With this particular client, we decided it was best to start over. We took her listing down, optimized the description and title, changed the photo order around, and got the listing back up on its designated platforms.

We decided this was the best route since she had no reviews and would have benefited from the Airbnb push in that first 14 days when a listing goes live.

Before the first guests arrived who booked through the new listing, we did an on site visit to better understand what needed to happen to enhance the guest experience. 

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We noticed:

• The home had no curb appeal aside from looking new and the grass was overgrown
• The backyard was nothing special (and had trash everywhere because she had no large trash receptacle as it was never ordered so previous guests literally just threw trash outside)
• The supply closet was a disaster and full of stain linens
• The house looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in months
• The smart lock was old and never worked properly

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We suggested the following to the owner:

• New cleaning team
• New lawn team 
• Convenient location for trash where guests just have to take it to the bin in the back of the home (trash is one of the most common issues for STRs and one that guests complain about)
• Adding furniture and a layered rug to the front porch for curb appeal and gathering space
• Adding furniture to the back of the home and eventually a fence since this is property is in the city
• A new smartlock 
• Organization for the supply closet to make it easier for the cleaning team and to ensure we have the correct numbers for inventory 
• New linens and additional supplies that were gone or low

We also listed the property on VRBO, Booking (although Booking is my least favorite platform and not one I suggest at this point), and FurnishedFinders. 

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Branding and Marketing:

Since I have an extensive background in branding and marketing, we incorporate this into the initial set up of the properties we co-host. 

We gave the house a unique, identifiable name which will be beneficial for direct booking and guest experience. The house was already designed when we walked into it and was largely created to be a space for families and groups.

During our site visit, I recorded video throughout the home to be able to use across our social media channels and in ads if we so choose. 

Something that we do for all of our properties is create unique web pages that are sent to guests once they book and then a separate page that’s sent 3 days before their stay. These pages help answer common questions and give guests a standout experience before they even arrive for their trip. We include local suggestions, details on the home itself, check in/checkout instructions, and house guidelines (rules, but doesn’t guidelines sound so much less like we are small children that must follow the rules or else, maybe that’s just me). 

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Here’s the booked page for this property: