[Matt Landau]

Hey EBadia -- what do you think about the word “boutique” to describe what makes vacation rental companies great? Used in all of our marketing materials and in our day-to-day, could "boutique" successfully convey what makes vacation rental companies great in ways that other words (we've come up with) can not?

Side Note: For those of you who haven't listened, Evelyn and I are on a mission to define the word "professional." She rightly points out that it can seem constricting if you don't use it in the right context. We've got a huge discussion going trying to define "what makes a vacation rental professional?"on technical terms. But more broadly, I've always been unsatisfied with some of our industry’s terminology, feeling it divides more than it unites.

IDEA: “Boutique” has a niche and quality-centric perception in the general public: boutique hotels, artisan boutiques, perfume boutiques...etc. And a "boutique" vacation rental company is made up of the same family, local, specialized elements that make up our Theory of Limited Edition.

Further, "Boutique" is flexible: you could be new or old, located here/there, even big** or small and it conveys the same thing in the eyes of the guest: this company does vacation rental hospitality for a living and takes great pride in their craft.

**Size does matter, kinda. If someone who manages 100+ properties thinks “I don’t feel boutique” the truth is that they very likely are somewhere comfortably in between Vacasa (non-boutique) and scattered hobbyists of the world (ultra boutique). Moreover, if you are here on VRMB or any other professional vacation rental forums, your desire to learn and improve makes you boutique almost by default.

ACTION: Take the "boutique" marketing challenge!

1. For a test period of next 3 months add the word "boutique" into all of your marketing materials and liberally (like, repeatedly even on the same webpage or email template).
2. Cc' your entire team and have everyone on the look-out for the word "boutique" used in guest inquiries, phone conversations, or reviews
3. If you start to see it even a few times used in a positive light, you will know the messaging experiment has worked! If you don't see any effect (or worse, if you see any negative effects) then revert back to center.

Anyone up for the challenge?
Have you tried using the word 'boutique' already - how did it go?
Do you feel that 'boutique' doesn't describe you - please share?
Your thoughts?

 

[RuthM]

Thought provoking! Let me think on it. Boutique may just be the word (we didn’t know) we need!

 

[Debi]

I’ll give it a shot!

 

[Godfrey]

Someone else ascribed "Boutique" to us. We started to use the word and now we are one.

 

[HWeb]

I will think about it!

 

[jlynnmoscrip]

Interesting! I think this could be well leveraged with some of our smaller clients who are looking to differentiate themselves from larger competitors. The special care they take w/ owners and guests truly is a boutique experience.

 

[JoanneL]

Have been already doing that as it also conveys the word "independent" and local!

 

[JanS]

Speaking as one of the leaders of our county-wide owners’ group: the word Boutique would probably not be accepted well here. We are a community of islands with a healthy number of residents and large numbers of tourists. Wealth disparity is currently a very real and emotional issue. If started using Boutique, locals would be all over us. To them, it sounds exclusive and high-end (i.e. for wealthy tourists only).

However, that is a location-specific issue. I love the idea of an industry-wide descriptor!

I am currently traveling in Mexico, and am reminded yet again of the difference between traditional lodging and professional short term rentals. My first two small, family-run rentals have not communicated with me at all: didn’t confirm my reservation, give me check-in or check-out times, directions…nothing.

When I compare that to the communication I build with my guests, I do think we need something to set us apart.

I’ve always liked the ‘Slow’ designation. Slow Food - Slow Stays?

Jan

 

[JanS]

Have been already doing that as it also conveys the word "independent" and local!

Really like ‘independent’ and ‘local’!

 

[StacyW]

We have been mulling over this idea for about a year. We don't really have the desire to have 200 homes or be large. We like the 75-85 range and it works well for us. I get caught up in the details of it which is why we haven't jumped into it.

To me a boutique is that cute clothing store, or quaint book store. We have a lot of homes that are older and aren't fancy or cute, they rent well because they have hot tubs and fireplaces which is what people look for in our area. I feel like I need to reframe the definition of what boutique means to us. Does it mean, clean? cared for? all the amenities, like free access to local pool? a/c? I think we need to figure out what it means to us and make sure all of our inventory matches it or move them out or get them to match what we want. We have two big companies in our area trying to crush the 5 other smaller companies in an area that only has about 1800 homes or condos.

I do feel this is where I am lead to go. I feel I can compete with the Vacasa's by saying our rate is higher because we do all of this..... we aren't the big box store of vacation rentals.

