Why I dont use a Phone Book…The Internet

June 23rd, 2009

We all know that the world is going the way of the Internet. I constantly find myself talking about how the internet is the future of businesses. Think about where we have from since the inception of the Internet.

NFL.com in 1996

NFL.com in 1996

What the Internet use to be..

 

Since my realization of the internet in about 1995 -1996 when i was in 5th Grade. We sure have come a long ways.  I think of the internet back then as the “Information Highway” and thats about it. You can find anything online. People would have websites to just be out there and to post their data about their cause, products, or organization.  Back when you were the cool kid to have a 56k Connection instead of a 14.4k like mine, having a website was great, but it didn’t inhibit business at all. Here is an image of NFL.com in 1996..Pretty Good for the year.

 

 

NFL.com in the present day!

NFL.com in the present day!

What the Internet is Now..

 

As much as we still use the internet for information. We use it for much more. Now we are purchasing things online, we are submitting and sharing data across the globe, there are business who purely do business online without a “Brick and Morter” storefront.  You can watch live TV, you can view past videos and Even make online bookings for your favorite vacation rentals, airlines. Order dinner, buy groceries, shop for cars, and so much more. Now days it’s not enough to just allow your customers to view your information online.

The Internet is now a massive shopping portal that everyone who has a business should utilize, including Vacation Rental Managers. Now, you have a store and an Internet store. Imagine that someone goes into your Internet store and shops. Then they want to buy but they can’t find a cash register…That is what happens when they can’t book online.  Now, it’s a Service and a time saver for you and your Customers to allow online bookings for at least some if not all your properties.

 

Maui Gold Condos

Maui Gold Condos

Why LiveRez.com

LiveRezhas been a huge value in many ways. We offer a very robust yet user friendly reservation system. We allow our partners to integrate with Quickbooks, but another huge value is the LiveRez websites that we build.  We make it quick and easy for someone to make a booking.  Also many will find that the LiveRez websites are very SEO friendly. The question some need to ask is? how easy is it make an online booking. Can they are start checking out within 3 Clicks? Is it simple and plain so that Anyone can book?
Looking at Maui Gold Condos you can see a great example of a great website that makes it simple and easy to make an online booking in a very professional environment.
You can learn about more about Vacation Rental Software at our website: www.LiveRez.com
Thanks
Tyler
www.LiveRez.com

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VRMA WEST: Done up to the Nines.

May 12th, 2009

The Nines Hotel in Portland Oregon

We recently attended the VRMA West trade show in Portland, Oregon held at the Nines Hotel. It was hotel and show fit for a king or queen. Let me start by giving a huge thanks to the VRMA, for once again a job well done, The Nines Hotel also deserves props for a beautiful location and service. Not to mention giving credit to mother nature for the great weather we were given during our time in Portland.

It was great to meet and learn from everyone in the industry.  The seminars and trainings were amazing.  It also was nice to listen and to learn from the property managers about the needs and issue facing their businesses today.

We Are All in this Together

One thing that was really impressed upon me was the view and goals of the Industry as a whole. Although we may all be in different markets or from different companies, I felt that we still need to all work together to continue to Promote Vacation Homes as an alternative to Hotels. When this was discussed throughout the show I felt great comradely in moving forward the cause of Vacation Rental Homes. We truley we need to all do our part to continue to support and grow the industry.

 

Thanks,

Tyler www.LiveRez.com

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Repeat Guests – Keep them Coming Back

April 6th, 2009

At last week’s VRMA East event, there was a wonderful discussion on Repeat Guests.  In a recent industry study, it was determined that it costs 6x to acquire a new guest vs. booking a repeat guest. 

That is some serious money.  I can add from experience, that the multiplier is much higher in the general eCommerce industry…….more like 10-15x.

Holding on to your guests and keeping them coming back is not rocket-science according to the recent discussion at the VRMA conference.  It is about making it a priority, and starting the sales process for the next visit, the moment they book with you for the first visit. 

