Creating awareness and interest in a holiday let is the first step to generating bookings. Online advertising will be covered elsewhere on the site but we are looking at ways to advertise in ‘real’ world.
Where
Newspapers – national and regional newspapers were once the primary advertising channel for self-catering holidays, with box and line adverts in the classified part of a dedicated travel section, typically a Saturday or a Sunday. The popularity of this has waned with the growth of online advertising which you can see by the decreasing number adverts. If considering a newspaper campaign:
- Choose the newspaper to advertise based on the target market.
- Buy a copy and look at the other adverts, and how to make yours stand out.
- Negotiate on the price, and look for last minute offers.
- Most importantly think about tracking response rates by using a unique or different telephone number and website address, and always ask enquiries how they heard about you.
Magazines – reaching a particular demographic can be achieved by advertising in interest or lifestyle magazines, such as pet ownership, parents with pre-school children or hobbies such as walking, golf or photography. The same principles apply from above in terms of effectiveness and tracking to ensure effectiveness.
Clubs and Membership Associations – many such groups have member newsletters with advertising opportunities. These range from trade unions to the National Trust to classic car clubs. With this type of membership, it could be offering an exclusive discount or special package on production of their membership number.
What
The content of an advertisement depends on the size of the space. Again look at other adverts on the page and how yours can be unique and relevant to the reader, based on the publication. If there is room for a picture, include one which conveys the best element of the property, such as they view or a strong external shot.
Personalise the copy with messages which are relevant and appealing to the readership. Instead of ‘Holiday Cottage to Let’ use phrases like ‘Your Perfect Summer Escape’ and ‘Step out of the property onto the beach’ to emphasize the key selling points and generate desire amongst potential guests.
Finally, focus the adverts onto which periods in the year you are looking to try and fill, such as Spring, Summer or Autumn with appropriate messages and images where possible.
When
Traditionally January was a popular month for booking a holiday. And it still is, especially for popular weeks such as the Spring Bank Holiday week and July/August. However another effect of the Internet is the growing popularity of the last-minute booking which can be as close as the day before or even on the day of arrival.
So what is the best way to plan print advertising? At the beginning of the year to kick off that seasons bookings? This may now be the reserve of retired guests who are less comfortable using the Internet and rely on brochures. These holidaymakers are time rich and plan further ahead, booking for shoulder months avoiding the busy times. Contrast this with busy families who have less certainty about their job security, finances and booking holidays from work.
The other function of advertising may be to give bookings a boost if there is availability throughout the year, though this can be trickier in magazines especially where lead times are longer.
