5 Tips for Maximizing Vacation Rental Revenue with Upsells
Guest Post by Wishbox
Property managers devote much time and resources into revenue management with the intention of maximizing revenue per rental, yet often fail to notice an additional & significant revenue source that is not being fulfilled.
In this article, we will highlight useful tips for integrating upsells and cross-sells to your guest journey in order to help increase revenue and improve the guest experience.
Upselling and Cross-selling
Upselling and Cross-selling are sales techniques that encourage guests to either purchase an upgraded service or product, such as a room upgrade or early check-in or purchase more services to be booked in conjunction with the rental, for example booking breakfast, car rentals or transportation services, that completes the accommodation.
1. Communicate with your guests before they arrive
There are many reasons why you should actively communicate with guests before they contact you for arrival.
Aside from confirming the reservation and reassuring your guests that the booking went smoothly, it is also important to provide as much information as possible ahead of time in order to reduce uncertainties.
This early on communication is the perfect opportunity to introduce additional offerings you are able to provide for your guests as they beginning to plan their vacation.
2. Create a personal guest guidebook
Travelers, especially vacation rental bookers, are looking for a local experience and value personal recommendations.
Collecting honest tips for your guests and allowing them to read more about your destination from a trustworthy source, prior to their arrival, will not only take the guest experience you offer to a whole new level but will also allow you, as the host, to integrate experiences you wish to upsell to your guests.
Starting from car rentals, transportation, tours, and more collaborating with in-destination suppliers will allow you to create new streams of revenue from cross-selling to your guests.
3. Listen to your guests
The best way to fully understand what offerings will work best for your guests is to review your current communication with guests, including frequently asked questions, emails, and messages.
If your guests are asking about luggage storage- make sure to include storage as an upsell they can book in advance.
If your guests are inquiring about transportation from the airport or about arriving earlier to your vacation rental then make sure to add the option to reserve an early check-in.
The best way to introduce high converting upsells is to listen to your guests and create upsells that accommodate their needs.
4. Personalize your tone
As the host, you enjoy a special relationship with your guests which is why the best way to successfully introduce additional products and services throughout your guest journey is to maintain a personal tone in all correspondence.
This includes addressing your guests' by name, writing messages that sound like you are giving travel advice to a close friend, communicating in the guests’ native language and using your first name.
4. Make the purchase quick and easy
While offering these services is an important part of the guest experience, making the purchase process easy will ensure that these additional services are sold at a higher conversion rate.
There are several platforms out there that allow you to accept credit card payments and include imaging and descriptions for your upsells, making the booking process user-friendly.
About the Author:
Wishbox is a guest experience platform that allows hosts to tap the true potential of guest communication, save time and increase revenue from every guest.
Wishbox solutions include online check-in, a guest app, upsells, review management, document scans, pre-scheduled messages & more.