 

[Robin]

I am more in the same camp as StacyW. To me, Boutique describes something cute and quaint, and homely. At Moving Mountains, we are friendly, professional, approachable, not uptight like some in the luxury lodging sector (hotels and resorts mostly). Boutique, implying cute and quaint has a musty feel to it that doesn't make the cut for us.

What kind of car is boutique? What kind of color is boutique. My answers don't feel like "us".

 

[Matt Landau]

I am more in the same camp as StacyW. To me, Boutique describes something cute and quaint, and homely. At Moving Mountains, we are friendly, professional, approachable, not uptight like some in the luxury lodging sector (hotels and resorts mostly). Boutique, implying cute and quaint has a musty feel to it that doesn't make the cut for us.

What kind of car is boutique? What kind of color is boutique. My answers don't feel like "us".

For what it’s worth, if I was to describe your company (after visiting) to anyone, I’d describe it as the most boutique hotel style vacation rental management company in the world. That’s just how I wield the word.

 

[SScurlock]

Anyone up for the challenge?
Have you tried using the word 'boutique' already - how did it go?
Do you feel that 'boutique' doesn't describe you - please share?
Your thoughts?

Matt Landau Reading your comparison of the manager with 100 properties as being between Vacasa and boutique made sense. I have never thought of my farm stay homes as boutique, but I do consider them to be Limited Edition home. I will give it a try! It will be interesting to see how prospective guests view the the farm and homes as boutique!

 

[Will Franco]

When I go boutique, I expect luxury and red velvet curtains with gold trim. Reserved for a romantic getaway. This should be a consideration related to international travelers. That being said, what comes next in terms of title, blurred and photos will instantly overcome the word aversion. It comes down to framing and how the word can be leveraged as a component of the overall brand.

 

[JanS]

I am more in the same camp as StacyW. To me, Boutique describes something cute and quaint, and homely. At Moving Mountains, we are friendly, professional, approachable, not uptight like some in the luxury lodging sector (hotels and resorts mostly). Boutique, implying cute and quaint has a musty feel to it that doesn't make the cut for us.

What kind of car is boutique? What kind of color is boutique. My answers don't feel like "us".

Yes, the same for my location. Am thinking it will be tough to have one way to describe the many faces of our hosting community.

 

[MichaelJ]

When I go boutique, I expect luxury and red velvet curtains with gold trim. Reserved for a romantic getaway. This should be a consideration related to international travelers.

Will Franco, interestingly enough that is why I've been reluctant to use the term Boutique for outbound marketing.

We have however constantly used the term to describe our company to potential new owners because of our size (38 properties under management currently) and commitment to guest and owner experience (10 full time employees now plus myself and my wife). We have a very high ratio of employees to properties and many of our owners when asked will say "Michael and Debbie treat our property like it was their own".

What I should be doing is letting guests know we are "Independent and Local" as an operator.

 

[Karla]

“Boutique” is an interesting word and although I’ve never before used the word itself to describe my VR business I’m glad that word surfaced in our community. I intuited long ago that the boutique concept held considerable potential, power and purpose

Off the top of my head what does boutique mean to me? I’ll give it a go and say:

* small
* one of a kind
* specialized
* customized
* independent
* local
* thoughtful
* detailed
* creative
* personal

Take note that I deliberately decided not to look at how other people responded to this question. There is undoubtedly a multitude of responses by now and it will definitely be interesting to read what others have written but I wanted no “outside influences” as I consider the “identity” of Tropical Blessings, inextricably related to my identity as owner who has since adopted the title of “Curator of Special Experiences.”

It’s all relative so I “suppose” a company that manages 100 (random number) properties can legitimately employ the word “boutique” but as the single owner of a single property I have no qualms about staking claim to that word and anyone else is free to do (or not do) whatever they want with it. A boutique accommodation must be a wonderful place to stay and to date Tropical Blessings fits that bill for all who settle themselves in there for a vacation.

What do I most want to happen for people who stay at Tropical Blessings? A happy experience every day. Now and then “happy” isn’t possible for somebody for any number of reasons. If that’s the case, “comfortable” and “”comforted” will have to suffice, two factors that I have tried to establish as “built in,” no matter what anyone’s personal life experience might be like at the time.

Occasionally people choose to simply “stay in” at Tropical Blessings and pretty much not go out anywhere despite usually ideal weather, spectacular beaches, fascinating sugar mill ruins, great National Park hiking trails, excellent restaurants, and more. There’s no shortage of “things to do” on St. John but sometimes people prefer to “do nothing,” choose to get work done in a peaceful environment or they simply need a personal “time out “where they’re left undisturbed.

