Ross... are you here? I went to holidaylets.net and didn't see anything about the 3 month free trial discussed earlier on the holiday-rentals thread.
I was going to give hlets a try for a few of our properties, even though I hardly ever do free trials. (Must be a full moon?? EOY madness on my part???)
Truly, Ross, I liked your responsiveness here on the forum and thought I'd give your site a whirl in appreciation.
Happy New Year!
debk
Holidaylets.net free trial?
Deb,
It looks like the trial has been removed. I previously ( 18 months ago) listed using the free trial and got a moderate level of enquiries for my property in France, but decided not to pay for a listing as I had better results elsewhere. I'd be interested if anyone has more recent experience with them.
Regards,
Kevin
It looks like the trial has been removed. I previously ( 18 months ago) listed using the free trial and got a moderate level of enquiries for my property in France, but decided not to pay for a listing as I had better results elsewhere. I'd be interested if anyone has more recent experience with them.
Regards,
Kevin
holidaylets - free trial
Ross - are you there?
After reading the positive comments about holidaylets in the forum I signed up for the 3 month trial.Dissapointingly I have not recieved any enquiries, I put this down to the quiet time of year(the other sites we advertise on are also slow pre christmas)I like the look of the site and it seems to come up resonably well on search phrases ,can any one convince me to sign up?
Paulnet.
After reading the positive comments about holidaylets in the forum I signed up for the 3 month trial.Dissapointingly I have not recieved any enquiries, I put this down to the quiet time of year(the other sites we advertise on are also slow pre christmas)I like the look of the site and it seems to come up resonably well on search phrases ,can any one convince me to sign up?
Paulnet.
-
Paul Carmel
- Posts: 3836
- Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2004 12:25 pm
- Location: Palma Mallorca & Greece
- Contact:
-
marcus
- Posts: 624
- Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2005 10:37 am
- Location: Lot-Garonne / Dordogne borders
- Contact:
Same story here
I love the look of the site and that's largely why we are on there - but only a couple of weeks booked, and I had much higher expectations.
Our renewal date is April so I will know better by then.
I think they said they are having a newspaper marketing campaign in january so we will see if that brings some interest.
I think they should succeed and hope they do but I remain unconvinced. Does anyone have a more positive experience to report?
I love the look of the site and that's largely why we are on there - but only a couple of weeks booked, and I had much higher expectations.
Our renewal date is April so I will know better by then.
I think they said they are having a newspaper marketing campaign in january so we will see if that brings some interest.
I think they should succeed and hope they do but I remain unconvinced. Does anyone have a more positive experience to report?
There site is very good from a management point of view, re keeping track of bookings, payments and such. Had a free trial from Sept for 3 mths and only 4 enquiries which we followed up.
Not a great response considering another site we advertise on, we converted 20 enquiries into 8 wks of bookings in the same time scale.
Bizzare
Not a great response considering another site we advertise on, we converted 20 enquiries into 8 wks of bookings in the same time scale.
Bizzare
My experience is the same as the others.I love the site but very little response.I think I had one booking via them,maybe it was 2?The jury is still out!! 
www.thepetitmanoir.com
www.thepetitmanoir.com
Firstly, Happy New Year to everyone.
Well, we finally decided to bite the bullet and do away with the free trial. Only time will tell if we have done the right thing!
Some of the comments above illustrate why we've taken this decision. A 3 month free trial in October isn't going to generate a flood of enquiries and if that's all people have to judge us on, then it's unlikely they'll be beating our door down with subscription fees.
However, when we look over a full 12 month cycle, we know the site must be quite effective, otherwise we wouldn't have an 80% re-subscription rate. That's the real dilemma for us; are we losing long term business because of the short term free trial?
I know the site may not work for everybody and I do accept some people will only trial a site if there's a free period as an incentive, but in the end, we just decided this is the way we'd like to go.
Hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Ross
Well, we finally decided to bite the bullet and do away with the free trial. Only time will tell if we have done the right thing!
