Selling the Great ‘Not-So-Great-Economy’ Getaway: How to Attract Guests to Your Vacation Home

(This article was directed more at VRBO's, but there are some great tips for anyone who manages vacation rental properties)

RISMEDIA, May 27, 2008-If you own a vacation home that you rent to others, you may be a bit nervous about all the “doom & gloom” you keep hearing. The economy has slowed to a crawl, consumers have a death grip on their wallets, and worst of all, gas prices are through the roof. Sure doesn’t give you much hope that your rental calendar will be filling up this summer, does it? Actually, says Christine Karpinski, you may be worrying needlessly. In a strange sort of way, the economic downturn actually benefits vacation homeowners.

“In stressful times, people crave vacations more than ever,” says Karpinski, director of Owner Community for HomeAway.com and author of “How to Rent Vacation Properties by Owner, 2nd Edition: The Complete Guide to Buy, Manage, Furnish, Rent, Maintain and Advertise Your Vacation Rental Investment”. “We all need something to look forward to. “I own several vacation homes, and for me personally, this past year has been great,” she adds. “I made more money from them in 2007 than I made in the last five years. In fact, the only better year I’ve ever had was right after 9/11. It just makes sense that when things are bad, people plan vacations. We want to spend time with family and friends because we’re more aware of how precious our loved ones really are.”

Karpinski points out that vacation homeowners are particularly well positioned to capitalize on people’s desire to “get away from it all” on a budget. After all, it can be considerably less expensive to drive to a nearby vacation home than to hop on an airplane and fly to some big tourist attraction-even with higher gas prices. You just need to make this case to potential renters.

Chances are you already have your vacation home listed with a vacation rental marketplace website like HomeAway.com. (Even though many of your guests might be local “road trip” vacationers, it still makes good sense to advertise on sites that draw national and international traffic-just in case.) You may use other marketing methods as well. But no matter how you attract people to your beach cottage, mountain chalet, or lakeside cabin, Karpinski recommends doing everything possible to sell potential guests on the fact that your home is a fun and economical choice.

She reveals a few ways you can get this across in your advertising:

• Make the case for a short road trip rather than a long flight. Yes, it’s more expensive to fill up your tank these days. But plane tickets still cost more. And no matter how high gas prices may climb, it surely costs less (probably considerably less) to pack a family of four into a vehicle and drive a few hours than buy plane tickets for everyone to fly a longer distance. And that’s not even taking into account the hassle and inconvenience factors that come with air travel.

“Do the math for your guests,” urges Karpinski. “Refer to an online fuel calculator like AAA’s fuelcostcalculator.com, which bases its estimates on current regional gas averages. I just checked it and found that if you drive a mini-van from Chicago, Illinois, to Mackinaw City, Michigan, which is 412 miles away, you’ll spend $121.60 for the round-trip gas prices. Compare that to buying airline tickets for everyone and you can’t deny that opting for a road trip is a smarter choice, financially speaking. There’s just something about seeing the numbers in black & white that makes a trip seem more manageable.”

• Play up big cities within driving distance. Everyone knows that there’s a lot to do in, say, Orlando, FL. But if your vacation home is located somewhere quieter and less touristy like, say, the outskirts of Chattanooga, TN, people may not realize that Atlanta, GA, is only an hour and a half away. Gatlinburg and Nashville are within driving distance, too. Be sure to point all this out to potential guests.

“A good vacation is all about getting a lot of bang for your buck, particularly in a time when bucks aren’t as plentiful as they once were,” says Karpinski. “And even though your guests may not want to go all these places, they like knowing they have the option.”

• Give a “gas incentive.” Even though people can save a lot more money driving to your vacation home than they could flying to some other destination, they may still cringe at filling their tank a couple of times at $80 a pop. Rational or not, it just feels too expensive. It’s all a matter of perception, not reality. If you can make them feel you’re giving them a break at the pump, they might be more inclined to choose your home.

“Offer to subtract from your rate the amount of money it takes to drive from their home to yours,” suggests Karpinski. “Or promise them you’ll have a prepaid $50 gas card waiting for them when they arrive. These little extras may provide the psychological boost someone needs to book your place. And is offering a small price break really that big a deal in light of the $1,500 or so you’ll be pulling in? I don’t think so!”

• Point your guests toward inexpensive or quirky local attractions. Some potential guests may not want to drive to a big city for shopping, culture, and fine dining. Perhaps they’d prefer to tour the local cheese factory, hike to a nearby waterfall, go see the world’s biggest ball of twine, shop at a sleepy country store, or dine at the hole-in-the-wall restaurant that has delicious barbecue. That’s why it’s a good idea to list unusual nearby attractions on your website or in your other marketing materials.

“Everyone mentions the local theme park or ski resort,” notes Karpinski. “You can differentiate yourself by also listing out-of-the-ordinary spots that don’t cost a lot of money. And be sure to mention odd local events. If your home is near Key West, FL, for instance, spotlight the nightly Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square, which is one of the top-ranked “tourist traps” mentioned in a recent BudgetTravel.com article. You can’t put a price on its stunning sunsets and kitschy street performers. People always like to get this kind of inside information, but in a slow economy, they really appreciate it.”