Tropical Blessings has that most desirable vibe of “home” so it’s a great place to “just be.” It can be great to take off for the day but equally great to know that you’ll later coming be back to a place where you already know you like.

A good vacation is usually compromised of moments that cascade upon one another and result in a memorable experience that won’t be forgotten, so much so that a good number of people choose to repeat the experience even though “next time” will never duplicate “last time,” especially since I incorporate the element of surprise into experiences. I used to tell myself “There’s no way you could possibly dream up something else.” I proven myself wrong about that time and again. Some new idea always pops up without fail and I find myself saying, “I can’t believe I didn’t think of that before.”

Just as myself and my place both have a boutique identity each room also now has an identity and that room identity has to do with the power of color, the walls of the rooms are not white, they’re pastel colors. Years ago I named one room “the blue room” and another “the peach room.” The master bedroom suite is a soft warm yellow and I haven’t yet given that room a “color identity” name, the jury is still out about that. I continue to mull over that matter and possibly color might end up being not applicable. Anything like “The Presidential Suite” is out of the question. I choose to include an element of “luxury” at Tropical Blessings but I do not want to suggest “pompous.” False grandiosity which would undermines the subtle underlying theme of “down to earth” which is threaded throughout the all encompassing identity of Tropical Blessings. Despite the fact that the interior of Tropical Blessings definitely strikes people as laid back I am unquestionably committed to maintaining “high standards” of quality as they are commonly understood.

Suddenly “blue” and “peach” struck me as NOT “tropical” as names for rooms so blue became aqua and peach became coral. Long after that the imagination trigger of romance got pulled and the Aqua Serenity Room and the “Coral Dreams Room” now exist. Those room identities lure people into my “boutique” place. Rooms with colorful names evoke the ambiance of a boutique place and ambiance is part of what makes boutique, well simply boutique.

Boutique is definitely part of Limited Edition and although I could undoubtedly substitute any number of other words for boutique, since we’re on the cusp of Valentine’s Day I’ll remind people that “A rose by any other name smells just as sweet” and I love doing sweet! Defining boutique is a hard as defining what makes for a vacation rental professional. Whether boutique or professional, Hello to the million dollar question!

Somehow “story” is intertwined with “boutique.” My own St. John story spans 35 years which strengthens my credibility and invites trust. However, my own story is only the backdrop for your story, it’s all about you, not me.

How do these stories begin? Conversation and dialogue ignite the all of it, the boutique experience in the boutique place. I am definitely interested in who you are and what you want. I rarely meet guests in person but friendships end up falling into place. The craziest nicknames happen, sometimes given by me but more often chosen by the guest.

My Cloud Nine Cousin will always remember each other as such.

Chef Dave of course loves to cook and although I was embarrassed to overlook a knife sharpener in my superlatively equipped question. Chef Dave was kind enough to mail a knife sharpener to me.

My Buddy from the Burgh seemed to emerge from nowhere. My phone rang rang one afternoon over two years ago. A well seasoned traveler, Steve was entirely frustrated. He was getting bumped around by Covid. After destination #3 or #4 took an irreversible crash the Turks and Caicos finally looked like a destination that came with a guarantee but gosh darn it, once again Covid interfered, so much for the Turks and Caicos.

Steve had never been to St. John and as I described Tropical Blessings to him he piped up and said “That’s as easy sell.” I assured him he had just voiced an entirely reasonable idea but added “I’m not trying to sell, I’m trying to tell.” Steve indeed came to St. John, has since returned innumerable times and it’s now his favorite island. Periodic e-mails from my Buddy in the Burgh are always fun to read and I suspect our paths will eventually cross.

Go figure, one day a mystery box arrived on my doorstep in Maine from Bill, a guest from Alabama. There was a sprig of cotton inside from Bill’s cotton fields, some pecan logs, and all sorts of other goodies including a jar of pickled “Dude Eggs,” a local delicacy that Bill had continually raved about.

