Airbnb Business Strategy For More Airbnb Bookings:
Designing For Many 5 Star Airbnb Reviews Quickly.
Are you an Cape Town Airbnb Host looking for an Airbnb strategy for more Airbnb bookings? You are at the right place.
But I suggest that you start a the beginning of this series on Airbnb strategies for more bookings.
Okay.
Ron Kaufman said, “Exceeding expectations is where satisfaction ends and loyalty begins.” Let’s design for loyalty.
Today you will learn how to surprise guests with remarkability. When they go wow you have done it.
You’ll learn how to ensure your guests feel obliged to return the favour with a 5 star review?
Finally, I recommend three things you should do.
Get Your Free Unhassle Airbnb eBook Here
Today build on it. I want to share how to establish loyalty skyrocketing your 5-star reviews
Iowa State University confirmed the study. Their Airbnb research indicated what should be obvious.
Airbnb Guests decision-making is influenced by reviews; they deem reviews as more informative and trustworthy than host-generated information.
This obviously means, get WOW reviews quickly equals trustworthiness. It translates into success.
With a few small tweaks, you can easily double your occupancy. For example, hosts with 50 reviews constantly ran at 50% occupancy. 250 reviews gave them 80% occupancy.
Tweaks start with the 5 lodging choices guests care about most; communication, experience, location, product/service, and value.
Most important is location followed by experience.
See Iowa State University of Airbnb research for reference here.
Luckily there is one umbrella covering all these most important Airbnb aspects guests value most.
Expectations.
The clever people say,
“Promise only what you can deliver. Then deliver more than you promised”.
Therefore creating remarkable surprises for the unsuspecting guest.
Because if it’s not remarkable why even bother?
What do guests say when they get – consistently – surprised by your remarkability?
They go wow!… Wow. It’s beyond satisfaction.
It’s where loyalty begins.
And you know you are on your TRACK.
The Airbnb Location, Guest Expectations, and a dead Gecko:
Ok, your location is fixed. But you must sell it by revealing all; the good and bad.
Prospective guests see your offer. They may know the location. But they still have concerns.
Luckily, their worries disappear after reading your informative reviews.
Other guests sold your remarkability. Or not. It’s in your hands.
Now, they book.
And trust you with their money, in exchange for the expected experience.
But watch out. They want a high and sometimes an emotional return.
To ensure a 5-star review tell them about the potential for highway noise.
Tell them, during Cape Town summers, the sun rises at 5:30. And sets at 10 pm. And there is no black out curtain.
Oh and share the not so pretty bathroom.
Tell them about the family of squirrels bombing the roof with acorns. Yes.
Here in Africa we are close to nature. It has its surprises. Especially for translucent? travellers from Europe where a home may be in a high rise clinic.
You promised cleanliness and there’s a dead gecko on the front steps as they arrive. The dude from Europe nearly fainted.
Tell them they are close to nature.
And if the worst happens act. Immediately.
Guests don’t mind when things go wrong. But they hate it when they think you don’t care. Their only measure of how much you care is how quickly, and well, you act.
Never let them discover your dirty secrets. Tell them. Nasty surprises result in broken ankles.
In other words, if you don’t deliver they retaliate with a poor review.
So rather over-deliver. It doesn’t cost extra money, only a few extra minutes.
Be honest, be responsive and take responsibility.
A guest gave us a 3 out of 5 for location. On arrival, they realised it was an hour away from the city center.
Dude. Don’t blame the guest for not checking the location. Even though it’s right there 😉
Explain your location in detail and sell it.
A viewless flat downtown may sound dull, however, it can be extremely conveniently located for major attractions, trains, airports, nightlife etc.
Think about safety and how others may perceive the area.
Eventually, a guest will mention safety in their review so rather forewarn them before a guest makes a mountain of a molehill.
Don’t shy away from issues they may encounter. What you don’t tell them but should have will haunt you.
It’s better to turn a guest down today than disappoint them tomorrow.
Your guests will be impressed, and they will go WOW!
What do they do when they go Wow?
They pay you back in kind.
Experiences are what they want. Give them good surprises.
Experiences are not only your local ski slope or the baboons on your neighbour’s stoep.
More important are you; the host and your home. Guests book your home because they like your style.
They like the amazing reviews. THEY like local authenticity. They like YOU!
And they go…….
Again. They MUST feel obliged, even compelled, to share their remarkable experience with the world and leave you a 5 star. Pat on the back.
Now you have given them reasons to be extremely happy.
But it’s not yet an Airbnb review. You need to do more work…
Many guests don’t understand how important 5-star reviews are to your success. You have to educate and ask them.
Crucial. Next week you will learn how to educate and ask guests for reviews.
Three Airbnb Business Strategies For More Bookings:
I suggest you do them well:
- One. Read your Airbnb reviews for negatives. And brainstorm more risky issues.
- Two. Turn bad surprises into nonissues. And tell them.
- Three: Update your description even your rules. Say something like this, “previous guests had an issue with the narrow staircase….. ” etc.
Be good. Have fun.
Johan Horak
Airbnb Business Strategies Brought To You By Airbnb Management Agency in Cape Town.
“Exceeding expectations will establish loyalty”.
