Lets Guide

Photography – For many guests this is what makes the most impact

Review your photos and challenge yourself to see the images as a potential guest.

• Are the images clear and loading correctly on your listing or website?
• Choose quality over quantity, but always show the entire property to ensure the potential guest has seen enough for them to consider whether this is the right place for their next staycation.
• Add interest and show-off the property’s features, is it the outdoor space? A wood burning stove lit with a roaring fire? The interior design? – include  close ups on the décor or is it simply the sea view?
• Professional photography is the greatest investment when marketing your holiday home. Book in the professionals to ensure you can capture your holiday home in the best light and angles that capture the mood and space of the property.
• Ask your family and friends for their honest feedback on the photos. You could even review photos on other property listings that catch your eye and see if you could provide similar images.
• Where possible, provide items to theme your holiday home for the photoshoot. Maybe it’s colourful vegetables being cut up on a chopping board in the kitchen or a glass of prosecco or two on the bistro table. This helps guests emotionally connect with staying at your holiday home.

Description – It’s all in the detail

• Check through your listings description for spelling and grammar mistakes.
• Set the scene. Inspire guests by writing a description as if they were staying there e.g. after a long day on the beach, freshen up in the family bathrooms’ walk in shower with rainfall head.
• Avoid using adjectives, it may be a ‘beautiful view of the countryside’ to you, but it’s best to describe your holiday home factually i.e ‘with rural countryside views from the living area’ to avoid feedback from guests who may not feel the same.
• Avoid sharing too much detail on the furniture, should you need to update any pieces, it’s best to leave the details out, to prevent guests picking this out in their feedback. You may have a LG Smart TV now, but you might need to nip out during a changeover to buy a Samsung Smart TV when the TV suddenly has a fault. Simply putting ‘Smart TV’ will provide the guest with the details they need.
• Provide the top features in a clear list, guests will be able to spot the features that showcase your property at a glance. Allowing them to get the details they need to proceed to book.

Property notes – Quirks and all

• Your apartment may have sea views, but it’s best to mention on the listing that to reach the front door they must climb 32 steps.
• Parking dimensions, cars are getting bigger each year. so it’s important to provide details on the length and width of the parking space. If the space is enclosed, include the height. Families pack a lot and may use a roof box to transport their luggage – the last thing you want is a disgruntled guest damaging their vehicle before they’ve even walked through the door. It’s also important to advise the guest at this point if the parking is on site or provided in a nearby car park with use of a permit.
• Above all, be honest and clear. Tell the guest everything they need to know including the quirks, leaving no surprises. This manages their expectations. You’ll be thanking yourself for this if you receive negative feedback on the property quirks and the guests calls on arrival to complain or ask to be moved.

Location – Where and what is around?

• Share details on amenities but do not name businesses in your listing, who knows when ‘Sally’s Village Shop’ may unexpectedly close.
• Include an screenshot of a map or better still add an interactive Google map, pinpointing the property to your listing or website.
• Include distance to local hot spots, i.e 1.5miles from St Ives. This can help guests understand their proximity to places they may wish to visit and help properties that sit outside of these areas to achieve more bookings.
• Do not provide specific time or descriptive words for distance e.g ‘enjoy the short walk from The Lodge to the pub’ (which is actually, 5 miles down the road!). A distance may take you 10 minutes to walk, although it may take a family with a toddler MUCH longer.

We hope that this guide helps you to showcase your holiday home to potential guests and boost your bookings further.

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