Branding for holiday rentals: how to create a brand

Branding for a holiday rental means defining what kind of guest the property is aimed at, what sets it apart from the competition and how it should communicate that offer. The name, photos, decor, services and tone of your messages should all keep a consistent identity that makes the property easy to recognise.

Steps to define your audience, set the property apart and build a consistent identity.

That is why, at beBalmy, experts in holiday rental management, we want to give you a basic guide to the steps for creating a brand strategy for your holiday rental and turning it into a real success.

Why do you need a brand for your holiday rental?

We have already mentioned that some businesses fail because they lack a clear strategy, but there are more reasons why it is important for your holiday rental to have its own brand:

It helps you stand out and set yourself apart

Unless your property is on a desert island, you almost certainly have hundreds if not thousands of competitors around you. On top of that, most properties cover more or less the same basic needs – somewhere to sleep and rest, a bathroom and possibly somewhere to prepare some food – so if you manage to set yourself apart from your competitors with a unique, attractive brand, that may be what makes travellers choose your property. A strong brand also helps you rank higher on Airbnb thanks to better conversion rates.

It is the foundation of your marketing strategy

Your brand will show not only in the name of your property but also in how it is decorated, in the colours and textiles you use, in the services you offer, in how you treat guests and even in the tone you use both in the property description and when dealing with guests. Although we often do not give this much importance, being aware of what we want to communicate to our guests and making sure we are consistent in every aspect of our brand they come into contact with can lift their experience and make them remember our property.

It builds trust and real customers

If you look after your brand and give your guests what they expect, you will build their trust, which can become a source of new customers. We already know how important reviews are when deciding where to stay, so having a base of satisfied guests is without doubt an advantage worth gaining. That trust is also the basis for getting more positive reviews.

The 4 essential steps to build your holiday rental brand

1. Analyse your market

The first step in defining your brand is understanding who you are targeting and who you are competing with. It is important to identify our target market (e.g. families with children, business travellers, groups of friends, etc) and our competitors. That makes it easier to define things like price, the services to include at the property, the brand's colours and tone, and so on.

Talking to other holiday rental managers, searching online for information on the sector and the properties available in your area, or analysing the content of other brands similar to yours are some examples of how to do your market analysis. Overwhelmed by having to do so much work? Do not worry! At beBalmy we help you, among other things, to analyse your property's position.

2. Decide who you are and where you are going

Once you understand who your potential guests and your competitors are, define yourself. Decide who you want to attract and which features you want to set you apart: do you want to be a property that specialises in families? Or would you rather attract environmentally conscious guests? Whatever differentiator you choose, it will help you be clear about your direction and how you can stand out.

3. Define your brand assets

The next step is to develop all the elements of your brand that will represent you and communicate what you want to tell your guests. The first and most important is the name, but also the photos, the colours, the tone you will use with them, the type of furniture and even the services you are going to include at the property… Remember that everything your guests can associate with you is part of your brand, so do not leave out any detail.

4. Use the brand

If you already have all your assets ready, the last step is, obviously, to use them. Decorate your property with the colours and furniture you have chosen, start communicating your services on all your booking channels and social media, and make your logo and your name better and better known! Choose carefully where to advertise a holiday apartment so that brand reaches the right audience.

Your property is ready to succeed!

After all the work you have done analysing the market and creating and putting in place the identity of your holiday rental, you now have everything you need to succeed! Remember, though, that a brand is not static: it can change over time. As you host guests and receive feedback, it may be worth changing some aspects or updating them as time goes on. Would you like us to help? Write to us through this form and we will help you make your property profitable so you only have to worry about enjoying your extra income.