Vacation Rental Makeover Show
Here it is…
The big reveal of the Vacation Rental Expert Panel Review video! Last week we announced the winner of our Expert Panel Review, Theresa, who has a cabin in Boone, NC. You can see that announcement here
In this unique video chat session, myself and two other VR league experts, Tyann and Mercedes, provide in depth suggestions and critiques on Theresa’s website, interior decor and vacation rental photography. Check out the exciting video and let us know what you took away by commenting in the comment box below.
And remember guys, we’re on the hunt for next month’s candidate to have their vacation rental personally reviewed by our panel of vacation rental experts!
Want the vacation rental experts to help you for free?
Tell us what’s your biggest challenge!
Enjoy the video and be sure to enter your home for a chance to win. Good luck!
After sharing this video with several of my friends and collegues, many of them wanted to book the cabin. If interested in renting Theresa’s cabin check out her VRBO listing > http://www.VRBO.COM/509063
I really enjoyed this video and can’t wait to see the next one.
Thank you Joanna,
I’m happy to hear you really enjoyed it. Its nice to hear that. We are working on several interesting ideas for the next ones. We will be doing a mix of things to keep it interesting and helpful. Thanks again Joanna
That sounds great. I got useful info from all three of you. I am have a fashion merchandising degree and I was glad to see I was right on target with Mercedes comments about needing blue!
Thanks Joanna! We look forward to doing the next one!
Well done panel!!! I’ve learned a few things – thanks so much!
Hey Barbara,
what was the biggest thing you took away from the review?
Hi Jay –
Thats a tough won – i just bought my place and need to use any money from rentals on fixing things (chimney, sidewalks, plumbing) first, so I have’t been able to get a website built or decorate the way I would like. I will remember to put a ‘Contact Me’ button when I finally do a website. The bedroom is mostly blue so I’m thinking that I should add some neutral colors to it until I can completely redo it. Photography I can act on right now so it is what sticks in my head the most. Taking the pictures at a different angle was a big eye opener and I’m going to try my hand at editing them as well. I can’t wait to get to my property and try it. Thanks again for taking the time to do this for everyone – your hard work is very much appreciated. 🙂
Thanks Barbara! Good luck with your new vr! With a small starting budget, I’d suggest Craig’s List for furniture, but make sure you put in high end furniture labels in the search box. It’s amazing what you will find!
Thank you for taking the time to offer me direction. We have many tweeks and upgrades planned this year. I am pleased with last years results and want to increase bookings by 20% at least. In our area, due to snow, our bookings come only 2/4 weeks in advance up until May. By the end of May I am hoping summer is booked. To answer Tyann’s comment about multiple season pictures, we were up there 7 -8 times last year but kept hitting inclement weather for fall images. I am searching for a local professional to source images and take a few different shots each season. I will work on re-framing my images lower and capturing better light. Mercedes I have more questions as this area of decor is my toughest to pull off. What I like and what I can reproduce are two different things. I hope to get with you for a few follow up questions. Thank you three again for taking your time to review this for free. I suggest anyone needing help to put their name in for next month!
Hi Theresa
lets have some fun with it. Lets open up the session with some questions. Why don’t you start by asking any questions you may have.
Anyone who would like to ask a question, please feel free to do so…
Mercedes, I want to put buffet, chest of drawers or something waist to chest height. How do I know how to visually balance the mirror ( behind couch on wall ) and side of that piece?
Hi Theresa, can you send me a photo so I can better understand your question. You can send it me directly at [email protected]. I’d also like to email you my suggestions. 🙂
Very informative video! It is so incredible to have 3 different points of view from each Expert! I learned that I need to add photos of the outside of the home for the different seasons, as I only have photos during the Winter at this time. I also will be sure to bring out all of the patio furniture, beautiful cushions and create inviting settings with a bottle of wine, wine glasses, cheese plate and luxurious table settings!
I enjoyed the video chat. I think you all gave Theresa some great advice.
I know first hand that it is very daunting trying to do everything yourself.
Jay, I thought the change in the look of the website that you displayed made a tremendous difference.
Tyann, the difference in the pictures just by changing the height they were taken from was astounding.
Mercedes, I have log cabins with all the walls wood colored also. I like the idea of the blue to highlight the furnishings. I have trouble finding blue in rustic, woodsy patterns though. I will have to look harder!
I look forward to the next makeover!
Hi Darla, I really couln’t have picked a better group to do this with I thought the 3 together made 1 dynamic video. I wanted to share more but was limited by time. As I finished I felt like there was so much more that I could share 🙂 That’s OK. On the next one we’ll cover even more.
Darla there are some very exciting things coming, I don’t want to leak the secrets but let’s just say… there will be some very happy subscribers who follow along and participate! Cant wait!
Darla, don’t worry about woodsy patterns. It doesn’t really matter. Just plain blue is fine. Thanks for sharing!
I really enjoyed this video, Theresa your cabin is stunning – maybe one day my husband and I will come and stay! As Darla says it is so daunting to try and do everything yourself, so engaging help from experts is a must and it takes your business to the next level! You certainly engaged the right people, you could not have chosen any better! A simply stunning makeover and I wish you all the best!
Thanks Kim!
I can’t believe I almost missed this video, which I was so much looking forward to watch…. I am back on track and I hope I will get the notification messages now! 🙂
You guys make the perfect team. Theresa place is in a pretty amazing location and your three feedback sessions were inspirational. Here are my key takeaways:
Monitor the use of blue in my VR!!, define the decoration concept and stick to that! This last one was a fundamental teaching from Mercedes that I picked in one of her previous articles and it is now ruling my way of looking at any property or space.
Shot pictures at the waist level and show more pictures of my location on different seasons! This was also a great one! Both Tyann and Jay have highlighted that very well and this was a big insight for me as now i perfectly see the business reason for doing this. My property is on a beach town near Barcelona, Spain. I have a booking season that potentially could be 12 months long….and I realize that most of my pictures are take in summer! So I can certainly show more pictures during all 4 seasons!
Specifically to Jay’s session, your comments such as the importance of video on the website for SEO purposes, length of urls and the strong emphasis on call to action buttons on every page were very good to hear. Web stuff is the part of vacation rental that comes the least natural to me and unfortunately I am learning that the work does not conclude with a cool web design. The website has to live, change and evolve over time!
Your Makeover Shows certainly add a LOT of value! Can’t wait to watch the next one! Thank you very much again! Paola
Wow, Paola, I’m so happy you had so many take-aways! We are so happy to help. It’s good to know this was helpful. We had a lot of fun doing it.
Paola, thank you for listing what you took away from the makeover show.
You’re right! A website is much more than a cool or pretty design. There is pschology going on behind a properly designed website. This “selling pschology” is often not used on vacation rental sites. One of my favorite quotes is from Steve Jobs “Design is not just how it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works” I couldn’t agree more.
Dear Jay, thanks for making that quote, so very true. I will continue as best as I can to keep my website lively and in tune with my business needs. Thank you! The mock up you put up for Theresa was quite impressive, let me tell you. Ciao!