marketing

One of the big shifts I've made over the last year is in recognizing creativity is THE muscle all homerunners need to start exercising more consistently and pronto -- said another way, it is the LACK of outside-the-box thinking that gets even the most innovative companies stuck in their...

OLD BAY is a limited edition brand that we can emulate. It is valuable, it is authentic, and it is niche! What started as a family-owned, locally-headquartered, and specialized spice eventually got acquired in 1990 by McCormick Spice Company (adding to its portfolio alongside brands like...

An annual distillation of patterns to keep an eye on as you grow your vacation rental business into 2023 and beyond.

I recently came across this quote (above) and realized how many of the most successful vacation rental pros I know are masters of leverage AND how many of the most knowledgable vacation rental pros I know could use leverage in fun new ways to thrive (however they may define that). So I wanted...

This week’s discussion all about niche marketing ideas comes directly from the golf course! @CJ sent me the following photo of a vacation rental owner who scatters golf balls with contact information around the backyard of his golf course-front vacation home in Georgia. This is a cheap...

Lately I've found myself especially drawn to hotel and vacation rental photography that uses props or staged items to evoke a warm, welcoming scene or aspirational vignette. With our exploration of "first mover" marketing plays, I have to think staged photography is right up there at the top of...

Storm Watching is a creative marketing strategy by the destination of Tofino on Vancouver Island in British Columbia...turning lemons into lemonade...taking a low season and turning it into something new and aspirational. Stoke the fire, pull a chair up to the window, and snuggle into a down...

What do Japanese whiskey, oysters at a hardware store, and limited edition basketball jerseys have in common? We'll get to that in a moment... This week I had the chance to see many of you (@Megan C @MichelleR @Matthew @BrianO @BlakeM @AndyM @Nars @StacyW @GregoryF) at the NWVRP Conference in...

From last week's discussion about marketing the word "boutique" (which has evolved like a beautiful living document 🌱) I was inspired to share a lesson I learned from a $795/hour copywriter. Tell ‘Em What You’re Going To Tell ‘Em Next, Tell ‘Em Next, Tell ‘Em What You Told ‘Em OK so this isn't...

Most owners and managers respond to the same inquiries and questions frequently. And the more advanced folks use automation such as canned messages and auto-responders. But very rarely do we realize that not all guests are equal, and that responding in the same way to everyone is actually...

IDEA Some marketing activities -- like listing sites and email newsletters -- are common. But other activities that generate equal (if not BETTER) results are far less obvious. I spent the last week with over 500 vacation rental virtuosos at the Streamline Summit in Scottsdale, AZ. And one of...

Disclaimer: This may sound stupid simple but it really works. I recommend you try. IDEA To solve a fellow VRMB Community member's very important messaging question, we recently spent $700 for one hour with a copywriting consultant. Yes, this is a huge amount of money. But I had been following...

Only after publishing this week's Unlocked Interview with Eric Broughton of InhabitIQ -- who is buying up various property management software companies -- have I (finally) come to (fully) understand the (irreversible) way our cottage industry is evolving: Starts out fragmented = large number...

I was out to dinner at Marcus Samuelsson's restaurant Red Rooster last week. (Yes, the same restaurant that was featured in "10 Oxtails.") Trying to decide on an adult beverage. When the waitress suggested a wine I had never heard of before. "So two sisters, separated at birth, one raised in...

With shrinking margins becoming a real concern (it seems like every new service takes a piece of the pie) owners and managers can compensate by either increasing profit or decreasing costs. This post is about decreasing costs in the form of a "profit center" -- a strategic way to leverage...

This week's tip is inspired by our interview with @ambercarpenter of DemandIQ (full interview below). It is aimed at anyone who has a website and a basic property management software. "Unconstrained demand" is the traveler demand for your vacation rental property(s) without the constraints of...

Our special industry deserves it's own special metrics (and vocabulary). “We cannot improve what we cannot measure," is a popular small business mantra because it gives everyone on the team common metrics or benchmarks to measure. Occupancy, revenue per property, profit per property…etc...

@BobG and his husband, Ian, have built their Casal dei Fichi into a powerhouse of repeat bookings, positive environmental action and the profitability needed to achieve a fun, balanced lifestyle. In this episode Matt and Bob dig into the how's and why's, and explore a 'two loops model' for...

Have you ever discovered a food or artist or product or service or website that changed your life? Something you tried and then pretty much can't ever go back? For me, here are some recent ones: Breville espresso machine (I may not ever again pay $5 for an espresso) Inflatable exercise ball...

I've organized the traits into categories so you can go through like a checklist. And if you would like any further information, please just jump into the thread on VRMB Communities here. Note: Profitability does not discriminate. Whether you own one property or manage 1,000, these should all...

This week's tip is about direct relationships with your guests and removing intermediaries that dilute enthusiasm and loyalty. A combination of Listing Site Independence and the Theory of Limited Edition. If you are a creator — say an artist, musician, author — and you can get 1000 “true...

As the worst year ever winds to a close, some vacation rental professionals find themselves in surprisingly good situations whereas others are still completely stuck due to travel restrictions. This applies to both vacation rental managers (VRMs) who manage other peoples' properties AND "RBOs"...

Last week we talked about the actives that generate the most profit for vacation rental entrepreneurs. If you haven’t checked back recently, this thread has become filled with some really brilliant new perspectives. And this week we turn focus to guests in asking, “how do we cultivate moments...

I am currently visiting @Godfrey in Sun Valley, Idaho where the supply of vacation rental properties is so limited (and the demand for this destination so great) that property owners and managers need to be extra intentional about how they spend their time. To a degree, I think this focus is...

IDEA Last weekend, I met a woman who rents out the studio above her garage and despite having ZERO other marketing, this woman is so insanely dialed in. There are no better words to describe the professionalism of an owner or manager than being 'dialed in.' The level of thought this woman...