We get it, you're busy. There is only so much time in the day, and marketing a vacation rental is just one of many things on your plate! Ever thought "I only have 10 spare minutes a week, what else should I be doing?" We’ll help you cut through the noise and zero in on a few powerful and easy-to-implement 'bang for your buck' tips to improve your vacation rental business. From detecting fraudulent listings of your home to tapping into new marketing channels, you'll get several actionable items to grow your business with the least amount of work.

1. “10 Minute Marketing”
2013 HomeAway Summit
More Bookings. Less Work. Save Money.

2. “10 Minute Marketing”
www.myvr.com
We get it, you're busy. There is only so much
time in the day, and marketing a vacation
rental is just one of many things on your plate!
Ever thought "I only have 10 spare minutes a
week, what else should I be doing?"
We’ll help you cut through the noise and zero
in on a few powerful and easy-to-implement
'bang for your buck' tips to improve your
vacation rental business.
From detecting fraudulent listings of your
home to tapping into new marketing channels,
you'll get several actionable items to grow your
business with the least amount of work.
Jonathan Murray & Markus Nordvik
Co-Founders, MyVR.com
HomeAway Summit 2013, Scottsdale, AZ
Saturday, May 18th 2pm

3. What is MyVR?
www.myvr.com
• MyVR is vacation rental website builder & marketing software
• Get your own website, Facebook Page, Cragislist ads, etc
• Launch new listing site ads and save up to 20% off the cost
• Get time-saving management tools like renter screening,
inquiry auto-responders, a centralized inbox, and more
• Get a truly centralized calendar to manage your property
• Upload your info once, advertise everywhere from MyVR
Our value: More bookings. Less work. Save money.

4. High impact, low effort & cost marketing ideas
to maximize your ‘bang for the buck’!
www.myvr.com
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5. OUR TOP 15
“10 MINUTE MARKETING”
IDEAS
www.myvr.com

6. #15 – Create a Groupon-Like Offer
www.myvr.com
• For example, sell $500 in rental credit for $250
• Distribute your deal via email or your Facebook Page
(not actually via Groupon)
• Set a clear deadline and quantity
• Clearly communicate any fine print (e.g. min. nights)
• Target your off-peak season when things are slower
Want to learn more?
• See Matt Landau’s great write-up on this idea
• On our blog, we looked at details and things to consider
Photo: Groupon
Groupon offers pre-purchased deals that often give
deep discounts to a limited number of guests.
How can you make it work for your vacation rental?

7. #14 – Video for Your Vacation Rental
www.myvr.com
• Create short video(s) to promote vacation
rental features, nearby activities, etc.
• Add video to your website – but host it on
another site, like YouTube
• Use your target keywords in your video title
and written description
• Marketer Trent Blizzard recently found:
o Nearly 15% of site visitors watched the videos
o The time they spent on the site doubled – or more
o Approx 50% increase in traffic from search results
• A few to check out: Vine, iMovie, Animoto,
Prezi (among many!)
Photo: Google
Videos can be quick, engaging, memorable.
They put a face on your vacation rental, which helps build trust.

8. #13 – Test Your Listings
www.myvr.com
• Track the response you get with different
headlines, cover photos, keywords, etc.
• Measure the impact of each change:
o Do impressions go up / down?
o Do inquiries go up / down?
• Focus on what makes your home unique
• Focus on what your target audience wants
• Use all available headline space, but avoid using
empty words
• Consider key search terms (keywords) that will
attract people to your listing.
Photo: HomeAway
What photos and descriptions will bring more inquiries?
There’s only one way to find out.

9. #12 – Update Your Calendar
www.myvr.com
• Update all your calendars at least weekly – set a
reminder and make it part of your routine
• Even if it’s up-to-date, it’s important that the
system indicates it’s been updated; this is NOT just
about accuracy – it impacts rankings!
• Consider a tool that will auto-update all your
calendars at once (like MyVR.com!)
Photo: HomeAway
You may think you have your calendar covered.
But do you?

