Word-Of-Mouth - great ideas

[craigkillick]

I run a design and marketing agency (don't worry, I'm not selling anything) but having recently bought off-plan in Cyprus I am developing a website to sell rental.

One thing I have not seen (or not found yet) is much talk on Word Of Mouth Marketing - still the best way to sell people your villa. One of the best reasons is that it is thrid party advertising so the displacement of the sale makes it more believable. ie. If I tell you about someone elses villa you are mouch more likely to believe it as in your eyes (or ears) I have nothing to gain by telling you apart from proving to you that I am knowledgable.

Great focus can be placed on culturing Word-Of-Mouth marketing and a person who has written a lot of books on the subject is a guy called Seth Godin - sethgodin.com

He also gives great ideas on how you process your website, use peoples data to get to know them better.

I suggest if you fancy knowing more, visit his website - he also gives away free e-books.

[Garri]

The guy who wrote Ideavirus.

Word of mouth, these days known as viral marketing. The trouble with viral marketing is everyone is doing it now, or trying to, and a lot of it is just badly implemented, probably because people are trying too hard.

His new ebook, which is free, is an incomplete guide to blogs, the new web.

I have to say I agree with most of what he says and personally I find myself visiting so-called blogs more than any other type of web site.

[craigkillick]

I'd disagree with everyone doing it, especially at grass roots level. Regards to doing it well that just takes a little bit of thought and being more specific with what you are selling and who you customer base is - which is why I would recommend Seth Godin books - not just the web specific books.

There is a tendancy for people to try to sell to the masses rather than being more specific to who the customer should be, ie. in the the case of holiday lets - families, golfers, elderley, young groups, etc. If that could be developed, please may be more successful in renting out weeks.

The free e-books I mention also include 'ideavirus', which is now quite old, 'knock knock' and the one you mention 'who's there'.

The reason I mention these is for people to look at becoming more specific and maybe exploring different ways of letting - rather than thinking that lets will come in through Google.

I think there is a lot of legs in creating a database of people that are interested in your property and then staying in touch (if they want you to) to enable them to effectively sell for you through Word Of Mouth. (I agreed that it needs to be done effectively). Based against traditional advertising, these people can be incentivised to do so - they are making something and so are you - and probably spening out less to get a customer.

Thoughts anyone?

[Alan Knighting]

Craigkillick,

My guess is that most of us are trying to sell to the masses but, at the same time, trying to illustrate how people with special interests are catered for. Placing too heavy an emphasis on special interests might tend to divorce one from the mass market of people who simply want a holiday.

I have tried "word of mouth" marketing for years and it has worked, to an extent. I have had numerous visitors who booked on the recommendation of a friend or acquaintance who had previously holidayed here. One virtue is that those visitors come "knowing" what they will find on arrival - the surprises for them are only the pleasant ones.

Alan

[craigkillick]

I agree Alan - it is still proven as the best way to get business. I must admit to being new to the holiday lets business but am confident that the same principles apply.

I have just got involved in a retail business and we use a website but I am testing Word of mouth (WOM) principles to this audience and it seems to be working. It is a different type of sell but incentivising people to tell other people seems to be quite tantalising to them. Affiliate programmes like Amazon also proove this point.

I agree with Garri that it can be done badly which is detremental to what is trying to be achieved but for anyone who has a holiday property, it is definitley another tool in the armery.

[kevincohr]

Does anyone have a view on the value of testimonials ? Many of the sites seem to have added the ability to leave them, but it's hard to know how much credibility prospective renters give to these testimonials.

Does anyone ask permission of visitors to act as a reference i.e. allow other renters to contact them directly ? If so, what has been your experience ?

Thanks,

Kevin

[Fraise]

I wondered about this.My Visitor's Book is full of glowing reports but I am wary about using them.I'm unsure about putting people's names,or even initials,and will people think you made them up anyway? When I read other people's I am often a bit sceptical - there was one I read on someone's site that was supposed to be from a young child- hmmm,I don't think so!! If names and addresses are provided then I usually believe them but I don't feel that would be possible without asking permission first?


www.thepetitmanoir.com

[Garri]

to enable them to effectively sell for you through Word Of Mouth.

Craig, this is something that should be built in to all of the listing sites but unfortunately isn't - they seem to have no imagination betond the 'send to a friend' button. I don't like to send my friends off to dodgy web sites!

Testimonials on web sites are, in my opinion, next to useless and take up valueable screen real estate. They're never balanced and for me, I'd like to read highs and lows - which is why I'm a fan of i-escape.com. There's some editorial process going on which helps me arrive at a decision. Decision making is at the heart of choosing a place to spend one's time and money at and testimonials often can't be trusted.

[Garri]

There was some talk about testimonials on websites...

I was recently asked by some friends to 'find' them a suitable place in Crete next summer for a family holiday (a big responsibility I know) and upon my travels came across this site:

villa-arcadia.com

The owner has actually published some negative comments. Not hidden away deep in the site but right there slap bang on the home page!!!

It's a good move because the negative comments prompted me shortlist this place - as a contender.

[craigkillick]

Garri - nice find. I love that.

The thing is that they are recognising that the place isn't perfect - and let's face it who's is - but, and this is the clever part from a marketing point-of-view, they mention that they are making the necessary changes based on the feedback they got from customers.

How many people (or organisations) do that? And, more importantly, how much more do we respect them for the fact that they did it. And (last one) how many people are we gonna tell about it because this simple thing seems so different?

Nice.

[Garri]

How many people (or organisations) do that?

Hardly any that I know of but that might be changing when blogging becomes more mainstream I feel.

And (last one) how many people are we gonna tell about it because this simple thing seems so different?

Well, I've just told you and anyone else reading this. You may even consider renting this place - who knows?

Other owners reading this may just pepper their sites with some negative feedback (and what they've done to address it) but be bold, put it on the front page.

[paolo]

I have moved the part of this thread that was about blogs to here:
viewtopic.php?t=1215

[debk]

RE: Testimonials/Guestbooks

This came in, last month, from someone who just booked six weeks in low season (with no special discounts hurrah):

Thank you for the swift reply! After reading all of the guest comments, and reviewing pictures and amenities,we believe that this is the best place for us...

Other people have also mentioned that the guestbook was a factor in choosing our properties. We've had some famous people stay with us and sometimes people just email and ask "Did so-and-so really stay there?" Since those entries are buried along with everything else some people are definitely reading the testimonials from beginning to end.

Prior to being a VRowner, I always read guestbooks when looking for properties. And now that I am a VRowner, I would probably shy away from a property without one. I do hope to see some negative along with the positive... most definitely... but if the owner has done a good job of presenting their property, location and offerings, the negatives should be few.

We put every single guestbook entry online. They are mostly positive but complaints about the hill upon which one house is built pop up occasionally. Also, we encourage people to add their own personal recommendations (eg, restaurants, touring) which keeps potential renters reading and makes for a rather special communal experience for all involved.

I do not ask for approval prior to posting the comments as everyone should have already seen them on our website. I recently had a guest leave a postcard with a lovely note -- versus signing the guestbook -- and I did not include that online, assuming she didn't sign the book for privacy reasons.

As for the entry written by a small child, parents do that sort of thing in an attempt to be cute.

Just another side of the testimonial coin...
debk
www.VisitingPortugal.com

[Garri]

I guess it goes to show it works for some people but not for me.
I would never base my decision on a testimonial, by famous people or not.

[debk]

I guess it goes to show it works for some people but not for me.

Bingo! Thus the value of using a variety of marketing approaches.