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BookingSync.com is right about photography
By Noel Poage
Published: 07/01/15
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Comments: 0
We have to hand a prize to Sébastien Grosjean, CEO of BookingSync a vacation rental software and channel management company. In his recent video posts he covers the basics of shooting photography. But how about HDR? Read more
Cell Phone Photos Are Not Just Fine
By William May
Published: 06/01/15
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Would you think that major vacation rental websites would know photos are the number one method to attract more guests, more bookings and higher rates? So how come some think taking snaps on a cell phone is good enough. When good enough never is. Read more
Drones Will One Day Be Old News
By William May
Published: 05/01/15
Topics: Hotels, Photography
Comments: 0
Hoteliers are all anxious to get aerial photos of their properties from drones. Good idea and we do them. Here is why they would be better off to invest I High Dynamic Range (HDR) Photos instead. Read more
Website Magazine Warns Blogging Copyright Infringers
By Joseph Romain
Published: 04/01/15
Topics: Copyrights, Legal, Photography
Comments: 0
Website Magazine covers everything digital and in now is taking a strong stand to educate readers about how stealing copyrighted materials is a big no-no and one that will cost them lots of money when copyright holders catch them in the act. Read more
How to Choose a Vacation Rental Photographer
By William May
Published: 03/01/15
Topics: Photography
Comments: 0
Guest give websites but a few scant seconds to decide if it's professional, if it has what they need, and whether they are willing to look further. In one seconds, people read only a few words but glancing at a photo reveals dozens of thoughts and conveys quality, emotion, and content. Read more
Expert Says Photos Best Return on Investment
By Joseph Romain
Published: 02/01/15
Topics: Marketing, Photography, Vacation Rentals
Comments: 0
In a recent blog post on his website VacationRentalMarketingBlog.com, Matt Landau proclaims professional photos to be the most effective marketing tools to increase bookings and revenue.
Landau says, "When you have limited resources, you must examine the return on investment (ROI) of everything you do." He then lists the Top 10 cost-effective Vacation Rental Marketing Activities.
Number one on his list is professional photos which he illustrates by providing a cost versus benefit graph clearly showing photos as the best investment.
Other steps, such as building a private website, increasing your paid listing rank, soliciting reviews and trying to speak with guests by phone also are beneficial.
While hiring a professional photographer is indeed a good idea, to this day many professionals have still not discovered or mastered the art of creating High Dynamic Range (HDR) photos.
Without that even the best cameras, a photographic education and lots of experience prohibit the photographer from creating truly accurate photos such as those HDR can create.
HDR photos are not easy and they are not cheap, but the benefit of having compelling and accurate photos attracts more guests, more bookings and more revenue.
Landau posits an analogy about whether a government should invest $10,000 to cure ten Malaria patients or the same amount to save a single AIDS patient. Tough call of course, but it illustrates that spending money on great photos is by far the most cost efficient treatment for vacation rental marketing.
Matt Landau is the Founder of the Vacation Rental Marketing Blog, an online resource for vacation rental owners and managers. He is also the owner of Los Cuatro Tulipanes vacation rentals in Panama, and a columnist for HomeAway and FlipKey, the world's two largest vacation rental marketplaces.
http://www.vacationrentalmarketingblog.com/top_10/
Author: Joseph Romain – Creative Director, Signatour Photo Team
Blog #: 0003 – 02/01/15
HDR Photography is not HD
By William May
Published: 01/01/15
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Only one in every ten thousand amateur photographers, and only one out of a thousand professionals have an understanding of High Dynamic Range (HDR) photos. That terminology has nothing to do with the common High Definition description of TV's and monitors. Everyone in lodging should know the difference. Read more
Crowing about VRA Mobile Websites
By William May
Published: 11/01/14
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It may not sound earth shaking but Redstone Systems, creator of the HelpBook.me software has just added their evolutionary new mobile websites to their system and has donated the capability to the VRA.org website and those that use VRMLS.org. Check it on your mobile phone now. Read more
How to see Elk at Mount Rainier
By Emmalee David
Published: 10/17/14
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If you have never seen an Elk you will be in luck when visiting our Vacation Rental homes located in the Greenwater area of Washington State, just outside the gates to Mount Rainier National Park. Here are tips to find them. Read more
A Map, a Map, My Kingdom for a Map
By William May
Published: 07/20/14
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Folded like origami (Japanese paper art), maps have been an indispensable tool for travelers for centuries. But today with Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) and Smart Phones, travel can be much easier but it does require some common sense. Read more
Outdoors-For-All, the Heroes Among Us
By William May
Published: 06/09/14
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Donate your home to charities for their use and fundraising and post your generosity on VacationRentalAgents.com. See how the Ski-For-All Foundation gave property owners the great satisfaction of helping disabled kids and adults to ski. Read more
What I do for a living
By William May
Published: 04/08/14
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After a tragedy that has taken dozens of life in the small town of Oso Washington State, first-responders open the door to untrained volunteers after realizing they are better equipped at working in such difficult conditions. Read more
Coming to Skippy's Class ill Prepared
By William May
Published: 12/11/13
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Looking back it is astonishing to realize that a world class scholar was teaching in a small community college off the beaten path in the Northwest corner of the country. She would have wowed any student in the finest college anywhere. Read more
The Vacation Rental Dollar Store
By William May
Published: 01/16/13
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Who knew that Dollar stores were such a good source of items needed to outfit a Vacation Rental home. This author learns a lesson and receives great customer service too. Read more
Government Officials Driving Tourism Economy Away
By Ron Lee
Published: 06/01/12
Topics: Government
Comments: 0
Tourism is a clean, responsible industry that brings in visitors anxious to shop, attend events, tour attractions, rent lodging, and pay the taxes that go with them. So why do local government officials want to drive away vacation rentals and turn away the easy spending guests who want them? Read more
Sponsor: VRAI – As a fast growing industry we need your help and support. Join today to learn, share and promote your properties. – VRIA.org
Bill Gates' Favorite Burger Joint
By William May
Published: 12/01/10
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Over the decades there have been numerous stories here in the Northwest U.S. about how the favorite restaurant of Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, was an old fashioned burger stand not far from Microsoft's campus. You might like it too. Read more
Become a Vacation Rental Angel
By William May
Published: 03/01/10
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Comments: 0
Operating a vacation rental business can be fun and profitable but it also an opportunity to do some good in the world. Now property owners and managers can do that by participating in a public program that offer Read more
Become a Vacation Rental Angel
By William May
Published: 03/01/10
Topics:
Comments: 0
Operating a vacation rental business can be fun and profitable but it also an opportunity to do some good in the world. Now property owners and managers can do that by participating in a public program that offer Read more
Become a Vacation Rental Angel
By William May
Published: 03/01/10
Topics:
Comments: 0
Operating a vacation rental business can be fun and profitable but it also an opportunity to do some good in the world. Now property owners and managers can do that by participating in a public program that offer Read more
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