This newsletter is emailed 6 times annually to 12,839 owners
of vacation rental homes who have registered for a free
universal availability calendar/guestbook at:

  http://www.rentors.org

TO UNSUBSCRIBE: See Article #13, at bottom of newsletter.

1 -  Please Update Your Availability Calendar Today
2 -  Include Your Property's Web Info
     When Responding To Inquiries
3 -  SCAM ALERT - Vacation Rental Owners Beware!
4 -  Just Say YES or NO to Inquiries
5 -  Homeowners should accept Mastercard,
     Visa and American Express payments
6 -  Now That We're Here, What Do We Do About...
7 -  Before Heading to the Airport
8 -  Just Say NO to Spam-Filtering
9 -  Track Those Inquiries
10 - More Vacation Rental Tips
11 - Rentors.org Sponsors Information
12 - Please Refer a Friend to Rentors.org
13 - How to Unsubscribe

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1 - Please Update Your Availability Calendar Today
==================================================

Your self-service universal availability calendar at
Rentors.org has no value if it is incorrect. Please follow
the link below to login to Rentors.org and update your
vacation rental calendar today.

  RENTORS login: http://www.rentors.org/login.cfm
  YOUR EMAIL IS: admin@rentors.org

If you've forgotten your Rentors.org PASSWORD, check the
bottom-left text in the yellow box at the login screen.

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2 -  Include Your Property's Web Info
     When Responding To Inquiries
=====================================

Here is a simple 'must do' when responding to inquiries via
email: always include the entire text of the original
inquiry in your response. Why? Because the potential renter
may not remember which property you represent! He or she may
wish to revisit your web site when your response arrives,
and without the information that shows your web address,
that may not be possible. So, when replying to inquiries, be
sure to include identifying information about your property
such as your webpage URL. Although the potential renters
could email and ask you, they may not be inclined to do that
extra work, and you will lose a potential booking.

Hint: Check your email program to see if the content of the
original email is automatically included with your reply.
AOL users must highlight the inquiry email text, then click
'reply' in order for it to be sent with the response. If you
are unsure of how your email program handles this, simply
copy the original inquiry by highlighting it and pressing
ctrl-c, and paste it into your reply email window just below
your response by pressing ctrl-v.

Including a link to your page from the reply email is also a
nifty way to send people to look at your property again,
reinforcing its appeal, while your reply is fresh in their
minds.

-- Amy Van Voorhis, Great Rentals
===============================================
3 - SCAM ALERT - Vacation Rental Owners Beware!
===============================================

Vacation rental property owners have recently been
approached with a variation of an old scam that you should
be aware of.

The original scam works like this: Someone answers a
newspaper want ad for a high cost item like a car or boat.
They ask if they can pay using a US cashier's check or money
order. Generally these are considered safe so the victim
agrees to this. However, when the individual presents the
check, it's for a larger amount than the purchase requires.
They explain that the bank made a mistake and they ask for a
refund for the difference. The cashier's check or money
order turns out to be forged or counterfeit and the victim
is out the amount of the refunded check (not to mention the
car or boat!!!).

Recently some vacation rental owners have reported attempted
variations of this scheme. For example: You receive a rental
inquiry similar to this:

"I am an estate agent and I travel abroad to search for
homes, either to rent or for sale for my clients and I am
interested in your house for rent. I would like to know if
you can accept a cashier's cheque drawn on a US bank? Kindly
mail me back as soon as possible because my client needs the
apartment very urgently."

You assure the person that a cashier's check is acceptable.
They then send you a cashier's check for an amount that is
HIGHER than required and they ask you to SEND A REFUND CHECK
FOR THE DIFFERENCE. Since you have a cashier's check you may
be tricked into sending the requested refund, only to find
out -- after it's too late -- that your bank will not honor
the check. We make the following recommendations to avoid
this type of scam.

If someone sends you payment that exceeds the required
amount:

1)  Never send a refund until the original payment has
cleared -- and the successful deposit to your bank account
has been confirmed by your bank. Even this can be dangerous.
It may take months before a check might be determined to be
forged.

2)  Better yet, return the original money order (or other
payment method) and request a replacement payment in the
correct amount.

-- Marvin Floyd and David Clouse - Vacation Rentals by Owner
===================================
4 - Just Say YES or NO to Inquiries
===================================

When vacation rental prospects inquire about a property,
they expect a prompt reply, YES or NO, even if the property
is already booked. Otherwise, they'll lose confidence in
their use of the Internet to find and book vacation rentals
-- and the effectiveness of Internet vacation rental
advertising will decline "across the board".

If you respond to inquiries -- yes or no -- within 12-24
hours of inquiry receipt, you'll be rewarded with a far more
prosperous 2003. Your courtesy and promptness will be
appreciated by those who have taken the time to consider
your property. And even if the preferred week is
unavailable, you can suggest one or two alternative dates.

We recently received this email from a disappointed rental
prospect:

"I made 4 inquiries last Thursday (6 days ago) via your
website but unfortunately I have only had 1 reply. Would it
be possible to pursue this matter on my behalf as I am very
interested in renting a vacation house during August."

