Grumpy Australian Holiday Rental Owner or Neighbour?
A grumpy cat to grab your attention - nice! So which side of the fence are you on? We're all a little grumpy about the impending rules and regulations to be thrust upon our niche short term accommodation sector in Australia.Let's face it...most owners managers in the niche short term accommodation rental sector in Australia have known they have largely been flying under the radar. Only recently has Government realised how many exist and what benefit, and impact, they have on the economy and community amenity. And I'm not just talking about the Australian Government. This is high profile global stuff we're talking about here.The challenges differ in each unique tourism region in Australia too. Particularly if you compare high density grouped dwelling stays with regional Australia. There are supply concerns in larger cities which is supposedly driving the price of residential accommodation through the roof and other quieter seaside tourist meccas that demand more tourist accommodation - so short term fills that void. Some cities are in a recession, others are booming!Let's not play the blame game though and point the finger at collaborative consumption trends and savvy digital booking platforms. The reality is that more and more travellers are seeking out an authentic and culturally enriching travel experience and booking portals and OTA's have made that possible as they do generate bookings - we can thank Stayz as the online booking, remote owner management pioneers in Australia. We also know the world has been a little scary since major world events and well the fact is mostly there is little money to indulge in interstate or international travel. This means the traveller is looking for a bargain.We also know the world has been a little scary since major world events and well the fact is mostly there is little money to indulge in interstate or international travel. This means the traveller is looking for a bargain.Holiday homes have always existed. My peers and I have always stayed in holiday rentals over hotels. I've never really understood the appeal of staying in a stuffy hotel room. I prefer space and fresh air and a homely experience plus it means a group of us can bunker down together, share meals and time together and not pay ridiculous prices for buffet breakfasts that many don't front up for, for whatever reason...big night, slept in, preferred to support the local seaside cafe.We haven't needed the fluffy slippers or the dressing gown (most probably manufactured and owned by an international), the newspaper under our door or the revolutionary wake up call or $15 plus movies. Funnily enough we can access most of this fluffy stuff (minus the dressing gown - who actually wears those anyway?) from our smart phones.Times have changed. We are more tech savvy, bargain savvy - because of technology giving us choice and price comparison.Because times are changing though we are sharing our things more, our spaces. More and more savvy people who have a bit of spare space are listing their properties as a whole house or room for rent in the short term accommodation rental market. Yes, it's been happening and a tradition in Australia for many many years. The reality is inventory is now huge and that is because consumers have changed the way they travel and set a demand for such an experience.Right so now you have the background. In the wake of a number of Government enquiries into short term accommodation rental regulations in Australia I have these thoughts;NoiseStart with Noise Abatement legislation. Think about parties. If you are throwing a party in your street you would usually consult your neighbours? If not, you would probably hold your head in shame and knock on their doors the next day and hand them a bottle of Moet - yes I've done this before - actually I sent my husband over! As long as you're not doing this regularly then I am sure you will not be rejected by your neighbourhood.These neighbours have children, or elderly parents or have to get up and work every day. These people need at least 7/8 hours sleep. I know if I don't get enough sleep I will get grumpy and if it happens all the time then I will take action and believe me this is why the sector is under the microscope and why you are a contributor to tighter regulations to control such rogue operations.The fact is there are laws that protect neighbourhood amenity. This means a certain noise level is acceptable. Go over that you will make your neighbours grumpy and they have the right to call the Police. First and foremost you must educate yourself on acceptable noise or just use your common sense and educate your guests to behave.ParkingThe same applies for parking. It would be very helpful and proactive to tell your guests how many car parking spaces there are and that it is not ok to park on the neighbours lawn. Seriously if you are operating and not being mindful of your neighbours then education (for managers and guests) should be considered an important piece of the puzzle.Group Dwelling & Other Zoning RestrictionsWhile I don't think group dwellings are suitable for short term rentals I do think