I truly have fun with my guests, they appreciate my boutique place. I never expect friendships to form with these people but often they do. Danielle and I have recently been exchanging enjoyable e-mails and in one I had reason to describe myself as a “Stubborn Swede.” Danielle sent me a photo of her parking spot at home and there was the sign: “Swedes Only.” I didn’t even know we had a Swedish connection but, needless to say, I couldn’t stop laughing.

i was delighted yesterday when a couple booked Tropical Blessings for 21 nights in December when my nightly rate is at its annual high (including an increase.) The couple who has “been to St. John dozens of times” will enjoy Tropical Blessings all to themselves for two weeks, the children and grandchildren later visit for one week. thought to myself, “My goodness, 3BR/3BA for 3 weeks at the most expensive time of the year when only two people will be staying for most of time?!?”
Well, that’s what sometimes happens when you have a boutique place.

You might be wondering if I’m successful and make a profit, two additional words for the Million Dollar Question Department. I’m happy to report that my bank account has more funds in it than ever before.

i work hard and enjoy it but definitely look forward to streamlining my time in specific ways, ways which will definitely reduce work hours but will also add additional benefits to my business that I’m very excited about. Nonetheless I’m never going to compromise my boutique identity with template communications to guests, nor will I try to automate everything at Tropical Blessings, a distinctly boutique place,

Cheers to all with every best wish for success with your boutique place!

 

[Matt Landau]

Another copywriting technique comes to mind when trying to communicate who we are and what we do. Sometimes, a great way to do that is by simply saying "We are NOT the Marriott" or "We are NOT your big box generic vacation rental company" or "We are NOT (whatever is opposite to you)."

There's a certain bluntness to this style of verbiage. Gets fewer reads but more quality engagements.

You may notice that I actually do this on the homepage of VRMB -- we do not teach how to get rich off Airbnb or become fully booked in 60 days: there are plenty of other sites that (purport to) do that.

 

[Matt Landau]

"Independent and Local" as an operator.

This is the essence of Limited Edition 2.0: https://community.vrmb.com/resources/theory-of-limited-edition.128/

 

[Sherry]

Karla, you’re my girl! That’s the same thought process behind our villa Mais Oui and similar boutique concept. One of our tag lines depending on where we are using it is curator of memorable experiences. And you are so right about “luxury”. We do not want anything that would be considered glitz or glam, nothing that you would see like at a hotel like Trump Plaza. Luxury for us is about the service - which isn’t about glam. It goes without saying that we have high quality furnishings, not to be “showy” but to provide a great experience for our guests. Love your post!

Re the word boutique, I hope it doesn’t become too popular and then lose its meaning and become overused like the word “luxury”. Boutique for me is basically unique, special, one of a kind … limited edition.

 

[TomG]

We are giving "boutique" a try on our website and guest communications. I have been using "limited edition" with prospective owners and I like that phrase because it is usually followed by a question--"what do you mean by limited edition?" It also allows me to elaborate and explain even without a question--"and by limited edition, I mean family owned and local committed to a specialized market and offering surprise and delight for our guests and owners." As we add "boutique" to our website and messaging, we will track alignment and understanding of that word and concept. Since it is supplemental to our content, it will be easy to add as an adjective here and there. I also realize that we will need to fulfill that boutique promise with exceptional and personalized service and attention to the exchange between us and our guests and owners---and make sure that our houses represent that term as well.

 

[Matt Landau]

We are giving "boutique" a try on our website and guest communications. I have been using "limited edition" with prospective owners and I like that phrase because it is usually followed by a question--"what do you mean by limited edition?" It also allows me to elaborate and explain even without a question--"and by limited edition, I mean family owned and local committed to a specialized market and offering surprise and delight for our guests and owners." As we add "boutique" to our website and messaging, we will track alignment and understanding of that word and concept. Since it is supplemental to our content, it will be easy to add as an adjective here and there. I also realize that we will need to fulfill that boutique promise with exceptional and personalized service and attention to the exchange between us and our guests and owners---and make sure that our houses represent that term as well.

Tom, This post makes me extremely excited! I have shared this anecdote a few times, but upon paying a very expensive copywriter for one hour of their time, the single best tip which ended up being supremely effective, was also the simplest: use the word or phrase that you are trying to convey multiple times in the same sentence, paragraph, or webpage. This feels unnatural, because we assume people read every word (like “dude, why do you keep repeating the same word“) But with my experiments it seems to have worked. Look forward to hearing updates!

 

[Karla]

Karla, you’re my girl! That’s the same thought process behind our villa Mais Oui and similar boutique concept. One of our tag lines depending on where we are using it is curator of memorable experiences. And you are so right about “luxury”. We do not want anything that would be considered glitz or glam, nothing that you would see like at a hotel like Trump Plaza. Luxury for us is about the service - which isn’t about glam. It goes without saying that we have high quality furnishings, not to be “showy” but to provide a great experience for our guests. Love your post!

