Low Season strategy

[Karlis3]

Hi,
Do you use any particular strategy when entering Low-Season?
Maybe you know a way how to attract long-term bookings?

I will be grateful for any feedback on this. 😉

Thanks,
Karlis

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Karlis3 we target a different type of guest. High season often means holiday makers - Low season  is typically workers. We are also flexible on price once we have a guest wanting to return. We have a chap in our 3 bed place paying the 2 bed place rate and we will hold this rate as he moves between apartments depending on what is available..

[Karlis3]

@Mike-And-Jane0,
Thanks a lot for the tips!
Your approach makes a lot of sense - it is not that the price changes because of the season, but the price changes because the customer changes.
Great approach and observation, thanks a lot 👍 

Yes, returning guests could really make the slow-season much easier to live-through year-after-year. Thanks! 👍

[Philip3527]

Do u offer a coupon so the guest can come back and use it or do u just give them the discount after booking your Airbnb?

[MaryAnne72]

Hi, for the low season I haven't much option rather than putting my daily price at a very low rate. It's not worth it but better than being left empty !

[Mo216]

I would like a long term booking as well 

[Steve3639 · Accepted solution]

”Any revenue is better than no income.” 

Carefully monitor your comprtition and try to stay a little above their rates.  Don't race them to the bottom

Monitor rates constantly.  Price each day based on your slowest check-in dates to your busiest.  Do promotions constantly.

Discount weekly and monthly stays. Never say No to a guest.

Always suggest an alternative. 

Update your pictures.  Run your verbiage through AI, but edit it so it doesn't read like it was run through AI.

Allow one night stays during the week.  ( if you have a cleaning fee) Consider reducing the fee for 1 or 2 nights. It will also help keep your housekeeper busy) and happy.

A one-nighter sometimes becomes a repeat guest and extends their stay. Repeat customers usually are not as price conscious.  .Accept reservations up till 10:00PM. With a smart door lock interfaced with AirBnB’s  platform, and using automated messaging a guest can book, get a door code, and 

check out before you even realize you had a guest.
Price weekends higher. With 2 day minimums. 
Please understand none of my suggestions might work for your property. Each AirBnB is different.
Please share any other suggestions. Good or bad I want to hear them.
Last but not least.  I was taught that if you never had a rental go bad, then you have turned down good business.

[Karlis3]

Hi @Steve3639,
Those are some great tips right there! Thanks a lot! 👍

Up until now I have used:
*special discounts for 4-5-day, weekly and monthly stays
*catching (trying to) the Slow-Season wave some 3 months before it arrives
*adding "contact me for long-term discounts" in the description
*changing the title and switching to the amenities that are more suitable for that season 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Karlis3 One other thought: Do you fully understand you fixed and variable costs in low season? As a minimum you need to make sure your pricing still covers the variable costs and hopefully starts to make a big dent in the fixed costs. For many people (perhaps not you) when low season is very cold if the rent doesn't cover the heating costs it is better to just shutdown!

[Karlis3]

Hi,
Thanks for the advice.
In my case the low season is spring and autumn so covering the heating and utilities is not that big of a deal.
I am quite aware of my pricing and expenses. I have calculated the minimal price from which lower I cannot go as then it is not profitable anymore.

[Michael8291]

Hi, be flexible in pricing and look around what others offers in pricing.

[Karlis3]

Thanks, simple and makes sense 👍 

[Helen3]

Who have you identified as your target guests in various seasons @Karlis3 ?

are you advertising to them on all relevant platforms? 

[Karlis3]

Hi,
I have identified my target guests during high season - families (2+2+pets) going on holidays. But for the low season, I think I am still in the process of discovering.. 🤔

You mean going multiplatform and setting up on VRBO, Booking etc?
I am on booking.com but never finalised with VRBO.. 🙄  Good point 👍 

[Sherri176]

Looking for a guest to stay long term/mid term during a low season? Try searching your area for 1 week and 1 month long stays in your same type of place Room/ or entire space. Get an idea of what the others are charging. Nothing to compare nearby? Try searching in a comparable city near you.

Then place your daily rate as the same daily rate of hotels nearby....then go to your calendar and set a 1 week discount and a 1 month discount. I use a daily rate of around $80 a day...I then rent out an entire room for around $1100 for the month. Feel free to browse my listings. Not sure if you are a luxury bnb or just old fashioned good neighborhood with a nice home. Mine is the latter. Hope this helps!