that every owner/ manager should have the opportunity to give it a go. If they disrupt their amenity or rip anyone off then they will naturally have to shut down their operation.Owners Corporations should only have the power to enforce the rules and regulations not set them.Zoning restrictions are irrelevant.House Size & NumbersHouse size is irrelevant.Restricted numbers fair enough but only in terms of health and safety. I realise that overcrowing creates a risk of noisy parties but mostly we are talking about groups of friends or families who just want to crash together to keep the cost low. Noise controls should do just that - control the noise. It's common sense isn't it?!License - Education for Owners & GuestsManagement of a short term rental accommodation is a whole lot of hard work. I know this because I have owner managed with my own investment properties and I've been up close with managers of multiple properties. If we are to give our visitors a fantastic experience then we need to take this seriously and do it properly. There has to be some sort of license that involves education that links to rules and regulations. It is absolutely necessary and has been a long time coming. It forces the rogue operators out of the shadows and weeds them out as they fail to play by the rules.Trust accounting is a pain in the behind -mostly I think it is necessary - but may requires a relook and rejig as many aspects of it generate a lot of extra work for managers. It's something that needs to be tabled for further discussion that is for sure.Tax is tax. Income is income. You earn an income you decide whether you declare it or. You don't, you risk getting in trouble. That is on you. I really cannot see the difference and if the ATO are worried they are missing out on income they maybe they need to introduce a requirement for an ABN of sorts. Maybe an AMBN (Australian Micro Business Number). I don't really know. It's not been a concern for me because I have always claimed the income from my short term accommodation rental ventures in Australia.Grumpy Neighbours - Where is Your Voice?If you are not a stakeholder, other than an irate neighbour of a rogue operation, then I am sorry on behalf of the industry that you are located in such proximity to a lesser human being. One that is spoiling it for the rest of the industry. My advice is write to your local government authority and consider constructive suggestions on how your life may be made easier. Also I urge you to consider the benefits. Firstly you may have a skill to offer the manager that might earn you some income (caretaker, cleaner, guest experience etc), it's also good to have someone in the house rather than it sitting vacant and you can never tell if your residential neighbour is going to behave either. We never knew we'd be renting next to a barking dog for six months when we relocated out of the City. Yep a barking dog. A relentlessly loud barking puppy who missed it parents every time they walked out the door, including through the night, when they went out of town. Yes, that made me grumpy.Think about all those lovely visitors staying in your community and spending money to boost your economy. This is happening. This is really truly happening especially if the managers of the holiday rentals are going out of their way to speak with local tourism operators and offering guests a special deal.Managers Present & On Call 24/7Managers must be on call 24/7. You might have the convenience of key locks and avoid the face to face meet and greet. Fair enough. If you are not available to take a call in the event of an emergency or because the kettle isn't working (which I think is an emergency) then you should not be managing a property. Sure, appoint a caretaker but that person should be registered and available.Insurance & Risk ManagementIf you do not have insurance that is your prerogative but for the safety of guests opting to consume holiday rental accommodation I think it is overall a good practice. It means someone has actually assessed your home, identified areas of concern (ie a balcony that is about to collapse) and decided whether it is safe for guests and if not, what is required to bring it up to an acceptable standard. I do believe consumers will be looking out for accredited style accommodations knowing they are safe when staying in the property. If not, there is an understanding that home style accommodation comes with risk just the same as if you crashed in your friends 50 year old granny flat. I actually cannot understand why any manager would operate without the necessary checks and insurances. Maybe they do not understand how many thousands of dollars they may be out of pocket should someone be injured or possibly die in their property. Yes - it happens!!!Fair Rules & RegulationFair rules and regulations and engagement and education with grass roots stakeholders are on the only way forward in my opinion. Knee jerk reactions will hurt this growing sector which is in demand. It is counter productive.Stakeholders Working TogetherLocal government and local tourism organisations must work with short term accommodation rental stakeholders. Not against them. This