Let's all share our best Marrketing Tips!

Answered!
Nuno-Y-Daniel0
Level 9
Porto, Portugal

Let's all share our best Marrketing Tips!

Hi, 

 

This thread is about get together some tips and insights that can make your listing better.  Leave 2 suggestions below that clearely improved the number of bookings and visits on my lisyting.

 

1. Airbnb Professional Photographerhttps://www.airbnb.com/info/photography. If you didn't applied yet, you definitely should. Is quite and good and is free.

2. Private Car Parking - As there wasn't one in the building we decided to rent it through the peak of the season. The flat is right in downtown and there's not much car parking places free in summer. For guests is a relief for us is more bookings! 

 

What about you? Any tips that are worth to share?

 

Thanks for the thoughts!

 

1 Best Answer
Julie10
Level 6
Pittsburgh, PA

You can get all sorts of printed material at vistaprint.  Free business cards and you use their artwork or upload something you've designed.  I do a (one page, two sided) mini-newsletter and annual report using their flyer.  I don't actually get them printed, I deliver them electronically, but it's great to have access to their templates and artwork.

 

Create your own web site.  I use webs.com for both of my properties.  On the site you can use a URL straight to your airbnb listing for those visitors who want to make a reservation.  Webs.com is free and again, there are a ton of apps that are both helpful and free.

 

Think about who in the community have out of town visitors and solicit their business.  My background is nonprofit, so any arts organization that has visiting artists, I put together an email database and send them an email blast about once every 3 months.  I also assembled a database of contacts at nearby hospitals.  Finally, I put together an email list of special event/wedding planners.  All of these folks get email blasts about every 3 months.  I include any specials I'm running, recent improvements/added amenities, and other news.

 

Keep in touch with former guests, put together an email database and email them occasionally.  They may never come to your location again, but they might have friends, co-workers, etc. that will.

 

I have a FB page but have not had a ton of luck with it.  I use it as a way to keep in touch w/ people, link articles about Pittsburgh and upcoming local events, etc. 

 

Finally, develop a network of other hosts in your area and exchange referrals.  About 15% of my business last year came from referrals from another host.

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25 Replies 25
Clare0
Level 10
Templeton, CA

Here's my 2 cents worth: 

I made business cards with my airbnb logo (create at airbnb do com) with the URL to my listing.  I pass them out all the time. 

Also, I provide a free bottle of wine (I live in wine country). Guests like this!

Business cards are great and put the link in there seems even better! As I live in Porto, most famous for the wine, i also get to leave a Port Wine bottle. Have to check the Californian wines soon then! 

 

Thanks for the insights!

Thank you Daniel for the visiting card tips and i have taken a not of it seriously .

Deb0
Level 9
Mendocino, CA

Fun idea for some marketing inspiration, thanks Daniel. My two suggestions:

 

1. 5 gallon dispenser of Spring Water with back up bottles. I signed up for a delivery service that keeps us topped off. Cost ranges from $17.50 to $22/month. Guests love having access to clean drinking water and not have to worry about any digestive issues with local or city water.

2. I'm still hoping to get some traction with my facebook page. Right now it's just me making a few posts a month about local events and occasional discounts.  I've had it for a couple of years but yet to have guests post to it. Anybody had any success with socail media? Here is a link to my Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/MendocinoSeasideStudio/

 

In response to the previous posts - I also provide a free bottle of local Mendocino wine. Guests LOVE it. Cost is no more than $6/bottle for a decent local, orgainc chardonnay or sauvignon blanc. I love Trader Joes!

Hi Deb, Thanks for the tips!

First of all i really love your seaside studio and is now on my wish list 🙂 

About the social media, airbnb seems to take that in consideration and for awhile it was possible to see the number of views of the listings from the front-end (visible to all). One good approach to balance with your facebook page is some paid posts marketing your airbnb listing. You will at the same time promoting your page and increasing the views of your listing and having an impact in the ranking position. 