Some of the comments above illustrate why we've taken this decision. A 3 month free trial in October isn't going to generate a flood of enquiries and if that's all people have to judge us on, then it's unlikely they'll be beating our door down with subscription fees.
However, when we look over a full 12 month cycle, we know the site must be quite effective, otherwise we wouldn't have an 80% re-subscription rate. That's the real dilemma for us; are we losing long term business because of the short term free trial?
I know the site may not work for everybody and I do accept some people will only trial a site if there's a free period as an incentive, but in the end, we just decided this is the way we'd like to go.
Hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Ross
Ross Hugo
" A 3 month free trial in October isn't going to generate a flood of enquiries "
Agreed - but why not offer the trial for Jan-March for those members of the forum who are seriously concerned about improving every aspect of their business - e.g. those with over 100 (or 200, or 300) posts as at 1/1/06?? It has to be worth the good-will it would generate.
Agreed - but why not offer the trial for Jan-March for those members of the forum who are seriously concerned about improving every aspect of their business - e.g. those with over 100 (or 200, or 300) posts as at 1/1/06?? It has to be worth the good-will it would generate.
Best,
Alexia.
Alexia.
-
Paul Carmel
- Posts: 3836
- Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2004 12:25 pm
- Location: Palma Mallorca & Greece
- Contact:
Same here. I would like to test drive holiday-lets... but I see absolutely no reason to try a site without a free trial. Especially since, as Ross says, no site works for every location/rental situation.
Ross, notice that I waited until busy season to try the site? I appreciated your postings and so I put a tickler in my agenda to post on 31 Dec. Obviously, Sept-Dec wouldn't give the site a fighting chance... but then I lost that free trial precisely by deciding to give holiday-lets the best possible timeframe for a trial.
Seems a bit odd to pull the free trial exactly when it would do the most good??
Given the funky timing, I think Alexia's "laymyhat" free trial coupon is an excellent idea. I'll trial a couple of my properties that way.
But don't wait too long... I've had five inquiries and two bookings in the last few days. Viva 2006!
debk
Ross, notice that I waited until busy season to try the site? I appreciated your postings and so I put a tickler in my agenda to post on 31 Dec. Obviously, Sept-Dec wouldn't give the site a fighting chance... but then I lost that free trial precisely by deciding to give holiday-lets the best possible timeframe for a trial.
Seems a bit odd to pull the free trial exactly when it would do the most good??
Given the funky timing, I think Alexia's "laymyhat" free trial coupon is an excellent idea. I'll trial a couple of my properties that way.
But don't wait too long... I've had five inquiries and two bookings in the last few days. Viva 2006!
debk
-
marcus
- Posts: 624
- Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2005 10:37 am
- Location: Lot-Garonne / Dordogne borders
- Contact:
Oh dear me,
I've just done a website for someone with a house in southern Spain and told them I would put them on HolidayLets to see how that worked for them for 3 months before they committed themselves. As I said before I'm on there myself with not bvery good results. There is no realistic way I can recommend someone in another country to pay up front without trying it first.
Shame about that, anyone know any good sites for Spain with a free trial period?
Cheers
Marcus
I've just done a website for someone with a house in southern Spain and told them I would put them on HolidayLets to see how that worked for them for 3 months before they committed themselves. As I said before I'm on there myself with not bvery good results. There is no realistic way I can recommend someone in another country to pay up front without trying it first.
Shame about that, anyone know any good sites for Spain with a free trial period?
Cheers
Marcus
Click4holidayhomes.com is worth a try. I had a three month trial for one of my properties in Costa del Sol, as I did on holidaylets and have now paid to be on both.
As I am now a paid up member on these sites and a couple of others like Holiday Rentals I would rather none of the sites offered free trials. In effect by offering these trials I am competing with a number of free advertiser many of whom it appears from conversations I have had and posts I have read on these forums are freeloaders who have no intention of ever paying.
As I am now a paid up member on these sites and a couple of others like Holiday Rentals I would rather none of the sites offered free trials. In effect by offering these trials I am competing with a number of free advertiser many of whom it appears from conversations I have had and posts I have read on these forums are freeloaders who have no intention of ever paying.