includes allowing for booking systems that integrate with the managers own independent calendar. Visitor centres must not consider accommodation and experiences as a source of income. It is working against all tourism operators.Owners/ Managers Come Out Of The Shadows - Out From Under The RadarAll owners must come out from the shadows and have a voice. Fly that flag and say yes I have a short term accommodation rental and I want to continue working closely with my local stakeholders to learn how to best operate. If you think that remaining silent will help your cause you are absolutely incorrect. That is in fact why a number of enquiries are being damaged because there isn't enough input from the actual owners and managers of these properties because they are worried they will be shut down. The reality is you will be shut down unless you can convince your worth to your local people, most importantly your local community.Code of ConductYes there is a Code of Conduct introduced by the Holiday Rental Industry Association. We hope all stakeholders, especially those on the grass roots, have a chance to provide some input on any future reviews. Let's also hope there is an education program attached to it that is endorsed and promoted by local government.My closing message is that it is vitally important to understand that you as the owner/ manager of a holiday rental accommodation business in Australia are the most important stakeholder group. Think of global booking portals and OTA's as a means of finding guests. They can certainly contribute their thoughts and opinions, that will protect their own bottom lines, from their own perspective. It is you at the coal face that really knows what is going on and who is well placed to contribute ideas and better ways of going about business.Always strive for independent management for sustainability and only list your properties with booking portals and OTA's who allow integration with your own management technology and systems. Aim for direct bookings through your own independent systems and remarketing to your own guest database.Ok so let's all wait and see what happens with the individual state and territory Enquiries. It's going to be an interesting year ahead.If you are a niche short term rental accommodation industry stakeholder in Australia you might be interested in connecting with me on Linked In. I have a group discussion in place for Short Term Rental Accommodation Legislation & Local Laws.If you'd like to learn more I am currently drafting a guide/ publication for managers and other short-term or holiday rental accommodation stakeholders. Subscribers will receive a discount when it becomes available later in 2018.Have a superb day!CheersNatalie :)Subsequent news stories since the first publication date of this editorial (30/3/2017);Balcony collapse in Brisbane suburb of St Lucia leaves nine in hospitalTravel giant Expedia joins campaign for crackdown on Airbnb rentalsThe 'booming' NSW economy that 100,000 people have joinedWinners and losers – the five main options for proposed NSW Airbnb laws
Are New Marketing Applications A Liability For Short Term And Holiday Rental Businesses?
I am seriously losing track of which apps (short for applications) I've installed and what technology I am trialing from the start up sphere. Some of you will be scratching your heads wondering what the heck is this article is about. Others will sympathise and probably have a Ripl, Screencastify, IStock (essential I think - to compliment an amazing holiday rental accommodation image gallery) Shopify, SumoMe, Mail Chimp, WeVideo, Netflix, Canva (...) application running either on their desktop or mobile device.
All these new start up's promising the world. New innovations to simplify processes, trendier, hip ways of doing cool stuff for your business. Commerce is so fast paced now with digital technologies. It's really tricky to keep up - or even keep ahead to be competitive.
Remember that all the time you spend downloading and trialing new solutions are a cost to you as a business manager. Some of that investment will pay off. Other times you may find that placing too much focus on new technologies may in fact be a liability to your operation.
You might be a start up yourself. "A startup company (startup or start-up) is an entrepreneurial venture which is typically a newly emerged, fast-growing business that aims to meet a marketplace need by developing a viable business model around an innovative product, service, process or a platform." (Wikipedia - however reliable that is!).
Technically (pardon pun), I am a start up. I'm not a tech start up but a start up nonetheless. Actually Welcome In has been in start up mode for roughly seven years now. I know this because I was pregnant with my second son, Marshall, who is now six. OMG - time, flying!
So getting back on the subject I sometimes stop and realise that I am in fact getting sucked into the vortex within the start up sphere. This is when I actually lose control of exactly what I have signed up for, downloaded, subscribed (sometimes a paid subscription - can you believe how expensive Linked In Premium is these days but OMG I have to have it....).
