Your site is about Human-Human interaction and needs a "Social Interface"

I'm devoted to building web sites that "speak with a human voice." The proper way to put it is that your site needs a great "social interface." I didn't know there was a fancy name for it until I read Joel Spolsky today:

"... the Internet brings us a new kind of software: software that's about human-human interaction.

"Discussion groups. Social networking. Online classifieds. Oh, and, uh, email. It's all software that mediates between people, not between the human and the computer.

"When you're writing software that mediates between people, after you get the usability right, you have to get the social interface right. And the social interface is more important. The best UI in the world won't save software with an awkward social interface."

Let's dispense with your rental site's traditional user interface with one sentence: A menu that links to straightforward pages about your property. It's been figured out. There is cute, there is elegant design, there is creativity. But we'd better not stray far from clear links to clear pages. It is very easy to get right. It's all too easy to over obsess about it. From Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, "All we need is an excellent video."

Now we let's talk about the social interface for your site, the human to human interaction.

The standard model for a by-owner rentals is real estate sales. The model is a good one to follow in a limited sense: good pictures, a factual description of your property, the price, and how to get more information. But the real estate transaction itself bears little similarity to the by-owner transaction.

• You'll actually be able to visit the property.
• You'll may never meet the current owners.
• You'll do business with 3rd parties: listing agents, selling agents, brokers, mortgage agents, home inspectors.
• You'll trust third parties to protect you.
• You'll be compensating those third parties in one way or another.
• The house will be decorated to eliminate the current owners' personal touches.
• The transaction cycle may last months.
• The investment in money and time are once in a lifetime.

The real model for by-owner rentals is ebay. Here is another quote from Joel"

"Nonsense! That (ebay) will never work. Nobody's going to send money to some random person they encountered on the Internet in hopes that person will out of the goodness of their hearts actually ship them some merchandise. ...We were all wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Ebay made a big bet on the cultural anthropology of human beings and won. "

The by-owner value proposition for the surfing renters is the person to person relationship. Renting through an agency is more efficient.

• Your rental is market price (isn't it?) so the renter isn't saving money.
• A transaction through a rental agency is easier, quicker, and more professional.
• One call to an agency will yield many options in price and location for the renter. Surfing the Internet for the right place can take days.
• Once there, the renter can call the agency about problems 24/7 (and not worry about waking somebody up).
• Most agency staff are trained in customer service and thrive on building person to person relationships.

Enhance your social interface by understanding the value proposition to surfing renters. It's clear that by-owner guests expect extra value from a by-owner transaction.

• The owner knows more about the property and the area.
• The owner has valuable personal insights. (Don't order clams at the crab shack!)
• The owner has added extra amenities because it's "their own place."
• The transaction is with an individual rather than with an agency.
• The commission goes to an individual rather than an agency.
• The owner's success depends on the guest's satisfaction for repeat rentals and for word of mouth marketing.
• The owner is not anonymous and may become a life long friend and trusted advisor.
• The guest may be able offer something of value to the owner. Folks do like to give advice.
• It's personal!

Put the social interface into your by-owner web site. You've got a great place, the right price, good pictures, a usable menu, and clear descriptions. Now, let's add a human voice - a voice that is honest, trustworthy and dedicated to the guest's enjoyment.

• Don't be anonymous! Tell them about yourself and include a picture. Folks will feel more comfortable when they first e-mail or call you. Surfers will read your "About" page even if they don't like your property.
• Put your phone number on the site and welcome calls. The telephone is the ultimate person to person technology.
• Don't be afraid to use personal pronouns. Your property doesn't speak or write, you do.
• Tell folks about the personal touches that make your place better than a standard agency rental.
• Make your site a guide to an enjoyable vacation by telling the owners what you enjoy. Listing 50 restaurants is fine but make sure to list your favorites and why.
• Tell folks something that none of your competitors will. That should be easy.
• Use paper and on-line guest books and take action. Tell folks about the improvements you've made based on your guests' needs and suggestions.
• Surfers can spot marketing prose and stock pictures a mile away. Make sure to add your own prose and own your pictures.
• For every picture of a king sized bed add two pictures of folks having fun at your place.
• Gently ask if folks want to be on your mailing list. Tell them the value of your mailing list.
• Tell the truth.

You can do it. Build a site that appeals to you personally. Most sites don't. Make sure your site does.

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