It’s no secret that the travel industry is being hit hard with the recent COVID-19 outbreak. As most companies are trying to figure what their next move is, independent vacation rental companies will benefit from having a plan of action to guide them.
With cancellations happening as people hunker down and practice social distancing along with uncertainty of timelines, there is no “one size fits all” in these situations. It’s important to communicate while people have this downtime but remaining sympathetic is key. Here are some ways vacation rental companies can do that:
- Communicate to existing audiences
First and foremost, open communication to those past guests that have spent time at your vacation rental properties is a great way to show you care about their business. Emailing existing lists in CRMs and continued engagement on social media are the quickest and easiest ways to get that messaging out.
*Sweeten the deal with discounts on booking exclusively for those returning customers. - Vacation habits are going to change
The travel industry isn’t going anywhere, but the way people go about traveling might. As booking and rebooking for the 2020 travel season begins, many will be looking to travel somewhere within driving distance. Your marketing should target areas around your vacation homes within driving distance, reminding guests that you have availability and are ready for their bookings. - Videos are powerful!
Using videos in your advertising is a great way for guests both new and old to get a good idea of what your vacation rental company has to offer. Powerful videos will inspire guests to do more research into your vacation rentals as they’ll be able to picture themselves at your properties. - Don’t stop advertising just because people aren’t traveling
Keeping your messaging in front of new and past guests is important during this time, but so is making sure your message is sensitive to the current conditions. Guests will be using their downtime to look at and book travel options for when traveling is safe again. Increased time on devices and social media make options like email capture forms on social media and clicks to booking pages essential to connect with new guests and begin engagement.
Coming out of this, people will be ready to book trips, get out of their house and reinvigorate their travel plans! Orange142 is here as a leader in the travel/tourism industry to help your business both during and after the COVID-19 outbreak.
