How I Filled My Rental Cabin This Summer
Owning and managing a short-term rental in New Hampshire is more competitive than ever. From Rockingham County to Hillsborough County to the popular lake destinations in Belknap County, there are more listings hitting the market every season. Guests have endless options, and I think the days of “post & pray” are officially over. Yeah, I said it, sorry!
I’ve been in real estate and Airbnb hosting long enough to see the shift. Between 2021 and 2024, my summer weeks booked almost instantly. But this past season was different. Guests were more hesitant, their expectations were higher, and I knew I needed to get strategic if I wanted to keep my calendar full.
I’m happy to share that we still ended the summer with a fully booked calendar! Here are the short-term rental marketing tips that worked.
1. Email Marketing to Past Guests and Subscribers
Your guest list is one of the most valuable assets you own as a host. By building and maintaining an email list, I was able to:
Send seasonal updates about things to do in New Hampshire.
Share exclusive offers with past guests before making them public on Airbnb.
Nurture subscribers with personal stories and real value — not just sales pitches.
This simple but powerful tool drove a couple repeat bookings.
2. Leveraging Social Media and Local Networks
In today’s market, visibility is everything. Beyond my OTA listings, I focused on:
Sharing authentic content in Facebook Groups (travel, lakes region getaways, family trips).
Tapping into my real estate and personal networks in New Hampshire to spread the word.
Social media amplified my reach and reminded my sphere why our cabin is worth booking. We got a booking from our sphere and one from a Facebook Group.
3. Smart Use of Airbnb Promotions
Even with strong marketing, gaps can happen. To help ensure we didn’t leave nights empty during our prime season, I used Airbnb’s built-in promotional tools:
Setting last-minute discounts on weekdays.
Adjusting minimum-night stays for flexibility.
Running limited time offers that boosted visibility in Airbnb’s algorithm.
These tweaks helped attract spontaneous travelers and filled open spots that might have gone unused.
Hosting is changing — but with strategy and creativity, there’s plenty of opportunity to thrive. You got this!!
