Articles posted in Travel Industry

14 articles

Debunking the Myths About Vacation Rentals

Posted on October 27, 2015 by Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals — No Comments ↓

As vacation rentals move into the spotlight, there continues to be a lot of myths and misconceptions out there about the industry. People who have never used a vacation rental don’t know what to expect, especially with the pushback from traditional lodging interests muddying the waters. Here are 7 persistent myths about vacation rentals:

Myth: Vacation rentals are only for the wealthy.

Truth: Vacation rentals often offer huge cost savings compared to other lodging options because large groups are able to stay together instead of booking multiple hotel rooms. On top of that, you’ll be able to save on foods cost by cooking for yourself instead of dining out for all your meals.

Myth: Vacation rentals aren’t secure or reliable forms of lodging.

Truth: Professional management companies make sure that their rentals have proper inspections, maintenance, housekeeping, laundry, and much more. Furthermore, professionally managed vacation rentals often provide better guest and concierge services than traditional lodging,

Myth: There’s no one to help me if I need assistance during my trip

Truth: When renting through a professional management company, there is always an emergency contact to call 24/7 for any questions or maintenance issues. Nearly all management companies have staff dedicated to customer care and assisting with guests’ needs.

Myth: Someone will try to sell me something.

Truth: Vacation rentals are not like timeshares. They do not involve any type of ownership, maintenance fees, or commitments of any sort. As a guest, you simply check in and out just like you would at a hotel.

Myth: Vacation rentals are only a good value for large families and groups.

Truth: There are many different types of vacation rentals, from studio-size condos in metro areas to huge houses able to accommodate scores of people. There are options for single travelers, couples, small and large groups, all offering great values.

Myth: I’ll have to stay for a minimum of seven nights.

Truth: Vacation rentals have adapted to the changing preferences of travelers. Guests looking for a short stay can often find established rental companies with little or no minimum stay requirements, especially during off-season time periods.

Myth: I can’t get the same luxuries as I can in a hotel.

Truth: Professional vacation rental management companies provide guests with the opportunity to experience all the benefits of traditional lodging with additional amenities and an inherent value that remains unmatched. Management companies often include concierge services as well as options for in-home massages and spa treatments, personal chefs, grocery delivery, child care, and much more!

Are you planning a trip? Click here to view all of our downtown vacation rentals

Avoiding Airbnb Scams

Posted on March 11, 2015 by Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals — No Comments ↓

We have previously written about avoiding vacation rental scams, and it looks like it is time to bring up the topic once again. Airbnb is currently the hottest thing since sliced bread and their seemingly meteoric rise to the top of the game has included a fair share of hiccups. While the large majority of guests enjoy their stays, there are still a few horror stories out there. Scams can hit hosts as well as guests, and the sophisticated criminals are looking to do a lot worse than just trash your apartment.

Phishing scams are one of the oldest in the book. The premise is simple: you receive an email urgently prompting you to log into your account or provide some other sensitive information. On the surface the message appears to be from a legitimate organization, but if you click on the links you are sent to a website that will actually steal your login information. Once your login has been stolen, the scammers have access to a whole treasure trove of profitable material. They can lock you out of your account, divert payments to their own accounts, and even sent up fraudulent listings to ensnare unsuspecting guests. This is a nightmare situation for any vacation rental owner.

Fortunately, while prevalent, these types of scams are fairly easy to avoid. Let’s look at some examples. First we have what looks like a promising reservation, just waiting to be confirmed:

However, closer examination will reveal significant problems. The first and most obvious is the originating email address. Anything that is legitimately from Airbnb will be from @airbnb.com. This email is not:

Close, but no cigar. The second tip off is that the rates being offered are not correct. This request is showing $99 per night which is the base rate of the listing, not the accurate rate for the specific dates shown. If this was actually a request from Airbnb, it would have had the correct rates. It’s obvious what has happened is that a scammer has simply lifted the rates and the picture from the listing page and build a fake notification using our information.
Along with these phishing emails, another scam we’ve started to see from people using Airbnb is the oldie-but-goodie “I’m in trouble, please send me money” scam. Let’s take a look at another message we recently received:

Jodi was an actual guest of ours and it appears someone was able to gain access to her account (possibly using the methods previously described) and send us this message. There are multiple things about this email that should set off warning signs, not the least of which being the actual warning sign from Google. The next would be the grammar mistakes throughout. Having corresponded with Jodi in the past, we immediately realized that there was something wrong here, but common sense dictates that the obvious falsity of this email should be apparent to anyone.

