| So you have purchased your property and have | | | | but there are also many cheap ways of doing it |
| prepared almost everything to make it a | | | | now, to suit most budgets. Your new site will |
| successful vacation rental - the only problem you | | | | have to compete with thousands of others to |
| are left with is getting the word out so | | | | attract visitors - so it simply may not be worth it |
| prospective renters know you have a holiday | | | | for some on this basis alone. But whilst you most |
| home to offer! The world of marketing comes in | | | | likely will not be able to compete with the main |
| to play here and this is all about helping people find | | | | players in terms of search engine rankings, |
| what they are searching for - in this case your | | | | personal websites do add confidence and |
| Vacation Home! | | | | professionalism in the eyes of renters and you |
| Planning and good research into your local area | | | | can put your own URL on any business cards or |
| are two of the most important factors for | | | | other adverts you may take out. Most of the |
| homeowners wishing to successfully rent their | | | | main listing sites should allow a link from your |
| properties. The more information you can provide | | | | listing to your own website too. It could take a lot |
| potential renters on your locality the better - this | | | | of time and expertise to get your site noticed by |
| really is an important part of marketing - both for | | | | the main search engines on its own merit and the |
| yourself and the property. Putting yourself in the | | | | great thing about rental listing sites is that they do |
| shoes of your potential guests gives you the best | | | | this work for you - however if you have the |
| insight into what they may be looking for and | | | | time, money and inclination, your own website will |
| where they might be looking. Be prepared for | | | | always help and is a definite bonus in terms of |
| questions on anything from local pizza restaurants | | | | marketing your property. |
| through historic attractions to medical facilities, | | | | Advertising on one or more of the established |
| doctors and childcare. The questions may not all | | | | rental listing sites is an easy way of getting a |
| come from the same person, but they will crop | | | | greater number of people to your advert and you |
| up at some point. | | | | don't need any knowledge of web design to get |
| But how do prospective renters find out about | | | | set up. Look for the best deals in terms of price, |
| your home? As a homeowner, you will probably | | | | traffic etc. |
| need to spend some money in order to devise | | | | Know your limitations when spending money for |
| and implement a marketing plan. Budgeting is an | | | | your advertisements. Prices per year for the |
| important factor and it is important to set your | | | | established rental websites tend to be around the |
| annual spend relative to your expected returns. | | | | £150 - £200 area. Advertising on |
| Be aware of what you can realistically expect as | | | | more than one is quite popular but do your |
| a return. Join Internet forums and local area | | | | research. There has been a fair amount of |
| groups and find out from other owners about the | | | | consolidation in the market and one company |
| amount of time they are able to fill their property | | | | owns a lot of the big sites. Look who owns the |
| in a year and the amount they charge. If the area | | | | sites and decide accordingly - different sites may |
| is seasonal it is unlikely that you will fill the | | | | derive traffic from different places. |
| property for the entire year, at least at premium | | | | When you are planning your advertising you need |
| rates. | | | | to think about realistic time scales. Don't wait until |
| Advertising tends to be the backbone of a | | | | the last minute. Get your listings and advertising in |
| successful marketing campaign, at least in the | | | | place in advance of your first available date. This |
| early years. The Internet is generally viewed as a | | | | will give you a chance to generate interest and so |
| cost effective place to advertise. With millions of | | | | bookings. Setting up an online advert in advance |
| vacationers and holidaymakers going online every | | | | of the first available date is a sensible idea to |
| day, the Internet is a marketing tool that allows | | | | maximize the interest you get. |
| you to advertise to a worldwide audience from | | | | Finally, remember that detail and first impressions |
| the comfort of your own home and at very | | | | matter. People are looking for the ideal vacation |
| affordable rates. | | | | rental to spend their hard earned money and well |
| Rental listing sites can provide value for money | | | | earned vacation time. Make sure your photos |
| because they do the work of exposing your | | | | show off the property at its best. Make sure that |
| property to thousands of vacation goers | | | | it is clean, fresh and properly decorated. Make |
| continually, so your property is seen in quantity | | | | sure the utilities are in order and that any extra |
| over time, compared to printed adverts and | | | | comforts you can add such as DVD's etc are in |
| other one off marketing strategies. | | | | place. Remember that when marketing word of |
| You can also create your own website. This may | | | | mouth and repeat business are the cheapest |
| sound a bit difficult at first but investing in this | | | | forms of filling your property. If you put the time |
| kind of marketing could help boost your earnings. | | | | and effort in now, then it will pay dividends in |
| Setting up your own website can be quite | | | | future years. |
| expensive if you decide to get a big, glitzy site, | | | | |