Converting a first-time visitor into a guest you can count on to keep coming back to your vacation rental can be a huge challenge, especially with how competitive the rental property market can be. While it can be tempting to just focus on acquiring more new guests, expending effort to improve your guest retention is just as important because this helps develop a loyal customer base and consistent revenue for your vacation rental property. In addition, studies have found that, across different businesses, attracting new customers can cost five times more than retaining existing ones. This provides insight into how customer retention strategies can be helpful for your business as well.
If you’re a vacation rental property owner struggling to convert first-time guests into returning customers, here are some tips you can put into practice.
1. Upgrade Your Technology to Provide Better Service
For many customers across different industries, convenience is king. If they’ve already found a business where they can get the product or service that they need without having to jump through the hoops, then they’re more likely to stick with that business because its value is already proven and tested. This applies to vacation rentals as well. While there are indeed many vacation rental properties out there, guests would be more than happy to keep booking yours if you can make their booking experience consistently hassle-free.
As such, consider investing in technology that will allow you to deliver the efficiency and convenience guests are looking for. Getting a vacation rental property management software, for example, can upgrade the way you transact with guests and manage their bookings. Through this specialized software, you can provide your guests with a user-friendly booking interface, search filters so they can narrow down the vacation rental units available according to their requirements, and a quick way to send any concern or inquiry to you, the property owner or manager. If you deliver top-notch service the first time, then your guests won’t have to look for other alternatives.
2. Give a Personalized Welcome
First impressions definitely matter, so strive to make a great one with your guests by giving them a personalized welcome. While taking the time to personally meet them once they’ve arrived in the vacation rental is an excellent way to do so, you can also convey your warm welcome through other means.
For instance, a welcome note together with a small gift basket of local snacks can be a good way to make a great first impression and to make your guest feel special. Also do make sure you have key details such as house rules, Wi-Fi password, cleaning schedules, and your contact information printed out and made available in your property’s premises for your guests’ convenience.
Seeing the extra effort their host has put in to make them feel welcome is a huge plus for guests and can be a factor for them to come back for more stays in the future.
3. Provide Local Recommendations
Most guests will not be familiar with your area as they’d just be staying there for a limited time. It’s likely that they only have particular itineraries in mind for the duration of the vacation. That doesn’t mean you can’t encourage them to discover some of the hidden gems in your area, however. In fact, this could be a good way to enrich their vacation stay and make it a much more memorable one.
Give them some recommendations of places they could visit to sample local cuisine or partake in fun activities, particularly if you think it’s an establishment that isn't as obvious as other attractions in the area. List down contact details for local services as well that they could need such as car rentals or tour guides. If your guests have a great stay, then they’ll likely associate that enjoyment with you and your property, thus prompting them to return next time.
4. Prioritize Cleanliness in Your Properties
The cleanliness of your rental property is also a huge factor as to whether or not first-time guests would want to book it again in the future. As such, make sure you’re always on top of the upkeep of your rental property. This could mean attending to the needed cleaning yourself or hiring housekeeping services to maintain the property. Either way, the important thing is that guests arrive at a clean house or unit. In addition, check fixtures, furniture, and appliances in the property regularly to ensure they’re all in working order. If not, then get them repaired before you accept new guests.
This attention to your vacation rental’s cleanliness and maintenance will surely not go amiss among first-time guests and can motivate them to book again.
5. Offer Promos for Repeat Guests
An easy way to encourage returning guests is to provide discounts for them. Customers will always appreciate good deals, so this could be a great incentive to book your property again instead of looking for another place in the future. You can also consider setting up a referral program that incentivizes your guests to tell their friends and family about your vacation rental property. If another person or group books your property for a stay because of a former guest’s referral, then you can offer the new guest a discount—and the original guest a similar price-off offer on their next stay.
6. Ask Guests for Feedback
Always ask for feedback from your guests. Send a personalized email after their stay to convey your gratitude to them for choosing your vacation rental property then ask if they happen to have any comments or suggestions about their rental experience. Taking criticisms into consideration can help you improve your services so that future guests will be more satisfied with their stay. Similarly, hearing that the host cares deeply about delivering a better experience will surely be a big plus among guests, who might just be encouraged to keep you on top of their minds for future stays.
Turning new guests into returning customers is certainly possible so long as you deliver excellent service the first time. Use the tips discussed in this article to help you improve the vacation rental experience of your guests, starting from the booking process to the moment they leave your property.
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