I need help with listing

[James4011]

I'm new to hosting and need help with my listing. It's a 3 bed semi detached with nice 1 bed self contained flat out the back in Lucan Co. Dublin. I'm not very good at this sort of thing so if someone can help me, I will happily pay them !

[Clara116]

@James4011  Hello James, 

 there are many things that can help you - I'd suggest you look at other listings on Airbnb, read and watch videos ...read info on the Airbnb Resource Center about everything.

But the biggest suggestion is to join a Host Club/Group. There's one in Dublin. 

I'd suggest you join the Dublin Airbnb Host Community Group. It has almost 600 hosts so I'm sure you'll find many to help you out and learn loads of things about hosting that will get you started and help you to thrive. Once you join the group you can ask questions and many will help, and search the group for topics that will help you. 

Wishing you all the best in your hosting. Happy Hosting, Clara

[Joelle43]

Hello @James4011 

Great advice from @Clara116 and would like to provide a few more regarding the listing itself.

==>Fill in your profile section as this helps guests feel that you are someone they can trust and not just a bot.  Have a real picture of yourself for the same reasons and if you require your guest to have a photo of themselves, it's all the more easier if you have one yourself😉

==>You have a 3 bedroom house with 3.5 bathrooms and yet only 9 photos of your listing!  Your guests need to see a photo of each and every bedroom and use captions under the photos so that they can see which is which.  Ditto for the bathrooms.  So you need to take a great many more pictures and in landscape mode too.  Some photos zoomed in, some zoomed out to give guests an appreciation of the size of the rooms. You can say how big the rooms are under the photos.

==>In the "where you'll sleep" section, you can select photos to add to the description

==>Your first five photos are the  most important and will determine if future guests will click on these to see further or will just move on.  Your cover photo is paramount for the same reason.  Sorry to say this but the picture of the outside of the house is not very appealing especially as we see that the picture is rain splattered too.  

==>You have a picture of a loo in these top 5 - not a great choice when you have a superb kitchen that would be far more eye-catching😉

==>Under your heading of 3 bed semi detached, your place is described as a private room but I believe you are listing the whole place with 3 bedrooms - am I right?  Need to change this!

==>You are offering a special reduction for the first 3 guests but your pricing seems ever so low - £48 for 6 people!! Same price for 1 or 6 guests.  Please look at other listings to see if you are not underselling as very low prices may result in attracting  unsuitable guests and you don't want this as a newbie.

==>What are your house rules?

==>Now that your listing has gone live, go back and you'll see lots of sub headings to describe your place/ area etc. Currently there is one line I think.  

==>Only a very limited amount of amenities have been ticked - go back and go through the whole list and you'll see just how many you have missed.  There's even one that says hot water is supplied!

OK that's all for now James and hope this helps and you know where to reach out if you get stuck😊

Joëlle

[Clara116]

@Joelle43  Excellent on all the things you have pointed out.....I was thinking each of them esp. the pics of the loo and thumbnail - main pic....some of the kitchen are way better. And super important as you point out Landscape Mode in pics! and info underneath. Plus 6 people and so cheap....a recipe for not wonderful guests....plus a discount on top of that??? I'd not do that one either. 

You have given @James4011  all the perfect suggestions but I fear he doesn't know how or doesn't want to do it himself. 

You Joelle43 have given the most accurate, clear and on point things that will get James to have an excellent listing  that I have ever read. Super Job!! I do hope he will jump on all these and thank you greatly.

As my teacher used to say "its easy when you know how to do it". Obviously you are a very visual person/host and many peeps are not and I think there is a great divide when someone is hosting and super NON visual/ like more auditory - they just don't see it like many of us do.

Thanks for setting a great example & helping James - You are terrific, Clara

[Joelle43]

What a sweetheart you are @Clara116 for saying such nice things thank you sincerely🤗  Made my day💃

[Clara116]

@Joelle43Hey Joelle,

Happy New Year!  After my comments to you I looked at your listing. WOW FABULOUS - I put it on my wish list and saved it also. Your listing is PERFECT - the layout, design and everything is such a perfect example of how to do it ALL beautifully and do it right. Your taste is lovely, and design of the place, really amazing. 

I haven't been to Cannes since the late 80's when I was touring and we were staying near everything, probably near your place!!  

I was touring with a large Dance group out of New York and my time in Cannes was so lovely.  And unforgettable. 

One thing I'll never forget, I had developed a bad sore throat and I felt sick but still had to perform esp. in my group I did a solo in the show and "the show must go on". They took me to a Doctor and he gave me some pills.....and said take it 1-2 hours before you have to perform. It was MAGIC medicine.....wowoza....it worked and I felt totally perfect, well and performed like always. I have no idea what that was...??? And I took it a few times till the tour was over.  But over the years, I've always wondered WHAT was the magic pills I took that made me well for several hours. Surely something illegal?? who knows, but there have been days since when I wished to have those little pills..hahaha

We were a Jazz Show with about 30 performers...old hoofers (tap dancers), singers and I was with New York City TapWorks  (a trio of tap dancers). 

I have amazing memories of Cannes and also many times in Paris and many other places in France. Lovely to know you and wish you an amazing 2024.

many blessings, Clara

[Joelle43]

What a beautiful story @Clara116 and thank you for sharing and putting my listing in your wishlist😍  Very grateful as I've received no bookings in the last two months😱  Hoping 2024 will bring better times for us all🤞

You made me laugh about your magic pills but here in France, doctors give out pills very easily and I'm wondering if it wasn't cortisone?  Gives you a high and numbs pain very effectively and we are told to take them in the morning and not in the evening🤣

If you ever come to Cannes again and yes you should, give me a shout and we can exchange our stories over a glass of something lovely😊

Do you still perform Clara or have you hung up your dance shoes?!

I look forward to interacting again with you and I wish you the very best for this new year.

Joëlle

[Clara116]

@Joelle43   Hahaha....no I don't think it was cortisone - at least the cortisone I know which takes a day or so to kick in and then you will fly for a while....hahaha. I think it was something under the table type - more like a diet type pill, while it killed the appetite quickly and gave super woman energy!! which was lovely when sick, but the down of it was rather dark and not enjoyable. 

I too join you with NO bookings for a couple months...even in Florida, we have such a saturated market locally and seems overall in our state that many are either empty or full....if booking a place super cheap then a  full calendar, if not, then empty. I picked staying empty rather than having folks that can't afford to travel, or will not appreciate my place or do the stressful wanting everything refunded or extremely cheap, and more and more. I 'd rather stay empty and let the stress of all that go. After 7 yrs, and a community leader with Airbnb I have to look at things differently and accept the changes that go with the times.

I've had an amazing 7 yrs....and last 2 yrs - esp. 2023 remarkable. I was honored as #1 host in hospitality in the state of Florida. with over 40,000 hosts, that sure makes me delighted. 

I'll be heading over to Germany in a month to visit my people. I wish I'd met you sooner, I'd have made a brief stop in your Cannes. 

Not performing any longer - but still dancing around when I can! 

Another day, another time.

Best to you, till we meet one day,

Clara116

[Rebecca]

Hey @James4011, Happy New Year and welcome to the Community Center. 

You've got some absolutely fantastic and supportive advice from @Joelle43 & @Clara116 here. Have you managed to have a look and make any updates to your listing? We're here to help!