I often download the app, which is conveniently available for mobile devices, then my space runs out (because I really need to download another app or I've taken too many photos) and so I delete it thinking I will download it again in the future. Before you know it six months have passed and then a monthly subscription fee shows up on my statement - ARGGHHHH! - the shocking part about this is that I have actually paid for a subscription but haven't used it for months and months. Hmm. Naughty! I guess I can at least claim them as businesses expenses for research!
Yes I know some are quite evidently amazing. Like Netflix - how can anyone watch free to air TV now! Yes I know this is an entertainment app. There are others like WeVideo that are fantastic too but oh dear they now charge to receive what you did for free 12 months ago. Be wary of this. The art is to test in the free trial and then be realistic and know that it is very likely that this start up will recognise their worth (because they will be using metrics like adopter growth) and switch into monetisation phase - this essentially means they will start charging you to use their application. At some time they have to make money to be viable. Just like you need to invest in marketing to grow your holiday rental business by attracting more visitors to your site who make more bookings!
I guess the point of this article is to have fun, give new technology a go. I personally really value Canva for marketing communications graphics. My advice is to give it all a go but keep a close eye on what you sign up for particularly if there is a subscription fee involved and you missed the small print that says your subscription will be auto-renewed every month until you opt out!
I feel like I'm getting to that stage in my career where I know a bit about the short term and holiday rental accommodation industry in Australia and so if you'd like to read more articles to help you grow and sustain your operation/ business you might like to subscribe (free) to receive my blog articles in your lovely inbox.
I'm also on Facebook! Instagram & Linked In!
Have a superb day!
Cheers
Natalie :)
Family, Allosaurus & Holiday Rental Facebook Marketing
Holiday Rental Marketing
Holiday Rental Marketing
Before I talk about lean short-term and holiday rental Facebook marketing I wanted to talk about my almost nine-year-old son who has such a thirst for knowledge and he loves to learn about what I do, and well just learn all the time. He devours books like I do cheese and wine!
This week his class created a mini expo and his stand, and presentation was based on the Allosaurus. He was pretty pumped about the event and it went well. After I handed him a book that is far beyond his years but I thought you know what, you're never too young to learn and if you have entrepreneurial interest and ability then I say nurture the heck out of it!
I think my late Dad would be proud that his grandson is following in his, and my, footsteps.
So yes the book that was handed to me by a very special mate aka BFF, best male friend and colleague (you know who you are) is The Lean Startup (Eric Ries) - I purposely haven't hyperlinked to their page from here or from the image (because you should never hyperlink to external pages that take your prospective customer away from your own - Google It :)).
This was around the time that I was invited to contribute to an exciting travel app startup that he was a founder of. This has essentially shaken up my whole approach with projects, business and life in general. I absolutely positively recommend that you get yourselves a copy of this book whatever stage you're at. I actually apply the principals to everything, including my new hairstyle which has been a work in progress for a few months now. Small tests, analyse, pivot, retest, analyse and so on.
At the start of the year, I thought how can I continue to create interesting and relevant content on my Welcome In consulting business Facebook page. Ideally, I'd be writing these blog articles and filling them full of keywords such as short-term accommodation consulting Australia, short-term accommodation marketing, short-term accommodation business development, holiday rental marketing Australia, holiday rental digital marketing Australia, holiday rental business consulting Australia, direct bookings and so on. We all know what we need to do to organically grab the attention of our target market and increase traffic or reach to our social media posts. The dilemma is if we do it ourselves it takes time. A lot of time. And skill and authenticity.
If you're short on time, know you need to be posting to Facebook twice per week, then I suggest a very lean strategy and that is what I developed for the Welcome In Facebook page. It's 365 free tips and tricks in 2018. I'm up to 44. The plan was one per day and well that was near on impossible however I can post a couple on those days too, by way of catch-up.
So this is where I put in my little plug. If you are a short-term or holiday rental operator (owner or manager) you might find following my Welcome In Facebook page helpful, with all my tips and tricks - free!!
