If you’re receiving last-minute cancellations, don’t worry. There are almost always other guests looking to book closer to arrival. How do you reduce the impact of cancellations and maximize revenue? By optimizing your pricing, availability, visibility, and conversion. Read on to discover six tips to get replacement bookings — four offered by our partners at Booking.com, plus two more added by the experts of Team Bluetent.
1. Appeal to Booking.com mobile bookers.
A majority of bookings on Booking.com are made from mobile devices. You can stand out to mobile bookers with a special mobile-rate discount and increase bookings from mobile devices by up to 26%.
2. Make sure you are visible in Booking.com searches.
To improve your visibility in last-minute bookers’ Booking.com search results, make sure your “minimum length of stay” restrictions aren’t too strict. You can apply restrictions to individual rooms, dates, and rate plans.
3. Welcome Booking.com Genuis guests.
You can increase your last-minute conversion by signing up for Booking.com’s Genius program. On average, Genius properties get 18% more bookings, 17% extra revenue, and fewer cancellations.
4. Create a deal or promotion.
If you offer discounted rates and secret deals, you’ll be more visible in Booking.com search results, appeal to guests booking closer to arrival, and be able to fill empty rooms faster. Booking.com is offering a promotion right now if you offer a mobile discount or join the Genius program – you could save 30% on your commission! Check out this deal here!
Bluetent bonus tip #1:
Use data from your past guests to create targeted marketing campaigns.
Data mine your past guests who booked a similar property in same month last year but who have not rebooked for this year. Get specific! For instance, if you’ve had a cancellation at a condo that rents for $300 a night, create a list of guests who stayed in condos renting for $200 to $400 per night. Using your data to create targeted email campaigns featuring recently available properties will not only help fill your cancellations, it will also show past guests that you are attentive to their preferences and needs!
Bluetent bonus tip #2:
Reach out to guests who have reserved the listing on dates just prior to and after the cancellation.
If all the above initiatives don’t land you a guest to cover the cancellation, call your guests arriving just prior to and just after the cancelled reservation. Either (or both) parties might want to add a day or more to their existing reservation — particularly if you offer a special discount.
Interesting in brainstorming fresh marketing ideas?
Let’s chat!