How to Make Your Vacation Rentals Family Friendly
If you have small children in your family, you know how difficult it can be to plan and enjoy a vacation along with them. A vast majority of guests who use Short-Term or Vacation Rentals are families with kids. If you want to attract large numbers of guests to your property, like people with children, it is imperative that you make your properties family-friendly. Families look for a place where they can feel at home, enjoy, and relax during their stay but have the peace of knowing that their kids aren’t going to be stuck in a “touch-free” zone. You know, “Don’t touch that! Don’t touch that!” Yeah, a “touch-free” zone. Here are some useful tips to make your vacation rental Family Friendly.
Provide Safety and Security
Families with small kids are always worried about the safety and security of their children. If you want to attract families, it is important to make your...
Episode 052 – Creating Family-Friendly Stays: How to do It and Why it Means More Money for You
SHOW NOTES & LESSONS
If a family likes your home and they enjoy their vacation destination, they can potentially come back year after year after year! Make certain you do all you can to make your place family-friendly so you can build that "fan base."
Provide Safety and Security
Cover Sharp Corners and Secure Furniture
Have Gates for the Staircase
Toys and Games
Have Essentials for Children and Infants
· High Chair
· Portable Crib
· Inexpensive Strollers
· Baby Bath
· Baby Monitors
· Sippy Cups
Offer Discounts on Next Year's Booking
Get This Episode's Show Notes in a pdf form...
Show Transcript
[00:01] Over the last two centuries, nearly 90...
Outdoor Amenities That Will Help Attract Guests
Summer season is in full swing and tourists are out there enjoying warm weather and beaches. As a Short-Term Rental or Vacation Rental Owner, you know to take advantage of the season your region is known for to maximize your profits. When you’re in a sunny area, like Florida, this is it. When you’re in skiing country, it’s the winter. But what attracts guests to other Areas? What attracts them to the mountains? More importantly, what will attract them to your property?
You can attract more guests to your property if you offer some exciting outdoor amenities to them. Outdoor spaces in a property, whether it is in a mountainous region or near a beach, allow guests to have more fun during their stay. You can score more bookings by adding these outdoor amenities to your property.
A Swimming Pool
Whether it belongs to your community or is in your back yard, a pool equals fun in warm destinations. It...
Episode 051 – Outdoor Spaces That Create Repeat Guests
SHOW NOTES & LESSONS
Outdoor spaces in a property, whether it is in a mountainous region or near a beach, allow guests to have more fun during their stay. You can score more bookings by adding these outdoor amenities to your property.
What type of Outdoor Areas can attract Guests?
Swimming Pools in warm areas.
Jacuzzi and hot tubs in both, warmer and cooler climates.
Gardens, like a zen garden or just some chairs to chill.
Outdoor playgrounds for children or lots of toys for the pool.
A place for our four-legged furry friends. If you allow pets, have a space outside (and in!) just for them!
An eating area is fantastic and if you can add a grill, it's even better.
Also, place these features prominently in your listings! You want things in your title and on that first picture so you can get potential guests to look deeper into your property.
NOTE: Don't allow fear to dictate whether or not...
Creating Videos to Promote Your Short Term Rentals
In this age of internet and social media, if you are not making clever use of digital marketing, you are certainly missing the bus on reaching some potential guests. This is particularly true for a business-focused Short Term Rentals. Obviously, we know the importance of professional pictures. You must be using beautiful photos of your property to entice potential guests. But… are you placing videos to promote your vacation rental, too? Videos catch the attention of large numbers of guests and have become very popular in the STR Industry, especially in vacation rentals. It’s the latest trend!
Here are some tips to make the most of these promotional videos.
Photos are Good. Videos are Better.
It is almost criminal not to make use of technology when it is available to you for free. By making promotional videos of your vacation rental, you can get two steps ahead of your competitors who are still trying to catch the attention of...
Episode 048 - How to Be a Good Neighbor and Why It's Important
SHOW NOTES & LESSONS
WHAT CAN A GOOD NEIGHBORS DO FOR YOU?
01) Provide Safety & Security for you & your Guests.
02) Help with things like a dead car battery, allowing maintenance men in, keep spare keys, sign for packages, and stocking your inventory.
03) Communicate with guests when you can't.
04) Give you peace of mind.
05) Advocate for you with HOA & other organizations.
