Winter is coming, part II: how to market your cold weather vacation rental

Richard Clayton

November 3, 2016

This is the final part of our 2-part series: Winter is Coming: How to Effectively Market Your Vacation Rental. Part I advises on successful marketing tips for warm-weather rentals. Read it here >>

While it may be easy to think of fantastic ways to market a warm weather vacation rental in the winter, you may think it is a bit harder to market your cold weather vacation rental for winter. After all, isn’t everyone trying to escape the cold in winter? The good news is that, with a little forethought and creativity, marketing your cold weather rental is doable. Here’s how.

#1: Tap into the Power of Nostalgia

Psychology Today notes: “Most people believe that the choices they make result from a rational analysis of available alternatives. In reality, however, emotions greatly influence and, in many cases, even determine our decisions.”

Fundamentally, human action is preceded by emotion, and that tenet holds true for buying decisions. In the case of your cold weather rental, what emotions can you tap into to persuade travelers to choose your rental property?

For many people, cold weather evokes nostalgic memories of holidays spent with family and friends. Research indicates that nostalgia is a powerful motivator. The article “How Effective Are Nostalgic Appeals in Advertising?” states: “In comparison studies, nostalgic advertising induces more positive emotions and more intensive mental images than non-nostalgic advertisements. The combination of the positive emotions and images evoked by the ads generate positive resonance toward both the ad and the product advertised.”

Ramp up the nostalgia factor in your rental property listing this winter by including high-quality pictures of happy families in a winter setting enjoying each other’s company. Include wording in your listing copy that evokes images of steaming cups of cocoa, cozy evenings snuggled in warm blankets, and so on.

#2: Highlight Available Cold Weather Activities

Explore all the fun cold weather activities offered in the vicinity of your rental property. Are you close to world-class skiing? What about ice skating or ice fishing? Consider partnering with owners of local cold-weather attractions to offer discount packages.

Remember that vacation rental owners who sell experiences rather than simply accommodations tend to earn more revenue than their counterparts. Millennial travelers are especially drawn to vacations that feature experiences. A 2014 Harris poll sponsored by Eventbrite noted: “With millennials now accounting for one-quarter of the U.S. population, their high focus on experiencing life supports the growth of an economy driven by the consumption of experiences. The combination of this generation’s interest in events, and their increasing ability to spend, is driving the growth of the experience economy.”

Capitalize on that millennial hunger for experiences by marketing cold weather activities in your area more prominently during this season.

#3: Market to Warm Weather Natives

One of the sheer joys of a vacation is that it is different from your everyday life. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to market your cold weather vacation rental to those who live in warm climates year-round. Beautiful pictures of your rental property nestled in a snowy landscape may be just the antidote to warm weather blues for those who live in sweltering climates.

#4 Spotlight Quaint Winter Events

Winter might be the low-season for tourism, but it doesn’t mean that the neighborhood shuts down. Does your town host a winter festival? A holiday fair? Do local museums or galleries offer reduced-price passes? Mention these in your listings, to draw in guests to less touristy events and quieter attractions. Emphasize the unique authenticity of your area and possible events of interest.

How to Get Paid for Your Cold Weather Rental

Once you market your cold weather rental well, how will you process payments from satisfied renters? Payoneer can help. Check out our payment solutions for rental hosts here.

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