and the magic 8 ball says... {plus a ton of resources}
When I was a kid, I told my brothers and younger neighbors that I was a Gypsy who could read fortunes. I had found an old "palm reading" book in our library book sale, and I would take everyone into my closet, turn off the light, and use a flashlight inside of a purple pillowcase to make it kinda spooky. And I would look at all the little lines and wrinkles in their hand and tell them all sorts of made-up stuff about their future - what they would get for Christmas (something they didn't want.), when they would die (before they turned 12), and all these secrets I already knew because I was their big sister (Jason peed in his Superman underoos last night...) I also had a "Magic 8-Ball" and I could see the "true meaning" behind the predictions of the pyramid inside. LMAO! My little brothers were so gullible and believed everything I said. I once told them Johnny Cash was our long-lost brother, and they went to school and told their friends... (He's about 20 years older than my dad.) I couldn't really tell the future then, and of course, I can't now (why don't clairvoyants use it for lotto??) But I can tell you a few things that I am pretty darn sure are going to be more important than ever in 2024! These predictions may not be new to you, but I'd like to reiterate how important I think these will be this year. I'll start with two today and share more next week...because I don't want to keep you here all day (brevity is not my strong suit.) Prediction # 1 - The Riches are in the Niches. NICHE DOWN as much as possible with the type of experience you create so you can be unique and memorable for your guests. Figure out something you could add, offer, or specialize in (Eco-Friendly / Sustainability is a highly sought-after niche, but so is Dog Welcoming and LGBTQ+ Friendly. A harder-to-implement niche, but definitely something that is needed and sought after, is Wheelchair accessible). (want more ideas - grab this list) .If you want to know more about pet-friendly / dog-welcoming stays and how to implement and become a "Certified" pet-welcoming host, check out the podcast episode I did last summer. "Create & Market A Welcoming, Pet-Friendly Vacation Rental. It's been one of the most popular episodes. Prediction #2 - More hosts will use EMAIL MARKETING to reach their past and future guests proactively. Over the years of working in this industry, I've talked with several hosts who were using social media, but not using email marketing at all. Or, they had an email marketing account set up but didn't use it very often or hadn't seen any results. But, lately, more and more clients are requesting help and advice with this service. They are starting to understand that email marketing is the BEST way to proactively create touchpoints and reach your previous and future guests (leads.) It seems like they are catching up to the fact that they can't rely on the OTAs to share their property even if they are a 5-star host. Competition is just too fierce. Here's the truth - with social media, less than 5% of your followers will see an individual piece of content. With email marketing, up to 55% of your subscribers should open and read your email. And if they are opening and reading, that means they are interested in your property and your destination. ie: solid leads. Marketing your property and your destination is more important than ever. Using email marketing (correctly) should be a big part of that. But, unfortunately, I see hosts making some major mistakes:
If I have talked you into getting on board with email marketing, I encourage you to sign up today for the Savvy Host's Email Marketing Accelerator Where you will learn all of the above, in a 5-week program with live and recorded lessons, homework, templates, feedback and tech support. I'll be starting this live series next week (Wednesday, January 10th) and I hope you will join me and the other participants and make a serious commitment to email marketing in 2024! Stay tuned, next week I'll share two more of my predictions for Vacation Rental Success in 2024!! Coming Soon!! Savvy Host Podcast If you haven't been keeping up, I started a podcast last spring - The Savvy Host Roadmap - I was surprised by how many people seemed to enjoy it and told me so! I created 20 episodes and have nearly 2000 downloads and made it to #132 on Apple Podcasts for Business. I took a break over the last two months while I figured out a game plan for the content I will be sharing. But, starting next week, the Savvy Host Podcast will be back! I hope you'll tune in. I will send an update next week. If you have listened and have any feedback, please reply to this email and let me know. I'm all ears. STR Virtual Summit For Women -I'll be speaking at Stacey St. John's STR Virtual Summit For Women- I'd love to see you there! Last summer I was ecstatic when Stacey hired me to build the website for her property management company, KozyGetaways and StayinMyrtleBeach, and then invited me to be on her podcast. Now, she's invited me to speak at her 3-Day LIVE virtual Summit, January 23-25th. After seeing the lineup of amazing speakers from the STR and Vacation Rental worlds, and the awesome array of topics for hosts, property managers, co-hosts and investors, I know you will get HUGE value from the summit. Seriously, this is an impressive list of topics and speakers. Check it out! More than 50 topics, networking, 70 expert speakers and a ton of learning! All live + 14 days of access to video replays. If you buy your ticket with my link, I'll send you a copy of the slides and notes after my presentation. (Building a 90-Day Marketing Plan) Your properties are badass - why isn't your website?Your website should be as inviting and memorable as a five-star resort, capture the magic of your experience and show your future guests that you care about the details. Ready to elevate? Get in touch |
Bourne Texan Consulting, LLC 112 SOAPBERRY DRIVE, KYLE, TX 78640-5937 |