Whether you’re in the vacation rental or shoelace industry, most consultants and marketing gurus will stress the necessity of branding. Branding enables you to identify and bring your company to life, but what is it, and how can you successfully brand your vacation rental?
The Business Dictionary defines branding as “creating a substantial and unique market presence that attracts and maintains loyal consumers.” Your brand is not limited to the client-facing aspect of your business; it includes your visitors’ whole experience—it defines your company’s purpose and permeates everything you do.
We’ll get a bit more into what branding means for your vacation rental company, how to do it, and some excellent examples to inspire you.
What Is A Brand?
Having a memorable brand or logo is not enough to differentiate yourself in a crowded business. Your brand is defined by how people perceive you when interacting with your company – both the impressions you can influence and those you cannot.
Consider that every one of us has a brand; we each have a unique name, style, and tone of voice, and we all leave distinct impressions on others.
Similarly, vacation rental companies must manage their names, listings, logos, colors, typefaces, property styles, and reputations, all of which contribute to their identity and influence how they are regarded. Essentially, it’s how customers feel about our vacation rental homes and services and their visceral reaction to them.
And although you cannot completely control what prospective visitors think of you, you can influence their perceptions by being consistent and expanding your brand across your firm.
It all begins with defining what that consistency will look like and the emotion you want to generate. Though your homes have a rural appeal, visitors will feel as if they are connecting with nature. Alternatively, if you are marketing to families, vibrant colors in your logo and images of kid-friendly locations on your site will play a significant role in your branding.
Why Do You Need A Brand For Your Vacation Rental Business?
There are several advantages to investing in your vacation rental brand. Your branding encompasses much more than colors and logos. We explain why vacation rental branding is critical for your company.
1. A Brand Enables You To Differentiate Yourself From The Competition.
It cannot be overstated: your vacation rental company is not the only one in your state or your neighborhood! Thus, the necessity of developing a vacation rental brand stems mostly from the need to differentiate oneself from direct competition.
Suppose you have a clean, consistent, and cohesive brand throughout all material (text, images, videos, and everything else) on the platforms you use. In that case, this becomes your identity and is how travelers separate themselves from the competition.
Guests are presented with infinite vacation rental possibilities in each location. Which is more visually appealing: “Lisbon holiday flats” or “The Lisboans” (The Old Beach)? Not only does your brand name express something distinctive to your audience, but it also serves as a reminder of what they enjoyed most about your site.
2. A Brand Establishes Expectations.
Never forget that your brand serves as a communication tool as well. How you portray your vacation rental company from the start can assist you in establishing your brand’s voice, message, and, to a degree, communicate certain visitor expectations.
Consider the term “Amazing Villas” for your vacation rental — even without more information, the word alone will elicit some kind of response from your viewer on the vacation homes you are selling.
However, names do not have to be descriptive to build a successful brand. After all, Amazon has nothing to do with rivers, but it has grown to become the world’s biggest e-commerce shop, so it shares the label of ‘largest in the world.’
The goal is to create a fantastic brand that elicits pleasant experiences and expectations, which brings us to the following point…
3. A Brand Develops A Self-Explanatory Nature
Over time, your brand will become synonymous with your company and vice versa. Establishing your brand goals early on only serves to position you for future success. To paraphrase Matt Landau, if your vacation rental brand is identifiable, memorable, and has an appealing name, you’ve made a good start. Even better if you have a logo that speaks for your brand. Both new and returning visitors will form links between your brand and the meaning it has for them.
Few people now see a chewed apple without instantly conjuring up images of the technological giant or a tick, and the phrase ‘just do it without conjuring up images of Nike. When done well, branding says volumes about a firm.
4. A Brand Fosters Consumer Trust And Loyalty.
According to The Marketing Donut, if you lack a strong brand, consumers will struggle to remember you and will have difficulty trusting you. With fewer than 50% of consumers trusting companies, it’s even more critical that you do it right.
Additionally, including reviews on your site helps to reinforce the trust you’ve developed with your visitors and enhances your online reputation, all of which contribute to the overall brand idea you’ve developed.
Customers Who Return
When you offer excellent customer service, a simple booking system, transparent communication methods, and a lovely vacation rental, your visitors are more inclined to return to your property again. Additionally, you’re likely to inspire visitors to spread the news about your business to their friends, family members, and so on.
When visitors develop a sense of familiarity with your brand and understand what to anticipate from your company, they are far more inclined to book with you again in the future.
Direct Reservations In The Future
OTAs generate a large number of reservations. Indeed, for many owners, listing sites account for the bulk of their reservations. You may turn these customers into direct bookers with the correct branding.
When you establish trust via your brand, customers may book your vacation rental on a variety of channels, including your own! If your brand symbolizes quality and a positive guest experience, customers will feel more confident in booking directly with you rather than via OTAs.
5. A Brand Serves As The Foundation For Your Marketing Efforts.
Creating a vacation rental brand is more complicated than just selecting a name and a logo; other elements must be considered. It will include using consistent color schemes, styles, and design elements across your vacation rental website.
These selections will have a significant impact on the marketing of your home. Whether it’s a special deal banner that serves as your Facebook cover picture or a local newspaper advertisement, each piece of marketing material should strive to be consistent with your vacation rental website. After all, this is the primary and most effective method for travelers to engage with your service.
Additionally, 60% of millennials in the United States anticipate consistent experiences when interacting with companies online, and as one of the fastest-growing markets for vacation rentals, you’ll want to appeal to them.
Effective marketing of your property will result in more inquiries and direct reservations, which cannot be accomplished without a strong brand.
6. A Brand Has The Potential To Create Value.
There is a reason why Gucci boots cost $900 while “knock-offs” cost about $30. Customers are prepared to pay extra for brand-name products because they understand they receive higher quality. By developing a strong brand for your vacation rental, you may avoid being seen as a “copycat.”
Once you’ve established a brand, your vacation rental gets worth and renowned solely due to its branding. Are visitors prepared to pay a premium for your brand alone? If so, congratulations on a job well done with your holiday rental! However, how can experts reach such high levels of brand recognition? Let us ascertain!
How to create a brand for your vacation rental business
Creating your brand is just a matter of following these seven easy steps:
- Conduct a competitive analysis of your target audience and competition.
- Determine your focal point and personality
- Decide on a company name
- Create a catchphrase or slogan for your business. 5. Select colors and fonts that match your brand.
- Create your logo
- Integrate your branding across your company and update it as your firm grows.
Although you may return to these stages after your vacation rental company has launched for a refresh, you must consider each step when developing your branding.
Summary
Developing a solid vacation rental brand is critical; it might be the difference between a full reservation calendar and mediocre results. The initial step toward professionalism is to use a vacation rental business, followed closely by brand definition.
Remember that although you will never be able to control how people ultimately view your brand, you can guide them on the correct path. With a great brand, you can make an excellent first impression, manage their expectations, and grow your reputation. Be sure to use vacation rental software to increase the chance of your success. Great software can save you hours of time and increase the profitability of your vacation rental business.
