Greetings from the SuperControl team! Robert, Melinda, and Tobias here—we recently had the pleasure of joining the Premier Cottages Annual Conference and wanted to pass along some of the top insights and tips we gathered. This event provided a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow members and exchange experiences. If you manage a 4-or 5-star holiday let in the UK, keep reading to discover the value that Premier Cottages membership can bring.
- Celebrating New Leadership: Congratulations to the newly elected board and Chair! They remain committed to Premier Cottages being the leading collection of high-quality, professionally managed cottages.
- Competing in an Evolving Market: A key takeaway from the conference was the importance of professional management for today’s holiday lets. Travellers now expect more than just a place to stay—they’re looking for a full holiday experience. Delivering great customer service and creating memorable guest experiences are essential ways to stand out and win bookings.
- Encouraging Bookings with a Visual Advantage: Another big takeaway was the impact of high-quality visuals in boosting bookings. Stunning photos that showcase not just your property, but also nearby activities and attractions can make all the difference. We explored strategies for promoting holiday lets across platforms, especially on social media, and discussed how understanding visitor behaviour is key to turning views into bookings.
- The Power of Data and Analytics: Data is an invaluable tool for understanding visitor behaviour and making informed decisions. Premier Cottages, with help from data experts, is analysing website traffic to uncover improvement areas, even amid cookie restrictions. A highlight? Clockwork Marketing’s GA4 Enhancement, available at a special rate for members, which offers better insights into referrals and booking values. A real-life case study showed how this tool revealed previously hidden bookings, proving that smart data use can increase revenue.
Inspiring Event Presentations
The conference was packed with engaging presentations, each offering practical tips to help members succeed in the holiday let market.
The Potential of SuperControl for Guest Experience and Growth
At the conference, Robert shared some practical tips on using SuperControl’s auto email features to create a memorable guest journey and encourage rebooking. With SuperControl, property owners can go beyond the basics, sending personalised messages with tailored information about the guests’ upcoming stay, like local recommendations, attraction highlights, and exclusive booking extras.
One of Robert’s tips? Send a reminder email 11 months after a guest placed their last booking to gently nudge them into thinking about another trip. This friendly reminder can spark happy memories and encourage them to rebook—an easy way to keep your property top-of-mind at a time of year when booking a holiday is on theirs!
Exploring the Key Data Dashboard
Key Data presented their impressive analytics dashboard, available at no additional cost to SuperControl users. This dashboard equips property managers with essential insights into booking trends, occupancy, and revenue.
Building a Strong Instagram Presence with Holly Clarkson
Holly Clarkson’s remote presentation gave valuable tips on creating effective Instagram campaigns. Premier Cottages members can also access Holly’s free resources, including her “Instagram Guide for Members” and “30 Content Ideas for Instagram”.
Insights into the Self-Catering Market
The conference also provided valuable industry insights, featuring expert analysis from Richard Toomer of the Tourism Alliance and Alistair from PASC UK. Their presentations gave a comprehensive look at the self-catering market, offering future forecasts and a broader economic outlook to help members stay prepared and informed.
More about Premier Cottages
We hope this recap shows just how valuable Premier Cottages membership can be. Premier Cottages is a unique book direct membership marketing cooperative. You stay in control of your terms, pricing, and relationships, with guests booking and paying you directly. No commissions and no platform-owned guest relationships—just personalised, quality experiences.
