Vacaygency helped launch a new premium 4-acre short term vacation rental property in the hear of Louisville’s Historic Bourbon Trail.
Glencairn Knoll
The Challenge
The clients sold their active beachside STR in Florida and immediately reinvested in a property 25 minutes outside of Louisville, Kentucky, with the intention of operating it as a year-round short-term vacation rental. The 4-acre property was a mini-estate, with a large central four bedroom home with 3-levels of living areas inside, plus pool, spa, fire pit, and open, rolling grassland and wooded knolls. The property was already an active STR, and although recent rental activity was low, future booking / revenue potential was high. Market research revealed that over the past 12 months there were 5 active direct competitors in the property’s zip code, and over 40 active in the greater Louisville market, based on guest capacity, beds, and bedrooms. The overall market was healthy and likely to support significant guest bookings and revenue generation for the property with the right mix of day rate, marketing, hospitality, and client service (communication, etc.).
Unexpected developments changed Vacaygency’s initial marketing plans, and the result was a cohesive set of tactics with sequencing and timing built for maximum mitigation.
Unexpected Developments
The property was purchased sight unseen, and when the Clients visited the property for the first time, they discovered two additional issues that needed a marketing solve.
First, the next door neighbor was about to begin three months of construction on a new home for their family, in line-of-sight and earshot of our Client’s home, and close to the backyard pool / spa / fire pit area.
Second, along the far back edge of the property a small group of 1850s-era gravestones were discovered. Research revealed it was a minor cemetery designated as a State Historical Site for part of a family famous for settling in the county in the 1800s.
Adding striking images to highlight local activities and build instant emotional ties with prospective guests is just one element in Vacaygency’s integrated and highly-successful marketing approach.
Our Solution
The Client requested a relaunch within 30 – 45 days from close of escrow, and Vacaygency worked in tandem with the new owners to build and execute an integrated marketing plan, elevate on-site hospitality, and mitigate both the short- and long-term challenges discovered during their first onsite visit to their new property.
Short-term day rate pricing structure was modified to account for the noise, and this was communicated via the new OTA listings and in direct prospect messaging.
The historic cemetery on property was highlighted in the OTA listings, and positioned (correctly) as an opportunity for guests to experience a small part of Kentucky’s rich history, which the owners themselves took pride in helping preserve. Vacaygency also used language and phrases that clearly conveyed that the site was far away from the home and daily activities, and that guests would have to trek to see it.
A new brand identity was created to elevate the property visually.
Marketing Initiatives
* Market research was conducted to determine and evaluate competitors, create property positioning to differentiate Glencairn, and provide basis for pricing strategy
* A new name was selected that reflected the location of the home, the elevated experience, and created a competitive moat around the property
* Visual identity elements were crafted including property logo, new colors, and fonts to visually convey the elevated Kentucky feel that matched the property, inside and out
* A new story was crafted for the online travel agency websites (Airbnb, VRBO, etc.) designed to create a compelling and emotional connection between prospects and Glencairn, clearly differentiate the property from subordinate competitors
* An entirely new set of indoor and outdoor photos were taken, plus video, and these were augmented with select stock photos to highlight popular local areas of interest and lifestyle elements
* Content for a direct booking website was created with a focus on SEO to optimize organic search traffic
* Pricing strategy was crafted to correctly manage day rates relative to competitors on a daily basis, and to mitigate the temporary construction noise at the next door neighbor’s property
* A digital marketing plan was created, including SEM (keyword and responsive text and display ads) and Meta (Facebook, Instagram) advertising, plus retargeting of prospects who visited the website and clicked on digital advertising
* A marketing, communications, and hospitality plan designed to focus on attracting LGBTQ+ communities was also created. This included postings on dedicated OTAs, digital SEM, staff sensitivity and communications training, and providing a safe, welcoming space and experience
* Extensive consultation was provided in the areas of decor, merchandising, amenities, entertainment, landscape, and photography