The unfortunate truth is that scams like these are becoming increasingly common as our society moves more and more of its interactions online. The good news is that scammers are, by their very nature, lazy. They don’t put a lot of effort into creating the perfect rouse. To them it’s a numbers game. If they target as many people as possible, they’re hoping that an unlucky few will not be paying attention enough to spot the obvious. As long as your exercise an appropriate amount of caution and diligence, you can avoid being that person.

Are you planning a trip? Click here to view all of our great downtown vacation rentals.

Welcome To The City Of Brotherly Love

Posted on March 5, 2015 by Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals — No Comments ↓

Source: Flickr user Gene Tobia

Stay Alfred’s springtime expansion continues as we move into the City of Brotherly Love. We’re excited to bring our trusted brand of vacation rental hospitality to this great American city! There is so much to love about Philadelphia, we can hardly wait to host your stay here while you explore everything this art-centric, food-focused metropolis has to offer. Our new downtown Philadelphia vacation rentals will be perfect for any stay , whether it’s a romantic getaway for two, a work-filled business trip, or a full fledged family vacation.
Philadelphia is one of America’s original cities, predating the Declaration of Independence by almost a hundred years and serving as the first capital of the newly-formed United States. The city enthusiastically celebrates its historical tradition. Along with the famous Liberty Bell, you can visit Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 and the Constitutional Convention was held eleven years later. Benjamin Franklin, Philadelphia’s favorite son, also has a strong presence in the city. Besides the Benjamin Franklin Museum, you’ll also find Franklin Square (one of five original squares from William Penn’s plan for the city) and the Franklin Institute (one of the oldest science museums in America which houses the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial). If you travel to New Jersey, you’ll even cross the Ben Franklin Bridge. You may even run into one of the city’s many Ben Franklin impersonators. They’re like the Elvises of Las Vegas.
Philadelphia is also home to a wonderful variety of world-class museums. The most visited is the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the third-largest art museum in the country. Sitting majestically on a rise at the end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the museum is also the site of the famous Rocky Steps and a statue of the city’s other favorite son: Rocky Balboa. There are also many other great museums in the surrounding area. The Rodin Museum houses the largest collection of works by the French sculptor outside of Paris. The Barnes Foundation is home to perhaps the best collection of Impressionist and Modernist paintings in the world. Nearby you’ll also find the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, the Penn Museum, the Institute of Contemporary Art, and the Mütter Museum.
Eco-friendly Philly boasts some 220 miles of bike lanes, good public transportation and the crown jewel of urban parks, 9,200-acre Fairmount Park, the largest landscaped urban park in the world. Furthermore, a 2011 study by Walk Score ranked Philadelphia the fifth-most walkable major city in the United States. With so much history and culture easily acceptable, it’s no wonder 40 million visitors a year travel to this amazing hidden gem on the East Coast. Stay Alfred is proud to offer the comforts of home in the heart of downtown, which means our vacation rentals will be where to stay in Philadelphia. They say Philly is “The City That Loves You Back.” Let us show you how true that is!

Are you planning a trip? Click here to view all of our great vacation rentals

The Importance of Reviews

Posted on February 26, 2015 by Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals — No Comments ↓

Source: Flickr user Paolo Camera

When you’re making a purchase online, do you read user reviews before making a decision? If you are like the majority of online buyers, you probably do. Whether it’s a new smartphone case or a new car, it just makes sense that you would want to know what you’re getting. Nearly every online marketplace offers people the opportunity to post product reviews, and checking out those reviews is now just a standard part of being an informed consumer.

Just like everything else online, vacation rentals rely heavily on user reviews. In fact, reviews are probably more important to vacation rentals as a source of advertising than most other products you can think of. First of all, people want to know that your vacation rental is not a scam and that what they see is what they’re going to get. Secondly, hearing about the great times previous guests have had makes it easier to spend a significant amount of money on something they’re not going to see in person until they arrive.

All the great photographs and glowing descriptions in the world will not have as much impact on your vacation rental as the heartfelt endorsements of people who have had wonderful experiences at your property. A recent survey by TripAdvisor found that travelers are 80% more likely to book a vacation rental listing that includes guest reviews. Obviously the more reviews you have, the better, but Homeaway and VRBO advise that you try to have at least 12 reviews for the highest Listing Quality Score.

Getting guests to leave reviews on your listing can be a challenge, but it is worth the effort. Vacation Rental Marketing Blog founder Matt Landau found that soliciting reviews is the most cost-effective ways to generate more bookings. Sending a guest an email, or even a handwritten note, inquiring how their stay went is an excellent way to generate feedback. If they had a positive experience, it is a good opportunity to politely ask them to leave a review. One method we have found to be highly effective is to send each of our past guests a survey using SurveyMonkey. We get the valuable feedback we need and are able to ask guests who enjoyed their stay to post a review. If a guest did not have a good experience, the survey gives them the chance to express their frustration without turning to the public forums.

