When a reporter asked Jesse James “Why do you rob banks?” his answer in all its simplistic elegance was “Because that is where the money is.” When we at The Society have been asked “Why did The Society create The Global Bundle?”…
Our answer is more complex based on years of demographic research, statistical analysis, data mining, unique visitor data, response rates and cost-effectiveness for our clients participating in The Global Bundle. OK, the simplistic:
“Because this is where the pre-qualified eyeballs are looking and booking.”
We know our vacation home owners and property/estate managers are successful entrepreneurs and marketers in search of cost-effective marketing opportunities to promote their vacation rentals to a pre-qualified and pre-screened clientele.
While The Global Bundle may seem intimidating at first; we have heard the comments i.e.
So many portals, is it truly effective?
Do I have to load data to each portal?
How can I keep track?
The reality is, we at The Society have made the process as simple as possible allowing our clients to 1) attract qualified eyeballs to their inventory 2) track inquiries and portals used and 3) load data once and let our IT technicians handle the rest.
While The Global Bundle has been designed and facilitated for marketing to an highly educated and affluent clientele including storied names such as The Robb Report, WSJ Online, The DuPont Registry, Luxury Real Estate and others, we have designed the Bundle to cross-market to multiple demographic groups thus enhancing booking opportunities.
One client in particular had an interesting situation. He owns a vacation rental in a community where seasonal rentals are the norm i.e. summer. For a seasonal rental, this owner received multiple inquiries from The DuPont Registry, known for its affluent readership coupled with a younger demographic i.e. average age of 37.
Yet, in the off-season the home generated minimal interest. We suggested pitching the home on the weekly rental market i.e. Sat. to Sat. via Craigslist markets within a 3-hour drive distance. Our hunch was correct as “aspirationals” who may not have the disposable income for a seasonal rental could afford an “off-season” week and live the lifestyle once only envied. In addition, one “weekly” rental client is considering a “seasonal rental” as relayed by the client “I was able to try the house for a week; I enjoyed the home, the location and the on-site amenities. I plan to book the home for the 2010 summer”.
Since the launch of our new Global Bundle product just a few months ago, we have a wealth of success stories that we would like to share. Around the world homeowners, property managers, resorts, developers and fractional owners have found The Global Bundle to be the perfect solution for their online marketing efforts.
Below is a recap of October including success stories and some select new properties we’ve added in the past 30 days.
Success Stories: Beaver Creek, CO: Ski Safari home was booked within the first week of being listed through The Global Bundle. The booking was for over $10,000. Now that’s an ROI we like to see for our clients. Every booking from now one just adds more to the bottom line. See home here: http://thesociety.com/vacation+rental/23987
West Vail, CO: This “accessible luxury” condo had zero bookings through the first few weeks in The Global Bundle. Our account management team worked with the owner and adjusted the headlines and offered a reasonable discount for early bookings. The result: immediately saw 4x’s the inquiries, 3 of which ended up booking in October alone. See home here: http://thesociety.com/vacation+rental/23907
Ambergris Caye, Belize: Las Terrazas Resort booked the entire resort for a 40 person Wedding. 40 guests staying for 7 nights. The Global Bundle reaches travelers and large group planners. See the resort here: http://thesociety.com/vacation+rental/23844
East Hampton, NY: This unique Whale Rock home, which is up for sale, was put into The Global Bundle to earn rental income as it was on the market. Within the first couple of days of listing, this property was filled for Labor Day and 2 off-season bookings. See the home here: http://thesociety.com/vacation+rental/23668
Paradise Valley, AZ: This $10 million estate had very few inquiries for the previous months. It was placed into The Global Bundle to target affluent audiences and the owner reported a qualified inquiry within 24 hours of listing. See the home here: http://thesociety.com/vacation+rental/23829
Selected New Properties Added to The Global Bundle in October:
Let us help you drive qualified inquiries and bookings efficiently and cost-effectively. View more information and sign-up for more information on our Global Bundle at: http://thesociety.com/gb
How is your booking activity for the December holidays? At TheSociety.com we produce a weekly newsletter/blog which is blasted out to travel agents and client directs. We are always looking to promote our partners, their inventory and specials.
If you have availability coupled with incentives or specials, please let us know. We would like to include your property in our weekly Travel Agent/Client Direct publication. Please note, those clients who have chosen to affiliate with The Global Bundle will receive priority concerning enhanced marketing via our Newsletters.
Not a member of The Global Bundle, please contact-us! We can explain how our Global Bundle members have seen increased inquiries from pre-qualified clients leading to profitable bookings. We help make the phone ring and the e-mail buzz.
In a recent Wall Street Journal article, buyers of condo-hotel properties are heading to court across the country arguing that developers who sold such units violated securities laws. Of interest, the court filings began as the real estate bubble started to deflate. For many buyers, condo-hotels seemed like a great idea. Hotel developers could offset construction costs by selling rooms to individuals then share the rental income with the owners every time a room was booked. However, instead of the lucrative venture some buyers claim they were promised by developers, condo-hotels have turned out to be one of the worst investments in decades. What is an owner to do?
Each condo-hotel development is unique and one must review their condominium by-laws, specifically concerning rental and management programs. Some may prohibit an owner from soliciting rentals on their own i.e. all rental and management must go through the managing agent to more liberal policies allowing owners to procure renters and just pay cleaning charges.
The following are a few options to consider if 1) you own a condo-hotel unit and 2) are looking for opportunities to increase rental activity and income generation.
VRBO: Vacation Rental By Owner is one of the largest sites for owners and managers looking to rent their vacation or similar properties. We would suggest as much detail as possible including location, amenities, rate, pictures and always negotiable (see below for description and text).
Craigslist: This free on-line bulletin board is an excellent option to capture local/regional traffic as well as national/international viewers. Best to mention condo building identity and address in headline to capture a click-through.
Global Bundle: For deluxe and luxury vacation properties, The Global Bundle is an excellent option to harness the power of the internet while target marketing to the affluent traveler. Offering placements on WSJ.com, LuxuryRealEstate.com, The Robb Report, HomeAway and other sites. The Global Bundle can be tailored to match prospective travelers with your vacation residence. Costs associated with marketing may be tax-deductible, please consult with your tax advisor.
Local Tourism Bureau or Reservations Service: Many major tourism destinations will have a “central reservations” office or similar associated with their Chamber of Commerce or Tourism Bureau. Contact directly to see if your vacation rental can be posted on their site(s).
Press RSS feed.
When a reporter asked Jesse James “Why do you rob banks?” his answer in all its simplistic elegance was “Because that is where the money is.” When we at 