10. #11 – Screen Your Renters
www.myvr.com
• Search Facebook & Twitter using a guest’s
email address
• Search LinkedIn by name and location
• Phone look-ups can verify phone type ($)
• MyVR’s screening tool includes automatic
inquiry profile lookups on every inquiry!
Photo: Facebook
Are your renters who they claim to be?
Social networks can provide an easy way to help verify.

11. #10 – Be Proactive with Reviews
www.myvr.com
• Know ahead of time who will give a good
review – and ask for it!
• Don’t be afraid to ask. Be personable & explain
the importance to your business
• Ask promptly by email or phone, or even while
they’re still there
o If positive: Ask them to post the review
o If negative: Let them vent to you, not in a review,
and try to address the issue
• Treat negative reviews as an opportunity
Want to learn more?
• Learn more about responding to negative reviews
Photo: VRBO
Whether asking happy guests for reviews or responding to less-
than-perfect feedback, being proactive works best.

12. #9 – Get Your Own Website
www.myvr.com
• Better showcase your home & your local area
• Look more professional
• Listing sites have a fixed format: Owning your
site provides flexibility to add the additional
content or website features you want
• Increase trust/credibility
• Increase referrals and repeat business
• In emails and advertising, link to your own
website instead of a crowded listing site (where
your competitors are, too) Photo: MyVR
Even if listing sites are attracting inquiries, your own website
should be the hub of your marketing efforts.

13. #8 – Create a Brand / Custom Domain
www.myvr.com
• Be more memorable
• Make word-of-mouth & repeat business easier
• What’s easier to remember: “Sonoma Square
Cottage” or “VRBO # 3537208”?
• Use your brand / domain everywhere
• No website? You can point a domain to your
listing instead
• Feeling really aggressive? Create a logo, too!
Want to learn more?
• What domain name should I pick for my website?
What’s easier to remember:
Photo: VRBO, MyVR
Find a unique way to distinguish by creating your own brand
and getting a custom domain name.
-or-

14. #7 – Links to Your Website
www.myvr.com
• Add links to listing, auto-responders, email
signatures, etc.
• You can’t customized listing sites, but you can
include a link to your website for more
information.
o Make sure you understand any guidelines around
doing so!
• Show & tell what makes your home unique
• Use your new catchy custom domain, of course!
Want to learn more?
• How do I generate more links to my website?
• 10 Free Vacation Rental Listing Sites to Boost Your SEO
Photo: VRBO
Always look for opportunities to link back to your own website.
This promotes your business and supports search engine rank.

15. #6 – Local Business Directories
www.myvr.com
• Expand your presence and reach more renters
• Valuable inbound links = better website SEO
• Free listings on Yelp, Google Places, Yahoo, Bing
• Note: Some sites have restrictions! You may not
be approved
• When you first add your vacation rental, get some
friendly reviews to boost your listing
Photo: Yelp
Another great place to be found (and add links to your own
website) is any local business directory.

16. #5 – Fake Listing Alerts
www.myvr.com
• There are several different scams, often
involving free classified ads like Craigslist
• It’s fairly easy to set up your own alert system,
so you’re notified if your home’s info is posted
• Scammers are generally lazy & copy-paste, so it’s
easy to watch for keywords.
Want to learn more?
• When Craigslist Scammers Take Over Your Rental Property
• Catch Craigslist Scammers With This Digital Net
Photo: Craigslist
Fake and fraudulent listings hurt the public’s trust in vacation
rentals, and they can put you in an awkward situation.

