5 Things a Holiday Home Owner should do!

Now these may seem basic things but you would be surprised how many people do not get this right.  If you have read some of my recent posts, you would see that I have been looking for a holiday rental for a late season break and these are the things I have come across, not in a huge amount of listings but enough to correspond to probably 10% of listings have one of more of these issues going against them.  For me, these are a complete turn-off and tell me that the owner is not bothered about their listing, so what is their service like from that point.

1. Photos - I cannot say this enough, good photos are essential! Most people do not look past the photos, that is what draws them in to look at the other information.  If the photos are unclear or just plain bad, people will go away.

2. Links and emails - must be correct and working, several times I have come across email addresses that do not work or links to websites that go nowhere.  In the case of the email addresses, I think it is essential in this modern age of smartphones etc that people take enquiries via email.  For me as a customer, I do not want to have to phone a home owner if I am looking at several options.  This is an instant put-off for me.

3.  Use a marketing mix - this means using several forms or sources of marketing.  The best idea is to mix and match with a large scale advertiser or listing site, such a Owner Direct or Holiday Lettings and a smaller, more niched advertiser.  It is not wise to advertise through only one advertiser, you run the risk of not being seen by a big enough market and also that they may not do well for you, amongst other things.

4.  Identify your customers - In terms of who you market to, select a type of customer who your property appeals to, put yourself in their shoes, be realistic.  If your property is half way up a mountain on a dirt track, you will not appeal to beach lovers or young families, no matter how nice your property is furnished and decorated.  Find a niche or selection of customers who you appeal to and aim your marketing at them, don't try to sell to everyone, as you may end up selling to no-one or at least lose potential sales.

5.  Assess the market - every year, sometimes more often, you should assess the competition, what makes you different, what are your unique sales proposition (USPs), are you effectively selling these?  Also assess the pricing, has the market pricing changed, has it risen or reduced?  In whatever case, try to understand why that is and how you should react to that.  If prices have dropped, don't just follow suit but instead add value to your rental through adding services or facilities.


It is vital that you get the first step (the customer looking at your listing) right, otherwise everyday you are potentially losing leads and bookings, can you afford that?

For a FREE book on how to fill your empty weeks, click here

Adding a touch of luxury to your holiday home

I was in town the other day and wanted to have a coffee.  There are many, many cafes in my town, you know how the Portuguese love coffee!  And I went to one I had never tried before but always looked at.  It is quite new, probably two years old, had a nice facade with nice tables and chairs outside and big umbrellas.  It all looks very nice, and as I sat there I looked around at the other customers and the corrolation of customer type to image, really rang true.  This cafe had a more upmarket look to it, with its furniture and large (expensive looking) umbrellas and servers.

And it got me thinking about holiday rental homes and how exactly the same thing happens.  Its known that people like to go upmarket with their holidays if they can, they like to spoil themselves and will almost always choose something which is nicer than home.  This has rung true this year with Tots as we have seen people choose to spend slightly more money on booking a nicer type of place, rather than save that difference for a dinner out or a night of babysitting.

So my thought is, if you make those little 'luxe' touches, which do not cost a lot but could move you 'up' in the eyes of your customer base, that can only bring a better 'type' of customer who is willing to spend some more money on those extra touches.

Even simple things like,

• Change light fittings to something more modern or elaborate (but not expensive if you shop around).  
• Paint one wall in the bedroom a different colour to give some life and also a theme, to add pictures or prints to (use your own photos of the local area, costs very little and adds a sense of 'holiday')
• Add bathrobes to the master bedroom, one off cost, which can be recuped several times and gives that  'boutique hotel' feel.

Recently I have been looking for a holiday rental for a late season break and the places I have seen, some I just wonder how they get bookings, examples are fuzzy photos, so I have to look really closely (and think Im going blind).  Child friendly properties with an unenclosed pool within a metre of the door of the house or low walls with a long drop on the other side.  Lounges with really old looking and cluttered furniture.  And then you have the bright, airy, modern dining rooms with painted walls and simple blinds.  Luxury, doesnt mean elaborate, just means to take the time, make it simple but pleasant.  

How to do it - clear photo, lots of light and simple furnishings. 

