Creating Videos to Promote Your Short Term Rentals
In this age of internet and social media, if you are not making clever use of digital marketing, you are certainly missing the bus on reaching some potential guests. This is particularly true for a business-focused Short Term Rentals. Obviously, we know the importance of professional pictures. You must be using beautiful photos of your property to entice potential guests. But… are you placing videos to promote your vacation rental, too? Videos catch the attention of large numbers of guests and have become very popular in the STR Industry, especially in vacation rentals. It’s the latest trend!
Here are some tips to make the most of these promotional videos.
Photos are Good. Videos are Better.
It is almost criminal not to make use of technology when it is available to you for free. By making promotional videos of your vacation rental, you can get two steps ahead of your competitors who are still trying to catch the attention of...
Episode 045 – To Nest or Not to Nest: Controlling Your Guests’ Experience
SHOW NOTES & LESSONS
Forums are a Great Place to _____________.
A. Learn from other Hosts.
B. Bitch to and with other Hosts.
C. Learn from Guests' Experiences.
D. All the Above (Hint: This one!)
Nest is a great way to control your units when there's no one in them.
An AC unit works best when it's set no lower than 68 degrees. Under that and you're asking for trouble because that's when units will start to freeze up, which could potentially harm your unit.
What is the definition of Host?
What is the definition of Guest?
Be a gracious host and allow your Guests to be comfortable.
A locked thermostat screams, "I don't care if you are comfortable!"
Stop the Madness!!
- No more War and Peace sized Rules
- No chore lists for Guests (they're not your kids!)
- No "fixing" the washers and toilets so they use less water (unless they are BUILT that way, ie. Energy Efficient)
You only need a few rules. Here are mine:
01) No Smoking
02) No Pets
03) ...
Episode 044 – 5 Ways to Stay Ahead When the Competition Gets Tough
SHOW NOTES & LESSONS
5 Ways to Stay Ahead When the Competition Gets Tough
01) Back to Basics
Take a look at your Headline/Title of your Listing. Does it highlight your best feature?
What about your photos? Please, tell me you had them taken by a professional.
02) Know Your Competition
Use sites like AirDNA to keep an eye on your competition. What is their average room rate? What is their occupancy rate? Put a spy in their camp!
03) Don't Compete for Last Place!
You can't win the game of undercutting your competition, so don't even try to go there. Instead, be better and charge what you're worth. Use dynamic pricing tools like Wheelhouse to price your units.
04) Make Your Place SHINE!
Use a theme or and anti-theme to make your place stand out among the rest of your competition. Make certain your place looks amazing!
05) Go Above & Beyond in Service
Make certain that you offer something or do...
Episode 039 – Theme Your BNB to Add Value
SHOW NOTES & LESSONS
THEMES WE FOUND ON THE INTERNET:
Castles
Tree Houses
Safari
Honeymoon
Ocean
50 Shades of Gray
Rock n Roll/50's Diner/Sock Hop
70's/80's Themed
Roaring 20's/Speak Easy
Wine Cellar
Cruise Ships
Vegas
Farming/Sustainability
Eco-friendly
Futuristic
Space
Soda Parlor
Arcade
Circus
Carnival
Fun House/Magic
THEMES TO EXPAND ON:
Board Games: Candyland, Monopoly, Risk...
Video Games: Mario Bros., Pacman, Fortnite, Minecraft, Zelda...
Theme Parks: Disneyworld, Universal Studios, Six Flags, Sea World...
Western: Cowboys, Horses, Saloons, Westworld...
Books: The Hobbit, Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland...
Superheroes & Cartoon Heroes: Ninja Turtles, Batman, Ironman, & on & on...
Brands: Oreo, Coke, Pepsi, Starbucks...
Holidays: 4th of July, Christmas, Halloween...
WHAT BOOKS, PRODUCTS, SERVICES, OR LINKS WERE MENTIONED...
Please use our Affiliate Links whenever possible and help support the show. Thank you!
Recommended...
Episode 036 - The 23 Things You MUST HAVE in Your Short Term Rental (For Your Guests)
SHOW NOTES & LESSONS
For Safety and Security:
01) Emergency Contact Card (Contact Information Sent by Email, Text, and Posted Clearly)
02) Fire Extinguisher (Right by the Stove)
03) First Aid Kit
04) Smoke Detector
05) Carbon Monoxide Detector
For Guest Comfort and Overall Happiness:
06) Super-Fast Wifi (Password Sent by Email, Text, and Posted Clearly)
07) Comfortable Mattress (Consumer Reports #2 Rated is only about $500-$700)
08) Smart Television (Plus Cable, if High End)
09) Bluetooth Speakers
10) Charging Stations
11) Smart Locks for Easy Entry (For You as much as Guests)
12) Climate Control Directions (Keep Your Guests Comfy)
13) Coffee, Coffee Maker, Filters, and Cream/Sugar
14) Hair Dryer
15) Iron and Ironing Board
16) Washer and Dryer (a MUST for Long Stays or Active Locations)
17) House Rules, Contact Information, Check-in, and Check-out Times Clearly Posted
18) High-Quality WHITE Sheets and Towels
19) Spare Sets of Sheets and Towels
20) A...
Episode 016 - 7 Ways to Handle a Bad Review
Here is the book Michelle referenced in today's podcast. Note, these are Affiliate Links.
[00:01] Over the last two centuries, nearly 90 percent of the world's millionaires have created their wealth through real estate. Here to tell you how you can ride this wave with less risk and less capital while creating greater income, is your host, best selling author and speaker, Michelle Russell.
[00:21] Hi, this is Michelle, the master of money mindset and we're here with the short term rental revenue podcast and in today's podcast we're going to talk about how to handle a bad review. Yes, you knew it was coming, the bad review, and this is ladies and gentlemen, no matter what business you're in, you can have 100 five-star reviews and there's going to be somebody you cannot make happy and you're going to get a bad review. I'm sorry. It's just going to happen. Wherever people can leave reviews, there is that one person that has to leave a bad review and sometimes bad reviews are...