17. #4 – Add Listings or Upgrade
www.myvr.com
• Your goal is to be on the first page of the listing site
• High ROI (30x cost on average)
• Understand the competition in your area
• Consider a one year test before deciding whether
expand and upgrade your package
• Focus on the large, established marketplaces (if
you’ve never heard of it, it probably won’t work)
• Diversification = lower risk
• More leads could lead to higher rental rates
Too many listings to manage?
• MyVR helps manage multiple marketing channelsPhoto: HomeAway
Maybe you’re not listed on one of
the top sites, or maybe it’s time to
upgrade your package.

18. #3 – Get on Map View
www.myvr.com
• Many renters search only by the map
• If you don’t have a marker, you’re not showing up!
• Upside likely outweighs any risks (i.e. burglary);
also, the perceived risk is higher than actual risk
• Security cameras are always an option (and paid
for by your increased bookings!)
• Ultimately, it’s your risk, and you need to decide!
Photo: HomeAway
Listing sites have a map view for people looking for rentals.
Is your property visible?

19. #2 – Inquiry Auto-Responders
www.myvr.com
• Studies show quick reply = higher conversion
• A good auto-reply adds value and engages
• Include links to your website, local guide,
FAQ’s, etc.
• Reduce your work on ‘bad’ leads
• Focus your time converting ‘good’ leads
Want to learn more?
• An auto-reply doesn’t need to be impersonal! Check
out these three examples
Dear Jane,
Thanks for your interest in the Sonoma Square Cottage!
I value your time, and try to reply to all inquiries within an hour. Since
I can’t always do so, I set up this auto-responder to give a little more
info about our home and answer common questions. I will be in
contact shortly!
In the meantime, please check out our website:
www.SonomaSquareCottage.com and be sure to check out the Local
Info section with local recommendations, events, and deals from
Groupon, Living Social, and more.
Also, be sure follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SonomaSquareCottage
Thanks,
Jonathan
F.A.Q.’s for Sonoma Square Cottage
How close are you to the Sonoma Square Plaza?
We’re are about 2.5 blocks from the square. Just a short walk from…
Auto-responders are messages
that are sent automatically when
you receive an inquiry.

20. #1 – Professional Photography
www.myvr.com
• Photos: the most important element to your advertising
• You have 10 seconds to make an impression
• Listings with professional photos attract 2x to 3x more
inquiries = more bookings
• Include your own photo to personalize
• Don’t forget: staging matters!
• Listings with 25+ photos attract more inquiries
Want to learn more?
• How To Create An Eye-Catching Vacation Rental Listing
• Plan to Update Your Vacation Rental Photos
Source: Airbnb
Using professional photographers is
pretty standard advice. If you haven’t
used one yet, why not?

21. Impact vs Effort Analysis
1. Professional Photography
2. Inquiry Auto-Responders
3. Get on Listing Map View
4. Add Listings/Upgrade
5. Fake Listing Alerts
6. Local Business Directories
7. Links to Your Site
8. Catchy Brand / Domain
9. Get Your Own Website
10.Be Proactive w/ Reviews
11.Renter Social Profiles
12.(Auto) Calendar Updates
13.Testing in Your Listing
14.Add a Video
15.Groupon-Like Offer
www.myvr.com
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2
3
4
14
6
9
8
7
11
10
125
15
13

22. OUR CHALLENGE TO YOU:
PICK ANY 2-3 AND
COMPLETE IN < 30 DAYS!
www.myvr.com

23. Bonus #1: Honorable Mention!
www.myvr.com
• Analyze your performance! Know your data & what works.
• Address other listing quality criteria (payments, # of photos)
• Build your email list! There is huge value for future marketing
• Home automation (e.g. remote locks)
• Create a great local guide
• Try Craigslist (60 million unique visitors a month!)
• Cater to your audience w/ small home upgrades

24. Bonus #2: A Few Things to Avoid
www.myvr.com
• AdWords (unless you have multiple properties or are
in the top 1-2% of owners!)
• Paying for “SEO experts”
• Free listing sites (with a few exceptions)
• Investing a lot in social (with a few exceptions)

25. www.myvr.com
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