Re the word boutique, I hope it doesn’t become too popular and then lose its meaning and become overused like the word “luxury”. Boutique for me is basically unique, special, one of a kind … limited edition.

Sherry I hear you about the word “boutique” possibly becoming too popular and overused. In fact I’m now actually leaning against making use of the word boutique. Sometimes well done is better than well said. I definitely DO boutique but I believe I convey that very well without employing use of the word itself. It’s lovely to year from you, I never told you so but I’m a definite fan of yours!! I admire the way you think and your hospitality approach is stellar standout, you’re my girl too!!

 

[CCapalbo]

I have started to use boutique on my website.

 

[LMejias]

Hey EBadia -- what do you think about the word “boutique” to describe what makes vacation rental companies great? Used in all of our marketing materials and in our day-to-day, could "boutique" successfully convey what makes vacation rental companies great in ways that other words (we've come up with) can not?

Side Note: For those of you who haven't listened, Evelyn and I are on a mission to define the word "professional." She rightly points out that it can seem constricting if you don't use it in the right context. We've got a huge discussion going trying to define "what makes a vacation rental professional?"on technical terms. But more broadly, I've always been unsatisfied with some of our industry’s terminology, feeling it divides more than it unites.

IDEA: “Boutique” has a niche and quality-centric perception in the general public: boutique hotels, artisan boutiques, perfume boutiques...etc. And a "boutique" vacation rental company is made up of the same family, local, specialized elements that make up our Theory of Limited Edition.

Further, "Boutique" is flexible: you could be new or old, located here/there, even big** or small and it conveys the same thing in the eyes of the guest: this company does vacation rental hospitality for a living and takes great pride in their craft.

**Size does matter, kinda. If someone who manages 100+ properties thinks “I don’t feel boutique” the truth is that they very likely are somewhere comfortably in between Vacasa (non-boutique) and scattered hobbyists of the world (ultra boutique). Moreover, if you are here on VRMB or any other professional vacation rental forums, your desire to learn and improve makes you boutique almost by default.

ACTION: Take the "boutique" marketing challenge!

1. For a test period of next 3 months add the word "boutique" into all of your marketing materials and liberally (like, repeatedly even on the same webpage or email template).
2. Cc' your entire team and have everyone on the look-out for the word "boutique" used in guest inquiries, phone conversations, or reviews
3. If you start to see it even a few times used in a positive light, you will know the messaging experiment has worked! If you don't see any effect (or worse, if you see any negative effects) then revert back to center.

Anyone up for the challenge?
Have you tried using the word 'boutique' already - how did it go?
Do you feel that 'boutique' doesn't describe you - please share?
Your thoughts?

We deliberately avoid the term Boutique.

Why? Because everything is boutique nowadays.... Certain small or mediocre (or both) hotels use it in order to gain prestige. In our location, there's an quite a few number of boutique hotels, while none are really.

Think about it, there's not an international certification who assures a certain "boutique quality" on the accommodation. So it is never a label. Chic, small luxury hotels are other terms used...

Grupo Habita, a Mexican niche hotels developers, never use it. And yet, there is always innovative on every hotel they open. They are the reference on design hotels in Latin America.

But I do like your "limited edition" approach!

 

[Will Franco]

We are giving "boutique" a try on our website and guest communications.

LOVE IT!!!! Always be testing 🙂

 

[Toby]

I am currently taking this challenge with boutique in the description of all my homes (4). It feels like a word that is recognized as special but not yet overused. Here goes…

 

[ToonTownRob]

The challenge with the word “boutique” is that in using it you will invoke whatever pre-existing associations your reader already has with it. That is a double-edged sword which may or may not be a good thing. It’s very hard to control.

There could also already be a groundswell of accepted understanding for the term (indeed any term) that you want to avoid. For example; the way the word “cozy” has become buzz speak for ‘small’ in real estate descriptions.

That example illustrates an important issue one must assess prior to embarking on an experiment with something that could define your business for a few years.

There can be no doubt that In many cases one can control or even define for themselves what the definition of a referential term means. You could define for yourself what boutique means, and if it’s a particular definition you’re comfortable with and benefits you, then why not?

