- Introduction
- Step 1
Preparation - Step 2
Content - Step 3
Offline Advertising - Step 4
Online Classified and Directories - Step 5
Online Listing Sites - Step 6
Search Engines - Step 7
Optimization
Step 3 - Offline Advertising
Below we provide a number of different ideas for where to have your website promoted. Most of theses ideas don’t require funding… or very little anyway.
Below we provide a number of different ideas for where to have your website promoted. Most of theses ideas don’t require funding… or very little anyway.
Friends & Family
Circulate your domain name amongst all of your family, friends and work colleagues. Many rentals come this way; your website is also a great aid in the ‘word-of-mouth’ marketing that can result.
Promote at work
Send an email out at work promoting your domain name, get a message on the notice board, post an ad on your intranet if you have one. Ask friends and family if they would do the same at their places of work.
Email Signatures
Make sure you include your domain name at the bottom of all of your emails, add it to your electronic ‘signature’ if you use one. For example:
Local advertising
Produce a card or a flyer to use in shop windows, to distribute in office blocks, at the local church or social club. You’ll be surprised how reasonable the cost is of producing 5000 flyers. Contact your local printers for quotes.
Advertising and promotions
Advertise your domain name in your parish magazine, local newspapers or, if you have the budget, Villa Directories, Sunday Times, Mail on Sunday, In-Flight magazines, etc. Don’t just advertise where everyone else does. What about sponsoring a charity newsletter or the notice board of a local sports team?
Special Event Marketing
Contact organisations who are running special events (tournaments, festivals, conventions, sporting events etc.) in your resort town/region to see if their participants need accommodations. Check with the Chamber of Commerce or local tourist board, as most have an online site with their special events listed.
Keep in Touch with Past Guests
Contact guests that have enquired, but may have not booked, as well as guests who have rented with you before. Let them know that your property is still available for rent and you look forward to touching base with them for the upcoming year. If you’ve refurbished the property then put new photos on your website and send the link to previous renters and enquirers. Since a fair amount of guests return to the same resort area year-after-year, it keeps your name in front of them when it's time for next year's trip. A little bit of marketing effort on your part can help you get repeat and new bookings.