For holiday home/ homestay owners it is equally important that their marketing mix includes a non-internet or offline marketing strategy too. Unlike the internet where marketing your property is more or less free, offline marketing requires a little bit of investment and can show tangible results if done right. However I would never recommend offline marketing as an alternative to online marketing and should be taken as a supplement to your online advertising efforts. Offline marketing thus should predominantly aim at increasing the number of guests who you probably would not be able to reach online. Because you already know your past guests and have screened them, you can at least breathe easy on the screening process of their referrals too.
So that brings us to the question as to how can one market one’s holiday home offline?
ADVERTISE CLOSE TO HOME: I have always found that advertising in local businesses that I patronize yields good results. This could include the local dentists office, the local school or even in your condo on the notice board through a poster.
TRAVEL AGENCIES:Travel agencies are another good source of referrals and if properly incentivized can be a continuous source of steady business. The only thing to watch out for would be to ensure that they are not over selling your property and promising the moon and the earth to the traveler.
BROCHURES: This is perhaps an absolute must-have for any holiday home/ homestay. It could be a couple of fold with details that make your property stand out – its history, some facts about the unique things you have in the house, activities or festivals in the locality, etc. Based on the number of guests coming to stay, keep a couple of extra copies handy near the bedside table or the television where guests are more likely to see. Encourage guests to take these along with them when they go home.
BUSINESS CARDS: Guests who had stayed in your property in most cases give away your business card to friends and family members who show eagerness in taking a vacation in your property. So make sure that you staple a business card to the brochure you will keep in your property.
GUIDE: Create a guide of your locality with details of the various tourist spots, and telephone numbers and addresses restaurants, chemists, doctors, travel agency, ticketing agent, etc. It could be of a couple of pages with images. Usually, guests love to have a guide along with them when they go out. They are most like to carry this home which gives you an opportunity to advertise your property because the back-cover or the last page had only information on your vacation rental including, your website, address, email id, etc. You did that, right?
GET IN TOUCH WITH OWNERS OF YOUR NEARBY LOCATIONS: Speak to owners of vacation rentals in touristy locations which are, say, a couple of hours drive from yours. Make a pact with them that they will inform about your vacation rental to guests coming to stay with them in return that you inform guests about theirs in case guests wanted to visit that location after they had checked out. Send some brochures to the owners to be kept in their homes which guests can see and contact if they wanted to.
VISIT YOUR GOVERNMENT TOURIST OFFICE: Definitely you will have a local tourist office. On many occasions travelers inquire about accommodations with these offices. A good rapport with them would mean directing these inquiries to you. Leave a couple of your business cards with them, so that they can pass on your contact details to these inquirers.
MEMENTOS: Making some mementos for guests can be a good way of offline marketing. If bought in bulk they cost very less. It can be an elegant looking showpiece that best defines the destination and which guests can go back and display in their homes. It not only reminds them of their stay in your property, but also gives you the opportunity to be introduced to their friends and family members who are likely ask: Where did you get that?
So, if you have tried any other offline marketing tactics for your vacation rental and have hit success, do share with us.
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