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If you are concerned about too many people, or your home getting too much use, set a maximum number of people that are allowed to sleep there. You can also require that your housekeeper remain onsite all day. (Be sure to include your housekeeper's compensation for the extra time in your rental contract.) You could use your listing to advertise for other types of group gatherings. Or, contact a family that has stayed in your home before, and let them know your availability in case they';d like to return for a family reunion at a discounted rate. For more information on hosting a wedding or event at your vacation home, see our article: Weddings and Events at Your Vacation Rental Property.
Corporate Retreats: Register your vacation home with your visitors and convention bureau. Often companies will send requests for homes through such organizations, so make sure that your home is on their list. You might also feature major conferences or trade shows within your listing for business travelers searching for those events. See article: How to Market Your Vacation Home to Business Travelers.
Religious Retreats: In the same regard, your home could be used as a religious retreat for church or synagogue groups. Check with local religious establishments about advertising in programs or simply on a lobby bulletin board. You might want to consider going a little further than local, too, in case the groups want more of a getaway.
Girls' or Guys' Getaways. Contact a local spa, golf course, restaurant, etc. and see if they will offer your guests a deep discount “package deal.” Remember your slow season is likely theirs, too.
Make your home smaller. Families with school-age children rarely vacation while school is in session. So, who travels during the off season? Younger couples and retirees. You can close off (lock) a few bedrooms, making your home a one or two bedroom home, and lower your rates accordingly. What some owners do is actually take out another ad on sites like HomeAway or VRBO. One ad will show the home with all the bedrooms and the second one will show it with just a couple. Also, remember to negotiate a cleaning fee with your housekeeper for the lower number of bedrooms.
Offer classes. Contact locals who teach specialty classes (cooking, wine, scrapbooking, etc.) You can offer your second home for weekend retreat classes or better yet, organize it yourself! Call a local chef, ask him/her to teach the class and send out email notices to anyone who has inquired or stayed in your homes. You don't have to have one large party to attend. You can offer it to couples, singles, etc. This usually works best with larger homes where each bedroom has its own private bath - sort of like a bed and breakfast.
These are just a few of the ways that you can increase your off-season bookings. Get your creative juices flowing and you're sure to think of a few more of your own.
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