How to Turn Vacation Rental Inquiries into Repeat Guests

However much we might rely on online resources to run our enterprise, we never forget that we’re in the people business and behave accordingly. And that should be the starting point for any vacation rental owner looking to build repeat reservations – with all the knock-on benefits of word of mouth recommendations to the guest’s friends and family.

Prospects react favorably when they get a rapid response to initial vacation rental inquiries. So make it a priority to respond and follow up as quickly as possible with up-to-date information readily available to answer any inquiries about availability, rates and special offers. As well as creating a good impression, a rapid follow-up may mean that you get in ahead of your competitors to clinch a deal.

Ensure a quick response to vacation rental inquiries

Of course, that’s not always possible if your setup relies on you personally reacting quickly to all vacation rental inquiries, whatever time of day or night. Here at Homes and Rooms, we have the solution: our subscribers have the facility for automated bookings and email responses included in their subscription. So, inquirers get an immediate response, leaving our owners free to follow up on likely prospects with a more personal service.

Be proactive

Go after prospects who’ve inquired about your property. Follow up vacation rental inquiries by email or phone to find out exactly what they are looking for, whether they can be flexible on dates and let them know about any special deals coming up.

Follow up on all guests

You should always follow up on guests at the end of their stay with you. Not only will you find out what proved popular to help when promoting your property but you may also discover where things might be improved to make it even more appealing. Your phone call could result in a repeat booking or a positive review. Either way, it can be a valuable exercise. Our subscribers are provided with guests reviews collected for them by our Marketing Manager feature. Guests are invited to rate aspects of their stay in a property, which is passed on to subscribers as a secure review to approve and display on their website.

Use email campaigns

Use email campaigns to reach past guests and prospects who have visited your site but not made a reservation. You can offer special deals or highlight features of your property. Do this regularly to keep your property in your guests’ and prospects’ minds. Homes and Rooms subscribers have a head start here with downloadable lists of the email addresses of all inquirers or past guests for a property. Even where a degree of automation has been used – and our subscribers can choose how much or how little to employ – guests and prospects generally welcome these personalized communications and quick responses to vacation rental inquiries, which project a friendly and efficient image which can only increase your chances of repeat bookings.