So... What Are You Doing To Build Your Repeat Bookings?

Are you treating your STR properties like a business?

Are you consistently meeting your revenue targets and occupancy goals?

Are you building your business to generate repeat bookings?

If yes, what are you doing today to build your repeat business? In not, why not??

You see the where I'm going with this? Thousands have tried, and failed at STR property management. Because they think it's as easy as, buy a property, get a cleaning service, leave snacks and list on Airbnb... and BOOM. Well, that mentality will more likely get you to KA-BOOM! Failure, and sell the property.

So here are my suggestions on how you should approach building your STR business, and repeat bookings;

a) you should run your STR properties like a business

b) you should be focused on building consistent and reliable revenues / profit and positive cash flow

c) there is a strong correlation between repeat bookings and long-term success / this "reliable consistency" I speak of.

For short-term rental managers, consistency is everything. Anyone can have a strong season or a good year. The real test is whether you can deliver that same performance over and over. That’s the difference between running a listing and building a business.

Consistency Is the Cornerstone of STR Success

Consistency works on two levels:

Consistency in guest experience

 Guests should always know what to expect—cleanliness, hospitality, quick responses, and thoughtful touches. Consistent excellence builds trust, and trust leads to loyalty.

Consistency in property performance

 The ultimate goal isn’t just one strong revenue year—it’s being able to rely on every property in your portfolio to perform well year after year.

So here’s another question: Have you built your business so you can rely on each property to perform consistently?

Why Repeat Guests Should Be a Strategic Priority

New guests fill your calendar. Repeat guests build your business.

Why Repeat Guests Should Be a Strategic Priority

It’s far easier and more cost-effective to encourage a past guest to return than it is to attract someone new. With returning guests, the relationship is already in place. If you’ve done things right, you also have valuable intelligence on their preferences:

Do they travel for special occasions?

Do they love a particular restaurant or bottle of wine?

Do they have a family tradition of visiting your area every year?

This information makes it much easier to personalize their next stay—something that’s almost impossible with a first-time booking.

You can also create momentum by offering incentives:

Discounts or perks for repeat bookings.

Exclusive early access to your calendar for returning guests.

Referral bonuses that reward guests for sending friends and family your way.

And the stats back this up:

Retention is cost /efficiency — it’s about 5× cheaper to retain an existing customer than it is to acquire a new one. (demandsage.com)

Retention drives profitability — even a 5% increase in retention can raise profits by 25–95%. (demandsage.com)

Hospitality lags behind — travel and hospitality average just 55% customer retention, leaving a wide gap for STR managers who focus on loyalty. (explodingtopics.com)

Repeat guests spend more — existing customers typically spend 67% more than first-timers. (rivo.io)

And here’s my benchmark: at least 20% of your revenues for each property should come from repeat guests.

If you’re below that 20% number, you’re leaving both money and stability on the table. I see anything below that is a clear indictment that you're not doing nearly enough to generate repeat bookings.

Where to Start: Build Relationships Through Communication

The path to repeat bookings begins long before checkout. It starts the moment a guest first reaches out—or as soon as they confirm their booking.

Set the tone early

 Respond quickly, be polite, and provide solutions. Always think about how you would like to be treated if you were the guest.

Ask questions to personalize the stay

 Why are they visiting? Is it a special occasion? Do they have a favorite restaurant, bottle of wine, or local activity? These details let you tailor the experience, making it memorable and repeat-worthy.

Stay engaged during their visit

 If issues arise, respond fast and focus on solutions. Guests remember how problems are handled more than the problems themselves.

Follow up after checkout

 Ask what you could improve. Show that their feedback matters by letting them know how you’ve acted on it.

Keep in touch

 Build closeness over time. A birthday or anniversary message, a seasonal update, or an early invite to book again keeps your property top-of-mind.

Over-the-top hospitality doesn’t require huge investments—it requires consistency and intention.

The Bigger Picture: From Bookings to Business Value

Here’s the reality:

New guests keep your business running.

Repeat guests keep your business growing.

Consistency makes your business scalable.

Every repeat booking strengthens your revenue foundation, reduces reliance on OTAs, and makes your business more predictable. And it’s what frees you, as a manager, from the stress of starting every month / year at zero.

The Bottom Line

Consistency of strong STR revenues is not only possible—it should be your goal. And the surest way to achieve it is through repeat bookings.

So ask yourself:

What am I doing to grow my repeat business?

Am I creating consistency in both guest experience and property performance?

Can I rely on each of my properties to perform year after year?

If the answer is yes, you’re not just filling nights—you’re building a stable, profitable STR business with a future. If the answer is no, you might want to reach out so we can help you.

I'm the founder of Host IQ, an intelligent platform to help you manage your STR properties like a business.

Host IQ helps you use data to make smarter decisions. Our platform has tools to manage every guest relationship (Guest Relationship Management) and proactively market to new and existing guests, to bolster direct and repeat bookings.

www.HostIQ.ai