Saw in your facebook page that you have been in AO 2015 Paris, one of the sessions i got to attend was "Make your listing a money machine", Rebecca Morgan (check her site, is good tips there) one of a good strategies about business cards was to leave them not only to guests but in surroundings like, Hospitals, Universities, Sport Events and so on. Is a good brainstorming! 

The new feature on Airbnb, Smart Pricing, till now as been working quite well and giving prices slowly higher (10%) then the neighborhood. Is worth a try! 

my work background is in alcohol abuse so I would always hesitate to leave any alcohol unrequestedbut that's just me.  I think bottled water is great idea .

Mourougan0
Level 2
Chennai, India

Hi i am Stephan from pondicherry excited to Host the first customer and its been almost 2 months i have not received any customers . so inbetween thanks to Airbnb supporting me with free photographer to shoot my villa . But still waiting for the good bussiness and good support .

 

Regards

stephan 

Julie10
Level 6
Pittsburgh, PA

You can get all sorts of printed material at vistaprint.  Free business cards and you use their artwork or upload something you've designed.  I do a (one page, two sided) mini-newsletter and annual report using their flyer.  I don't actually get them printed, I deliver them electronically, but it's great to have access to their templates and artwork.

 

Create your own web site.  I use webs.com for both of my properties.  On the site you can use a URL straight to your airbnb listing for those visitors who want to make a reservation.  Webs.com is free and again, there are a ton of apps that are both helpful and free.

 

Think about who in the community have out of town visitors and solicit their business.  My background is nonprofit, so any arts organization that has visiting artists, I put together an email database and send them an email blast about once every 3 months.  I also assembled a database of contacts at nearby hospitals.  Finally, I put together an email list of special event/wedding planners.  All of these folks get email blasts about every 3 months.  I include any specials I'm running, recent improvements/added amenities, and other news.

 

Keep in touch with former guests, put together an email database and email them occasionally.  They may never come to your location again, but they might have friends, co-workers, etc. that will.

 

I have a FB page but have not had a ton of luck with it.  I use it as a way to keep in touch w/ people, link articles about Pittsburgh and upcoming local events, etc. 

 

Finally, develop a network of other hosts in your area and exchange referrals.  About 15% of my business last year came from referrals from another host.

Hi Julie,

I love your marketing tips !

I would like some advice on Networking with other Hosts in my area.  How would I suggest exchanging referrals , I've thought about doing it but I don't have a system...probably simple lol but i'm not getting it.

 

Thanks for all your good advice,

Christine

 

Hi Julie,

I love your marketing tips !

I would like some advice on Networking with other Hosts in my area.  How would I suggest exchanging referrals , I've thought about doing it but I don't have a system...probably simple lol but i'm not getting it.

 

Thanks for all your good advice,

Christine

 

@Christine9 there's a lot of communities around facebook from airbnb hosts. They actually help themselves with tips and exchanging referrals, specially from other cities. Some guests are quite often travelling between different places.

@Julie10 sorry for the late response but didn't got a email from this reply. There's a lot of good tips in your comment and i will probably make a list from all comments in the end. 

 

99designs is a great website when it comes to your LOGO & IDENTITY and website.

 

About facebook i use as way to referral to airbnb. It can help you get some visits and it will take in note on the airbnb ranking. You can mix with some paid posts as well.

 

Past guests are great way for future bookings and is definitely worth to get there contacts. 

 

Today I got a bday booking present. Had this before and it can be a way to profit in some low seasons. Bdays dates.

Hi all in this thread.

 

These are great marketing tips.

I wanted to know if there is a standard AirBnB link that I can place on my website for customers to click or must I just do this myself?

 

A facebook page is definitely a good idea. I just added our page over here

https://www.facebook.com/tableviewlodgeaccommodation

 

I've also just loaded my own AirBnB logo but think it best for AirBnB to supply a special link back URL for hosts to use. If anyone has a chance have a look on my page and let me know please.

I can't seem to get a link to my listing to post on Facebook.  The directions don't seem to be working for me.  Any suggestions?