7 Owners, 7 Tips For Peak Booking Season
With the busiest booking season of the year about to begin, we’ve hunted down the best pearls of wisdom from seven of the most successful and inspirational owners who list on TripAdvisor Rentals.
Many of these individuals have built their businesses from the ground up. And one has taken over the family business and developed it into a thriving company. But one thing they all have in common is years of experience and many lessons learned as a result.
From lightning quick responses to requesting reviews, here are their top seven tips to help you on the way to your most successful peak booking season so far.
#1 BE HONEST ABOUT YOUR AMENITIES: Joy Raymond, UK
“I think it’s very, very important that you’re honest. If you haven’t got Wi-Fi at the property, for example, you need to be very clear about that on your listing. Because if they turn up and find you haven’t got it, you’re heading for a bad review.” (Joy, UK)
All rental owners want to show off the best parts of their rental and make it sound attractive – after all, you’re selling an experience! But there’s always a risk of over-promising and then the traveler’s stay not living up to expectations. Joy—a recipient of both the Certificate of Excellence and Travelers’ Choice Award—makes sure the info on her listings is extremely clear to avoid any disappointment (and any potential negative reviews).
Review your property description
#2 UPDATE YOUR PHOTOS: Clarissa Zimmermann, Panama City Beach, Florida
“When the professional photos went up, it was like night and day with the number of inquiries!”
There’s no better time to refresh your photos than when the number of travelers searching for rentals rockets. Professional photography can be pricey, but as Clarissa found out, the return on investment made it worthwhile.
#3 BE FLEXIBLE: Rowena Sait, Cyprus
“If you’re not getting as many bookings as you’d like, try to be flexible with your policy. We’ve found guests really appreciate this and you may get a repeat booking as a result. It also leads to positive feedback in reviews.”
Rigidly sticking to your check-in and check-out times might make your life easier with managing changeover days. However, over the years running her villa rental in Cyprus, Rowena has found that a little flexibility here can translate into big rewards. It could be the difference between a traveler choosing your listing over another when they’re planning their 2018 vacation.
#4 USE THE APP: Peter Connolly, Portofino, Spain
“The app is essential, especially if you’re away for the weekend and you’re not near your PC or tablet.”
Peter has an apartment rental in Porta de Pollença, a popular resort on the Spanish island of Majorca. With so much competition around, using the app to respond to new bookings and inquiries—whether Peter’s near his PC or not—is essential.
Download the app for Apple or Android!
#5 RESPOND QUICKLY: Dawn Meeks
“Responding quickly to ANY inquiry is essential. If you respond within an hour, you stand a high chance of getting a booking. If you leave it any longer than that, you’re one of many.”
Dawn has found that this is the best way to beat the competition. Travelers tend to submit multiple inquiries when searching for their perfect rental, so make yourself stand out by being the first to reply. Quick response times mean converting more inquiries into bookings and having a more profitable peak booking season.
#6 REQUEST REVIEWS: Brian Harris, Gulf Shores
“I leave physical guest review books in all my properties, because some people are digital and some are analog. From time to time, usually in the fall, I go around and collect the guest books. I’ll then follow up with any travelers who wrote a physical review, thank them, and ask if they wouldn’t mind posting it on TripAdvisor. It’s a good way of capturing that positive feeling in a way that suits the traveler.”
Reviews are the lifeblood of so many successful TripAdvisor listings. But not all travelers submit one following their trip. Over his decades in the industry, Brian has developed his own way of encouraging guests to take that extra step. Give it a go and see if it results in even more reviews (and, consequently, more bookings!).
#7 REPLY TO REVIEWS: Craig Mackay
“I just see replying to reviews as being courteous. You’re acknowledging the customer’s feedback, whether it’s good, bad or indifferent, and making sure it’s not ignored.”
Replying to your reviews is a quick and effective way to optimize your listing ahead of a busy booking season. It shows you really value your guests’ feedback and that you’re a communicative, responsive owner. All these qualities contribute to the confidence a traveler feels when looking at your listing. Get started today by going to Reviews in your dashboard.
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