We replied that "We encourage our advertisers to respond
quickly to all inquiries. We're sorry that some do not, and
we encourage you to book with those who do."

--Lisa Raub, A1vacations Rentals
========================================
5 - Homeowners should accept Mastercard,
    Visa and American Express payments
========================================

Once offered only through rental agents, homeowners are
finding it easier to offer credit card services to those
vacationers who prefer to pay with plastic. And the
benefits are substantial.

Secure and timely payments - With a secure web link,
homeowners can quickly acknowledge receipt of payment and
confirm reservation dates. No more trips to the bank with
checks that may bounce or cause delays.

Added rental business - By offering credit card payments,
many vacationers can choose to expense their vacation over
months instead of a large lump that may disrupt the family
cash flow. Other vacationers will enjoy accumulating
frequent flyer miles and other incentives offered through
their credit card. These benefits will lead to more bookings
for the owner.

Last minute rentals/ deposits - Now last minute rental
monies can be collected with assurance. Also, damage,
cleaning or other various deposits can be managed with ease
and eliminate the need to return checks held in escrow.

Superior Record keeping - Simplification for both homeowner
and vacationer! Homeowner accounts are maintained on the web
and receipts are easily generated for those who need them.

In the coming weeks, Rentors.org and its members plan to
offer Merchant Services to interested homeowners who could
benefit. A variety of plans will be offered at competitive
rates that suit any rental program. Stay tuned for further
announcements!

--Dave Bollinger, CyberRentals
===============================================
6 - Now That We're Here, What Do We Do About...
===============================================

Questions about the nuts and bolts of a vacation property
can put a wrench in the works for many guests looking to
kick back and put all worries aside. Help your guests feel
more comfortable by providing them with basic household
information. Instructions for trash removal and/or
recycling, thermostat location and adjustment, as well as
for use of hot tubs, pools, recreational equipment, security
systems, Internet services, and fax machines. It is also a
good idea to keep a list of important phone numbers close to
the phone, including that of the vacation property, the
owner/manager, local emergency services for when something
breaks, etc.

Guests will also arrive with many questions about the local
area. Where to eat?  What to do? A list of local restaurants
with directions, phone numbers, brief descriptions and price
ranges will be happily received. A similar list can be
provided for nearby rental stores (for boat rentals, skis,
bikes, etc) and activities (e.g.: scuba diving, hiking
trails, local attractions, etc.). This list can be placed on
a coffee table, right next to your guide to the TV channels
and how to work the remote control. Guests will greatly
appreciate your forethought, and your extra consideration
will go a long way towards getting repeat rentals and
referrals!

-- Jan Van Voorhis, Great Rentals
=================================
7 - Before Heading to the Airport
=================================

QUIZ: How many of following items are you allowed
      to carry in your airplane CARRY ON bag?

1. Corkscrew
2. Cuticle Cutters
3. Eyelash Curlers
4. Knitting or Crochet Needles
5. Nail Clippers
6. Nail Files
7. Disposable Razors
8. Metal scissors with blunt tips
9. Metal scissors with sharp tips
10.Tweezers

See the answer at the end of this article.

Due to the enhanced security measures implemented since
9/11, air travel is quite a bit more complicated than it
used to be. Pretty much everyone knows the basics... Allow
extra time for check in, don't try to carry a pocket knife
in your carry on bags, etc... but it seems that the rules
keep changing. So where should you go to find out all the
answers before you head to the airport? The US
Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) web site is a
great place to start... see

  http://www.TSATravelTips.us

Here's an important tip: Did you know that the TSA suggests
that you help prevent the need to break your luggage locks
by keeping your bags UNLOCKED?

"In some cases, screeners will have to open your baggage as
part of the screening process. If your bag is unlocked, then
TSA will simply open the bag and screen the bag. However, if
the bag is locked and TSA needs to open your bag, then locks
may have to be broken. You may keep your bag locked if you
choose, but TSA is not liable for damage caused to locked
bags that must be opened for security purposes."

Now for the answer to the Quiz: According to the TSA travel
tips web site - the correct answer is 9 - that's right, only
one of the items on the above list is currently prohibited
in your CARRY ON bags. That is #9 "scissors with sharp
tips" - the rest of the items are permitted.

Before heading to the airport next time, check the TSA site
at http://www.TSATravelTips.us for up to date air travel
tips... and Happy Travels!!!

--Dave Clouse, Vacation Rentals By Owner
=================================
8 - Just Say NO to Spam-Filtering
=================================

If your email has ever been publicly visible on the Internet
-- on a webpage or in a newsgroup posting -- then you
probably get a lot of spam. If your inbox is anything like
ours, the worst of the spam is intolerably offensive.

So you're probably tempted to try some spam-filtering
software. You may have even considered switching to a mail
server that promises to filter offensive spam for you.

It sounds like a great idea, but spam-filtering software and
email servers can be very dangerous to the financial health
of anyone who does business on the Internet.

