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...
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...
UPDATED: March 14, 2024
This past week Miami came out with the following commercial to dissuade partiers from choosing it for their Spring Break shenanigans. It was a brilliant example of the "Why our destination is NOT for you" messaging we've explored before...
****
"7 Reasons Casco Viejo...
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...
I use the term "lifestyle brand" to describe a vacation rental business whose marketing leads not with the property, but the vibes (or lifestyle) guests experience when staying there. You can immediately feel a lifestyle vacation rental brand when you come in contact with it.
For instance...