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Marketing Your Property
To help you make the most of your holiday property, we have given some suggestions below on marketing ideas that could increase your bookings. Don’t forget to book in yourself - for a well earned break!
Advertising
The internet is the best way of promoting your holiday home and there is now
a bewildering array of different listing sites to choose from. Some are
worldwide, others specialise in a particular area or niche market. The bigger
international sites are moving towards online bookings and payments with
commission charges and service fees.
Theholidaylet.com caters for the independent holiday home owner who still wants to
give a personal service, communicate directly with enquirers and manage their
own bookings. Advertising on theholidaylet.com will increase your internet
exposure and could increase your bookings. We do not charge service fees or
commission, just small subscription fee.
Besides internet advertising, you could also advertise your property in a
printed publication such as a local newspaper or specialist magazine.
Your Own Website
Your own website can be very useful for advertising, especially if you have more than one property. It enables you to give more detail, expand on descriptions, photos, location details, activities etc. Think about incorporating a blog with interesting news, articles and updates. Many owners also have an online booking system which runs from their personal website. If you want a professional looking site with specific requirements you could employ a web-designer, or create a website yourself using one of the many template sites now available, it depends on your own budget/requirements. By advertising on theholidaylet.com you will be able to promote your own website by linking it to your advert, thus driving more traffic to it and giving the opportunity for potential guests to browse fuller information. It also help reassure a potential guest that you provide a professional service if they see a well designed and maintained personal website. Promote your own website by putting your web address on all publicity material, business cards, emails and letters, forum posts etc.
Social Media
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. Social media is great way to get your property known and communicate. Create a free Facebook business page and set up other accounts where you can post regularly with interesting comments, photos and other useful information about your property.
Image
Having a consistent image is the best way to create a professional look to correspondence, paperwork and advertising material. You could decide on a name for your property and create a simple logo using a particular typeface and colour scheme. You could have a professional logo designed - or you could design one yourself using one of the many template sites that on the internet.
Publicity Material
You might want to produce a brochure, but this is largely dependant on the
size of your property and the market you are aiming at. If you do get something
printed - think about how long you will keep it and whether any variables such
as the price list would be better printed on a separate sheet. A cheaper
alternative to a brochure is a simple flyer incorporating 2 or 3 images. This
could be displayed on notice boards at work, public buildings, your local
newsagents, the tourist information centre etc.
Another option is to get business cards printed, these are easy to keep in your bag or your pocket and if you
do start chatting with someone who might be interested you can give them an
immediate reference point.
Postcards are an imaginative way of publicity, you could get some printed with
a quality, atmospheric photograph of your property and leave them for guests to
send to their friends or relatives.
Editorial
Speak to your local paper or magazine, they may be willing to do an editorial article on you and your property - especially if you have a story to tell, if you restored your property from scratch, or offer something unusual etc.
Word of Mouth
Tell everybody you can think of about your property, if they are not interested themselves, they might know of someone who is and pass the message on - and so the word gets around. Get to know other holiday homeowners, both in the holiday area and where you live. It’s good to talk and pick up useful tips, and if you receive surplus bookings you might be able to pass these on and vice versa.
Previous Guests
Keep in touch with people who have stayed at your holiday home previously. An email to make sure they enjoyed their stay is a nice touch. Update them on any improvements you make and email last minute offers, some people go back to the same place again and again if they had a good time. If they enjoyed their stay they are much more likely to recommend it to others. Keep a note of any people you had to say no to, because you were fully booked and email them at the start of the following year, to remind them of your property.
Out of Season Bookings
This is a large potential area where you can increase bookings. Many people take more than one holiday a year and you can promote your property as a year-round getaway, offering reduced prices for off-season bookings. Create a winter retreat by providing cosy heating, a good TV/DVD player with films and a CD player. If you have a skiing property, inform holidaymakers about local activities that you can do in the summer months.
