Tips on adverstising your vacation rental
Advertising is powerful. Think about it. How else could you convince people that smoking is fun and that light beer really tastes good? Madison Avenue spends billions every year to get its messages across, and succeeds with often alarmingly effective results. Indeed, one of the keys to being successful in the vacation rental business is the effective use of advertising. Ideally, you want renters to look for you. You don’t want to have to look for them. So, how exactly do you do that? Well, even in this Information Age, newspapers still have a role to play, but not the ones in major metropolitan areas. Advertising prices in metropolitan newspapers are outrageous! And, let’s face it, very few people these days spend the time and effort to scour big city newspapers looking for vacation rentals. Still, in my experience, I have found that the Internet is the first place that a potential renter will look when researching vacation spots. These days, when people want to buy concert tickets, real estate, flowers, gifts, you name it, the Internet will have it. And, the good news is that websites can be 100% effective in renting vacation properties as long as they are utilized to their fullest. Plus, the cost is remarkably low. It gets even better — you don’t have to be a computer wiz. You only have to know how to email and surf the Web. You can also use websites dedicated to the vacation market, such as EscapeHomes.com, which lists rentals as well as properties for sale. The key to advertising in a competive market includes right pricing and good photos at the top. Also look at the language you use, and be sure its not trite or empty. Be specific about the property. One way to do that is to think about how you would describe it to your friends. Put all your love of the property into the desciption. You must love it...after all, it's your dream home. So tell the world! Advertise it right, and you won't have to lift a finger, except to answer the phone ringing off the hook. For more information on rental by owners, see How to Rent Vacation Properties by Owner: The Complete Guide to Buy, Manage, Furnish, Rent, Maintain and Advertise Your Vacation Rental Investment is available at Christine's Website.