Getting a bad review is not the end of the world. It is just a fact of life that you cannot please everyone all of the time. The important thing to remember about a bad review is that it is just as important as a good review when it comes to showing that you care about your guests. Travelers will read the bad review, but they will also read your response. Always be courteous and professional, another TripAdvisor survey found that an aggressive or defensive manager response to a bad review would make 64% of travelers less likely to book. Instead, your response should include five parts: address their specific complaints, apologize for your mistakes, let them know what you’ve done to fix the problem, highlight the positive parts of their stay, and always invite them back!

Are you planning a trip? Click here to view all of our great vacation rentals

Marketing Your Vacation Rental, Part 2

Posted on February 16, 2015 by Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals — No Comments ↓

In our previous blog post we discussed how to create a listing for your vacation rental that will stand out from the pack and attract guests. However, just having a catchy title, a great description, and professional-looking photos is not enough. With so many vacation rentals on the professional listing sites, you need to be proactive in promoting your property.

The main place that travelers search for and book their arrangements is online, so naturally this should also be the place that you focus most of your marketing efforts. Listing services like VRBO offer ways to increase your listing’s visibility, for a price. Purchasing a higher subscription level or paying to temporarily boost your property with a “special offer” or “featured listing” status can greatly increase the number of people who will see your listing, especially if it’s located in a crowded market. But not everyone has the budget to spend on these services, and while more viewers might get your more inquiries, it doesn’t guarantee more bookings.

The only good Spam is in a can. Source: Flickr user freezelight

One way to promote your property that doesn’t necessarily have to cost anything is to utilize social media. It’s free to set up an account with the major services like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Linkedin. With so many people checking in on these sites daily, it’s practically a given that you should have a social media presence for potential guests to verify your professionalism. Social media users generally don’t appreciate being spammed with blatant advertising, but if you post a good mix of interesting links, funny pictures, and some subtle self-promotion, your base of followers will start to grow. Who knows, you might even go viral!

The most direct way to reach potential guests is with targeted emails. Start compiling a list of email addresses from everyone who has ever stayed with you or even sent you an inquiry. Using a service like Vertical Response will allow you to create a promotional offer or informational newsletter and send it to select groups of people. You can also track how many people open the email, click on included links, unsubscribe from your list, etc., which lets you know just how effective your email campaign is. Targeted email can be a powerful tool, but should not be used carelessly; if too many people report you as spam, you risk getting your service suspended.

Not all marketing needs to be online. There are still plenty of traditional print mediums where you can advertise your vacation rental. Local visitor’s bureaus and chambers of commerce publish city guides that often include advertisements for short-term accommodations. Websites like Club Flyers offer an affordable option for printing flyers and brochures that you can place in local visitor’s centers. And don’t forget about one of the most reliable forms of advertising: the good old business card. Make sure you always have a few on hand to turn the next stranger you strike up a conversation with into a potential guest.

Planning a trip? Click here to view all of our great vacation rentals.

Tips for Marketing Your Vacation Rental

Posted on February 7, 2015 by Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals — No Comments ↓

This is not good marketing. Source Flickr user gruntzooki

A lot of people get into the vacation rental industry thinking that all they need is a nice home in a good location and the money will start rolling in. Nothing could be further from the truth. As in any crowded marketplace, it requires a lot of hard work, some creative marketing, and a little bit of luck to distinguish yourself in the world of vacation rentals. The hard work part is entirely on you, and there’s nothing we can do about the luck, but we’re glad to share a few tips with you that will hopefully demystify the marketing process.

We’re going to assume that you’ve already listed your property on the major listing sites like Homeaway, VRBO, Flipkey, and Airbnb. If you haven’t, you should (unless you have way of getting millions of visitors to your own website, it which case we’d love to hear it). Large parts of this industry are pay-to-play and you will see more success if you just bite the bullet and fork over the cash.

Once you have a listing for your property, you’ll need a good title. After your photos, your title is probably the second-most important aspect of your listing. You need something that will entice potential guests while at the sometime highlighting what makes your property unique. Does your property have a pool? Free wifi? Spectacular views? Make sure your guests can tell right away what you’re offering. It’s always a good idea to include the number of bedrooms as well.

