Marketing at it’s least complicated requires understanding the true and simplistic definition of Content, just how little effort it requires and how truly effective it can be with just a few hours fun/work.
Shopping, for the most part, is not the chore it used to be. You no longer go store to store and listen to ill-informed sales people. You no don’t have to rely on travel agents who have gone store-to-store for you.
- Simply ask Google the question and become knowledgeable, in the comfort of your own home
- Pictures instill confidence that the purchase you make will live up to your expectations
- Finally, complete your “Due Diligence”:
- by reading reviews (long and short) on the prospective purchase, to assure yourself that it will not disappoint
- The aforementioned three steps will virtually eliminate “Cognitive Dissonance”
What you search for in every purchase is knowledge or Content.
The what, why, how and how much….. to help avoid a bad case of indigestion after (Cognitive Dissonance).
Content is the story you would tell a relative visiting from another continent. They would want to see the highlights of the city. Rather than holding a sign at the airport with your name or theirs, they would want to be able to immediately recognize you as they arrive on their very exciting adventure, so you’d include a picture to help spot you in the crowded airport terminal.
People renting from you also want to connect, so the significance of a very detailed, complete, compassionate yet casual PROFILE and picture of you and/or your family. Step outside yourself and be the buyer. This is what makes a great and very successful marketer (supplier of relevant knowledge and information)!
When Content is grammatically correct (use Grammarly to be sure) and well written…… so that it truly delivers value, it can never be too long. You can also never have enough good quality pictures (close-ups and extreme close-ups where possible) of the property and other fun things to do.
Once developed this can be used in every aspect of your online presence.
Content can be too short and likely why you are not selling as much as you could be. Never assume potential buyers know anything about you, your product (location) or the city/environment you are in.
MOST EFFECTIVE AND PERSUASIVE CONTENT:
To have the most effective and persuasive content, you must adopt the 2 imperative rules of every successful marketer, reverse roles and become your consumer.
- What interests you
- What would you like to know about traveling to your house, apartment or villa and city?
Write about these! If you do not feel confident that you are good enough on the keyboard, then tell the story to your iPhone recorder and simply listen and type it after.
If you are interested in it, then readers of your story are interested. Telling them the why’s and the wherefores about your location and the city and things to do and why your property is the best for……. so they will read on, especially when you sell the sizzle, and not the steak (benefits, not features).
After they have compared several properties in the same area and they are feeling good with pictures of your property and the things you suggested they could do, they have now come to respect you for your knowledge (full length and in-depth content) and they can now make a more informed decision. This is a win for you, as you want good renters, who will provide good reviews.
Be sure to headline what makes your location/property unique, and make it the key focal point for your content/story. This is summarized in your USP (Unique Selling Proposition), not a throwaway tagline, but rather a succinct sentence as to why “Buy Me”.
Spyglass House Costa Rica. The Million Dollar View.
SEASONALITY IS AN EXCUSE FOR LOSERS:
I was told by several businesses in Costa Rica there were only 3-4 peak selling months. WRONG! This success story proves that the word seasonality is nothing more than a self-fulfilling prophecy……. if you let it be. No longer turn to this as an excuse for poor sales, but rather find a way to make non-peak season weeks enticing for potential purchasers (who are not always looking for sun and heat).
People in Canada go Ice fishing and stay in Ice Hotels, so NO EXCUSES. Find a way to make what you feel may be less than optimal times interesting….. to those who are different from you. Use the web to search how others do this.
5X INCREASE……PROVEN!!! JUST THE FACTS:
Prior to our arrival at this property in August of 2014, for the previous 3 years, the rentals totaled a maximum of 10 on-season weeks per year and empty the rest, delivering about $10,000 in income.
Changing ONLY the content to what you see now, delivered 83% occupancy (or over 300 days per year), each and every year to May 2018, (year 4).
No discounting and maximum 2 weeks bookings.
You can do this too! The ONLY thing changed was the CONTENT (the copy/story/pictures).
This property was posted on both AIRBNB and HomeAway (prior to the laters acquisition, so annual fees were $600/year). Bookings come equally from both and renters from both have been high quality, with the exception of 2 last minute, short duration (4-day rentals).
The original copy was minimal and pictures were acceptable.
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/4631222
YOUR 12 POINT CONTENT CHECKLIST:
- People who read know little or nothing about your location, tell them!
- Discover your competitive framework:
- they are comparing you to staying in a hotel
- check out their sites for content and pricing
- you will now be confident in your pricing and value
- These are people who do not like to eat out every night (they prefer their own cooking or take out), so pictures of the kitchen and all of the features and outdoor cooking areas are important
- They are looking to save money/have a quality vacation where they feel comfortable
- Pictures say everything
- Feature local markets, times and prices, links to websites
- What do people who visit like to do? Cheat using Google if you are not much of a tourist asking the 5 best …… in several categories
- Make it sensual, selling the sizzle.
- NOT 3rd floor and we have elevators
- instead: just steps from the stairwell and a 1-minute walk out to the street
- NOT 3rd floor and we have elevators
- Weather networks are notoriously bad! My son considered visiting, but based on the weather network showing rain all of the time, he declined
- Do you know that in 3 years we were by the Pacific Ocean there were only 4 days we did not see the sun! So say it as I did, so such a negative is truned around and becomes a key influencer for you
- Highlight great places to chill and relax and why
- How close is the nearest or which is the best for…..
- supermarket
- golf course
- tennis courts
- Beach
- boat trips
- zip lining
- native animal sanctuaries?
- Do they need a car, or is public transport or will the taxi system serve them well and how safe is it?
- If you are in a condo or apartment, pictures from the street, and any of of the key features help. I rented a condo in Melbourne and Google street view showed how it was 2 minutes from the ocean. I was hooked!
- How far are you from the nearest airport?
Do this and you are sure to see increases from 10-500%, depending on where you are currently. At the most, this will take you 3-4 hours. At $100/ night for 300 nights, that is an incredible ROI (return on investment).
Now you are delivering value, so you do not need to lower your price if it is competitive. To learn the complete difference between price and value, check out the upcoming lesson learned.
marketing uncomplicated 
1 thought on “12 Steps to Grow Airbnb/Homeaway revenues 5 times or more!”