Running a Rental Business

5 Superstar Tips For Airbnb Hosts

So, like many others before you (and MANY more to come) you have found yourself in the Airbnb game and you’re interested in taking it to the next level. Perhaps you only have one property right now – or maybe you have six or seven of them – but the good news is that doesn’t […]

By The Turno Team

Last updated: December 04, 2023

So, like many others before you (and MANY more to come) you have found yourself in the Airbnb game and you’re interested in taking it to the next level. Perhaps you only have one property right now – or maybe you have six or seven of them – but the good news is that doesn’t matter. The ONLY thing that matters is your ability to provide the kind of service to your guests that allow you to collect that money, month after month – year after year. So how do you do it?

Well you are already a step above the rest of Airbnb hosts – the fact that you are reading this article to gain insider tips and get the edge on your competition if proof enough of that. Since you’re here I can also assume you are already aware of the monumental advantage of short term leasing vs renting & the decentralized approach of Airbnb that has and will continue to absolutely EAT the hotel industry. Since you most likely already know the basics of this blooming industry, I will jump right into the good stuff. The stuff that will make you more money & give you something even MORE valuable than money – more time.

Here are 5 (truly) SUPERSTAR tips for any host to implement. You can choose the one that works for you the most or even better yet; implement all of them. You will be glad you did.

1. Never Act Like A “Big Shot”

Repeat after me: “The GUEST is the bigshot”. They are “the bigshot” always and without exception. You may have 12 listings & a five figure monthly income – but your guests will always have something MORE valuable and that is the experience THEY have while staying in your listing. One bad review can tank even the strongest listings, lead to bad word of mouth and literally erode everything you are attempting to build. If you are the type of person that has a hard time being humble under pressure – outsource it and let someone else handle talking to guests. Their satisfaction is the fuel that puts money in your pocket. Don’t forget it.

man in a suit with his arms crossed over his chest, smirking

2. Use Digital Locks Instead Of Keys

This one is a no brainer but it’s incredible how many people forget to implement it while starting out; which creates bad habits that trickle down and mess you up down the road when you expand. Sure it can be a little costly if you’re on a small budget, but using digital locks instead of physical keys not only saves you the time and hassle of replacing lost keys but also saves you peace of mind. It is also an easy way to give access to your Airbnb cleaning service to enter. Your Airbnb cleaner simply has to enter in the code opposed to having a key left for them.

Do you want to lay awake at night wondering which of the dozens of guests you’ve had in the past few months made a copy of your key? Do you want to drive back and forth every time someone loses a key? Of course not! The added bonus here is that you have 100 % knowledge of who enters and exits your listings and when, right down to the timestamps.

fingers keying in a numbered code for a keyless entry door lock

3. Sign up for Amazon Associates Program

This is an intermediate skill that takes a little bit of setting up. To put it shortly for those who have no previous experience with affiliate sales; Amazon will pay you (or anyone) a commission of 5-10 % back on any purchased items that were purchased through your “associate link”. Guess what? They even allow you to purchase things with your own link.

This means if you are purchasing a list of supplies every month for your properties – you could sign up for the amazon associates program for free and recoup 5-10 % of those expenses without doing much anything differently. Best part? Amazon pays the taxes on it, so it’s tax free AND deductible.

4. Put The WIFI Password On The Wall

“What’s the wifi password?” “How do I log into the internet?” “The internet isn’t working”.

How would you like to receive texts like this multiple times a day, every day, for as long as you have your listing available? Let’s face it, it’s almost 2020 and literally EVERYONE uses the internet. Your guests will demand it and if you can’t provide wifi – you will lose out big time. Unfortunately most people do NOT read your instructions and will inevitably be left standing in your property, phone in hand going “uhhhhh”. Then, you get the text.

If you’re like me, it get’s old fast and you need to find a solution. That solution is a simple one. Print out your wifi password ( in BIG letters ) and put it on the wall in plain sight. Will this prevent people from asking you the wifi password anyways? Not completely, but it does help tremendously to be able to simply respond “it’s on the wall”.

cup of coffee on saucer with laptop and wifi access notice on a table inside a hotel room

5. Create a “Tour Guide” For Your Guests

It doesn’t matter if your listing is in San Diego, CA or Smalltown, USA – most of your guests will be from out of town. That means they don’t know where anything is at. Imagine you are in a new place – where is the nearest place to get good food? Where is the closest gas station? What if you want to take your kids to a park – but you don’t know which parks are kind of dangerous and which parks are family friendly? These are all things your guest will be glad to know.

You should take into account the general types of guests your receive and tailor suit your “tour guide” to fit their needs. It doesn’t have to be perfect or fancy; just a straightforward helping hand to point them into the right spots. Type on up yourself or get someone to do it for you, print up a few dozen copies and leave them on the nightstand in your listings. Your guests will appreciate the effort and they will appreciate being better informed of their surroundings and that will pay off big time in the reviews.

That’s it, thanks for taking the time to read these 5 Superstar Tips for Airbnb hosts! If even one of these techniques help you cultivate and grow your business, it was time well spent.

The Turno Team Avatar
The Turno Team , The Turno Team researches and publishes articles designed to provide short-term rental Hosts, Property Managers, and Airbnb Cleaners with insightful, useful resources. Articles written by the Turno Team cover a wide range of STR interests, from the latest industry data and best practices to real-world, practical advice on running efficient, revenue-generating vacation rental businesses in an ever-changing market. Here at Turno, we’re always looking for original ideas and hot new topics. Have something you’re curious to learn more about? Interested in authoring a guest blog? Drop us a line at [email protected].