You also need to provide of description of your property that will paint a picture in the minds of your guests of what to expect. A good description should erase any uncertainty about your property. Include specific information about sleeping arrangements like the number and size of the beds, as well as the amenities that are included. Think about the types of guests you want to attract (couples, families, business travelers, etc.) and try to target them with your description. Remember that online readers prefer short sentences and paragraphs, and be sure to proofread for any errors.

With a catchy title and a good description, it’s time to start thinking about the most important part of your listing: the photos. The old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words has never been more true. The best way to ensure quality pictures is to hire a professional photographer that specializes in real estate. Of course, that’s not always an option for everyone so if you’re going to take the photos yourself, there a few key things to remember:

Get pictures of every room and amenity, paying special attention to the kitchen. Having a kitchen is one of the main reasons travelers choose a vacation rental over a hotel, and as one guest recently told us, “I know that if the owner makes sure the kitchen looks great, they’ll pay just as much attention to the rest of their home.”
Make sure there’s plenty of light. Open the blinds and turn on all the light fixtures. Turn on your camera flash. Lots of light will give the feeling of warmth and make your property more inviting. If the pictures are dark, it will feel cold and unwelcoming.
The ideal shooting height is approximately five feet above the ground with the camera pointing straight ahead. Be careful not to tilt the camera up or down because this will distort the image and make it harder for the guest to get a feel for the space. Try to fit the entire room into the frame.

By following these simple tips, you should have enough of a foundation to get your vacation rental up and running. Keep in mind, there is always more to learn. In future posts, we will talk about promoting your listing and how to turn your guests into your best advertisers.

Are you planning a trip? Click here to view all of Stay Alfred’s great vacation rentals.

Are You Ready For Austin Vacation Rentals?

Posted on January 29, 2015 by Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals — No Comments ↓

Austin city lights

Fresh off our recent expansion into San Antonio, Stay Alfred is setting its sights 80 miles to the northeast. That’s right folks, the Austin vacation rentals you’ve been clamoring for are finally on the horizon! There’s so much to love about this city, we’re just as excited as you are to be part of the unique weirdness that is Austin, Texas. And we’re not the only ones. Austin is the fastest growing of the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the US. It’s easy to see why; over the past ten years, Austin has not only landed on numerous “best of” lists, it frequently finds itself in the top spot. The city has been picked for “best place to see live music” (Travel+Leisure), “best city for golf” (Golf Digest), “best shopping” (Lucky Magazine), “best top chef” (Bravo), “best bar” (Esquire), and more. Austin and it’s inhabitants have always been on the cutting edge, and now the rest of the country is catching on.

Officially adopting the slogan “Live Music Capital of the World” in 1991, Austin boasts the most music venues per capita in America with over 250 and counting. Any visitor to Austin would be seriously remiss if they didn’t sample some of the great live music the city has to offer. Along Red River Street and the surrounding area, you’ll find the iconic Stubb’s BBQ, Mohawk, and Holy Mountain. The area is also home to the wildly popular SXSW music festival. Head over to the University of Texas campus to experience the landmark venues Hole in the Wall and Cactus Cafe, which have played host to such famous acts as Lucinda Williams and hometown hero Stevie Ray Vaughan. Of course, we couldn’t talk about music without mentioning Austin City Limits, the main focal point of the Austin live music scene. Tickets to tapings are distributed by a drawing, but you can buy tickets to other performances that are held at the Moody Theater almost nightly.

Before it was the “Live Music Capital of the World,” Austin was (and continues to be) the capital of Texas, with all the history and culture befitting a city of such stature. In the heart of downtown you will find three major attractions within five blocks of each other. First there’s the Texas State Capitol with a dome that is larger than the US Capitol (of course) and 22 acres of monuments and beautifully landscaped lawns. Just up the street is the Bullock Texas State History Museum which tells the “Story of Texas” with three floors of interactive exhibits, including a special effects show and Austin’s only IMAX Theatre. Across the street is the Blanton Museum of Art, the largest university art museum in the country and home to the largest private collection of master works in the United States. A must-see for any art enthusiast.

With an average of 228 sunny days a year, Austinites love their outdoor activities. When the summer days reach 90+ degrees, the locals head to their favorite natural swimming holes like the Barton Springs Pool, fed by a natural spring that keeps the water temperature a constant 68 degrees year-round, or the Hamilton Pool Preserve in its natural limestone grotto with a 50 foot waterfall. Lady Bird Lake flows through the center of town and with the restrictions on motor boats, the lake is a haven for kayaking, canoeing, and stand-up paddleboarding. Hike up Mount Bonnell, Austin’s highest point at 775, for the best views of the city, Lake Austin, and the surrounding hills.