The guest experience was broken into several stages, with ideas on each stage.

  • Pre-Arrival – find out why they are coming, who they are bringing
  • Arrival - ‘welcome home’, let them know how happy you are to see them
  • Stay – treat them like family
  • Check-out – provide special offers
  • Post-Stay – stay in touch with emails, newsletters, offers

In my April Webinar, I will cover each of these areas in detail.  Please join us for this event on Thursday, April 23.  See details and chance to sign-up below.

Webinar:  Repeat Guests – 9 Ways to Make the Most of Guest Relationships

 

LiveRez.com

 

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Eastern VRMA Update #1

March 31st, 2009
Vacation Rental Managers Association

Vacation Rental Managers Association

First I want to say to everyone, flying is pretty good. As much as everyone complains (which by the way is not a good way to promote vacations), I had 3 flight to make it from Boise to Charlotte and all flights were on time. The only hiccup was the Delta employee who suggested that I should pay $175 for my over-sized suitcases. Really? I don’t think so. He caved like bad souffle.

The show. It was an active evening reception in the vendor showcase. More traffic than expected and more positive conversations than folk complaining about the economy. I have found a positive effect of the economy on many vacation managers. It has forced the issue of improving their operations and their marketing/selling.

We will come out of this recession stronger and in a better position to fight for market-share from the hotels. The activities I see vacation managers making to enhance their websites, their online marketing, the analysis of their prospects & guests, and the improvements in their operations are all very positive.

Overall the mood is very positive and anticipating a great recovery for our industry.

More to come tomorrow after some of the sessions.

LiveRez

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VRMA (Vacation Rental Managers Assoc.) & Discover Vacation Homes to Promote Vacation Homes

March 20th, 2009

I am excited.  Very excited.  VRMA, the Vacation Rental Manager’s Association, is reinventing itself and bringing together our industry like never before.  VRMA has launched a new website at www.vrma.com – check it out.  It is a great source of info about the industry.

VRMA has also launched Discover Vacation Homes as a national public awareness initiative for our industry and to make vacation homes a primary vacation option for travelers. 

Be a part of it!  Vacation Managers have the opportunity to become a part of VRMA – check it our at www.vrma.com.  In addition, Discover Vacation Homes offers vacation managers a position at the leading edge of marketing and positioning the vacation home rental industry.  Don’t sit on the sideline, be a part of the goings on. Check it out:


WATCH Video For More DetailsCreate more business for YOUR company, YOUR owners, and YOUR destination.  Don’t miss out on the many benefits of this national campaign!

 

 

      Join the Cause!


LiveRez.com

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Online vacation rental marketing tips for a recession

March 10th, 2009

In the current economic climate, the temptation is to cut back on marketing and promotion. While this may seem like a sensible course of action, it has the potential to harm your business in the long term.  If possible, now is the time to put space between you and your competition.  Travelers are still out there.  They are just looking for different ‘values’ in a vacation and have changed their decision process for booking that next trip.  Invest in adapting your business and marketing efforts to these new Values and Vacation Planning Process.

Following are several specific online marketing activities to focus on.  None of these have to cost much money, they just have to be executed diligently and with very specific goals in mind.  I will cover each of these items in more detail in future posts.  For now, use this as a checklist for your online marketing activities:

  • Focus on Campaigns/Specials Be specific with your marketing activities, making them value based and targeting specific events or seasons.
  • Flexibility in your Rates, Offline&  Online Do not limit your travelers in the # of days they can book for and adapt pricing to different demand levels.
  • Invest in your Website  Create and update content to be engaging and useful.
  • Optimise your Web Site  Search engine optimization, page layouts, and click-paths are all areas toi look into.
  • eMail Marketing  Use email campaigns to promote special offers and collect new email addresses at all possible opportunity.
  • Protect your Brand Online  Make sure your brand is visible online and becomes something travelers trust in and can recommend to friends.
  • Monitor Online User Reviews Continually monitor reviews posted on popular travel sites
  • Use a good Analytics package Do not fly blind, make sure you know your traffic, clicks, and conversions information.
  • Respond to Market Conditions Look what is happening in the world, country, economy and respond to these changes.

