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As an RVer, we know you want only the best for your rig, making sure you have the latest gadgets and all the right tools to ensure your rig is well taken care of. But what about when you’re not using your vehicle?
Gone are the days of having to store your rig away or worse, have it sit lonely in the driveway. More and more RV owners are turning to peer-to-peer rental markets to put their beloved vacation vehicles to work. Earn some extra money to build your savings, help fund future adventures, or even go towards your monthly RV payments! And since most of us got our start as renters ourselves, this lucrative option has another great benefit: you get to introduce new campers to the magic of this unique travel lifestyle, which can be quite fulfilling, indeed.
Of course, even when you use a large peer-to-peer RV rental platform like RVshare, it’s not necessarily as simple as just grabbing some quick pictures and handing over the keys. By following a few key tips and tricks, you can keep your customers happy, boost your earnings, and build a thriving RV rental business, right in your own (literal) backyard.
How to Make Sure Your RV Renters are Happy Campers
Think back to the first time you rented an RV. What was the experience like?
For most of us, chances are it was fine - after all, it was good enough to have us coming back for more, eventually purchasing our own rigs and making it a major part of our lives.
But if you rented from a large, commercial dealership, you probably drove away in an anonymous Class A or Class C model straight off the factory floor, pretty much devoid of character, curiosity, or coziness.
What’s more, you picked up that rig from a sprawling asphalt lot, dealing with a corporate customer service team who may -- or may not -- have really cared about your vacation.
By renting your RV on the peer-to-peer market, you have the opportunity to offer your renters something totally different: an authentic taste of the RV lifestyle you’ve come to know and love.
Instead of visiting a big box franchise location, your renters will get to meet you in person, and you’ll be the one to walk them through your RV, going over what they need to know about how everything works. In fact, many renters (and rentees!) say they make lifelong friends through the process; after all, you already know you have something in common.
As a peer-to-peer renter, you have lots of opportunities to make your renters feel extra comfortable and at-home in your rig, which can help you drum up repeat business and build a loyal customer base.
Here are some of the easiest ways to make your rental RV into a welcoming home-away-from-home for your renters.
- Add a welcome basket. Throw a nice bottle and perhaps some cheese into a wicker basket for your guests, topped off with a bar of dark chocolate to savor afterward. Even something as simple as supplies for s’mores and a deck of cards can be a fun way to make your guests feel welcome.
- Write a short handbook or guide. Many RV renters are beginners, and a motorhome or travel trailer can be kind of overwhelming when you first start. (We’re sure, if you think back, you’ll agree!) Writing a short user handbook or guide can help keep your renters oriented throughout the length of their rental period, while also making you feel more at-ease about how they’ll get along on their trip. Bonus: add in fun extras, like suggested destinations, fun things to do in your area, or extra equipment inclusion like bicycles, kayaks, or a portable grill!
- Be available. The most uncomfortable scenario for any RV renter is to find themselves with a question or concern and no one to get in touch with. Although RVshare and similar platforms offer customer service through the site itself, it works best when the RV’s owners are also a quick phone call away. It’ll put your renters’ minds at ease… and yours, too!
RV Renovations for Rental-By-Owner
Maybe you’ve already rented out your RV a time or two and you’re looking to take your business to the next level. In that case, there are some simple additions and renovations that can help make your rig into a more ideal rental vehicle, without negatively affecting your own comfort and use.
- Give your interior a fresh look. A beautiful and comforting atmosphere goes a long way toward making any camper feel at home, but especially one who’s brand-new to the lifestyle. A quick coat of paint on your kitchen cabinets can do wonders as far as opening up the interior space is concerned, and peel-and-stick backsplash makes a more significant RV facelift easy.
- Don’t skimp on decor. It may seem like a small thing, but throw pillows, matching curtains, scented candles, and other little touches can go a long way toward turning your rig from a mobile home to a mobile home. These minor accessories don’t cost a lot, but they add a lot of value to your rental!
- Consider bunk beds. If you’re serious about upping your RV’s rental value, increasing its sleeping capacity can really help. You may want to think about taking out your dinette set or living room couch to add in bunk beds instead, which makes your RV more attractive to families looking for a vacation vehicle.
Ready to Put Your RV to Work?
If you’ve got some reservations about handing over the keys to your precious RV, well, that’s pretty understandable. Along with being a sizable investment, your motorhome or travel trailer is your beloved vacation vehicle -- it can be tough to trust perfect strangers with such an important thing!
Which is exactly why peer-to-peer rental marketplaces are the perfect way to build and grow your online RV rental business. RVshare, which is the largest marketplace of its type in America, offers a wide range of protections and benefits to make RV renting easy on owners. For one thing, you won’t have to worry about advertising or marketing; just build a great listing and we’ll make sure it gets in front of the right sets of eyes.
RVshare also adds a layer of security to protect your sensitive information, since all communicative and monetary transactions are performed through the platform itself. Finally, we offer top-of-the-line insurance coverage for every qualified RV rental period, and even have 24/7 roadside assistance available.
Turning your RV into an earning machine is easier than you think -- and when you choose RVshare, you’ll have professionals by your side to walk you through every step. And depending on what kind of RV you have and how often you put it on the market, you might earn as much as $40,000 per year -- for real!
Click here to learn more about this lucrative opportunity today.
