Hospitality Marketing: How a Vacation Rental Co. Stages with Print
It’s nearly Spring Break, and if you’re anything like us, you’re in a vacation state of mind. Which is exactly how vacation rental company Frontdesk wants you to feel – along with stress-free and at-home in their short-term rental suites across the U.S. See how they’re packing print into hospitality marketing and how their brand strategy can translate to your business (flip flops not required).
A Warm Reception
Whether your Spring Break looks like beach reads and sunscreen or shopping and shows downtown, Frontdesk provides the comfortable, personalized stay you want. How? In part, by blending “the best parts of a hotel with the advantages of short-term rentals in the best neighborhoods across the United States,” said Ashley Johnston, marketing manager at Frontdesk.
The other part? Print marketing in and around those unique suites, lofts and apartments. For essentials like wifi notices and parking passes, plus branding opportunities like logo decals and custom signage, Johnston’s print priority was clear: “To make sure all of our marketing materials are cohesive and match our brand across 30+ cities and 800+ vacation rentals.”
Sell sheet: 100# coated glosss white cover with ultra gloss UV coating on front, 8.5 x 11″
Room with a View
Online printing with Smartpress not only allowed Johnston to create cohesive branding and messaging across print pieces, but also customize it all exactly how she wanted.
First up, custom Sell Sheets. Traditionally used for promoting products and services or listing features and benefits, sell sheet printing was Johnston’s go-to for assets like house rules and parking passes.
“These are specifically to make sure our guests are abiding by the rules and not disturbing our neighbors, as well as a resource for guests to easily contact us for any needs or questions,” she said.
We even recommend them for listing useful tidbits like wifi information and safety notices. With premium coated and uncoated paper stocks (and recycled options!), our sell sheets are a must for vacation rental marketing like Johnston’s and small businesses or nonprofits like yours. Think double-sided product guides, trade show handouts, sales kit collateral and promotional flyers.
Styrene Sign: styrene 030 with 1″ double sided foam tape on the left and right back side, 4.5 x 4.5″
And since travelers are in and out of their rentals a lot during their stay, Johnston made sure important reminders were unmissable with Styrene Signs. Conveniently lightweight and durable, polystyrene was the right choice to repeatedly prompt guests to grab their keys and lock their doors.
“We found these signs are easy to wipe clean and still look good after handfuls of guest stays,” said Johnston. “Because of the quality, we don’t need to replace them as often.”
Do your own sign printing for everything from welcome signs to business and retail signage – even menus – and install them easily with drill hole, tape and easel options.
Hint: Did you know we offer a green alternative for styrene? As an online printing shop, it’s a must for us and our customers. Look for Paper-Based Styrene Alternative in the dropdown on the product page and find eco-friendly facts about them here.
Window Decal: white polypropylene decal – permanent, 5 x 5″
Static Window Cling: 15 x 15″
At Your Service
While some guests come for business and some for pleasure, all come for Frontdesk’s consistency and reliability (not to mention the Keurig). Part of the consistency comes from communication and branding through Johnston’s hospitality printing.
Needing messaging indoors and out, Johnston got strategic when designing window graphics with Smartpress’ Window Decals and Static Window Clings.
“Our decals are no smoking signs, and on some occasions, we need to display them outside as well as inside, so having the option was the winner for us,” she said. “And the clings are for the inside of an entrance door.”
Customizable by size, decals and window clings gave Johnston the freedom to apply the right message wherever and as frequently as she needed.
“We needed something that makes a big impact and is easily removable,” she said, noting that some projects can include dozens of decals. “We needed something that wasn’t going to take a ton of time but was still high quality. Both the clings and decals help with that.”
Take a page out of Johnston’s book and do your own decal printing with company logos in brand colors or storefront advertising in full-color for hours of operation, promo items and window decor.
Hint: We not only print window graphics in any size, but also shape. Part of our premium online printing services, die cutting is included with your decals and clings. You can stick to simple circles and ovals, or go for something complex like your brand’s logo or shapes specific to your industry.
Business Card: 100# coated gloss white cover with ultra gloss UV coating on logo side, 3.5 x 2″
greeting card: C1S 12 pt, half fold to 4.5 x 6.25″ with felt weave natural A6 envelope
Housekeeping
Though we’re dreaming of shades, sunscreen and sipping something sweet, travel isn’t always about getting away. Sometimes it’s about getting stuff done. Frontdesk knows this, which is why Johnston made sure to make everystay essentials part of her printing repertoire.
The print products that help her get it done? Custom Business Cards and Greeting Cards. Partnering with an online printer like Smartpress meant Johnston could design cards showing who cleaned guests’ rentals, plus contact cards with UV coatings or velvety Soft Touch laminate that left the right impression.
Holiday cards and simple blank cards with rounded corners and matching envelopes seal the deal. “Our blank greeting cards are for us to write thank-yous and send notes to our partners,” she said.
Small Poster: 100# coated gloss white cover with ultra gloss UV coating on front, 16 x 20″
As for Johnston’s custom Small Posters, they served both form and function. With a map of each city and Frontdesk’s branding, these posters turned into detailed decor. “We needed something affordable for mass quantities that looked good in a frame,” said Johnston. “They checked all the boxes.”
Try poster printing to decorate your own office or promote events, slip your business cards into presentation folders or marketing packets and use our shrink wrapping service to bundle custom cards for resale. According to Johnston, you won’t be disappointed.
“Time and time again, our clients can’t say enough good things about how great the quality is. And not just that – the quality of service, too. Everyone I’ve interacted with at Smartpress has been so helpful and the turnaround times are reasonable,” she said.
“No matter where they stay with us, they’ll recognize our brand.”
The Right Booking
For a company that recognizes guests will be mobile, Frontdesk realizes the value of traditional mediums like print, too.
“We need printed materials. Not all of our guests are technologically savvy nor do people always want to be on their devices, especially if they’re staying with us on vacation,” said Johnston. “The cohesiveness also provides a memorable experience for our guests. No matter [where] they stay with us, they’ll recognize our brand.”
To make that medium memorable, Johnston needed a printer that knew quality and service inside and out. She found it in Smartpress.
“I have nothing but good things to say,” she said. “The fact that [Smartpress] covers so many different types of printing needs and ease of shipping to our 30+ cities is ultimately why we chose [them] in the first place. It was just an added benefit that the quality is spot on and the team has been a pleasure to work with.”
