| So you have signed up for all of the holiday rental | | | | Make sure rooms are tidy and well lit. |
| schemes you can find. You are paying memberships | | | | These are what visitors will see first. And make sure |
| to them all but still you are still accepting last minute | | | | that the one picture included in the search results |
| prices. Would you prefer early bookings, deposits in | | | | really spells out the quality of your property. If that's |
| the bank, full prices and the security that the weeks | | | | the only picture the website visitor will see, make it a |
| are already booked? | | | | good picture. |
| Of course you would! | | | | Step 3 - read better |
| Believe it or not, it can be just as frustrating for the | | | | Now take a look through your competitor's text and |
| people advertising your property as you that | | | | bullet points. What do they describe? How do they |
| bookings are not coming through. The advertisers | | | | describe it? |
| might be losing the booking from you to other | | | | Remember to include in the text any major local |
| properties on their books, but if they are losing | | | | attractions that people will be search on. Put yourself |
| bookings to other sites then they also are losing out. | | | | in the shoes of a visitor looking for "accommodation |
| The first step to more bookings - be available | | | | near to...." and will they find you? There's no need to |
| Have you asked the owners of the website | | | | waste a picture on this, just text is fine. |
| directories some basic questions about their service? | | | | Any special features should stand out. Some sites |
| Not the obvious ones, but some that can tell you | | | | offer lists of points to include them, else just make a |
| how well they do and how well you are performing | | | | quick list within the text. The aim here is to quickly |
| within them - find out if you are under-performing. | | | | draw your reader's attention to the main features. |
| For a start, ask their support desk how far in | | | | Step 4 - go for commission schemes |
| advance booking searches on the website are for. | | | | Schemes that charge only a small listing fee are |
| We're not asking here about the enquiries customers | | | | good, but those that charge a commission, whilst |
| have made but the searches visitors are running. | | | | costing more, only get paid by results. Also, because |
| Then look at your availability calendars. Are they up | | | | of the commission payments they have more |
| to date? Do they cover most of these searches? | | | | avenues to market your property such as affiliate |
| The chances are not. | | | | sites. |
| People searching for similar accommodation on the | | | | And finally |
| internet can easily be looking 15 months in advance, | | | | It is important to remember that some of the large |
| especially on bigger and more luxurious properties. So | | | | directories use affiliates to sell rentals. These affiliates |
| the first step to more bookings is simple - extend | | | | may be taking feeds of properties to create their |
| your availability calendar. | | | | own websites. So search the internet for part of |
| Step 2 to more bookings - look better | | | | your property's name or description and see just |
| Now look at some of the competition that are | | | | how many sites it appears on. |
| displayed on the same results pages. What do they | | | | Including phrases in text such as 'picture on left' might |
| offer that you don't? Maybe they have expensive | | | | be a good idea at the time, but when the affiliate |
| hot tubs, swimming pools and so on that you can't | | | | publishes the text, it could be a different picture! Far |
| afford, but they aren't the only way to be better. | | | | more useful to describe the picture - which in turn |
| Look at the pictures they supply, now look at yours. | | | | makes it more likely to be found in searches. |
| What is the first impression from your photographs? | | | | Following on from this, affiliates may search property |
| Do they show a bright, welcoming, sunny rental that | | | | descriptions for key attractions and create new |
| is clean and luxurious? Or is it a hastily shot | | | | pages based around these attractions - another |
| photograph with vehicles blocking the view? | | | | reason for clearly mentioning them in the text. |
| Retake those photographs if necessary. Don't use | | | | Don't forget, it is just as annoying for advertisers to |
| pictures of the local area unless you are selling your | | | | see hundreds of availability checks not producing |
| property's view and have already included plenty of | | | | rentals as it is for owners not to receive rentals. |
| pictures. Choose pictures that show the cleanliness | | | | Don't be afraid to approach the support teams and |
| and features. If appropriate, show classy bathroom | | | | ask them do they have suggestions for increasing |
| fittings, patio furniture, four poster beds etc. If you | | | | your bookings. |
| provide a welcome try, that might be a suitable shot. | | | | |