Are you planning a trip? Click here to view all of our great vacation rentals.

How Important is Free Wifi?

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals — No Comments ↓

The short answer is: very. Travelers these days are bringing all kinds of devices with them and they fully expect to be able to connect to the internet with all of them. Your guests want to share their photos, watch their movies, and play their games from anywhere on the property. Fast, high-quality wifi is no longer an amenity, but an expected necessity, like indoor plumbing. You wouldn’t charge your guests extra to use the toilet, would you? Well, you could, but you would be inviting a barrage of terrible reviews. And as everyone in the vacation rental industry knows, it’s your reviews that can make or break your property.

In the ongoing fight between hotels and vacation rentals, access to free wifi is one of the areas where hotels are lagging behind. One of the standard-bearers for the industry, Marriott, was recently fined $600,000 by the FCC for illegally jamming guests’ personal wifi hotspots while charging $250 to $1000 per device to connect to its own wireless network. When hotels do offer free wifi, most of the time it is only in public area and it is typically of poor quality. A recent survey by JD Power found that of the 20% of guests who reported a problem with their hotel stay, a third was for problems with their internet.

Consider for a moment that over 90% of business travelers list quality wifi as major priority, and one third of them would consider a lack of it to be a deal-breaker. Additionally, 27% of travelers in the United Kingdom would refuse to stay somewhere without free wifi. In fact, when asked, they ranked access to wifi higher than luxuriousness of accommodations. Free wifi consistently ranks number one in surveys of desired amenities by travelers, both business and leisure. For the savvy vacation rental owner, the benefits of offering this service should be apparent.

At the risk of being redundant, let’s recap. Guests want fast, reliable wireless internet. On top of that, guests don’t want to pay extra for said internet. By offering free wifi, you are already setting yourself apart from most hotels and making yourself much more attractive to a huge segment of travelers. If you don’t offer free wifi, you are setting yourself up for negative reviews, which will drive away many potential guests. Obviously internet service isn’t free, but resist the temptation to pass on the cost directly to the guest. Instead, consider it an investment in future bookings. After all, what do you think your guests will be using more: the wifi or the indoor plumbing?

Free wifi is always included in Stay Alfred’s properties. Click here to view all of our great vacation rentals.

Vacation Rental Experts’ Predictions for 2015

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals — No Comments ↓

In a recent article, Matt Landau, founder of the Vacation Rental Marketing Blog, interviewed vacation rental industry leaders about their predictions for 2015. Landau’s article provides excellent insight into where these organizations are anticipating growth and change in the industry. We thought this would be a great opportunity to go through each of these predictions and see where Stay Alfred fits into the big picture. If you are interested in reading Matt’s article in full, head over to his great blog.

“The Year of The Aquisition,” Dennis Schaal, News Editor at Skift: HomeAway will be acquired by Booking.com or Expedia. Stay Alfred’s take: With over 120 properties listed on both HomeAway and Booking.com, this would be great for increasing our exposure to an even larger customer base.
“The Year of the Vacation Rental Professional,” Ben Edwards, President of VRMA: With increased regulation looming, it will be more important than ever that the industry is run professionally. Stay Alfred’s take: It looks like we’re ahead of the curve. As a professional vacation rental company, we already pay the taxes, have the licenses, and follow the regulations that will have mom-and-pop shops playing catch up.
“The Year of VR Partner Services,” Eric Horndahl, VP of Marketing for FlipKey: As vacation rentals grow and cut into the traditional hotel market share, we will see a rise in new companies offering tailored services specifically to VR businesses and travelers. Stay Alfred’s take: By keeping most things in-house, we’ve avoided needing any of these outside vendors. One exception is Glad To Have You, which makes a great product. See #5.
“The Year of Instant Bookings,” Jen O’Neal, Founder & CEO of Tripping.com: Spurred by Airbnb’s growth and HomeAway’s announcement that 100% of their listings will be instantly bookable by 2016, competing rental sites are upgrading their technology to support real time bookings. Stay Alfred’s take: We were doing this 2 years ago. Welcome to the future.
“The Year of the Lifestyle Concierge,” Chip Conley, Head of Global Hospitality & Strategy at Airbnb: Guest are choosing vacation rentals for the whole experience, not just for a place to lay their head. As hosts, we are in a perfect position to provide insider knowledge and facilitate a memorable travel experience. Stay Alfred’s take: GTHY’s customizable app is a great way for the host to act as the local tour guide for their guests.
“The Year of the Personalized and Seamless User Experience,” Jia En Teo, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder at Roomorama: Combining seamless instant booking with personalized 24-hour customer support (with actual human beings) will become the standard for professional VR managers. Stay Alfred’s take: It’s certainly true that 24/7 customer support is one of the key differentiating factors in our success (once again, all in-house).
“The Year that Prices Stopped Mattering,” Yvonne Finlay, VP of Operations at Homestay.com: As techology continues to improve the ability of travelers to evaluate an expanding array of options, price considerations will take a back seat to value considerations. Stay Alfred’s take: This shows the importance of guest reviews. People don’t mind paying a little more if they know it’s going to be worth it.
“The Year of Airbnb…That’s It,” Joshua Dorkin, Founder & CEO of Bigger Pockets: These guys have taken over the industry. Game over. Stay Alfred’s take: Isn’t that what they said about Napster?
“The Year of Legal Headwinds,” Mike Sullivan, Co-Chair, Hospitality Practice Group at Greenberg Traurig, LLP: Expect pressure on three fronts: local zoning law compliance, enforcement of applicable tax laws, and pushback from the hotel industry due to decreasing market share. Stay Alfred’s take: Unlike many private owners, we’ve made sure to position ourselves on the right side of the law from the very beginning. Bring ‘em on.
“The Year of Analytics,” Amber Mayer, Chief Marketing Officer of The St. Joe Company: Business intelligence and data mining software are becoming more affordable for small to medium size companies, and the savvy VR manager will be quick to adopt these powerful tools. Stay Alfred’s take: If you’re running a small operation, start with Google Analytics before you go spending spending money on fancy software.

