‘Plan, plan and plan some more’
What’s the best way to get business for a holiday rental property? Marketing a property is key and to do it successfully, you need to plan ahead, get a clear strategy and funding in place and follow through conscientiously.
First decision is, who is your market? For instance, is your property best for families, groups, couples or adults? Will you welcome pets and do you have disabled facilities? Are you offering specialist activities or classes, have you got internet access, which may be essential for some? Are you living on site and will you offer any meals? Will you open all year round – and does that mean a different market in winter? Get clear about all this and your presentation will be more positive and effective.
The next decision is pricing. Research prices in your area – and be sure to compare like with like in terms of space, facilities and standard of accommodation. Try to step back and take an honest, independent view – or get an objective second opinion – rather than settle for an optimistic figure that turns out to be too high.
And don’t forget to budget for your marketing. Set a realistic figure that includes any photography costs, hosting of your listing or advertisement over the long term, the cost of phone calls to customers, welcoming extras on site and contingencies for special offers and extra advertising.
Where to advertise your property? These days, holidaymakers search online. They like to peruse listings and have direct contact with property owners for bookings, enquiries and detailed information. Research well the site for your listing. Consider whether it is established and will last, how many visitors it attracts, whether it ranks well in the search engines and has an active online marketing programme. Is it international or does it specialise in France – the leader in this market is www.frenchconnections.co.uk.
Also consider other content on the site. Holidaymaker site users want a holistic approach, with the chance to make ferry bookings, follow blogs, read more about the regions of France and different types of holiday. This magazine approach delivers a total package and a reason for visitors to return often to the site and to recommend it. Site search mechanisms are also very important. Visitors should be able to search not only by region but by a whole range of advanced criteria to quickly pinpoint their needs.
Another point to consider is the level of personal attention and support for you, as a property owner. Will staff help create your presentation to make it most effective? Can you contact them easily? How quickly and effectively are helpline calls or emails answered? If your budget allows, you may choose more than one listing website to start – and realistically allow a year to test performance.