Upsell Your Vacation Rental With These 5 Ideas
Upselling in the Vacation Rental World
In the hospitality industry, the process of upselling services and experiences to guests has long been known as a way to not only enhance guest experience but also to increase the amount of revenue earned from each guest booking. Now, savvy short-term rental owners are hopping on the upselling train to stand out from the competition and improve their bottom line. At the same time, upselling creates a more guest-focused stay that can lead to a plethora of positive, five-star reviews and return bookings.
There are a few ways that short-term rental owners can upsell services and experiences to guests, but some are more cost-effective than others. Today, we examine five ideas to upsell your vacation rental to help to boost your revenue and create experiences that guests will remember forever.
#1: Provide Equipment Rentals to Guests
Wherever your short-term rental is located, chances are that your guests are likely to want to get out and experience what your locale has to offer. One easy (and relatively inexpensive way) of upselling to your guests is providing equipment rentals to travelers.
If your rental is located in an area where biking is popular, for instance, offer guests a chance to get out on a bike by providing equipment to rent. Or, if you’re offering a ski-in/ski-out experience at your Breckenridge vacation rentals, give guests the opportunity to rent skis, boots, and bibs directly from their accommodations instead of having to go to a ski shop. For short-term rentals that are popular with business travelers and digital nomads, providing the option to rent workout and sports equipment is also a great idea to improve your bottom line and provide a better guest experience.
By supplying this type of all-inclusive equipment rental service, guests won’t need to spend their money elsewhere in order to rent the equipment they’ll need to enjoy their stay to the fullest.
#2: Add AirBnB Experiences To Your Rental
AirBnB Experiences, a newer platform connected to the AirBnB site, are activities designed and guided by hosts to give guests a sense of the local character. In our guide to creating unforgettable AirBnB Experiences, we gave an overview of the program and how it can be utilized to increase the bottom-line revenue of your short-term rental. Upselling these types of experiences, whether on the AirBnB Experiences platform or on your own, can enhance a guest’s stay while adding even more value to your accommodation.
To come up with ideas for creating Experiences for guests, take a look at what is currently being offered in your area and put your own creative spin on an activity. Whether you’re providing cooking classes based around local cuisine or tours to off-the-beaten path locations that only the locals know about, upselling this type of activity is a great way to create an unforgettable vacation for your guests.
#3: Stock the Pantry and Fridge
At many hotels, it is the norm to enter your room and find a fully-stocked mini-bar and fridge (with fees added onto your stay to cover the costs, of course). Short-term rental owners can also utilize this type of upsell by offering to stock the pantry and refrigerator before guests arrive.
Many guests will only have a limited time to get out and do things during their stay, often with a fully-packed itinerary to get through. Adding in the convenience of already stocking their pantry can save them time that they can then use to enjoy the fruits of your locale more fully.
#4: Early Check In or Late Checkout Options
One of the biggest inconveniences that guests face during travel is dealing with scheduling around check in and check out times. Oftentimes, stated check in and check out times won’t coincide with a guest’s itinerary, like early or late flights, so upselling them on early check in or late checkout can make a big difference in their comfort.
While we know that guests checking in early or checking out late can sometimes conflict with cleaning and inspection schedules, offering this value-add as an upsell is often something that guests will look for when they are booking their accommodations. Being flexible on these times (for a fee, of course) can not only help you land more bookings, it can also make or break a guest’s stay since they won’t have to waste time waiting around to check in or leave earlier than they planned because of check out times.
#5: Offer Mid-Stay Cleaning Services
Sometimes, guests book their short-term rental stays for longer periods of time, and by the end of their stay, the home might be a bit of a mess. To save both you and your guests time, think about offering mid-stay cleaning services. Just like most hotels offer maid services each and every day, upselling mid-stay cleaning services can serve to up your revenue, save guests time, and keep the property from becoming a nightmare to clean after a longer booking.
Take the Guesswork Out of Your Short-Term Rental Revenue
Short-term rental owners are always on the hunt for ways to increase their bottom line, and upselling services to guests is one easy way to boost your revenue. Whether you choose to offer simpler options like mid-stay cleans or up the ante with AirBnB Experiences added onto your roster, upselling can pay off in big ways by adding value to your short-term rental and also enhancing the overall guest experience.
Oftentimes, however, the more services and experiences you provide to guests can mean even more work for hosts, turning what seems like a passive income stream into a job that requires many more hours than expected. For short-term rental owners looking to take some of the work off of their plate, LocalVR offers all-inclusive property management services that will help you maximize revenue while also preserving the value of your property.