Social Media definitely works but I find the most successful campaigns are those which involve real content, that builds a story that is of interest to the target market (for you guys it's the prospective guest). Start with one post per week, keep it brief and make sure each post has a lovely image or video that sells your property, the region and all the other awesome experiences within it. After you have the foundations up and running then you can look at boosting your posts, Facebook Pixel - custom audiences and mostly I find this sort of stuff is best left to the experts and well the experts cost money so chip away with what you can until you can justify the investment.
A few closing recommendations;
Always capture your short-term holiday rental accommodation guests contact details.
Provide Facebook icon and hyperlink to your holiday rental business Facebook page in all communications.
Provide your logo and hyperlink to your website.
Provide links from your website to your social media pages and for visitors to subscribe (free) to a newsletter database.
Re-market to your previous short-term holiday rental accommodation guests but don't do it too often otherwise you'll become annoying. Make sure there is something in it for them to read. Ie subscribers receive 10% off future bookings and/or a free bottle of bubbly on arrival.
Always think about digital marketing integration. Link your email signature with website and social media pages, newsletter subscription page, link website with social media, email subscription, link your social media pages and posts to your website and so on. Interconnecting all opportunities to engage with your target audience.
Don't jump in and invest in sophisticated and expensive social media campaigns until you gain a basic understanding of how it all works.
The content you produce is the best. If anyone tells you any different then they do not have your best interests at heart because you can pay someone to write content for you and boost your posts but will they really know your product and how will you continue to engage your audience when they go.
Consumers are savvy now. They can pick up on paid content with a push sales component. Don't do the big sell with all your posts. This will indirectly happen when you tell your story because followers will like your page and know where to find you if they are keen to book because you will have your call to action in all communications.
The best posts are those like this which are written by you, posted to your short-term holiday rental accommodation website and shared on your short-term holiday rental accommodation social media pages.
If you'd like to learn more I am currently drafting a guide/ publication for managers and other short-term or holiday rental accommodation stakeholders. Subscribers will receive a discount when it becomes available later in 2018.Have a superb day!CheersNatalie :)
I feel like I'm getting to that stage in my career where I know a bit about the short term and holiday rental accommodation industry in Australia and so if you'd like to read more articles to help you grow and sustain your operation/ business you might like to subscribe (free) to receive my blog articles in your lovely inbox.
I'm also on Facebook! Instagram & Linked In!
Have a superb day!
Cheers
Natalie :)
Five Tips To Build Your Holiday Rental Accommodation Image Gallery Without Spending A Cent
If you are an owner or manager of holiday rental accommodation in Australia, or anywhere in fact, please read on because there are ways that you can build your holiday rental accommodation image gallery without having to spend a fortune.Professional PhotographyYes, there is a place for professional photography when marketing holiday rentals in Australia. Yes it will cost you money for a professional photographer to take amazing photo's. Mostly the investment is worthwhile however it is vitally important to remember that you are selling an experience, not real estate. You are selling the holiday not the house so be sure to brief your photographer that you are wanting images that capture the unique spaces and experience on offer in your holiday rental accommodation, local tourism attractions and, where possible, ask if they can include human beings enjoying themselves in these special spaces (ie, you, your family, your friends - hiring talent is expensive).Styling is so very important as well. If you are going to the effort of paying a professional photographer to build your holiday rental image gallery then please, please, please make some effort with interior design. You don't have to spend a fortune but this will be the difference between a good image and a dynamic image that converts a booking. Use props where possible such as a vase with fresh flowers, board games, books, throw rugs, cushions, champagne and so forth.Most importantly think of those amazing spaces in your house that scream holidays. A hammock, a quiet nook with a book, the shady outdoor areas, the amazing kids zone, the spa, the incredible tourist attraction down the road or around the corner etc. Try and think what is unique. What your holiday rental accommodation and your tourism region will offer that others won't.Amateur PhotographyThis is where you, as owner/ managers of holiday rentals, can help. There a few ways you can build your image gallery without much effort and without costing you a cent.
Owners: Look through your own photo's and save all that feature your holiday rental or the local experiences nearby. If you have humans in these images ask them for permission to use them for marketing purposes. Seriously save every single one that appeals to you, that evokes a happy memory, that you think tells a story about the property. Save every one of them that ISN'T blurry then forward them to your property manager. If you are the manager of your own property then save the folder as "Image Gallery".
