How Building Community Can Encourage Return Business.

In the competitive world of short-term rentals, fostering a sense of community and encouraging repeat business is crucial. One effective strategy is to connect with past guests and keep them informed about local events and activities. This approach not only builds a loyal customer base but also enhances the overall guest experience. Here’s how and why it works.

Build an Emotional Connection

Keeping guests updated about seasonal or other events creates an emotional connection to the area. A study by Harvard Business School found that companies fostering such connections outperform their competitors in sales growth by 85%. Guests who feel emotionally connected to a destination are more likely to return and recommend it to others.

A digital guidebook provides your guests with immediate value through informational content. You benefit from starting a completely controlled web-experience to express your brand, other offerings and capture emails.

More Engagement, More Bookings

Providing valuable content, like information about local events, significantly boosts email engagement rates. HubSpot’s research shows that delivering relevant content increases engagement, making past guests more likely to consider your property for future stays . Additionally, the Content Marketing Institute reports that 61% of consumers feel better about companies that deliver custom content, and are more likely to buy from them.

Driving Repeat Business

Personalization, including sharing local event information that guests might be interested, can increase repeat business by 10-15%, according to a report by McKinsey & Company . Informing guests about nearby activities makes them feel part of the community, encouraging them to revisit. Bond Brand Loyalty’s findings also reveal that personalized experiences through loyalty programs or even simple email campaigns can significantly enhance customer retention.

Once you capture guest emails, this opens the door to personalized email campaigns. Offer discounts to loyal guests or inform them about new amenities or services they might not be aware of.

“Social Proof” and Referrals

Informing past guests about local events can prompt them to share this information on social media, providing valuable social proof. Nielsen reports that 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family more than any other form of advertising . A study by the Wharton School of Business found that referred customers are more loyal and have a 16-25% higher lifetime value.

Travel inspiration spreads quickly through social networks like Instagram and TikTok. Talk to us about how we can help your social channels perform to help spread word-of-mouth.

In short:

Connecting in a meaningful way with potential and existing clients is good for business. It’s not surprising, but the road to having an active community and email list is long. Start by building your brand equity and driving awareness of your commitment to providing unique and personalized experiences for your guests. By leveraging personalized communication and providing valuable content, you can transform one-time visitors into loyal guests who return time and again!