06) Stop loud parties, too many people, things getting stolen, or other strange activities.
07) Increase your Network: people you know.
WHAT THINGS CAN YOU DO TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR?
01) Do things for your neighbors like mow their lawns, bring over fresh baked goods, or get them souvenirs from your travels.
02) Show pride of ownership & take care of your property & theirs.
03) Be respectful & polite at all times.
04) Add rules so your guests are respectful, too. No pets or parties.
05) Let them know the Comings & Goings. Keep them informed.
06)...
Episode 045 – To Nest or Not to Nest: Controlling Your Guests’ Experience
SHOW NOTES & LESSONS
Forums are a Great Place to _____________.
A. Learn from other Hosts.
B. Bitch to and with other Hosts.
C. Learn from Guests' Experiences.
D. All the Above (Hint: This one!)
Nest is a great way to control your units when there's no one in them.
An AC unit works best when it's set no lower than 68 degrees. Under that and you're asking for trouble because that's when units will start to freeze up, which could potentially harm your unit.
What is the definition of Host?
What is the definition of Guest?
Be a gracious host and allow your Guests to be comfortable.
A locked thermostat screams, "I don't care if you are comfortable!"
Stop the Madness!!
- No more War and Peace sized Rules
- No chore lists for Guests (they're not your kids!)
- No "fixing" the washers and toilets so they use less water (unless they are BUILT that way, ie. Energy Efficient)
You only need a few rules. Here are mine:
01) No Smoking
02) No Pets
03) ...
Episode 044 – 5 Ways to Stay Ahead When the Competition Gets Tough
SHOW NOTES & LESSONS
5 Ways to Stay Ahead When the Competition Gets Tough
01) Back to Basics
Take a look at your Headline/Title of your Listing. Does it highlight your best feature?
What about your photos? Please, tell me you had them taken by a professional.
02) Know Your Competition
Use sites like AirDNA to keep an eye on your competition. What is their average room rate? What is their occupancy rate? Put a spy in their camp!
03) Don't Compete for Last Place!
You can't win the game of undercutting your competition, so don't even try to go there. Instead, be better and charge what you're worth. Use dynamic pricing tools like Wheelhouse to price your units.
04) Make Your Place SHINE!
Use a theme or and anti-theme to make your place stand out among the rest of your competition. Make certain your place looks amazing!
05) Go Above & Beyond in Service
Make certain that you offer something or do...
How to Deal with Bookings Cancellations
When you are running a vacation rental business, your aim is to get maximum bookings for maximum profit. Whether you focus on a high nightly rate or on high occupancy, you want a good return on your investment. If you start to experience cancellation problems or lower booking frequency, it can be a blow to your business. Cancellations are even tougher because not only do you lose out on the income you would have made but, depending on the timing, it may be more difficult to refill that spot. You may now find that bookings have slowed down considerably during that time frame. Ouch. Here are some tips to anticipate and prevent these types of booking cancellations.
Look at Your Cancellation Policy
Is it too easy for guests to book a reservation and then cancel their reservation with just a few clicks later on? If yes, then you need to make changes to your Cancellation Policy. We have ours set to “Strict” for a good...
Episode 036 - The 23 Things You MUST HAVE in Your Short Term Rental (For Your Guests)
SHOW NOTES & LESSONS
For Safety and Security:
01) Emergency Contact Card (Contact Information Sent by Email, Text, and Posted Clearly)
02) Fire Extinguisher (Right by the Stove)
03) First Aid Kit
04) Smoke Detector
05) Carbon Monoxide Detector
For Guest Comfort and Overall Happiness:
06) Super-Fast Wifi (Password Sent by Email, Text, and Posted Clearly)
07) Comfortable Mattress (Consumer Reports #2 Rated is only about $500-$700)
08) Smart Television (Plus Cable, if High End)
09) Bluetooth Speakers
10) Charging Stations
11) Smart Locks for Easy Entry (For You as much as Guests)
12) Climate Control Directions (Keep Your Guests Comfy)
13) Coffee, Coffee Maker, Filters, and Cream/Sugar
14) Hair Dryer
15) Iron and Ironing Board
16) Washer and Dryer (a MUST for Long Stays or Active Locations)
17) House Rules, Contact Information, Check-in, and Check-out Times Clearly Posted
18) High-Quality WHITE Sheets and Towels
19) Spare Sets of Sheets and Towels
20) A...
