Press coverage and other forms of print media come to mind first when we talk of PR historically. How can I have my vacation rental company included in a travel article in a prestigious newspaper or magazine?
The opportunities and breadth of PR, particularly in the digital and influencer era, are far more than this, however. There are many methods to connect with our consumers (guests)—a terrific opportunity! Naturally, via the national press, but also through digital publications, blogging platforms, on Twitter and Facebook, influencers, third-party evaluations, directly from journalists, from our partners, and by word-of-mouth from previous visitors.
In a word, PR is about reputation and establishing reliable connections. Developing and delivering your essential messages that will connect with and influence the audiences required for the success of your organization. No matter how big or little, a company’s ability to survive and succeed ultimately rests on its reputation. This applies to both a major villa agency managing an inventory of hundreds or even thousands of villas as it is to a small owner-managed vacation rental company with two or three properties.
Your reputation may be your most valuable asset in the cutthroat market of today, setting you apart from the competition and giving you an advantage. By communicating and developing solid, trustworthy relationships, effective PR can help you manage and improve your reputation. These relationships can then help you achieve your goals, whether they be increasing website traffic, luring the right visitors to your lodging, expanding your portfolio of owners, or fostering brand trust to boost the rate at which inquiries are converted.
Start with some serious consideration and a well-thought-out, practical approach when you start thinking about creating the PR for your vacation rental company. This time spent considering what you want PR to accomplish, who you need to develop connections with, and what your long-term goals are will pay dividends in the end.
What then is the issue?
When creating a PR strategy and plan, start by identifying your issue. What is the problem with the company that has to be resolved, in other words? Perhaps a competing vacation rental company has just sprung up on my property, and I want to make sure I maintain my market share. I may be aware that I am not optimizing repeat business to the fullest extent possible. It may be a fantastic family rental, but no one is aware of this. Or maybe I just need more inquiries to my website of the proper type.
What place do you wish to be in?
You may begin to create your future state after you have determined the problem or problems that need to be solved, which we will refer to as your current state. These are the goals that will guide all of your actions. For PR to be successful for your company, it must bridge the gaps between your current state and your desired future state.
Your PR’s ultimate goals might be to:
- to establish a reputation as the top Italian villa rental company for families.
- to send high-quality queries to my website.
- to grow the number of properties my company manages while maintaining my position as the area’s top vacation rental property manager.
- To promote my previous visitors’ good social sharing and word-of-mouth marketing to attract new customers.
Who should you be communicating with?
Consider who you should be forming connections with to assist you to get there after you have determined what your desired outcome is. How can you speak to your visitors most effectively, and who can assist you make your voice heard? Be more precise. However, what are the real media names for your company? The travel press will be important. If your target market is more local, will it be your local newspaper, golf experts, family vacations, luxury books, etc.?
Find the celebs who like your area and the travel bloggers who are already in contact with your prospective visitors. Do you need to engage in public relations (PR) to connect with allies and prospective reliable collaborators who can support you, such as your regional or national tourism bureaus or rivals?
What else do you need to say?
What must your message contain? Your message, for instance, maybe…
“Vive la Famille Apartments are a great alternative for a family holiday to Paris since they understand the demands of families.”
and
Every apartment in the Vive la Famille collection is furnished with features that will make your family’s stay in Paris as enjoyable and comfortable as possible.
How will you go to your destination? Closing the Gap
The meat of it is here. In PR, we refer to them as tactics. What specific action are you going to do differently to connect with your audiences and eventually accomplish your objectives?
You will have a general plan, such as how everything we do will assist our objective of being the go-to villa booking service for tourists traveling to Fort Lauderdale, Koh Samui, or Puglia.
Include newsworthy information in your thought leadership pieces, press releases (what’s the latest? ), prospective press travels (allow journalists to experience your expertise), social media engagement, and potential press tours (start engaging in conversations and getting consistent with your message), Create a press kit that is simple to download for your website, submit an entry, host an event for neighborhood partners that can help you get more exposure…
There are many pertinent, original, and unique ideas that might help you promote your company or narrative.
What does achievement entail?
What does success look like in the end? Are your PR efforts complementing your company’s objectives in every way? Ask yourself these questions often to avoid becoming distracted or complacent. Planning, tenacity, and a little bit of sweat equity may pay off.
