1) Car decals can be a cheap and effective means of advertising that you have a vacation home for rent. 2) Craigslist can be great for filling last-minute dates, but watch out for bottom feeders and scammers. 3) While most magazine advertising isn't cost effective for the average vacation rental owner, university alumni magazines seem to work for some owners. They attribute their success with alumni magazines to the fact that many people keep them laying around for months (even years) after they come in the mail.

4) Do you often have "orphan" days open in between two bookings? Contact the renters who are coming before and after the open day and offer them the day at a discounted rate. 5) Put open availabilty (i.e. "New Year's Still Open") in your listing headline. It really drives inquiries for those days and doesn't seem to turn away renters who are looking for different days. 6) Offering a 10% discount on a future stay to past guests is a great way to incite them to fill out a Review or to leave a comment on your online guestbook.

7) Have old toys laying around that your kids or grandkids have outgrown? Instead of selling them for 25 cents a piece at a garage sale, leave them at your vacation rental and advertise how "perfect for kids" your property is.

8) Consider having a twin beds in your non-Master bedrooms. This way you can cater to two kids (or adults) who'd like to sleep separately or can convert the twins into a king bed for couples. 9) Make your renters feel like they're a part of your home's history by putting a U.S. or world map up on the wall with push pins and strips of paper for guests to write their names and where they're from.

10) The Microsoft Outlook calendar feature is an easy way to keep track of bookings and payment schedules for your cabin, condo, or cottage rental.

What advice do you have for other owners of vacation homes? "Invest $100 in a virtual tour of your unit but make sure it looks like the pages of "Southern Living" and the lighting is great. This is the time to make your unit shine and put your renter inside your place to win them over." - Stephanie, Gulf Shores (VRBO #114552)

How to Convert Vacation Rental Inquiries into Bookings  Whether a renter books your property or someone else's falls largely in your hands. Christine On Keeping Up Vacation Rental Calendars  Keeping calendars up-to-date has been a bit of a sore subject with holiday rental owners. Why Christine thinks it's a must. Keeping Records: Organizing Your Vacation Rental Business  Avoid double-booking and other scheduling disasters by keeping detailed records. Get Organized: 12 Ways to Simplify Your Vacation Rental Life  Tips for more confidently handling any problems that arise.

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10 Things We Learned from Vacation Rental Owners in 2008    Read tips that we learned from other owners during our 2008 seminars.