While it’s important to stay in touch with guests during their stay, did you know it’s important to stay in touch with them after they checkout too? We will share three simple ways you can do just that (and why it matters).
Say Thank You
Of all the many listings on the Internet, a guest chose to stay with you. Honor that with a thank you and ask if there was one thing you could have done to make their stay better. This indicates to your guests that you don’t take them for granted, and further, that you’re always looking to improve and get better. While you can certainly use a template to speed the process, consider having a few spots in the template where you can personalize the message a bit more:
- Using someone’s name is a must
- If a guest brought a pet, referring to that pet’s name would be good as well
- If they took a restaurant/sightseeing recommendation from you, mention that you hope they enjoyed it
- If someone visited from a place that you hope to go sometime, consider asking for a recommendation of something to do/see there
Pro tip: The more personalized this can be, the better. Consider a free video service like Loom that will only take you a minute to record a message but will make guests feel like you really care.
Send a Survey
Airbnb and other vacation rental sites often ask many questions as part of a guest leaving a rating for your listing. Rather than add on to that group of emails, wait a week or two and send a short survey with 2-3 questions (tops!) on areas/subjects that you really want to keep on top of.
People get asked for their opinion on surveys all the time so the shorter the time commitment to filling out yours, the likelier they will respond. Even if only a few guests fill this out you can still get useful information.
Pro tip: Airbnb and other sites often block URLs once a stay is completed, so think of “survey” here less as something formal to a site like SurveyMonkey and more of a series of questions with short answers.
Ask for a Referral
If a guest leaves you a strong review, don’t be afraid to ask for a referral. People often tell their friends about how wonderful a trip was, especially if they enjoyed the accommodations.
Sometimes guests become regulars and are their own referrals so don’t be afraid to lock in their next booking as early as they are comfortable doing so.
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Guests often want to enjoy a stay and don’t necessarily want to hear from hosts afterwards, but if you frame these communications properly, they can deliver great results for you. People love to share great experiences and you are giving them the chance to do just that.
This content originally appeared in our twice-monthly Guest Book newsletter.
