15 tips for Airbnb beginners: How to attract customers and create a place they'll want to return to again
The answer to getting started hosting on Airbnb isn't just about making a successful reservation. There are many nuances and subtleties that create the right environment for travelers to stay with you during their trips and journeys. The Airbnb website will tell you about rules, safety, and insurance. But that alone isn't enough to make your business thrive.
Airbnb has a lot of colorful pictures, but you'll only know what's behind them through experience. How to pick out linens, what to talk about with guests, and how to set the mood for your hotel - these and a host of other things you'll need to figure out before you can create a truly successful and popular haven with which you can compete with other offerings. Because travelers who choose this route want to find not just a nice room, but something that will make them turn on their imagination and immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the place.
Airbnb hotel owners who are going to host guests for the first time are required to think beyond the practical aspects of this business, such as where to hang blackout curtains and how many sets of toiletries to prepare before customers arrive. It's important to determine upfront why these people should want to stay with you instead of choosing another from the thousands of offers on the website.
To help yourself create a successful venture, check out these 15 tips for getting started on Airbnb from practicing successful guest house hosts.
1. Get attention
People staying in Airbnb hotels are looking for a home-away-from-home experience. Your place should not be faceless. And it is the host who is the face of it. Being able to get to know or casually chat with the owner over a cup of coffee, for example, while the accommodation is being prepared or the necessary paperwork is being filled out, will endear the guest to you and the place.
2.Be helpful
This doesn't mean you need to learn all the duties of a concierge at a five-star hotel. But it will definitely help if the guest knows that they can count on your help in finding interesting places in the neighborhood for leisure activities. For example, what events are going on nearby, which parks are worth a walk, where good steaks are served, or when to move out to skip the big lines at the rides. This way, you'll help your guests use their time efficiently.
3. Think through the little things
Various small details in the equipment of the house, its interior can greatly affect the atmosphere and the overall experience of the guest. Think about what little things you would like to see in the place where you are going to stay and take care of their quality. For example, it could be good wine glasses or decent knives in the kitchen drawer.
4. Get a charming feature
To be successful, a new place to rent must attract people who see the Airbnb listing at first sight. Customers are always looking for some kind of feature that makes them keep the image in their minds and come back to it. It can be almost anything-but something unremarkable, such as gorgeous blush-colored bedding, a pedestal bathtub, trendy Scandinavian decor, or an antique vase. Find that highlight and bank on it.
5. Help your guests become "your own"
When we come to another city or country, we want not only to see its sights, but also to feel the atmosphere, to feel how people live here and what they are like. You can help your guests become a little closer to the locals, try on their image. Then they will remember the trip better, and at the same time the place where they got these impressions. Think about what you would like to do in your city if you were not a local and offer your guests that experience.
6. Cleanliness is undeniable
Any attractive gizmos and no amount of great ambiance will save you if the bathroom is filthy and the shelves have a layer of dust on them. The rules for newcomers and experienced Airbnb rental homeowners start the same way - with cleanliness. No one wants to find someone else's hair on the bed, look at the streaks on the mirror, or find items from previous guests in the trash. Arm yourself with the help of a cleaning company or do the cleaning yourself, but don't forget to make a checklist of tasks that might be overlooked beforehand. Wash the oven, take the plates out of the dishwasher, clean the coffee machine... The client should not get the idea that the cleaning was done after hours.
7. Clean up unnecessary things
When renting a place, the client should expect to be able to use it to its fullest. It will be inconvenient if in order to put his things in a drawer, he has to look for a free shelf in the closet. This makes him feel like he is sharing space with a stranger, and there is no homey atmosphere to speak of. Put away your personal belongings - the more the better. Be sure to make sure that clients have a place to put their belongings.
8. Don't overdo the details
It's important for any aspiring Airbnb landlord to know that the atmosphere of their hotel should be inviting. A cozy design helps the guest relax within those walls. If there are too many different details, accents, and colors, it can overwhelm the surrounding space. Then it will not be easy to relax in it. You can start with neutral interiors, which are easy to fix in case of damage.
9. Quality is an important plus
Comfortable mattresses and pillows, good linens and soft towels indicate that the owner approached the equipment of housing with care for his guests. Not only the presence but also the quality of these things will be appreciated by the clients. Another important part that powerfully influences impressions is odors. Pleasant unobtrusive aromas will associate your dwelling with positive emotions.
10. Check all the essentials in the bathroom
Therule of thumb for first-time Airbnb hosts is to have a separate set of tasks for bathroom arrangements. Avoid a situation where a guest has to ask you for towels that suddenly aren't there. Make sure your bathrooms are stocked before each new client. Your guest should be comfortable at any time of the year, so if the winter is cold in the region, take care to heat the room. Check that ventilation is working, appliances are in good working order and make sure your guest has a place to hang wet towels.
11. Prepare the kitchen
Equip it with at least a minimum set of cooking appliances, such as a microwave and stove, and make sure they are in good working order. It's also important to have a refrigerator stocked with fresh food, like eggs and milk, in case a guest needs a snack immediately upon arrival. The kitchen should be clean, comfortable and functional. Little things like napkins and hot plates are also important. A definite plus will be the presence of a coffee machine, easy to use.
12. Discuss with the client in advance the questions they are interested in
When thinking about how to start hosting on Airbnb, also identify a number of topics that you would like to clarify with your client in advance. The better you prepare your guest for what they'll get when they rent, the easier it will be to manage their experience. For example, where he can park his car, whether he can smoke in the patio seating area or check-in with pets. Any rental is a hassle and hassle, so make it easy for your guests to wait.
13. Be prepared for unforeseen circumstances
You should have numbers in your cell phone that you can call in case of an emergency. Looking for a last-minute call for a plumber or appliance repairman will inconvenience your client, worsen the condition of the property, and get you a negative review as a careless landlord. Unforeseen situations are impossible to anticipate, but you should be able to find a way out of them quickly. After all, it is your property.
14. Be hospitable
Before you start hosting on Airbnb, make sure your home has everything you need for someone in a new place. If there are any ways you can make the stay even more enjoyable, use them. Throw some plaid and pillows on the couch to add a few touches to the room, put fresh flowers in a vase, or put some light snacks in the fridge. Make your space as welcoming as possible so that your client doesn't have to carry necessities back and forth. Leave his suitcase for souvenirs.
15. Flexible hours will be a plus
When it comes to check-in and check-out, most Airbnb hosts have clear check-in and check-out times. But in some cases, if you do have one and your client has important reasons, such as bad weather or bad arrival time, go ahead and allow him to check-in earlier or check-out later than usual. This will reduce his stress about trip planning and add pluses to your rating.