Spam-filtering requires the creation and use of rules to
identify and censor (erase, block, or isolate) email that
looks like it might be spam. The problem is that the
software programmers making the rules become the official
gatekeeper of your business and personal email.

In their zealousness to rid your inbox of spam, they
unintentionally can and will make some poorly conceived
rules that will eventually cause the destruction of some of
your very important email -- like your vacation rental
inquiries!

Would you allow your postal carrier to sort through your
paper mail, and decide which pieces are junk mail,
undeserving of delivery? Might they accidentally confuse a
credit card promotion with a monthly bill?

We've tried some anti-spam software ourselves. To make it
work properly requires dozens of hours of your time and
technical expertise -- up-front -- to fine-tune it. You have
to think like a programmer, carefully considering every
unintended consequence of every spam-filtering rule.

Imagine a rental prospect, for example, with a last name in
Spanish that translates to an "offensive" word in English.
Inquiry deleted!

If you very carefully review all of the email messages that
the anti-spam software or mail server rejects for the first
60 days, and learn how to eliminate or revise the built-in
rules so they don't accidentally delete your important
email, then it might work for you -- without costing you
business.

Some of our advertisers have reported that anti-spam
software -- software used by their mail server or software
they've installed on their own computer -- has caused at
least some of their vacation rental inquiries to be blocked.

We understand the desire to block spam. But if you're doing
business on the Internet, we recommend that you manually
review all of your own incoming email. Receiving ALL of
email is simply too important to your business success to
allow any software to censor your inbox.

If you hate spam, write to your legislators. Ask them to
reduce spam at its source by making it illegal to send email
with intentionally false reply addresses.

-- Brian Raub, A1Vacations Rentals
================================================
9 - Track Those Inquiries
    Submitted by Homeowner, Amy Ashcroft Greener
    (edited by Brian Raub)
================================================

Do you record all calls and email inquiries for your
vacation rental property? If you don't, you're missing the
opportunity to collect valuable marketing information.

Organize yourself to track this information:

  1. Create a permanent email folder for rental inquiries.
  Save them forever, for later review.

  2. Keep a spiral notebook and pencil at your phone to
  capture all phone inquiries. Ask questions like how many
  guests, preferred travel dates, and contact information
  (email, phone, mail). Record all special interests and
  property-related questions.

Two callers asked us about the small lake near our chalet.
Is it OK to fish there, and where else can we fish nearby?
That told me that we should provide information about
fishing locations and non-resident fishing licenses. We
found that information online, and we now include it in our
welcome package for guests.

Review your inquiries often to learn who is most interested
in your home. Families? Honeymooners? Empty nesters? And
what do people ask about? How close is the ski area? Can we
bring our dog? What weather is most likely? These questions
tell you what to emphasize on your webpage, and how to
improve your property to attract more rentals. Maybe you
should add a hot tub or make your property pet-friendly.
Perhaps you should revise your webpage to target privacy-
conscious honeymooners -- or pet-adoring empty-nesters.

With just 10 or 20 inquiries, you'll see a pattern. Use the
information you gather to your best advantage: improve your
property, add amenities, or offer information and specials
that will interest your target renters.

-- Amy Greener owns Swaying Pines Chalet, Gatlinburg, TN.
   Her personal website is http://www.swayingpines.com
   She also advertises at http://www.vrbo.com/18856
==============================
11 - More Vacation Rental Tips
==============================

If you would like to read more vacation rental tips, you can
refer to articles that were featured in previous issues of
the newsletters.

http://www.rentors.org/archive/index.html

====================================
12 - Rentors.org Sponsor Information
====================================

Rentors.org is sponsored by these experienced vacation
rental advertising services. All will be pleased to help you
advertise your vacation rentals on the Internet.

Why not join all four sites to promote your vacation rental?
The Rentors.org availability calendar works on all of them,
and you'll have just ONE calendar to maintain!

Great Rentals
  Home: http://www.greatrentals.com
  Join: http://www.greatrentals.com/Admin/Posting/Post.html

VRBO - Vacation Rentals by Owner
  Home: http://www.vrbo.com
  Join: http://www.vrbo.com/global/owner.htm

A1Vacations - A1 Vacation Rentals
  Home: http://www.a1vacations.com/
  Join: http://www.a1vacations.com/advertise/

CyberRentals
  Home: http://www.cyberrentals.com
  Join: http://www.cyberrentals.com/signup.html

=========================================
13 - Please Refer a Friend to Rentors.org
=========================================

This "Tips for Vacation Rental Homeowners" newsletter was
emailed to 12,839 members of Rentors.org -- which offers
FREE online availability calendars and guestbooks for
vacation rental property homeowners and property managers.
Please refer a friend to:

 http://www.rentors.org

======================
4 - How to Unsubscribe
======================

To be removed from this mailing list, please log in to your
Rentors.org account, then select "Delete this Account". Your
Free calendar(s) will be deleted, and your email address
will be removed from this mailing list.

==========================================================================
Copyright (C) 2003 Rentors LLC and the individual contributors.
All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form requires written permission.
==========================================================================

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