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4 Secrets of Building Loyalty in The VR Industry

With a business that spans various countries, uses numerous portals that have a huge on-line presence, how do you keep customers coming back to you? It can be hard to generate customer loyalty when guests use third parties search portals and will frequently look for properties in new locations every time they look to rent. Today, we’re discussing four ways you can get customers coming back to your business, time and time again.

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One of the most effective ways to generate repeat business from your guests is email marketing. Where guests may have found your property through a portal site, you can collate their email details into a database that can be used to send personalised and interested marketing content to your guests. This content is the perfect chance to establish your business and brand, making the leap from a listing on a third party site to a memorable business in your own right. The best time to send this will be after guests have stayed and the memory of their holiday and the quality of your service are still fresh in their minds. Links that direct your guests to new exciting destinations will inspire holiday ideas give guests the idea of your business first, then the destination second.

Encourage recommendations. Part of encouraging loyalty will be to encourage your guests to share their experiences with their friends and family. Social media sharing and encouragement will not just build loyalty, but create brand advocates. Theses are people that talk about their experiences with your business and recommend it. Other people will trust their opinions and be more willing to make an initial commitment to on your business.

Another major factor in generating customer loyalty is customer service. If you aim for personalised service, that goes above and beyond the normal expectations then your guests will remember your business. Ask your guests what they liked about their stay. What they like about the area. What they don't like. If you can add a touch that guests see was designed just for them, you are well on your way to establishing a loyal customer. You have showed an interest in your guests, and gone out of your way to make their stay more pleasant. Making a few notes after you make your introductions will help you remember these small touches, and you can save these details in the Kigo system for your guest's next booking.

In addition to your service, being able to spot your business, and notice it on portal listings will help to establish loyalty. You can add your logo to the corner of your images on the major portals so your guests can recognise your business every time. Guests know what they will be able to expect from your properties by the descriptions and the images, your service is your chance to really impress. Great service is what takes a satisfied customer and turns them into a loyal one.

As well as establishing your branding, rewarding your guests is a quick and powerful to establish customer loyalty. Loyalty schemes are ubiquitous because they work. How many half-stamped cards do you carry around? Offer a loyalty reward that encourages further bookings, such as a free night with their next booking, or an overall discount. Guests will feel that their custom is valued and will also want to take advantage of the offer. Because this is also bringing in revenue to your business, the cost will be minimal.

But, the most effective way to encourage customers to return to your business is to have your own website. Your own individual branding and memorable aesthetics will give your customers an easy to use reference point that they can use to actively seek out your properties and choose between them without the temptation of properties from other businesses.

The search functions on the major portals are not designed to filter by different companies, they are built around location, price, and amenities. Customers may recognise your business on portal sites, but they are drowned amongst the competition. Your own web sites gives your customers the reassurance of knowing the levels of service and quality they can expect, whilst they browse through your properties exclusively. Once they search through a number of properties it is likely that they will recognise the aesthetic and branding of your properties and images. If you have managed to make a good impression with your service then guests will know that any one of your properties, in any location, will meet the same exacting standards.

For some customers, there is still the sense that booking vacation rentals is something of a lottery. Service and quality varies and hotel loyalty schemes offer far more in terms of rewards. By establishing your business as one of the most professional and dedicated in the industry will bring guests back to your business time and time again.

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