Owners: Ask your friends and family if they have some happy snaps of time spent in your holiday rental. Add them to your image gallery. People like to help. You will be pleasantly surprised. I promise.
Managers: Ask your owners for everything I have mentioned in no's 1 and 2 above.
Managers: Ask your guests to hashtag their happy snaps, check in to the managers Facebook page when they share them and/or email them to you with permission to use for holiday rental marketing communications. Consider running a competition/ promotion (owners - donated accommodation is win win - exposure for you and incentive for participation) to acquire these happy snaps and be sure to ask for permission especially for children who feature in them.
Owners & Managers: Just take photos all the time. When you are feeling the vibe, when you are visiting the holiday rental, when you're staying in it, inspecting it and so forth. Snap away! Digital camera's and smart phones really do capture pretty amazing quality images these days.
So go on then, start sorting, ask for help off loved ones, begging for permission, saving and forwarding those amazing holiday images! Go on, act now - don't delay!The image featured in this article was, in fact, taken by me of my young boys paddling in our magnificent Mandurah waterways on Australia Day. Note - I am not a photographer but I think this is pretty special and an experience that all holiday makers can enjoy when they visit our city.If you have enjoyed this article maybe you'd like to subscribe (free) to the Welcome In e-news. I try to publish these every few months to a community of holiday rental owners and managers in Australia. I encourage you to make contact with me if you have any queries about any aspect of your holiday rental management journey. If I cannot assist you I can certainly point you in the right direction. I am well connected with niche industry holiday rental stakeholders in Australia.Cheers, Natalie :)
The Perfect Post: Social Media Engagement
Quite simply I can say that building social media business pages, for your short term holiday rental accommodation, is a complete waste of time, energy and money unless you build a page worth following.Here are some tips on how to build content (posts) that your prospective holiday rental accommodation guests or audience are likely to engage with;MAKE AN EFFORTUse images or a design that presents well. No fuzzy pixelated images or film. Presentation is EVERYTHING when you are selling an experience online. In fact presentation is EVERYTHING always.ORIGINALITYSharing other pages posts is like a quick fix or a half attempt to engage. When you share someone elses post where are they going if they click on it? - they won't be visiting your site so they really is no point. Be a little selfish and make a rule that you will only provide links, from your holiday rental social media posts, to your own website. If you must talk about some other external thing then build it into a blog article and provide contact details (not links).INTERESTING"The feeling of a person whose attention, concern or curiosity is particularly engaged by something". (Dictionary.com) Nuff said yeah?!REAL & UNIQUETell the truth about what you're selling. Focus on the experience so the really special spaces in your holiday rental property or the really awesome tourist attractions in your Australian tourism region. Those really unique attributes are what makes you stand out from your competitors.PROMPT ACTIONMake sure you subtly prompt some action by ending your written post with your contact details or a link to your post on your website. Your level of engagement will depend on how you word the written component of your post (copy, text). For example, ask a question to prompt a reaction or engagement (like, share, comment).TIMEA well thought out post is the best post. Trying to whip something up on the run is mostly going to be ineffective. I know because I've tried this approach.ANALYSE Keep an eye on the level of engagement for each post. You want to aim for high organic (unpaid) engagement. So the reach (how many feeds it appears on) and most importantly the number of likes, shares, comments and click throughs. Over time you will realise what works, what your audience are valuing.Of course there are other ways to prompt higher engagement through paid advertising (Social Media Marketing or SMM) or you might consider running a promotion.Something for nothing is quite effective, and enjoyable for most authors. Consider a blog post with tips on the best free public places to visit in your region or where to find the best coffee or the best playground for young children. A link to your own personal blog posts is Da Business! - it doesn't get much sweeter than that.If you have enjoyed this article maybe you'd like to subscribe (free) to the Welcome In e-news. I try to publish these every few months to a community of holiday rental managers in Australia. I encourage you to make contact with me if you have any queries about any aspect of your holiday rental management journey. If I cannot assist you I can certainly point you in the right direction. I am well connected with niche industry holiday rental stakeholders in Australia.