But keep in mind…

While the use of the term “cozy” by a real estate agent may bring with it a defined meaning for the term, it could just as equally bring with it a definition of the type of person who uses the term. In this example, a real estate agent may define themselves as someone who uses ‘dishonest language’… prose full of euphemisms instead of simply being honest and straightforward about what is on offer. It’s ‘small’ rather than ‘cozy’.

Usage of the term defines what type of real estate agent the writer is, and for many whether or not they are best to be avoided.

In my adult business life I have been around long enough to recognize that there are always those great at promoting and positioning themselves and what they do, and exceptional at courting media and other’s attention - they always tell a great story. They’re always being talked about, often in their own creative terms. One has to admire their ability to control the narrative.

Then there are others who simply ‘do’… like the mythological cowboy they let their actions do all their ‘talkin’. I have far more respect for the latter. And understand that they are the ones far more likely to still be around, successfully doing what they do five years from now.

In sorting out who is who, one learns to recognize the traits of the ‘talkers’ just as easily as the ‘walkers’. And one of the defining attributes (at least for me) is use of certain terms… like ‘boutique’.

Far better to define yourself as you want to be, and live that definition so strongly that others come to use it to define you… as a result of how you build out your own brand and business (even it it is ‘boutique’), than to claim it when you’re not, or give people an impression you never wanted them to have in the first place.

 

[Sallie]

Another copywriting technique comes to mind when trying to communicate who we are and what we do. Sometimes, a great way to do that is by simply saying "We are NOT the Marriott" or "We are NOT your big box generic vacation rental company" or "We are NOT (whatever is opposite to you)."

I've used this exact approach for a small Caribbean island, saying something like "If you need gleaming marble, white tablecloth restaurants and booming nightclubs, you'll be much happier elsewhere. But if you're seeking ... "

 

[Dawn]

Hey EBadia -- what do you think about the word “boutique” to describe what makes vacation rental companies great? Used in all of our marketing materials and in our day-to-day, could "boutique" successfully convey what makes vacation rental companies great in ways that other words (we've come up with) can not?

Side Note: For those of you who haven't listened, Evelyn and I are on a mission to define the word "professional." She rightly points out that it can seem constricting if you don't use it in the right context. We've got a huge discussion going trying to define "what makes a vacation rental professional?"on technical terms. But more broadly, I've always been unsatisfied with some of our industry’s terminology, feeling it divides more than it unites.

IDEA: “Boutique” has a niche and quality-centric perception in the general public: boutique hotels, artisan boutiques, perfume boutiques...etc. And a "boutique" vacation rental company is made up of the same family, local, specialized elements that make up our Theory of Limited Edition.

Further, "Boutique" is flexible: you could be new or old, located here/there, even big** or small and it conveys the same thing in the eyes of the guest: this company does vacation rental hospitality for a living and takes great pride in their craft.

**Size does matter, kinda. If someone who manages 100+ properties thinks “I don’t feel boutique” the truth is that they very likely are somewhere comfortably in between Vacasa (non-boutique) and scattered hobbyists of the world (ultra boutique). Moreover, if you are here on VRMB or any other professional vacation rental forums, your desire to learn and improve makes you boutique almost by default.

ACTION: Take the "boutique" marketing challenge!

1. For a test period of next 3 months add the word "boutique" into all of your marketing materials and liberally (like, repeatedly even on the same webpage or email template).
2. Cc' your entire team and have everyone on the look-out for the word "boutique" used in guest inquiries, phone conversations, or reviews
3. If you start to see it even a few times used in a positive light, you will know the messaging experiment has worked! If you don't see any effect (or worse, if you see any negative effects) then revert back to center.

Anyone up for the challenge?
Have you tried using the word 'boutique' already - how did it go?
Do you feel that 'boutique' doesn't describe you - please share?
Your thoughts?

That's an interesting idea. I think of RedSpiralHand as a "Boutique wordpress web development & marketing service" that caters to vacation rental businesses. "Boutique" because we customize the experience and projects for each client's individual needs.

 

[AFirmani]

We are getting ready to move into a new market (Austin) and looking for a few inspiring tricks... love this and "limited edition" ... I will add both as we move along and see what happens. Fabulous ideas!

 

[Debi]

I added the word "boutique" to my listing title on Airbnb when this thread first came out. My summer is filled. However, Airbnb has recently ELIMINATED titles in their listing search. I understand this is a new AI standard for them. Now, when searching you will see "cottage in Seal Rock", "apartment in Palm Beach", "room in Kansas City". Hosts are furious and experiencing lower booking rates.