In summary, challenging times lay ahead for the vacation home rental industry, but if your website and online presence are in order, the internet sales channel can be an area of revenue growth for your business in 2009-10.


LiveRez

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Now THAT is TARGETED Marketing – Travelocity pops my trip up on a Music Site

March 6th, 2009

Earlier this week I was researching some travel information on Travelocity for my trip to Charlotte, NC for the Eastern VRMA show at the end of this month.  I got some flight and hotel information for my budgeting plans.  I will make the actual reservation a bit closer to the travel date.

The next moring, while I was spinning on my trainer in my garage and listening to music on songza……SURPRISE!!!……up pops a Travelocity ad about going from Boise to Charlotte. 

Personalized Travel Ad Based on a Previous Search

Personalized Travel Ad Based on a Previous Search

Trip is Based on a Search I did a Day EarlierThis is truly amazing marketing. 

Targeted marketing from Travelocity on a completely different website, on a different day, and at a different time.

Trip is Based on a Search I did a Day Earlier

This is amazing stuff and is setting the expectations of travelers as to how they will interact with their vacation provider.

Kudos to Travelocity.
LiveRez.com

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Niche Marketing is Good for Vacation Home Rentals, But Do Not Forget Execution

March 4th, 2009

I have discussed the importance of niche marketing, picking your target customer, and speaking to the specific needs of a certain traveler on several of my webinars.  (check the out – Recorded LiveRez Webinars)  One example I have used is providing vacation home rentals for participants in the Coeur D’Alene Ironman race. 

I am an avid Ironman Triathlete and was surprised to see a marketing email from North America Sports (the organization that puts on the Ironman races) promoting a new website for vacation home rentals at the various North America Ironman race locations.  The site:  www.nasvacationproperties.com

Cool.  Great idea.  Very focused.  Bringing vacation home rentals mainstream.  Broader exposure for our industry.  All good.

Then I clicked on the link.  Ahhhhhh!  What is that?  What do I do?  Where do I shop the homes?  What can I click on?  Are my colors messed up?  Web design gone a bit awry?

Website – always remember to follow the principles of :

  • Affinity (you assure me that I am on the right site for what I need)
  • Usability (intuitive & simple navigation and activities)
  • Focus (I know what you want me to do with a clear call to action)

 

Then I checked into the actual vacation homes.  What homes are available?  Where do I book?  Is there only 1 home in each location?  All this is doing is popping me to a VRBO listing.

Now I pride myself on being a positive person and I think you will have to look very hard to find a negative tone in any of my posts.  But I cannot comment on how poor this website is and how poor the execution/delivery of the promise of a great vacation home in the Ironman location is.

Take-away:  when you have the ingenuity & courage ( like www.nasvacationproperties.com has shown), then also take the time, care, and resources to execute at the highest level.

I wish NAS Vacation Properties all the best and hope they continue to improve their offering, presentation, and website.
LiveRez

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As a Guest, Some Advice I Have to Vacation Resort

March 2nd, 2009

Last weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to take my wife and kids to LA for a little beach and Disneyland.  With shame, I have to admit that we stayed at a Timeshare Resort.  Many years ago I bought an Annual Timeshare at the Maui Marriott.  So this year we traded the Maui Vacation Club for a week in LA.  Something we learned is that just as some vacation rentals are great and others are not, some timeshares are great and some not.

