no bookings

[dmjarvis]

Hi Aoucarde,
First of all can I say how nice your gites look, and you have a good looking website too. I generally avoid paid listings sites, preferring to run my own pay-per-click campaigns to bring customers in to my website, but I do use, and can recommend, www.vacationfrance.com. I haven't used them for long, and had already filled up my peak holiday letting period before I listed with them, but they have brought me a few bookings for the less popular periods. I offer a pay-per-click service and SEO through my own company, and would have thought that it could work for you - especially as your marketing costs could be spread across all 5 properties. Quite happy to have a chat if you would like to find out a bit more, as I am passionate about both France and about Google (yes, a bit sad I know).
Best Regards, Martin

[Hells Bells]

OOH!!! Vacations France,what a nostalgia trip, it looks just like French Connections used to do!!!

[poisson]

Yes - why did French Connections change it's format? Didn't work for us - vacationsfrance appears so much more user friendly

[Giddy Goat]

Agree - much preferred the original design, and have not advertised with French Connections, largely as a result as I thought some holidaymakers might be put off browsing too. But this is a good question to ask - VRBO is another listing site, the appearance of which is, well... pretty basic, yet it is very successful by all accounts and many here list in it. As long as the site is functional and has decent search facilities, perhaps that's all the punter is looking for?

Bit off topic, perhaps - or maybe it does have relevance when choosing where to advertise - anyone have strong views?

[Calvados]

Cast your net on the other side of the boat.

Do not dispare, spoke with a friend of an independant UK Travel Agent.
Family of 6 asked him to find a holiday home for rent anywhere in France. Took him almost a week to find one.

Write to lots of independant agents in the UK - find them via yell.com and hopefully you will pick up lots of booking, though you will obviously need to build in a commission for the agents.

A personal approach will surley make your property lodge in the back of peoples minds.

Regards

[Sallys Chateau]

Homelidays were brilliant for me this year. A friend has got all her bookings recently from people who seem to be flooded with enquiries as they were featured in Alistair Sawdays book on France. This is my first year and I had ten weeks booked but nothing further so far. I did e bay, lots of hits on the site but they all wanted it for virtually nothing.

www.chateaulasserre.com