Lay My Hat

Although we are predominantly a ski property, the area is beautiful in summer, and I am keen to gain a bit more summer business this year. The new pool and spa should help with this, and I have listed on Holiday Rentals amongst others. My winter availability is almost gone, so my thoughts are turning to bringing the summer information out again. I need to re-write the summer page, and perhaps change the photos on the homepage. What are your thoughts guys, before I start to update.

I guess I can only tell you what I would need to see as an ocassional skiier who has never been to a ski resort in summer. That would be photos to show me what I could do and links, showing me people in the pool/kayaking/canoing/biking etc.

Hi Helen,. I see you mention a fortress designed by Vauban. I can't remember where I heard it but there is some celebration or other this year for Vauban ( he designed the citadel at Blaye which is about 20 miles away from my place) and talk of his designs being awarded World Heritage status? It might be worth checking out?
I think for me to be tempted to a ski resort in summer I'd like to see piccies of sunshine/flowers ,people eating/drinking outside,not necessarily with loads of mountain shots,just a general feel good picture,maybe playing boule etc ? Your website is pretty good already so good on yer for wanting to make it even more attractive for summer visitors

Thanks. I think Briancon itself has applied for World Heritage status. I thin k perhaps I will start to expand the summer page , perhaps with a sub-page or two. Now I have some ideas to work on.

Good luck with it. I wonder just how many places have applied for World Heritage status then ? I think Blaye has too ? LOL

Hi Helen,

I think your photo gallery could do with some more summer shots, you've only got a few and those are mostly landscapes but not as stunning as your snow scenes, as someone said, a few feel-good shots would be great. Are you accepting pets - the shots of your? dog certainly imply that............
Incidentally one of the photos only shows in thumbnail size, I think you called it 'exterior crop'.

I'm not sure that you need the pics of people on their own - don't think that's doing you any favours, nor the pic of what at a brief glance looks like someone's messy office though I suspect (didin't linger on that one for long as you can tell!) is at the end of a hard day's skiing.

I think it's fantastic photos that sell rentals.

Sorry, that all sounded a bit negative - the chalet looks fabulous and your snow scenes really are stunning but I'd get some more brilliant summer pics in there too.

Kathy

kathyg wrote: I'm not sure that you need the pics of people on their own. Kathy

Helen, I haven't time today to post properly, but I think a little corner showing people enjoying themselves at your apartment or in the garden there in a warm weather setting - or doing some local summer activity is perhaps a good way of tempting non-skiers to come at that time of year - but confined to the guestbook page. You might need to be the models yourselves initially (without saying so) - or, if you've had friends or guests who have stayed outside the ski season, approach them and ask if they would mind your using some shots in this section. This is exactly what I did (emailed former guests) and had a very positive response. The pics on our guestbook page are of real guests!

HelenB wrote:

we are predominantly a ski property, the area is beautiful in summer, and I am keen to gain a bit more summer business this year.

Monetier-les-Bains and the rest of the Serre Chevalier area is as beautiful in Summer as it is in Winter

Hi Helen

Your place looks beautiful but you need to overcome the perception that you're 'predominantly a ski property' trying to 'make a few bob out of season'. Bit like me trying to encourage 'winter breaks in the Dordogne' when it's actually pretty grim here in February.

You probably won't be surprised if I say that stonking summer pictures are the key. You need to shift the emphasis from snow to summer by illustrating the second quote from your website. If it were me, I'd clear my head completely and design a new section of your site that addresses the needs of summer visitors only. Make the place seem as special in summer as in winter, which I'm sure it is. Remember what the politicians say - concentrate on the presentation.

I'd also cull the quotes from your guestbook which praise your website. Don't seem appropriate in the context of a guestbook.

Jim

Thanks again. Difficult to post pics of the garden, as it wasn't landscaped last summer, so that will be for next year.
The messy office shot was of moving in day, and has obviously gone in the wrong photo gallery. The job at the top of the list was the photo gallery.

I've now switched round some pages,altered the photo gallery (winter one is not online at the mo), and added some subpages to the summer one. Let me know what you guys think.

Looking great Helen - esp the photo gallery. I wonder if you might not add a note on the summer page to point people to it in case they miss the fact that one exists?

GG.Good idea.

Done, and the guest book is slimmed down.