Just wanted to share something I’ve been trying out over the last 6 weeks - hand-written “Thank you for staying” cards. As far as I can tell - it’s always difficult to pin down cause and effect - they have been a great success and cost virtually nothing.
I always go through the guest’s message history and make sure I include any specifics in the card, to personalise it. For example, if they are attending a wedding, I’ll mention that.
I swear that the tone of post-checkin communication, and the enthusiasm of the reviews, has improved significantly, it’s been mentioned in 3 out of the 5 reviews, and particularly for hosts that use self check-in, it’s a great and cost-effective way to add some human warmth to that process.
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Great idea and it’s fantastic that you seem to have validation of your theory. Do you have any other points of contact with the guest other than the cards ( and obv. Airbnb messages)?
I do the same. I leave a note welcoming them and introducing myself and my family since we aren’t generally there at check-in. I think it helps them to still connect with us more personally despite us not being there in person. I also explicitly ask for a 5 star review if they enjoyed their stay, explaining that we are newer to renting on airbnb and a 5 star review would help us to welcome more guests in the future. I also let them know that we would love a note back with any feedback on how their stay could be improved in hopes that they will direct any concerns to us directly rather than in a review.
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We always leave a hand written thank you note. We do not ask for a 5 star review but it is something to think about moving forward. About half the time people write a note back to us. We collect them all and stuff them in the nightstand drawer. As a matter of fact we got our first two page glowing note today. So fun. I have some romantic idea of the Secret Drawer Society from Wayside Inn.
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