WHAT DO I DO IF MY BOOKINGS ARE LOW?!

Mar 6, 2016 | CEO Blog

There are so many changes in vacation rentals today. We all used to rely on lead requests coming in from VRBO or Homeaway, and we would do our best to convert those. We also had the flipkey leads, vacationrentals.com leads. All of a sudden, those leads are drying up and the bookings coming directly into the system are just not going to help you survive.

It is time to dig into your bag of tricks. I know many companies who live and die through newsletter marketing. There is a big different between newsletter marketing and spam. You have to be very careful. I have a lot of experience with previous companies where newsletter marketing was critical to our success. We did many studies on the effective of marketing campaigns based on how often we sent out emails. It turns out that if you email someone more than every two weeks, you begin to lose their interest. Even worse, people will start to mark you as spam. That is the worst possible thing you could have happen. As people declare you a spammer, your email delivery rates start to drop significantly. In the case of Google, it is a click away. You get marked as spam, Google starts to throttle your emails. Did you know that you can only send in a certain amount of emails into Google per a predefined amount of time? This is one of their techniques to prevent spamming. If you try to send in 1000 emails within 5 minutes, they do not allow all of the emails to go through. Isn’t that great, we don’t even know who is getting our emails any more!

In the good old days, you could send an email to anyone. Spam filters did not matter. They did not really exist. A few important tips when it comes to marketing emails is to stay away from spam triggering words. Check out the list of 100 words that trigger spam. Any use Free quote? Limited Time Offer? The best rates? Dear friend? Congratulations? Click below? Lowest price? Keep reading, it gets better ;).

 

4U Claims you are a winner For instant access
Accept credit cards Claims you registered with Some Kind of Partner For just $ (some amt)
Act now! Don’t hesitate! Click below Free access
Additional income Click here link Free cell phone
Addresses on CD Click to remove Free consultation
All natural Click to remove mailto Free DVD
Amazing Compare rates Free grant money
Apply Online Compete for your business                  Free hosting
As seen on Confidentially on all orders                  Free installation
Auto email removal Congratulations Free investment
Avoid bankruptcy Consolidate debt and credit Free leads
Be amazed Copy accurately Free membership
Be your own boss Copy DVDs Free money
Being a member Credit bureaus Free offer
Big bucks Credit card offers Free preview
Bill 1618 Cures baldness Free priority mail
Billing address Dear email Free quote
Billion dollars Dear friend Free sample
Brand new pager Dear somebody Free trial
Bulk email Different reply to Free website
Buy direct Dig up dirt on friends Full refund
Buying judgments Direct email Get It Now
Cable converter Direct marketing Get paid
Call free Discusses search engine listings Get started now
Call now Do it today Gift certificate
Calling creditors Don’t delete Great offer
Can’t live without Drastically reduced Guarantee
Cancel at any time Earn per week Have you been turned down?
Cannot be combined with any other offer Easy terms Hidden assets
Cash bonus Eliminate bad credit Home employment
Cashcashcash Email harvest Human growth hormone
Casino Email marketing If only it were that easy
Cell phone cancer scam Expect to earn In accordance with laws
Cents on the dollar Fantastic deal Increase sales
Check or money order Fast Viagra delivery Increase traffic
Claims not to be selling anything Financial freedom Insurance
Claims to be in accordance with some spam law Find out anything Investment decision
Claims to be legal For free It’s effective
Join millions of Americans No questions asked Reverses aging
Laser printer No selling Risk free
Limited time only No strings attached Round the world
Long distance phone offer Not intended S 1618
Lose weight spam Off shore Safeguard notice
Lower interest rates Offer expires Satisfaction guaranteed
Lower monthly payment Offers coupon Save $
Lowest price Offers extra cash Save big money
Luxury car Offers free (often stolen) passwords Save up to
Mail in order form Once in lifetime Score with babes
Marketing solutions One hundred percent free Section 301
Mass email One hundred percent guaranteed See for yourself
Meet singles One time mailing Sent in compliance
Member stuff Online biz opportunity Serious cash
Message contains disclaimer Online pharmacy Serious only
MLM Only $ Shopping spree
Money back Opportunity Sign up free today
Money making Opt in Social security number
Month trial offer Order now Special promotion
More Internet traffic Order status Stainless steel
Mortgage rates Orders shipped by priority mail Stock alert
Multi level marketing Outstanding values Stock disclaimer statement
Name brand Pennies a day Stock pick
New customers only People just leave money laying around Stop snoring
New domain extensions Please read Strong buy
Nigerian Potential earnings Stuff on sale
No age restrictions Print form signature Subject to credit
No catch Print out and fax Supplies are limited
No claim forms Produced and sent out Take action now
No cost Profits Talks about hidden charges                 
No credit check Promise you …! Talks about prizes
No disappointment Pure profit Tells you it’s an ad
No experience Real thing Terms and conditions
No fees Refinance home The best rates
No gimmick Removal instructions The following form
No inventory Remove in quotes They keep your money — no refund!
No investment Remove subject They’re just giving it away
No medical exams Removes wrinkles This isn’t junk
No middleman Reply remove subject This isn’t spam
No obligation Requires initial investment University diplomas
No purchase necessary Reserves the right Unlimited
Unsecured credit/debt We honor all Will not believe your eyes
Urgent Weekend getaway Winner
US dollars What are you waiting for? Winning
Vacation offers While supplies last Work at home
Viagra and other drugs While you sleep You have been selected
Wants credit card Who really wins? Your income
We hate spam Why pay more?

 

At this point, you are probably wondering what should I do?  Did you know that a high percentage of emails with images do not load the images?  Online email editors today do not automatically load images.  That means that these beautiful emails that you might be sending out with just images, could be one blank box.  One way around that is to have a ‘Click here to view email’.  That will take them to a website where they will see the image of the email.  Before we go any further, let me look for those words above……  I think you might get away with that one.
Streamline offers a bulk mail feature which I feel is probably the best marketing tool available.  Imagine you are having a bad February.  You are just not getting enough sales….  Who would you try to contact as soon as possible?  How about the people who booked with you during the month of February the past few years.  People tend to make trip decisions around similar times each year.  Don’t miss out on tricks that can land you more business.
Now, there are many reports that will make a world of a difference in the success of your company.  Revenue forecasting report, how am I doing for future bookings in comparison to last year.  If you are struggling in May, start with an initial email to get clients who stayed with you during May in the past to return!  Don’t give away the farm just yet….  Let’s see what that does.  Then, as you start getting closer, you might want to hit that same list with a discount.
These marketing strategies are available to you through Streamline.  Remember, GUESTS and OWNERS….  Never forget the people that will make you successful.  Keep guests happy, they will return.  Call them after they check in and make sure everything is ok.  It is a quick call that will make a big difference.  Call them a few days before their trip, make sure they are ready for their trip.  Stand out above the rest!  Make a difference in the eyes of your guests.  Impressions can last a lifetime.  Just imagine if you could get your repeat business to 80%?  I have seen it and it is not by accident.  It is done by paying attention to the little things that matter to them.
I could go on and on talking about satisfying owners, but I think we get the idea.  Do your best and work hard to solidify your future.  HAPPY GUESTS & HAPPY OWNERS = HAPPY PROPERTY MANAGERS!
-Carlos Corzo, CEO