“The Year of Differentiation,” Matt Landau, founder of the Vacation Rental Marketing Blog: Right now, the industry is a big glob. To take advantage of untapped niches, VR owners and managers will splinter off and form their own unique specialty rentals. Stay Alfred’s take: We couldn’t say it better ourselves. There is a perfect market for every rental, what’s yours?

5 Business Tips from Johnny Cupcakes

Posted on December 6, 2014 by Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals — No Comments ↓

Johnny Earle

We recently had the opportunity to attend a presentation by Johnny Earle, the devious mastermind behind the uber-hip Johnny Cupcakes clothing brand. If you’ve never heard of Johnny Cupcakes, that’s understandable. The company spends literally no money on traditional advertising. Zero. Yet since it’s inception in 2001, Earle has been able to take his company from the trunk of his ‘89 Camry to a multi-million dollar brand with a cult-like following and storefronts in Boston, L.A., London, and Martha’s Vineyard. And he has done it all based on word-of-mouth generated by a highly devoted fanbase. Now Earle gets to travel the world and tell his tale of success to eager audiences. Whether you are a fledgling entrepreneur or the CEO of a multinational corporation, Johnny has several tips that are sure to help your company grow.

1. Make everything an experience. Johnny knows that people thrive of off new experiences. Everything from his faux-bakery stores to the highly unusual packaging is designed to make every customer feel like it’s their birthday. He’ll even put handwritten notes and small gifts inside of people’s orders. Some people are put off by his company’s prankster ethos but they still relate the experience to others, building brand exposure.

2. Reinvest in your business. This might seem obvious but it’s especially important for new business owners. Johnny learned this lesson at a young age; he started 16 businesses before he was 16 years old. Everything he made, from lemonade stands to selling candy to classmates, went back into funding his next endeavor. He forewent video games, girlfriends, and partying to focus on his businesses and now Johnny Cupcakes is the culmination of years of discipline and sacrifice.

3. Focus on what makes you unique. There are so many choices for customers today, you need to show them why they should take a risk on you. Your company should have a personality. Your website, business cards, and even your mascot should be extensions of that personality. Johnny puts special emphasis on having a great website. First impressions are the most important and your website is usually the first thing people look at.

4. Pay attention to the details. One of the hallmarks of Johnny Cupcakes is the custom-made, often hilarious packaging the product comes in: pastry boxes, ice cream cartons, Chinese food containers, VHS boxes and more, all emblazoned with catchy slogans and fake nutritional facts. Good packaging does not get thrown away, people save it and show their friends, turning what would normally be trash into mini-billboards and customers into promoters. Additionally, if people see you putting that much effort into something as small as packaging, they will trust you more when it comes to the important things.

5. Do more of what you love. “I just like to make funny shirts and trick people,” says Earle. Of course the same can’t be said for everybody, but if you can find a way to inject passion into your work, it will pay dividends. Your customers (and employees) can tell if you care about what you do and they will support you in ways they wouldn’t if they feel you’re just going through the motions.

