Topic: Airbnb
Learn the secrets to a successful Airbnb rental from industry experts! Discover how to provide exceptional guest experiences through personalized service, immaculate cleanliness, and effective communication.
Speakers: Brandon Horne, Avery Heilbron and Alison Merkabah
3 Key takeaways to a Successful Airbnb Rental:
- White Glove Service
- Provided more for your guests than the other STR’s offer
- Treat your rental as if it were your home. In other words, your guest should be able to show up with nothing more than their clothes and food.
- If a guest reaches out to ask if you have something that you hadn’t thought about, make it happen.
- Recommendations for the best restaurants and local places to check out. Make sure before you recommend a place, you your self have tried it, and it was a great experience.
- Cleanliness
- Having a great cleaner makes big difference in people coming back to stay at your STR.
- I do not use commercial cleaning companies. Instead, I use a local person that has a small cleaning business. They tend to deep clean after each guest versus the commercial people who send in hourly wage workers, and they tend to not pay attention to details.
- Always provide more than what is needed. More toilet paper, paper towels, wash cloths, towels, blankets
- Communication
- When someone books your STR, make sure to greet them immediately on Airbnb. A short thank you for booking your place when they could have chose any of the 100 homes around you goes a long way.
- When someone books your rental, look them up on social media and see if there are any special hobbies that they appear to have. For example, do they like to fish, if so, recommend without them asking, the best offshore trips with the best price, or the best location to fish from shore etc... If they appear to enjoy golf, point them to the best golf course in your area. If they are foodies, give them all the best local spots. Remember most people on vacation want to blend in with the locals…communicate these things without them asking. You will be surprised at how many people make the comment “we really appreciate your recommendations, we love (golf, fishing, drinking, eating, relaxing etc...)”
- Before they arrive at your home ask them if they have any questions or specific needs before arriving.
- Always offer an extended checkout the evening before they check out. We block off the day after a guest checks out so that we have a full day for our cleaners to get in and clean. This will allow you the ability to extend your guests check out time, so they do not feel rushed as if they were in a hotel.
Bio - Brandon Horne: A local developer originally from Rocky Mount NC. I have a bachelor’s degree in construction management from East Carolina University. I grew up in a family business doing roofing and remodeling. While my day-to-day career is in land development, I also have 4 rental properties, one that is a short-term rental that we advertise through the Airbnb platform.
This meeting is free for members so dinner will not be provided by NCREIA for this meeting but please feel free to pick up and bring your own.