Marketing in the time of COVID
The last few months have been surreal for everyone and it seems like we are living in a new strange world. As some places remain closed to visitors and others are relaxing restrictions, I am sure many people are wondering what they should be doing or not doing during these unprecedented times. I am sure most of these things are probably items you have already thought about at some point or another, but its always good to organize your thoughts and see your ideas confirmed by other people as well.
Right now is a really good time to get to those projects you have always meant to do but just didn’t ever get around to doing because let’s face it, you’re usually very busy. Things like optimizing your unit listings or doing an audit to make sure all information and descriptions are up to date. Completing an audit of your photo assets, are there still images you need or images that are out of date? Get some virtual tours made. Maybe you need to clean up your database and merge duplicate contacts. Create that email calendar you’ve been meaning to get together. Or research that new system you’ve heard about. Many property management software companies are offering discounts for new clients right now or waiving startup fees. Now is a great time for a system switch. Come up with a business development plan. Many companies will not make it out of these hard times, put yourself in a position to be ready when demand comes back. Basically anything you have been meaning to devote more time towards, do it now.
The next thing I would suggest is to remain relevant to your client base. Really focus on the “dream” phase of travel planning right now. Get out there with awesome and unique social media posts. Create fun videos to inspire travel when folks are ready to get out there. Put together some fun emails that read more like a travel blog versus a marketing message right now. Get some good images and messaging in front of your audience right now and that way, when they are ready to visit your destination again, you are in the front of their mind.
Some markets are still completely closed down and others are starting to see some restrictions relaxing, regardless of where your area is, be ready with a plan for when it does “open up”. Some important things to consider right now are being up front and very vocal about your professional cleaning procedures and anything extra you are doing right now or plan on doing in regards to enhanced cleaning, these are going to be in the front of people’s minds when they start planning a trip. Many events over the next few months have been cancelled, that doesn’t mean that there is nothing to do in your area, highlight your messaging with the things to do that are already socially distant. Think hiking or biking trails, scenic drives, off the beaten path locations, a good fishing hole, etc. Be flexible with your payment and cancellation policies right now, especially in the near term. People are uncertain and anxious, being flexible will help them commit to booking, even if it’s just the opportunity of a future credit if they do have to cancel.
Take a look at your pricing. Lets face it, this summer and fall are not going to look the same as any other year for most locations. If demand is not there, you will not be able to drive the same rates as you have in the past. Maybe your area has opened back up and demand is already starting to return, keep your properties in line with what’s going on in your local area. Research your market and price yourself to remain competitive.
If you find yourself needing help with any of these things, reach out, Alpine Vista can help. We can help property management companies with pricing strategy, revenue management, and understanding where you stand in your market. We can help with email, blogs and social media marketing and messaging to keep you relevant with your client base. We can also act as an extra set of hands for those projects you’ve been meaning to do including optimizing your unit listings, advising on better tools for your company, and help with virtual tours through Matterport or Cupix. These are unique times we are living in right now, take advantage of the time you have, keep your eyes on what’s going on in your area and remain positive and focused on the future. People will travel again.