Even though this LA timeshare was far (like vintage 1984 for the LA Olympics) below the standard of the Marriott Maui, it did not have to be as much of a disappointment as it was.  I spent some time with the general manager of the resort discussing what I thought he could do to improve the experience.  Here is part of our conversation:

Set expectations – be very clear about what it is, and what it is not.  Trying to make it sound and look more than it is will only lead to disappointment.  This is especially true about the information provided after the booking is made.  I understand that a certain amount of ‘marketing/positioning’ needs to happen to get the booking.  But once the booking is made, start setting the expectations and preparing guest for exactly what they will find.  (’a retaining wall 4 feet from your balcony and bedroom window, but you only have to cross the street and you are on the beach, so enjoy the beach live, not through the window’)

Little things – budgets are tight, you cannot replace the carpet in every room every year (although 2 decades next to beach is probably the limit).  Update some pictures, some decorations, the plates/silverware, the outlets that wiggle in the wall and do not hold plugs in them b/c they are so worn, maybe a shower-head, ………you get the idea.  Details make the experience.

Preparedness – we had a planned outage as a transformer was replaced in front of the resort one morning.  Unfortunately the resort staff did not alert any guests about this and most of the emergency lighting and the flashlights (which are ‘plugged’ into the wiggly outlets) did not work.  I understand you cannot control the utility, but you can control your response.  Their response showed me very little respect for myself and other guests.

Welcome Gift – again it is the little things, but this just shows that “we are happy you are here, we are here to serve you, we are here to make your stay great, we appreciate you choosing us over all your other options”.  This can be something inexpensive & small, but it should be thoughtful.  It can make all the difference in creating a collaborative feeling between guests and the host.

We had a great stay.  The pool was awesome, the location next to beach perfect, and the distance to town convenient.  Unfortunately this was overshadowed by some shortcomings, that if addressed proactively would have been overlooked.

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Vacation Home Managers Beating the Odds in a Down Economy

February 25th, 2009

Boise, ID – February 25, 2009 – LiveRez, (http://www.LiveRez.com ), the emerging leader in online vacation rental booking software, is enabling vacation home management companies around the country beat the slowing economy by enhancing their presence on the web, and driving more online bookings.

LiveRez, a complete online vacation rental property management solution, is focused on increasing bookings and making vacation property managers fully operational to maximize online bookings. LiveRez offers best-in-class websites, a booking engine, property management system, online marketing services, and a unique “Pay-As-You-Book” approach which provides a mutually beneficial partnership between LiveRez and vacation rental managers.

KZ Cabins,located in the north Georgia mountains, chose LiveRez because it needed a new website, streamline operations, and shift more of its bookings online.

“LiveRez is a business partner and has been incredibly responsive to our needs,” said Andres Zagarola, President of KZ Cabins. “Our new system has greatly reduced our operating costs and fueled a steady stream of online business, even in this tough economy.”

“Growing companies such as KZ cabins need a proven, scalable solution to manage their business,” said Ralf VonSosen, vice president of marketing for LiveRez. “Our passion is to provide vacation managers with a solution that will not only streamline their operations, but most importantly grow their business.”

KZ Cabins has seen the following benefits from the LiveRez partnership:
• More Online Bookings: KZ Cabin has seen a significant increase in the bookings completed online. Driven by SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and customizing its website content for its market.
• Services & Amenities: Increased selection of booking options, easy to use interface and property information for guests online
• Improved Operations: Virtual office model greatly reduces operating costs and improves efficiency of managing guest bookings and key management activities online.
• QuickBooks Accounting: Integrated solution with QuickBooks accounting to streamline accounting processes.

About LiveRez Inc.
LiveRez ( http://www.liverez.com ) drives more online vacation rental bookings. LiveRez provides the most complete online vacation rental property management solution available, enabling property managers to fully utilize the power of the internet in driving guest bookings, guest satisfaction, and the management of their properties. LiveRez takes a unique online-centric approach through its partnership with property managers, and is focused on making the online shopping experience pleasant, trustworthy, and complete. Successful partners include ALL STAR Vacation Homes (allstarvacationhomes.com) and High Country Resort Properties (highcountry-rentals.com). LiveRez is headquartered in Boise, ID. For more information,

Contact:
Ralf VonSosen
LiveRez, PublicRelations
( http://www.LiveRez.com)
+1.208.854.7717
ralf@liverez.com

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