I’m not a fan of OTAs, like expedia.com and booking.com. And “not a fan” is putting it mildly.
I’m conflicted about listing sites, like vrbo.com and airbnb.com, because I do see that they have some value to the vacation rental manager and owner. But I mostly see them as greedy little bastards with their hands out for the hard-earned dollars of local business owners.
Mostly, I’m just suspicious of any website that’s going to take money out of the hands of vacation rental owners and managers. They work too damn hard for too many hours and put up with too much crap to lose even a dime of what they have coming to them.
Years in the Making
Vacation rental owners and managers spend years building their businesses. These businesses are their lifeblood and their livelihood. Most have deep, deep roots in their communities. Some are generations deep.
Their guests come to them because they’re a known and trusted quantity. They may rent the same house year after year. It becomes like going to visit friends. Property managers and owners sometimes get to see their families grow up.
Local property managers and owners know the best coffee shops. The best place to get homemade fudge. The best off-the-beaten-path locals restaurants with good, cheap(er) food. The best dog park. You get the picture.
Property owners and managers have served their niche well for years. They’ve catered to a small group of people who prefer homey accommodations to cookie-cutter hotel rooms.
And Then the Invasion
And then the online travel agents and listing sites “found” a new market and took the opportunity to break into it.
And they have forever changed how property management companies conduct their business. They have created a hotel experience in a private home. And tried to force everyone to follow their model or be left out in the cold.
With their virtually unlimited marketing budgets, the OTAs and listing sites are all over the first page of Google. Just for grins, I googled “san diego vacation rentals”. Of the top 10 results, only 1 was an independent vacation rental company.
Admittedly, other locations may have a larger number of “home-grown” results. But the fact remains that the OTAs and listing sites have far more influence over the industry than this writer feels they should.
And because they could afford to market their way to the top of the search engines, guests started booking with them instead of the local property management companies.
There were exceptions, of course. The decades-long relationships probably didn’t change. But the newcomers to vacation areas, with no prior loyalties, found the OTAs and listing sites first, so they gave them their money.
Resistance is NOT Futile
It is difficult, but not impossible,to compete.
This is just one person’s opinion, but I believe it is very important to invest in your own brand.
I know that owners expect their listing to appear on more than one channel, but I hope you’re keeping most of your marketing budget for promoting your company and inching your way up Google’s results page.
With a good marketing strategy, some great content and a consistent posting schedule, you can move up in the search results.
Here’s another opinion - please mind your Facebook reviews!!! I can’t stress this enough.
I have read downright cringe-worthy reviews from angry guests and you know the the worst part? There is no response from the vacation rental owner or manager! You have to respond to all your reviews, not just the good ones.
And I don’t mean a generic “We’re so sorry you felt that the home wasn’t property cleaned. We have informed our housekeeping staff to be more diligent. We hope to see you again.” NO! Write something personal that really shows that you get why they’re upset and what you want to do to make it up to them, if you can.
You’ve Got More to Offer
And here’s the other reason I hope you’re investing heavily in your own brand.
Because you are not marketing the same product as the OTAs and the listing sites. You’re offering so much more.
You offer your years of experience in this field. Your perhaps generations-deep knowledge of and love for your area.
You offer your on-site management. A complete infrastructure literally ready and waiting to take care of your guests, 24/7.
You offer the advantage of having experienced all there is to experience in your area and being able to offer your first-hand impressions. You know where to eat, which location is the least crowded, which attraction is worth the money and maybe most of all, that incredible little out of the way place that the tourist books don’t mention because they don’t even know about it.
Look, I don’t pretend to be the be-all and end-all of OTAs and listing sites. But I do know they’re here to stay and in order to keep your hard-won market share, you have to basically stop competing with them.
A few more ways you may not even realize you’ve already got them beat. Now, you just have to communicate this with your prospective guests. And THAT’S what your blog is for!
Technology vs. Service
They stress technology. Hey, look at this super cool smart home system! Check out the Alexa system that tells you anything you want to know about the area!
You stress service. Schedule an in-person meet and greet at the home. Ask if everything is okay. Answer any questions. Spend 5-10 minutes in a friendly chat.
Big vs. Small
They have locations all over the world. Going to Hawaii? We have 700 properties there! Going skiing in Colorado? We have 2800 properties, from cozy cabins to palatial log homes. If you’d like to know more about the area, download our app!
You are just in your little corner of the world. You have your 125 properties right there in your hometown. You are in them regularly. If your guest wants to know anything about the area, they just need to ask because everyone on your staff loves to share their knowledge.
Generalize vs. Specialize
They have homes all over for every demographic and occasion. One-level homes. Multi-level homes. Condos. Cottages. Rustic. Luxury. Special Needs. Pets. Whatever you need, they’ve got it.
You could specialize in one or two groups. Maybe family-friendly cottages. Maybe pet-friendly properties. Maybe special needs. Maybe LGBTQ. It’s virtually endless.
Yup, those greedy little buggers are here to stay. I hope you are, too. And I hope in some tiny little way, these words act as your rallying cry.
I’m rooting for you.