How To Find Your Holiday Rental a Guest
It's a bit like winning friendships. you have to put yourself out there first and foremost. Is your holiday rental profiled online? If the answer is no, pause and fix that straight away, then come back and read on.Part one: how to find your holiday rental a guest.Part two: maintaining a longer term holiday rental guest relationship.This article will focus on part one and cover exposure, presentation and consistency with your holiday rental's digital profiles.There is plenty of competition out there but, if profiled well, you will find a good match for your holiday rental. Hopefully your prospective holiday rental guest will enjoy the time spent in your holiday rental and want to come back for more (that's a bit more about part two: maintenance).First up you need to focus on these areas for the best chance of standing out amongst the crowd. If you're after a quick fix then you may focus on presentation to grab their attention. If you want your guests to keep scrolling/ reading your holiday rentals need a little personality. The prospective holiday rental guest is looking for evidence of how you will focus on their best guest experience.Also, like with friendships, some tastes are different to others so be as descriptive as possible. Good quality images that tell an honest story about what they can expect when they stay in your holiday rental. Don't waste their time pretending to be something/one you're not.To break it down;Exposure: So your holiday rental can be found.AdvertiseYou must exist online to be found these days. Google, booking portals and OTA’s do generate holiday rental bookings but be mindful about your work load and capacity to maintain multiple listings.Social MediaMastering one social media channel at a time will increase your holiday rentals exposure.OptimisationWhile you make every effort to exist online there is very little point in doing so unless you are using your key words. Think about how you search for products and services online. The same applies with the search for the ideal holiday rental. Key words being "holiday rental", "accommodation", "{your region}", "{best tourism experience}", "{best property and holiday rental experience features]". Write and repeat, and repeat, and repeat...Refer paragraph three. Can you see how much I've mentioned holiday rental? Well - that's a little bit of overkill. Try and tone it down to subtle key word, and convincing, inclusions if possible.Partnerships & AffiliationsConnect with grass roots and other tourism stakeholders. Explore ways in which you can cross promote your goods and services.Presentation: To grab their attention.ImageMake sure your holiday rental looks professional. Use good quality content – images and descriptions using key words.PersonalityYou’re selling a leisure experience not a property. Highlight the best spaces in the holiday rental, the best local attractions and grass roots tourism experiences, throw in a splash of colour or human interest. Create ambience with your images.IdentityConsider a name and logo for your holiday rental.DescriptiveProvide enough information so that they don't have to feel like they're reading a novel but that highlights the main features of the property and the experience. Provide answers to your target markets questions in the first two paragraphs. Family friendly, close to beach, air conditioned, pool, ample parking etc.Remember to write this in a way that you are having a conversation. More personal in the first person. I, we...You want to make sure the prospective guest knows this is your home, that you love this place. If you really do love the place it will shine through and your description will genuinely sell the experience to your prospective holiday rental guest.Consistency: To avoid confusion and maintain credibility.Match images and descriptions across all marketing channels. Ensure content is identical in all communications.Look out for part two: maintenance.If you have enjoyed this article maybe you'd like to subscribe (free) to the Welcome In e-news. I try to publish these every few months to a community of holiday rental managers in Australia. I encourage you to make contact with me if you have any queries about any aspect of your holiday rental management journey. If I cannot assist you I can certainly point you in the right direction. I am well connected with niche industry holiday rental stakeholders in Australia.
Where Do I List My Holiday Rental?
