Welcome series #
The Welcome Series is a key component of your email marketing strategy, designed to engage potential guests from the moment they express interest. This series begins with the installation of a pop-up on your website, encouraging visitors to subscribe. Once subscribed, they are entered into a 4-message sequence, typically delivered over several days, providing strategic touchpoints that serve multiple purposes:
- Subscription Confirmation: Reassuring the subscriber that they’ve successfully signed up and welcoming them to your brand.
- Company Introduction: Offering a friendly, informative overview of your vacation rental business, showcasing your destination, services, and unique attributes.
- Building Interest and Hype: Highlighting the appeal of the destination you serve, using enticing visuals, activities, and local experiences to keep subscribers excited about a potential visit.
- Establishing Brand Credibility: Demonstrating your expertise as a knowledgeable and welcoming host, while setting a tone of professionalism and warmth.
- Driving Engagement: Encouraging clicks through to your site, ultimately guiding subscribers toward bookings.
This series is fully automated through your chosen email service provider (e.g., MailChimp) and is an essential tool for nurturing leads into conversions.
Post-Booking Series #
The Post-Booking Series is a strategic follow-up that engages guests from the moment they book through their stay and beyond. This series, routed through your property management system (PMS) or booking platform, typically includes up to six messages, each carefully timed to maximize engagement:
- Booking Confirmation: Acknowledges the guest’s reservation with details and a welcoming tone, assuring them they’ve made the right choice.
- One Week Before Arrival: A pre-arrival message that builds anticipation, offering helpful details such as check-in instructions, weather updates, and packing tips.
- Day of Arrival: A warm greeting with any last-minute instructions or recommendations, ensuring guests feel taken care of from the moment they arrive.
- Day After Departure: A follow-up thanking guests for their stay, inviting them to share feedback or reviews, and maintaining a positive brand image.
- Six Months After Departure: A friendly reminder that brings your brand back into focus, possibly offering discounts or featuring upcoming events to encourage repeat visits.
- One Year After Departure: A thoughtful anniversary message celebrating their stay, reminding them of your brand, and suggesting they revisit your destination.
This series is designed to enhance the guest experience by maintaining consistent communication before, during, and after their stay. By offering timely advice, requesting feedback, and nurturing long-term relationships, this sequence builds trust, encourages repeat bookings, and strengthens brand loyalty.
Suggested Special Send Opportunities and Segments:
Beyond the Standard Newsletter #
- New home announcements – Example
- Special offers and flash sales – Example
- Event guide features – Example
- Pet-friendly destination features – Example
- Surveys to measure interest on these and other items – Example
- Semi-local “short notice”/last minute rental opportunities (for drive-to markets) – Example
