3 Types of Marketing Advice You Can Totally Ignore

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Are you pouring time and money into your marketing but still waiting for those direct bookings to roll in? It might be because you've been following some common yet completely misleading marketing. In this episode, I'm debunking the top three marketing myths holding you back from real growth and showing what actually works to attract guests, boost bookings, and direct. Tune in and let's get your marketing on the right.

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You are listening to the Direct Booking Success Podcast, bringing you all the information you need for your short term rental to stand out from the crowd. I'm your host, Jenn Boyles. As an owner and manager myself, I know how hard it can be to navigate the hospitality industry. I'm here to help you so you too can have direct booking success.

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Hello and welcome to the Direct Booking Success Podcast. I'm so happy to be here with you today. My name is Jenn Boyles and today I'm going to be sharing three types of marketing advice you can totally ignore. When it comes to marketing your vacation rental, there's no shortage of advice out there. Unfortunately, a lot of it is misguided, outdated or plain misleading, especially for you if you're looking to increase your direct bookings. If you've been faithfully following all the rules but aren't seeing the results you want, it's time to rethink your strategy. Let's dig into what you truly need to know to make marketing work so you can finally take control. Keep those OTA fees out of the picture and build a thriving business business that grows on your terms. Myth number one: Consistency alone will grow your business. Okay, so consistency is key in marketing. Consistency is king. Consistency is queen. Sound familiar? How often have we heard that if we just keep posting regularly on social media, send out some emails, or keep our blog going, we'll see growth. You've been checking off the boxes religiously, but you're not seeing the flood of direct bookings you expected. So what's going wrong? Well, here's the truth. Consistency isn't magic. Yes, it's important, but not in the way you might think. Regular marketing does help keep you top of mind, but consistency alone isn't what turns your followers into guests. Consistency builds awareness and trust, which are necessary for building direct bookings. But awareness on its own is just the first step in a guest's journey towards making that booking. So think about it this way. Posting the same kind of content over and over again just for the sake of being consistent can actually lead to audience fatigue. Without a clear strategy, regular content becomes white noise. If you're Posting just to Stay Consistent it's time to refocus. Consistency should be about delivering value, addressing your audience's pain points and demonstrating that you are the expert who understands what they need in a short term rental experience. It's about deepening your relationship with potential guests so they know you're not just there to sell, but to guide them to the right state. So how can you make consistency meaningful? Go deeper with your content and make sure it speaks directly to your potential guests and what they care about. Instead of posting content just to keep up appearances, try sharing about how your property solves their specific needs, whether it's a stress free family getaway or pet friendly escape or a unique local experience. That way, every post, email or blog serves to connect with guests on a more personal level and shows them why your property is worth booking directly. Myth number two Great Content is Enough to Drive Bookings. Many property managers in the vacation rental space believe that simply creating great content will get them noticed. And while quality matters, it's no longer enough to stand out, especially in an industry where everyone is trying to shine. Years ago, good content was rarer and it made it easier to make an impression with well written posts and high quality images. But with today's crowded market where every property manager has a website, a blog and an Instagram page, simply having good content won't cut it. In today's environment, it's not about creating beautiful or informative content, it's about being strategic. Your content should tell a story, one that resonates with your target audience and speaks to their specific vacation needs. It should reflect your brand and demonstrate what makes you unique. Because here's the thing. Most guests don't care that your place has a cozy atmosphere or a welcoming vibe. They can find that almost anywhere. What they're looking for are those unique selling points that sets you apart. And this is where differentiation comes in. The more clearly you communicate what makes your property unique, the more you stand out. Do you offer concierge style assistance where guests can get personalized recommendations on local attractions? Do you have eco-friendly amenities for travelers wanting a greener stay? Is your property perfect for families with specific kid friendly perks? Showcase that right away. Don't make your audience guess what makes your vacation rental unique. In fact, the first impression your content makes matters as much as the content itself. This means using standout images, clear branding and concise messaging across every platform. If a potential guest lands on your Instagram, blog or website, they should immediately feel a connection and know exactly how your property meets their needs. Let's make sure you're not only creating great content, but you're positioning it so guests can help but notice and remember you. Myth number three A larger audience will automatically bring in more bookings. It's easy to assume that if we can just get more eyes on our properties, the bookings will follow. The truth is, while reaching a bigger audience can give us more visibility, it won't automatically lead to more conversions. If your funnel isn't working effectively with the traffic you already have, adding more people into the mix will only amplify the problem. Instead, let's shift the focus from quantity to quality. What if you have fewer visitors, but every one of them is highly engaged and more likely to book? This is far more valuable than thousands of passive visitors who might scroll through your site and never come back. Building a highly targeted audience is about more than just numbers. It's about nurturing relationships and ensuring that each visitor is aligned to what you offer. To make this happen, you need to focus on creating a clear path from awareness to booking. First, ensure the initial message you're putting out there is designed to attract people who are generally interested in the kind of experience you offer. From there, lead them into a nurturing funnel. Maybe it's an email series, an exclusive booking offer, or a personal message. When they engage with your social media, make each point of contact valuable. Don't be afraid to educate them on why booking direct is better for them. With a smaller but highly engaged audience, you'll see higher conversions and more loyal repeat guests. One of the best ways to illustrate this is by looking at case studies. For example, I had a client who spent months growing their following count but still saw very few direct bookings. Once they shifted to a more targeted approach, focusing on content tailored to family, travelers and pet owners, their conversion rate improved significantly. Their audience didn't explode in size, but the booking came right from the right people, the ones who generally wanted to stay at a property like theirs. That's the magic of having the right audience, even if it's not the biggest one. In the end, these myths are about consistency, content, and audience size, and they might have some truth to them, but they're often misinterpreted. To really succeed in growing your direct bookings, it's crucial to approach your marketing with a strategy that prioritizes relationship building, unique positioning, and targeting the right guests, rather than chasing numbers or blindly sticking to outdated advice. So here's what we've learned today. Consistency. Use it to build trust with your audience, not as a guarantee of growth. Let consistency be a tool to help you stay top of mind, but make sure each piece of content is relevant and speaks directly to your guests. Needs quality content. Don't just create great content, make sure it differentiates you. Use your marketing to showcase what makes your property unique in ways that resonate with your ideal guest. Then the last one is targeted at the audience. It's better to have a smaller, highly engaged audience than a large, passive one. Focus on nurturing relationships with those who are truly interested, guiding them through a journey that makes booking direct the clear choice. By shifting away from these myths and building a strategy that puts relationship building first, you're set to thrive in a market where too many others are spinning their wheels. It's not about doing more, but doing what actually matters to bring in those valuable direct bookings. Thanks so much for having me as part of your day today. If you know of someone who you think this podcast might help, please share it with them. Coming up on the next episode. Do you ever feel like you can't compete with the big three? You know, Airbnb, booking.com and VRBO. In the next episode we're going to be talking about how you can outshine them. So come and listen to that and until then, go out and take action for your own direct booking success.

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Hey, thanks for listening to the Direct Booking Success Podcast. For more information about this episode and others, head to the website directbookingsuccess.com/podcast see you next time.