How to Market to the Work-From-Home Traveler

08/24/20 • 36 min

Get Paid For Your Pad | Airbnb Hosting | Vacation Rentals | Apartment Sharing

Travel has changed in the season of COVID-19. Short-term rental (STR) guests are looking for a ‘home instead of home’ that they can drive to. Most are looking to escape the city and enjoy nature. And many plan to stay for an extended period and work from the property. So, how can we capitalize on this new guest persona and market specifically to the work-from-home traveler?

Eric Moeller is my partner in crime at STR Profit Academy, a educational platform for vacation rental hosts, and the STR Legends Mastermind, a community of the leaders, visionaries and innovators in the STR industry. He is also the founder and host of the Airbnb Mastery Summit, an exclusive virtual event featuring premiere STR hosts and real estate experts from around the world.

On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Eric joins me to explain what he is looking for in a STR as a work-from-home traveler and share what he learned from looking through 100+ listings on Airbnb. He walks us through his process for finding world-class properties for business travel, challenging hosts to do regular internet speed tests and offer discounts for extended stays. Listen in for Eric’s insight on upgrading your STR to a proper coworking space and learn how to market your listing to attract the work-from-home traveler.

Topics Covered

What Eric learned from looking at 100+ Airbnb listings

Decision-making different for work-from-home traveler
Lack of marketing to attract this new persona

The elements of a listing most important to work-from-home travelers

Strong internet (25 Mbps minimum)
Space set up for coworking

What STR hosts can do to market to the work-from-home traveler

Add screen shot of internet speed test to photos
Get approved as workplace on Airbnb
Advertise parking space or explain where to park
Offer discounts for extended stays
Be hands-on to address guest’s individual needs

How to leave clues in your Airbnb listing re: how to contact directly

Copy and paste guest review that mentions brand name
Promote social media, e.g.: check us out on Instagram

Eric’s process for finding world-class properties for business travel

Search filters for Wi-Fi, 2BR and traveling for work
Narrow down with parameters for location and price
Imagine working from property through photos

How to turn your Airbnb listing into a proper coworking space

Provide smartphone and computer chargers
Consider adding printer to workstation

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Topics Covered

What Eric learned from looking at 100+ Airbnb listings

Decision-making different for work-from-home traveler
Lack of marketing to attract this new persona

The elements of a listing most important to work-from-home travelers

Strong internet (25 Mbps minimum)
Space set up for coworking

What STR hosts can do to market to the work-from-home traveler

Add screen shot of internet speed test to photos
Get approved as workplace on Airbnb
Advertise parking space or explain where to park
Offer discounts for extended stays
Be hands-on to address guest’s individual needs

How to leave clues in your Airbnb listing re: how to contact directly

Copy and paste guest review that mentions brand name
Promote social media, e.g.: check us out on Instagram

Eric’s process for finding world-class properties for business travel

Search filters for Wi-Fi, 2BR and traveling for work
Narrow down with parameters for location and price
Imagine working from property through photos

How to turn your Airbnb listing into a proper coworking space

Provide smartphone and computer chargers
Consider adding printer to workstation

Connect with Eric

Airbnb Mastery Summit

STR Profit Academy

STR Legends

STR Legends on Instagram

Eric on Instagram

Resources

Vacasa Vacation Rentals

The Hideaway on Airbnb

Speedtest

Phillipe Thibodeau on GPFYP EP344

Get Paid for Your Pad on YouTube

Email [email protected] or [email protected]

Sponsor

Hostfully

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

How to Pivot to a New STR Business Model

Did COVID-19 put a halt to your short-term rental (STR) business? If so, you may need to restructure your Airbnb portfolio and pivot to a new business model. A business model that will stand the test of time.

Ryan Anderson is the Founder and CEO at Sojourn, an upscale STR venture that had grown to 200 active units in the US, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Colombia—until the Coronavirus pandemic devastated his business. A serial entrepreneur with a background in finance, Ryan has founded companies in the technology, craft beer and hospitality space, and today, he is downsizing his portfolio and developing a new approach to the STR business.

On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Ryan joins me explain why he is shifting away from the master lease Airbnb model and pivoting to an owner-operator paradigm. He shares the most important lessons he has learned through the Coronavirus crisis, describing how he plans to grow slower and wiser in the future. Listen in for Ryan’s insight on building a brand that reflects who you are as a person and get ideas for developing a STR business model that is sustainable for the long term.

Topics Covered

An overview of Ryan’s business pre-COVID

Master lease Airbnb model in urban markets
200 active units across four countries

What Ryan’s STR business looks like now

Gave back nearly all master lease units
Looking to invest in multifamily properties (flexible living model)
Test market for camper van rentals

Ryan’s predictions around the future of the master lease model

Supply has gone away in reaction to COVID shutdown
Those who hang onto supply will see big returns again

The most important lessons Ryan has learned from the crisis

Must own asset to acquire wealth over time
Stay disciplined and focus on fundamentals

Why Ryan had expanded to so many different markets

Concerned about regulations in US
Acquired HostTonight (already operating south of border)

What Ryan would do differently if he could go back

Grow slower and wiser (can’t blitzscale hospitality)
Enjoy journey, not so hyper-focused on destination

The challenge of negotiating with landlords in a global pandemic

Difficult to convince that business would grind to halt
Tense circumstances, not easy to persuade via Zoom

Ryan’s best advice for aspiring STR entrepreneurs

Build brand that reflects who you are, what you enjoy
Money can’t be only motivator in tough times

Connect with Ryan

Ryan on LinkedIn

Resources

Sonder

Outdoorsy

Outdoorsy on GPFYP EP266

Email [email protected]

Sponsor

Hostfully

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

How to Use Email Marketing to Personalize the Guest Experience

If your Airbnb listing is a treehouse or a castle, the property itself creates a unique guest experience. But what if your space is a typical, two-bedroom condo? How do you curate a personalized experience that exceeds each of your guest’s expectations?

Colin Holowaychuk is the Founder of Vamonosco, a done-for-you solution that generates new bookings and increases revenue for short-term rental (STR) managers. He also hosts his own portfolio of 200-plus Airbnb listings in Tulum, Mexico, and serves as an active participant in our STR Legends Mastermind. With 15 years of experience as a FinTech, marketing and eCommerce entrepreneur, Colin has developed an expertise in helping businesses accelerate their growth.

On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Colin joins me to share his process for collecting the information he needs to personalize the guest experience before, during and after their stay. He explains how he uses the guest’s priorities and preferences to curate a custom itinerary and what he does when a guest is hesitant to share their information. Listen in for Colin’s insight on leveraging dynamic content to give yourself a competitive advantage and learn what technology you need to set up an individualized email marketing campaign for each guest!