Market Vacation Rentals For Halloween
Boosting Occupancy In October
I wrote this blog to help owners market their vacation rentals for Halloween but this strategy can be used to advertise any holiday, so if you don’t celebrate Halloween where you’re from you can still implement these strategies for an alternative holiday.
Real ways you can advertise your vacation rentals to attract visitors for Halloween.
In many places around the world September and October are a bit slower than other months of the year therefore it’s crucial you seize every opportunity you have to book your place during this time.
Halloween is almost here and it will be gone before you know it. Don’t be spooked it’ll be back again but will it come back to haunt you or help you?
Did you take full advantage of Halloween as a marketing opportunity for your vacation rental last year? If you didn’t here are a few ways you can pick up some extra bookings during the month of October and even September.
You really do have to take some advice out there on the web with a grain of salt.
I say this because I read a VR marketing blog from someone on Kigo suggesting for you to decorate your homes for Halloween to get more bookings during the Halloween season.
Is it me, or does that just sound impractical? Especially considering most owners live nowhere near their rental property.
It just seems to me, it would be difficult for owners to do this, not to mention the extra cost to set up a vacation home for Halloween.
I don’t think a vacation home should be staged to be creepy in any way. I can see decorating for Christmas but for Halloween? (What do you think?)
I’m going to give you good advice here, advice that will be truly helpful to drive in bookings for your vacation rental and help your overall occupancy.
1. Write About The Season -Give Them A Reason
I would suggest starting out by creating an article about the Halloween season and the things to do in the area where your vacation rental is located.
Point out the best reasons to visit the area during the fall. Maybe the reasons to visit could be the amazing weather, less congestion or the vibrant colors of the tree leaves in autumn?
If this well written article is posted on your vacation rental website or sent out via email / newsletter, people who’ve booked during the summer or other times of the year may consider coming back to experience the Halloween season for themselves.
You’ve got to give them a reason to vacation during the season!
Spell out the many benefits and experiences.
2. Mention The Events
Then write about some of the different events and activities that are going on in the area. Mention the activities and events by name.
Once you’ve written this great content post it in your blog. If you don’t have a blog, here is yet another reason why you should have one.
(You can buy a customized blog here, even if you didn’t buy a website from me >> Get Your Vacation Rental Blog)
People who search for the details of these events in Google can be lead to your website if you create the content they’re looking for.
3. Get Them Into A Seasonal Event For Free
Offer free tickets to a Halloween event like a haunted house.
You can find these for a fairly inexpensive price. Free tickets to a seasonal event makes a great and relevant perk for helping convince travelers to book with you during the Halloween season.
4. Use Coupons To Attract Travelers
Owners like this one because it doesn’t cost them anything and it can give you a big spike in your vacation rental website traffic.
Find coupons for the biggest Halloween event and post them on your blog.
If you can’t post them directly on your website just let people know how or where they can get them, like on the back of this Coca Cola can, you can save $20 to Halloween Horror Nights.
We do this here in Orlando and travelers often drive up from Miami to come to this event.
These folks will need a place to stay while they’re in town, help them find you by helping them find what they want and need.
Just in case you think that travelers who search for discounts are not the type of renters you want in your home, read the stats about coupons and those who seek them out. It just might surprise you.
View the article and check the stats > Vacation Rental Coupon Marketing
5. Create A Special Promotion For The Halloween Season
Now you’ve got them on your website get them interesting in booking your property by offering a special like Lisa did with www.BellaBeachRentals.com and put your seasonal offer on your website and advertise it online too.
Remember these are your slower months and these dates are often left unbooked.
I find that some owners operate at a loss during these months, so some profits are better than none, don’t be scared to discount your rates when you need to.
You may even earn a return guest from someone who would’ve never found you otherwise.
6. Start It Early!
Don’t wait for the last minute to start this. Plan in advance. Have the article created weeks or even better months in advance. It will make this marketing task so much more manageable and meaningful.
This information takes some time to circulate on the internet, don’t waste time, if you want to capture rentals for October.
Once you’ve created these resources they will be helpful to you and travelers every year
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