EP173: Short Stay Rental Pioneer Shares Insights from Two Decades of Hosting Experience
Summary
This podcast episode from 2017 offers insights from a short-term rental pioneer with 20 years of experience. The episode details marketing strategies, guest review automation, and the importance of clear communication and branding your listing.
Key Insights
- •Early on, only 20% of bookings were made online, with local portals generating most referrals.
- •The host achieved a 91% return rate on guest reviews by promising a positive review, sending a thank you message, and reviewing guests immediately after receiving an email.
Action Items
- ✓Use guest feedback to identify and highlight the most attractive aspects of your property in your listing.Effort: lowImpact: medium
- ✓Automate guest communication with pre-arrival and post-checkout messages.Effort: lowImpact: medium
Tools & Resources
- →FlipKey, HomeAway, Local Sunshine Coast Tourism site: The host utilized FlipKey, HomeAway, and a local Sunshine Coast Tourism site.
- →Aviva IQ: Aviva IQ is mentioned as a tool to automate messages.
Watch Out For
- ⚠Overlooking the importance of branding and not incorporating guest feedback into your listing title and description.
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