5 Reasons NOT to Choose Stay Alfred

Posted on November 15, 2014 by Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals — No Comments ↓

Vacation Rentals are not for everyone. We get it. Change is scary. Why try something new when the same old thing works out pretty well (usually)? It’s understandable that some travelers don’t want to take the risk and would prefer the typical hotel experience. After all, if it’s not broke, don’t fix it, right? Take a look at the list below to see if you’re the type of person who should just skip the vacation rental option:

You like room service: If you’re someone who does not want to cook your own meals while traveling and instead prefers to enjoy your food in the comfort of your own bed, you should stay in a hotel. Stay Alfred does not offer room service (although you can always order a pizza and there’s several grocery delivery services we’re happy to recommend).

You require daily housekeeping: We find that our guest generally like having the added privacy of not having a stranger poke around their living space when they’re not around. But if you like having new towels dropped off every day and need someone to make the bed for you, a hotel is probably the right move.

Don’t be afraid of technology

You’re scared of heights and/or elevators: Most of our vacation rentals are on the upper levels of high rise buildings, with lots of windows, expansive views, and even balconies. Not a good choice for acrophobes.

You hate downtown: All of our properties are located in the heart of downtown. If you don’t enjoy the hustle and bustle of a major metropolitan area, then Stay Alfred might not be for you.

You don’t trust technology: If you’re reading this blog post, it’s probably reasonable to assume you’re not a complete Luddite, but many people still prefer to do things the old fashioned way. Stay Alfred does all of our business online, accepts payment by credit card, and we even send you our free smartphone app with your arrival instructions. We might actually be robots ( ok, not really).

What Makes a Stay Alfred Vacation Rental Different From a Hotel?

Posted on November 7, 2014 by Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals — No Comments ↓

The secret is officially out: more and more people are choosing to stay in vacation rentals instead of the boring, cookie-cutter hotels that travelers have been accustomed to. Whether you’re looking for more space to stretch your legs or an amazing location in the heart of downtown, vacation rentals are proving themselves to be the first choice for discerning guests. In an ever more crowded marketplace, we’re taking the vacation rental industry to the next level. Here are five differences between a Stay Alfred Vacation Rental and the typical hotel:

5. Space: The average hotel room in the U.S. is 325 square feet. Now consider that that most Stay Alfred rentals are over 1000 square feet. With over three times the space, you’re guaranteed to have plenty of room for everyone to be comfortable.

4. Privacy: Our rentals always have separate bedrooms, making Stay Alfred the perfect choice for families, groups of friends, and even complete strangers. We also have our units professionally cleaned between guests so you never have to worry about some housekeeper barging in on you.

3. Independence: Stay Alfred’s unique system puts the check-in process in your hands. You can come and go as you please without having to wait in line or pay extra for someone to park your car or carry your bags. All of our rentals also have a full kitchen so no more bland continental breakfasts or expensive room service.

2. Location: We scout out the best downtown locations in every city which means as a Stay Alfred guest you know you’ll be in the middle of the action, not stuck out by the airport or surrounded by tourist traps. Being right downtown lets you walk to local restaurants, markets, and much more without the hassle of driving in an unfamiliar city. There is no better way to have an authentic travel experience!

1. Value: The number one reason for choosing a vacation rental over a hotel is the unbelievable value you’ll receive. When you combine everything we’ve just mentioned with the fact that our rentals are usually in the same price range as a typical hotel room, it’s clear that Stay Alfred offers the best way to make the most of your vacation dollar.

For more information and tips on how to stay smart and stay together, visit the Stay Alfred website or download the Stay Alfred mobile app. We’ve also put together this handy packing list specifically for vacation rentals. Stay Alfred is the first nationwide urban vacation rental company offering the space, privacy and value of vacation rental with the convenience of online booking.

Is That Vacation Rental a Scam?

Posted on October 8, 2014 by Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals — No Comments ↓

Is that vacation rental a scam?

As the vacation rental industry moves online, scam artists are targeting both travelers and hosts with a variety of frauds. Cyber-criminals are experts at exploiting communities that rely on trust and a personal connection, and they are finding that vacation rentals are currently a great target for several reasons:

the standard practice in the vacation rental industry is for travelers to pay large amounts of money for vacation rentals, long before the stay and sight unseen;
not everyone understands or uses safe and secure payment methods;
many people conduct their business in email accounts from email providers that have been repeatedly compromised.