• Spell out all the benefits of staying in a vacation home-economic and otherwise. There are many reasons vacation homes are a better deal than hotel rooms. Often they just cost less, period. Even if they don’t, people can share a vacation home with friends and family members and split the rate among them. They can cook their own food rather than having to eat every meal at pricey restaurants. And of course, vacation homes often have tons of attractive amenities like hot tubs, swimming pools, and acres of private land to enjoy-perks that just aren’t the same at crowded hotels.

“Of course you’re going to list your home’s amenities,” says Karpinski. “But don’t be afraid to spell out what makes them so great. Be creative! Say ‘Prepare fresh produce purchased from the local farmer’s market-only two miles away!-in our spacious kitchen. It’s delicious and economical!’ Or ‘Spend a lovely evening under the stars, listening to the night sounds of the woods. Our crickets, owls, and whippoorwills give free concerts every evening!’”

• Allow pets. Many people hate to leave their pets behind when they go on vacation, regardless of the state of the economy. But when money is tight, even people who would normally board Fido or Fluffy might just decide not to go at all. After all, kennels and pet sitting services can cost hundreds of dollars. Offering to let renters bring their furry family members might make all the difference.

“Many vacation homeowners let guests bring pets along, and very few regret it,” observes Karpinski. “People know they’re a guest in your home, and they’re unlikely to bring a dog who isn’t housebroken or who will chew up the furniture. Plus, people who love their pets enough to want to bring them on vacation usually have pets who are accustomed to being inside-and indoor pets aren’t typically destructive.”

• Tap into your network to start a word of mouth campaign. Let fellow employees, friends, relatives, church family, and even casual acquaintances know you have a great vacation home only a short drive away. You may not feel comfortable “selling” to people you know, but you may not mind asking them to refer their friends and acquaintances. (If your coworker wants to rent your place herself, she’ll let you know.) You might even send out a link to your vacation home web page and ask people to forward it to anyone they know who might be interested.

“People often get into a vacation rut,” notes Karpinski. “It’s not that they want to go to the same place every year; it’s just that they’ve never thought about going somewhere different. When they hear second- or third-hand about your log cabin in the woods or your condo in a nearby city, they think, ‘Well, there’s an interesting idea!’ And they decide to check it out. The more people talking about your vacation home, the better.”

Of course, there is one overarching step you can take to stay booked up even in the toughest economic times: Make sure everyone who rents your vacation home has a perfect stay. Keep it comfortable and spotless. Promptly and efficiently solve any problems that crop up. And send thank-you notes to all guests after their stay. (See sidebar below.)

“People will always long to escape the stresses of daily life, to get away from it all,” says Karpinski. “A bad economy can’t change that basic human need. They may not spend money as frivolously as they once did, but they’re going to spend it on good times with their family and friends. I mean, isn’t that what makes life worth living? Help people have a great time, help them nest with the people they love, and make them feel truly welcome. They’ll always come back for more.”

Sidebar: Ten Special Little Touches That Will Keep Guests Coming Back
Christine Karpinski offers these tips:

1. Plenty of “inside information.” Chances are, you know which gas station has the cheapest gas, which farm stand has the best produce, which Thai restaurant wins raves from diners. And you probably know the best places to go for an afternoon of hiking or guided river tours. You can mention these kinds of helpful hints on the phone when people call to reserve your home, or better yet, keep a list you email to guests.

2. A ping pong table. Great for basements, garages, and screened-in porches. Ping pong tables are cheaper than their billiard counterparts ($100-$300 vs. $300+) and have fewer pieces for your guests to lose.

3. A soft-serve ice cream maker, espresso machine, or Belgian waffle maker. Guests love playing with kitchen gadgets they don’t have at home.

4. High-speed Internet. It has become a must-have for most vacation destinations; however, vacation rentals in urban settings absolutely must provide high-speed Internet to capitalize on business travelers.

5. Baby gear. It will cost you around $50 for a foldable high chair and $60-$100 for a portable crib. Look for deals at garage sales and consignment shops.

6. Great bed linens. Egyptian cotton sheets will run around $40 to $60 for a king bed-a small price to pay to make guests feel as though they’re sleeping in the lap of luxury.

7. Terrycloth bathrobes. Ask any vacationer: There’s nothing more decadent than lounging around in a cozy robe each morning while you sip coffee and listen to birdsong or a roaring ocean.

8. A DVD player and good library of movies. If your guests have kids, at some point they will want to pop in a movie. It helps the little ones unwind before bed and gives parents some welcome “adult time” free of childish chatter.

9. A selection of games. Think of this as “rainy day insurance.” If bad weather strikes, you want guests to remember the fun they had playing Monopoly, Twister, or Scrabble-not the boring hours they spent staring out the window at the downpour.

10. A small parting gift. This could be a magnet, a picture frame, a seashell. Not only will renters feel grateful for the gift, they will likely think fondly of your vacation home each time that they see it.