Ask any of my clients what I think about holiday rental booking portals of the global kind and my response will be an eye roll, followed by a huff and puff and then a polite "don't get me started...maybe a discussion for another time when we have... like... ALL DAY!".I started the Welcome In journey as an owner of a portfolio of two holiday rentals. Actually I started with one in the Perth Hills of Western Australia, followed by another corporate short term rental in the Perth CBD. I felt like I took to holiday rental management and marketing like a duck to water I think because I had the commerce and grass roots tourism background but also because I just really enjoyed managing these little micro businesses. I remember the thrill of seeing my first enquiries roll in and then bookings eventuate. Turns out we tapped into a niche market in the Perth Hills and we enjoyed an average of 75% occupancy.I have to say that my holiday rental venture was kickstarted by the advent of Stayz.com.au. Back then it was a much smaller start up operation. When I signed up and listed my holiday rental it seemed to provide management infrastructure that was useful especially the online enquiries, calendar, cleaners log, reviews and a few other features that I thought were quite nifty. It was like your own cost effective website that wasn't actually your own website at all. Some holiday rental managers enjoy this for others, who are somewhat digital marketing savvy, well we went on to become a little more independent by developing our own website, Facebook pages and so on.Fast forward a decade and you can now pick from many global booking portals to list your holiday rental. Stayz has now been acquired by Expedia, which was purchased off HomeAway who bought Stayz off Fairfax and down the chain to the original founders. Many a savvy business tycoon has invested in the global proliferation of the sharing economy. You can now list your holiday rental on Stayz, HomeAway, AirBnB, Wotif, TripAdvisor, Booking.com among many other global holiday rental booking portals.You can also look on shore in Australia and consider portals such as www.australianholidayrentaldirectory.com (ha ha had to throw that one in) and our new partner www.holidaypaws.com.au. There are many more that I will allow you to research yourselves by simply typing in "list your holiday rental in Australia" or something similar.Be mindful that there are sites that will generate enquiries. These are usually the large booking portals who have the funding to invest in marketing. They have the ability to generate leads and convert bookings but it comes at a price. The price to list the property, possibly the price of a commission, the price of your time to manage the listing and if you're calendars are not synced to your own independent booking system that time equates to A LOT of time managing multiple calendars to ensure they all match so you don't end up with a double booking! ARRGGHHH! Double bookings are what nightmares are made of!I recommend that you do your research when you consider which booking portals to list with. Do they;1. Allow for direct links to your own website so the enquiry or booking can be made direct?2. Allow ICAL calendar integration or syncing if they don't allow a direct link to your own website?3. Charge a commission? Who pays it? The guest or you and if you then how simple is that process?4. Affiliate with channel managers?We've recently partnered with Holiday Paws, a pet friendly holiday rental booking portal in Australia. Although they do not allow for a direct link to your own website or property listing you can list your property free of charge and the guest is charged a commission on a reasonable sliding scale depending on the value of the booking. Holiday Paws will set up your listings for you and will allow integration with your own calendar where possible. Essentially the guest makes the booking on their site, they take a deposit to secure the booking, they direct the guest to you to complete the booking and they forward on the deposit minus the commission. It's a new way of doing business and I kind of like the idea that the holiday rental manager can still maintain control over the booking and that the site is merely a place to advertise a property and attract guests to start the booking process.I have come across many stakeholders who ask me if I have listed my properties with this or that booking portal. My answer is usually yes I have heard about them and no I don't list with all of them. Mainly because I don't just jump on the bandwagon and list with every site. My time is precious and I know that it will be eaten up if I have to learn a new booking portals own systems and duplicate the same process across each portal. Load the property description, load the images, add the fee schedule, block out the calendar of bookings made in various locations and so on. I then have to log into each all the time and keep on top of enquiries. I prefer to work with a few portals. I spend time getting to know their product and systems well, how to maximise conversion and most importantly I ensure that I work with booking portals that encourage me to develop my own independent digital marketing strategy. Those that understand that they are only one piece of the long-term sustainability puzzle.If you have enjoyed this article maybe you'd like to subscribe (free) to the Welcome In e-news. I try to publish these every few months to a community of holiday rental managers in Australia. I encourage you to make contact with me if you have any queries about any aspect of your holiday rental management journey. If I cannot assist you I can certainly point you in the right direction. I am well connected with niche industry holiday rental stakeholders in Australia.