There are many ways that these scammers disguise their frauds, but they are basically after two things: your money and your online identity (which they can use to steal your or someone else’s money). Scams targeting travelers are usually fairly straightforward. A scam artist will create a fake vacation rental listing-usually on Craigslist or another unverified platform-and attempt to trick a potential guest into sending payment for a rental they don’t actually own. Many times these fake ads will steal pictures and information from a legitimate listing without the owner’s knowledge, making the scam difficult to detect at first glance. Victims of this scam may end up on the doorstep of the property only to find their reservation never existed, turning the dream vacation into a nightmare.

Scam artists also frequently target property-owners themselves in an attempt to gain access to their email account (from which to set up a fake listing) or with the common “over-payment” scheme. This scheme is nothing new (remember the Nigerian princes?) and involves the scammer sending a fake check far over the amount of the rental with a request that the excess money be wired back, usually to a 3rd party.

In responding to inquiries there are several red flags that rental owners should be vigilant in identifying:

Poor grammar and punctuation
Originating from an international location
Discrepancies between the actual property and what they are inquiring about.
Unspecified dates

A major tactic of scammers is to create a sense of urgency in which their target makes a poor decision with good intentions. For travelers this can mean claiming that the desired property has many interested parties and you need to act now to reserve your stay! When targeting owners with the over-payment scam, the criminals often claim to need the money right away and may even become aggressive and threaten legal action.

Here are some useful tips to avoid becoming a victim of one of these scams:

Use a secure form of payment: be wary of anyone that requests payment by money order or cashier’s check and never send money by wire transfer. Paying by credit card offers the best protection against fraud. Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals only accepts payment by credit card.
Use a trusted website: companies like VRBO, HomeAway, FlipKey, and TripAdvisor go through great effort to verify their listings and they offer credit card payment as well as additional rental protection. Always be wary when using Craigslist and avoid unverified sites completely.
Be vigilant: never hesitate to ask questions or request further verification if you have doubts about someone’s legitimacy. Any reputable property owner will be happy to make the extra effort to earn your trust and scammers rarely continue their ruse when challenged.
Use common sense: remember the adage “if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.” Beware of properties listed far below the price of comparable rentals or that show photos and amenities that just seem fake. Common sense may be your best tool in avoiding a potential scam.

Expedia: More Travelers Choosing Vacation Rentals

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals — No Comments ↓

Although hotels and resorts remain popular selections for Indian travellers planning their future holidays, many are finding other options for accommodation, especially when taking a trip with the family. Those in groups often look to have access to plenty of place and convenient amenities, some of which may not be found in small hotel rooms or in massive resort complexes. Vacation rental homes are a viable alternative for those who may want to have more flexible check in and out times, the ability to cook their own meals, or come and go as they please on private property they have reserved for their holiday.

According to MSNBC, many travellers prefer the idea of renting a vacation home when they are on holiday with small children or in larger groups. Many find that reserving an apartment or home is better than two or more hotel rooms, as the family can be together during the trip but still have their own space. When children head to bed, parents can still spend time in the common rooms without waking little ones, as they may in a communal hotel room. Splitting the cost of a home may be cheaper as well, especially when it comes to meals.

“Staying in a rented apartment or even just a guest room is very new, not many people think of it,” said Henry Harteveldt, travel industry analyst, as told to the news source. “These companies need to raise consumer awareness that this may even be an option.”

The idea of renting vacation homes can be utilised throughout the world, whether Indian travellers wish to take short breaks or try out a long luxury travel experience. For instance, house and apartment rentals for holidays in Hawaii, especially on the island of Maui, are keeping the local economy afloat and allows guests a new and authentic way to explore the area. According to The Maui News, locals are asking the government to allow more of these properties to be available to visitors, as it improves the quality of life and helps promote the island as a viable option for holidays. Hawaii hotels are still going strong, but more individuals hope that tourists will consider renting condos as well while enjoy their stay in Maui.

As the idea of these rental properties gains in popularity, some traditional hotel groups are looking into investing in the industry as well to expand their portfolios and offerings. Wyndham, for instance, may be best known for their international hotels, but they also have a vacation rentals department that offers private homes to travellers across the globe. This April, Bob Mine, president of Wyndham vacation rentals North American division, will be speaking at the Mountain Travel Symposium (MTS) in California about this booming industry. He hopes to share his expertise on holiday rentals as well as his perspective on things like daily travel deals and more.

“I’ve been attending MTS for many years and it has always been a valuable resource for building relationships and keeping up to speed on new trends and ideas affecting the travel industry,” he said.

Indian travellers who like to stay at hotels or resorts but would like to try something new on their upcoming holiday can consider checking out the vacation homes in the destination they plan on visiting. This may be a great way to cook meals with local ingredients, enjoy a large space with the whole family and save with a tight budget that allows travellers to check out more attractions while on their getaway.

(view source)

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