How not to do it.

If you are a holiday home owner looking for help to fill those empty weeks, get yourself a Free copy of Wendy Shand's book, 'Empty Weeks? How to get more bookings and make money from your holiday home.'

What does 'family or child-friendly' mean?

This is a question as a Mum of two and as a Letting Expert I am constantly looking at.  At Tots to Travel we are continuously gathering feedback from our customers, parents and assessing the market for the latest trends and ideas in this area.

Recently, I have been looking for a place for a late season holiday, a rental house or a hotel and am surprised by some people's idea of 'family-friendly'.  Firstly, if you are family friendly, there must be fencing on the pool or some way to allow the children to be outside but not have access to the pool.  As a parent, I want to be relaxed, not always worried about the pool.  To that extent, if the pool is not enclosed somehow, I wont even consider it, next.  Secondly, provide a decent cot and highchair as the absolute minimal basics, doesnt have to be expensive, but not an ancient family heirloom which looks like it will collapse if I put my child in it.  Do not charge me for it, in that case I think you really dont want me there.  If there are stairs in the property, especially near bedrooms or basement, please provide some form of protection.  Think of me as I try to feed my one year old child with grown up cutlery that she will bite and hurt her mouth, as I try to make a tiny meal in a huge bowl and end up feeding her out of a tea cup!  Imagine me packing for my two children and how much kit we will have to bring, something as simple as providing swimming/beach towels saves me a lot of space and weight.

What got me thinking about this was in my search for accommodation, I specifically searched 'family friendly rentals in .........  And there was nothing I would choose as family-friendly.  The worst I think was the house, lovely and new as it was, up a very steep hill in the countryside, with an unenclosed pool, right outside a door.  The property was walled from the photos I could see but the wall was low, low enough for my two year old to lean over and potentially fall down a very steep hill.  Im always wary with properties in the countryside, if they are not very well fenced for a child to get out and get lost.  This isnt lazy parenting, it's being safe.  It only takes a second for a child to wander out of a property or fall in a pool, next to a door.  Parents deserve a holiday too, and shouldnt go on holiday to worry about the new environment they are in.  

Just because you provide a cot and highchair, does not mean you are family-friendly.  Think about the customer, put yourself in their shoes, how can you make their life easier and give me a great family holiday that they will rave about and recommend to others.  After all, isnt that what you want?  And let's be honest, if you are not willing to add some family touches, dont advertise yourself as 'family or child-friendly'.  There are many more customers out there that you will appeal to.

If you think you are 'child-friendly' or want to find out how to appeal to this evergrowing market, Wendy Shand has written a FREE book full of great advice and tips developed from feedback from customers, her own experiences as a letting expert and as a parent. To get your FREE copy, go to www.freeholidayletsbook.com

What do guests really want from their holiday rental property?

This is a very interesting article I wanted to share, written by one of my fellow Letting Experts, Lindsay over at www.holidaypropertyexpert.com/holidaylettings/lindsay

It is based on feedback from holiday makers about what they really want when they go away to a holiday rental:

We had a very interesting debate on the Tots to Travel Agents forum recently, as we began discussing what guests really want from their self catering property. The opinions were very mixed, which when you consider that us “Mums on the Ground” are spread across France, Italy, Portugal and Spain, is not really surprising. However, we even discovered very unique experiences from different sides of the same country, something which made for quite a thought provoking debate…

Read what we found out at http://holidaypropertyexpert.com/holidaylettings/lindsay/2011/09/what-do-guests-really-want-a-6-point-debate/

Some food for thought I think, as you plan for next season!

How important are holiday letting websites?

If you are currently considering the purchase of a holiday home which you are going to rent for income or if you already have a holiday rental home and are maybe reviewing the effectiveness of your current choices, this is a really interesting article looking at some of the options you have, well worth a read.

http://www.jamesdearsley.co.uk/2010/12/how-important-are-holiday-letting-websites-to-your-overseas-property-purchase/

What I particularly liked and thought was great advice was to go with a large advertiser with international coverage rather than a local agent but also to add a niche market - something which sets you apart from the others and let a market segment find you effectively, rather than being lost in the 1000s of other similar properties.