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How to Communicate to Your Vacation Home's Target Audience
Don't lose out on bookings because you're targeting the wrong crowd.
| Some vacation rental owners might end up confusing their potential renters by including phrases in their listings that they think will grab the attention of travelers. In reality, your home is not right for everyone, and you should reach out to the specific travelers that it IS right for. |
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| This is what we call positioning – selecting what niche of the market you'd like to target and then gearing your communications towards those renters – and it should be the basis for all of your advertisements. |
Imagine you're a traveler looking for a vacation home to rent. As you're perusing the headlines on HomeAway or VRBO, you come across a listing titled “Luxurious 3BR Upscale Condo, Perfect for Kids, $59/Night”. Now you should imagine yourself scratching your head. If this 3-bedroom property is only $59/night, is it really luxurious? If it's perfect for kids, how upscale can it be?
When selecting your target audience and determining how to communicate to them, here are some key points to consider:
1. Who has rented your home in the past? You don't have to make a wild guess at your home's positioning if you've been renting already; simply consider what types of guests you've had in the past. For example, if you own a large vacation home that has typically been rented to multiple families, be sure to reach out to those large groups. Just because your home is large, it doesn't necessarily mean that it falls under the category of “luxury” (which, no offense, is something we see quite often.) So instead of targeting the wrong group or potentially scaring away the right group, make sure your listing tells prospective renters that it's perfect for extended families or families traveling together.
Hint: You can also take a look at your past guestbook entries and read what your renters have enjoyed about your home. This will help guide your advertisements and capture other renters that will be right for your home.
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2. What types of travelers come to your area? If you're new to renting and don't have a history of guests on which to base your positioning, consider the types of visitors coming to your area. If you're located near major amusement parks or other family-oriented activities, it's probably not a bad idea to spell out your family-friendliness. If you're in a popular honeymooning destination, make sure travelers know your suitability for couples. |
On the flip side, if you're trying to differentiate your property from the others in your area, be specific within your listing. Perhaps you own near Orlando and want to separate your home from all the other family-friendly properties in your area. You might try targeting golfers or “guys weekend getaways” to stand out from the crowd. Just be cautious - while it can be helpful to create a unique niche for your home, be aware that you could be limiting your traveler-base.
3. Who are your amenities suitable for? Let's face it: you can't really be a "luxury" property if you have futons in the bedrooms and sheets that resemble sand paper. And you probably aren't coming off as suitable for the budget-conscious if your listing describes a private chef and in-house spa services. The amenities that you've added to your home can really dictate your home's target renters and overall positioning. The good thing is, though, these amenities are easy to change, if you so desire. Just make sure your advertisements clearly reflect your home's amenities and feature up-to-date information.
4. How do your rental rates compare to other homes in the area? Your pricing is another factor in determining your home's position in your vacation rental market. Realize that if your rates are too high, you could be pricing yourself out of the market by limiting the pool of travelers who could afford a stay in your home. On the other hand, if your home is priced much lower than similar properties in your area, you might be limiting yourself to deal-seekers and budget travelers. You should use the headline and description of your listing to communicate to your target audience, but price is also going to play a role in the traveler's overall perception. Your rates should be consistent with your messaging and appropriate for whoever your audience might be.
| 5. What types of travelers would you like to rent to in the future? Let's say you have a 3-bedroom home that can sleep up to 12 when your own family uses it, but you prefer to rent to groups of 6 or 8 to limit wear-and-tear. If you're only getting inquiries from large groups, don't worry, you're not out of luck. You might just need to adjust the way you're communicating to your renters. If you would prefer to attract smaller groups, don't feature your sleeper sofas, blow-up mattresses and 4-car garage. Instead, focus on the other amenities that make your home perfect for couples or families (just not the extended family.) |
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Rather than alter your current target audience, you might just try expanding it. For example, vacation rentals that accept pets are opening themselves to a whole new group of target renters. If you choose to explore this niche, your listing should include phrases like “pet-friendly” or “dogs welcome” and feature amenities that appeal to pet owners and their 4-legged friends.
If you're not happy with the inquiries you're receiving, consider the way you're communicating to potential guests. Try not to throw in words that you think travelers are looking for. Instead, make sure your ads clearly speak to the right types of travelers for YOUR home.
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How do you target different groups for your vacation home?
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