Did you know that the Number One search in Google lately has been the word "Coupons"? You could take advantage of this trend and start promoting your vacation property with this valuable tool and attract attention by using colorful graphics.

Coupons are widely used and have become a universal marketing tool. With today's sluggish economy, coupons can be geared for the slow and busy times, attracting guests for every week, every season. This can also encourage guests to commit early and pay in full sooner.

Be creative and effectively promote your vacation rental by attracting new guests, encouraging repeat bookings, partnering with local businesses and filling your property during slow periods.

Types of Coupons

• Common coupons offer a percentage off such as 20 off your visit with a minimum stay of four nights

• Get 15 during the Fall on all reservations. Valid from September 15th

through October 31st.

These types of coupons can be extremely helpful in booking your vacation property during slow seasonal periods. They entice prospective guests to act quickly. Coupons should work in your favor and can include any combination of percentage, dollar, or freebie variation to suit your needs. Coupons also work in offering discounts to attract repeat guests.

Entice future bookings with coupons

Pique guests' interest in future stays by including a "dollars-off" coupon for their next reservation when you mail a thank you note to them for renting with you. Clearly state that reservations are to be booked by a certain date prior to the season.

Be sure to make a note in guest's files stating all incentives you offer. When you are called with inquiries, you will quickly know all the details and won't have to count on your memory.

Follow up with a hand-written Thank You

Mail a postcard with the picture of your property to guests thanking them for their business and for taking good care of your property. Send this thank you card as well as an e-mail card. Coupons can be printed on the postcard or included on a separate piece of paper and put in an envelope.

About six months after a guest has stayed with you, send a reminder email for them to reserve again. This gives adequate time for them to book their annual vacation with you for the next season.

Appeal to new prospective guests

Get the word out to new, prospective guests by promoting specials in…

• Rental listings - most vacation rental websites will allow you to update

your listing 24/7 through a "members only" area. Simply log in and add the

promotional text and coupon code. Be sure to track which web sites offer

which specials so you can track which promotions attract the type of guest

you desire;

• On your personal website;

• At the end of each e-mail include the promotion and link to your website.

This is called an email signature line and can be automated in most email

programs;

• Printed flyers and brochures;

• Local print and e-mail newsletters and community forums;

• Local vacation home catalogs and directories.

Track Your Advertising

Tracking coupon codes allows you to see where bookings are coming from and recognize what advertisements are producing results. For example, say you advertise the following special: "Save 20% on all reservations made between October 1st and November 20th" and you're currently advertising on the following:

• Vacation Listing site

• Community website property listing

• Community newspaper

To track your advertising, create three coupon codes:

• "FALL20A" - for your Vacation listing site

• "FALL20B" - for your community website

• "FALL20C" - for your community newspaper

Guests can provide you with the coupon code over the phone if you prefer. If you are a member of Simply Like Home (TM), redeem them online the same as when ordering from Amazon.com. Coupons redeemed online show up in the reservation order on your account so you can identify each guest's coupon and determine which advertisements are producing the most bookings.