Many owners of vacation rental properties wonder how to compete with all the other vacation homes in the area. How do you make your rental shine amongst hundreds of other rental properties? Below are some tried and true methods for having your vacation rental really stand out heads above all the others.
Pictures Speak Volumes
Great photographs of your property – inside and out – are the best way to make a good impression. It’s what people see first and if they don’t like what they see they won’t go any further. Large, beautiful images rather than tiny iPhone photos will go a long way to promoting your vacation rental faster. It’s the difference between “What about this place?” and “You’ve got to see this place!”. If you’re not a great photographer, or don’t even own a “real” camera, consider hiring a professional photographer that specializes in real estate photos. It will be money well spent.
Choose the Best Photo
You’ll need to choose one photo from among all the others to promote your property. Sell the destination with a stock photography image. Or purchase a great photo of the surroundings where you live to include in your images. The destination is a huge part of the reason that vacationers come here.
Weave a Tale
Just as a headline is the intro to a story, the description should be the actual story or tale. Express not only facts but emotions too into the listing description. Emotion is a key component in a purchase decision. People don’t buy based on details alone; many people take action based on their emotions. Does your rental sound like somewhere you would want to stay? Does the list of amenities make you feel like you’re getting your money’s worth? If not, try re-writing; instead of listing amenities, try listing the benefits that people will get from them. “Private deck” could be changed to “Make unforgettable memories sharing gorgeous views with the family on our private deck.” If you’re not comfortable writing stellar copy, hire a copywriter to do it for you.
Go Over and Above
Vacationers appreciate knowing what the basic amenities are, but tell them the benefits of living like a local and you’ll win them over, for sure. Guests want more than photos of a property and a list of amenities. Tell them what there is to see and do, make recommendations, offer discount tickets on area events, and your vacation rental will stand out from among all the others. When you care, it shows.