Where are all the renters?

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Hi Linda,

Do you have any past guests who stayed with you in August before? I'd recommend reaching out to them again, as there are still two months before August. We've seen owners drive a good number of bookings by simply making an offer to folks who had already booked in that location during that time. Also, on the marketing front, what are some reasons folks should rent from you? Create blog posts, social posts, or email newsletters about those reasons to re-engage people and get them thinking about it. 

Good luck!

Thank you Steve!  

No, we are brand new this year as of February.  So, we’ve only had guests so far in May after getting set up.  We’re ok for June and July but then its like the inquiries stopped.  We are direct w/Hospitable and on Vrbo.  We are a private 3/2 home on the water (intercoastal that opens up to the gulf) in the St. Petersburg area of Florida.  We have a private salt water pool in a lovely neighborhood.  We have an outdoor kitchen and the views are spectacular.  I realize the market here is saturated.  Our first two bookings were direct and we received awesome reviews.  Our rates are below what we are seeing for other homes similar to ours.  We are on social media but since we are new, getting followers is slow.  We also offer promotions with Vrbo.  

Got it! 

I would still focus on building those relationships with your past guests, even if it's not too many of them, and creating content to keep them engaged. It could be as simple as sending them an email to follow you on Instagram, because if they stay connected, the chance of them booking with you again increases.

You can also email them with special promotions for your August openings or to offer them a reward if they refer you to a friend. Maybe it's a perk on their next stay or a percentage off. There are lots of ways to slice it, but staying in touch is the most important, I would say. 

Hi ​@LindaE! You can also run your listing through HostPulse. It may give you a few suggestions on what to improve, which could help.

More about HostPulse + video explainer here:

Thank you!!!

Welcome to hosting! What you're describing sounds completely normal, both for Florida and for being new. 

My name is Sara, I'm co-owner of Travina, and we just joined as a Hospitable partner. We connect hosts like you with professional travel advisors, whose clients travel year-round and often book well in advance.

Since working with travel advisors is a brand-new concept for most hosts, I'd be happy to speak with you more about how they can help fill up your calendar.  Feel free to reach out to message me or respond here with quesions.