18. May 2011
| by
John
With so many vacation rentals available all over North America and Canada, how do you make your cottage, villa or cabin stand out from all the others? There are a few things you can do that will make your vacation rental stand out from the crowd. Today we’ll give you a few great tips on keeping your condo, cabin, or cottage constantly full of happy campers.
Tip #1: A picture is worth a thousand words. Consider spending a little bit extra to hire a professional photographer to take the photos of your vacation rental. Remember that you can continue using these photos for years to come so this will most likely be a one-time investment. You can count on getting 30 to 40% better response from your ads with professional photographs.
Tip #2: One word: amenities. Vacationers are looking for amenities. They want to get the most for their vacation dollar. Does your cabin or cottage have a hot tub? Does it have a beautiful high-end kitchen? What about Internet access? Everyone wants Internet access these days. You might even think about installing a home theater system or a gazebo. Anything you can do to make your vacation rental more attractive to tourists is well worth the expense.
Tip #3: Big SALE! Everyone loves a bargain. Think about running a sale from time to time or some sort of promotion. This works for all the Big Box Stores and it will work for you too. If a holiday such as Memorial Day is coming up, then advertise that your rates will be 15% cheaper during the holiday season. Run a promotion where you give tourists a 10% discount for booking with their credit card. There are many ways to make the BIG SALE idea work for you.
Tip #4: Use your social media accounts to advertise. This is a no-brainer and a proven method of increasing traffic to your website. You can also list your promotions and sales here as well. If you aren’t good at writing interesting blurbs for your Facebook and Twitter accounts, then hire a professional writer to do this.
Tip #5: Exceed the expectations of tourists and travelers. There’s no better advertisement than word-of-mouth. Be sure to have your vacation rental clean and well-equipped with fresh linens. If possible have someone place fresh cut flowers and a gift basket in the cabin, villa or condo before guests arrive. These thoughtful gestures will impress your guests and cause them to tell all their friends about this fabulous place where they stayed on vacation.
Anytime your vacation rental sits empty, it costs your money. So think of these ideas as investments in a future where your cottage, cabin or condo is always in high demand. Your vacation property can be a great source of income and enjoyment for vacationers as well as your own family.
