stating word of mouth as a driving factor in exposing the perks of professional hospitality.* 

Some of the main perks assumed by travellers are were that professional owners offer better amenities (flat screen TVs, wireless Internet, etc…), better safety and security, and better customer service.

And what this basically means is that 1 out of every 3 travellers that finds your property(ies) will simply move on if you don't give them what their looking for; if don’t fit their standards for professionalism. - Hence the higher standards we were talking about earlier...

So it should as no surprise that establishing yourself as a professional business is now the foundation required for a successful vacation rental marketing plan.

From the first moment the traveller finds your property, to the day they check out, and everything in between. The level of professionalism you demonstrate will be a critical factor in how much you can increase your bookings.

Great vacation rental owners & managers generate more repeat guests, more referrals, and more 5 star reviews. All of which makes closing new business that much easier, and not to mention, more frequent.

And the first step to achieving these types of results is to do what most successful business do;  to prioritize on building more value for your customers.