How Would You Improve this Messaging? [Constructive Criticism Only Please]

Introduction
1

So here are the messages I send. I sometimes but not always edit them to personalize if I know something about the guests that make personalization useful.

How would you improve them?

  1. 14 Days Before Stay

Dear short code start
[guest first name]short code end

Here’s a list of the things we stock, the one thing you might want to bring and a standing invitation to ask questions and make requests.

Kitchen. If you’re a cook you’ve selected the right place! You’ll find a well-stocked kitchen in terms of appliances, kitchen gadgets and shelf-stable pantry.

The oven can be set to temperatures as low as 170F. So it’s an ideal slow cooker. Microwave, double oven, 4-burner induction cooktop, toaster, blender, Oster mini convection toaster oven, Cuisinart coffee maker, Nespresso espresso maker, plenty of cookie sheets, most kitchen gadgets you’d need: microplane zester, box grater, peelers, chopper, Mueller Multi Blade Adjustable Mandoline, knives curated from Americas Test Kitchen winners, salad spinner, turkey baster, steamer basket, instant meat thermometer, etc.

If you’ll need a food processor or Instant Pot, let us know and we’ll have it there for you.

If there’s a kitchen tool you need, please let us know and we’ll confirm whether we have it or maybe even get it here for you if you give us a timely heads up.

We have two [empty] Airscape canisters to keep coffee beans/ground coffee [medium fine for the Cuisinart] you buy/bring fresh. Some instant coffee, ‘Death Wish’ ground coffee; sugar and stevia for your coffee.

Spices include salt and pepper in grinders, Vietnamese cinnamon, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, oregano, rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, ground cardamon. Chef Prudhomme spices: Seafood Magic, Poultry Magic, Vegetable Magic, Blackened Steak Magic. And more.

Pantry includes Olive oil, Toasted Sesame oil, Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar, Balsamic vinegar and other vinegars, Huy Fong Sriracha, Tamari, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon cubes, shelf stable condiments. I can send you a full list if you’d like.

You’ll need to buy most of your own non-shelf-stable condiments (e.g., mustard, mayo) as safety/health concerns prevent us from keeping used bottles and packets are often not fresh.

Under the sink you’ll find Cascade pods and Finish rinse for the dishwasher, Dawn dishwashing soap and sundry supplies. We leave a few pods of HE detergent for the clothes washer; we don’t use fabric softeners/sheets. If you’ll be doing more than a few loads of laundry you’ll need to buy supplies.

You’ll find four decks of playing cards, the board games Catan, Clue, Ticket to Ride and Jumanji, and just a few coffee table books.

You’ll have plenty of charger ports for your electronics in each bedroom, Apple’s HomePod minis in each bedroom, bathroom, kitchen; an Alexa Echo Show 8 in the kitchen. These are simple to use and if you’re tech savvy you can get them to do a lot. If you have Spotify or Pandora you can get the living room sound system to play them.

The projection TV has cable service from Spectrum with ESPN, Netflix, HBO, an AppleTv to give you access to YouTube and internet. You can plug in your computer or Firestick to the Marantz receiver to broadcast your screen or use your own home entertainment sources.

You’ll find a laser printer [Brother Compact Monochrome Laser All-in-One Multi-function Printer, MFCL2750DWXL] in the hall closet, with paper [please replenish if you print a lot], a sewing kit. You’ll find cleaning supplies here, too, though we don’t expect you to clean.

You’ll find a starter pack of two rolls of toilet paper and one of paper towels, napkins. There’s a City yellow trash bag in the trash compactor; for stays longer than a week you’ll want to buy a pack of large City yellow trash bags at the grocery store [ask at checkout].

The bathroom includes Q-tips, floss picks, hand soap, and curated toiletries: CeraVe foaming facial cleanser, CeraVe hand lotion, Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance shampoo, Moroccan Oil hydrating conditioner, Aveeno daily moisturizing body wash, hand lotion, Bioderma micellar makeup remover, Cliganic oranic cotton rounds makeup remover pads hypoallergenic.

You can use salts and oils you bring/buy in the jetted tub but do not run the jets with them in the water because that will damage the system.

We have two umbrellas for your use.

→ The one thing you should be sure to bring are slippers, also flip-flops in summer. We have hard wood floors, which are easily scratched/marred by grit in shoes [which cannot be worn in the house].

If you’d like to ship anything here in advance, feel free to do so (boxes no more than 25#), addressed to Glenn XXXXXX [he’s my co-Host], and we’ll have it inside for you when you come.

If you’d like to order groceries, say from Instacart, for your day of arrival, we’ll take in your groceries and put them in the refrigerator/freezer, or on the counter for you. Just let us know so we can be sure to be home for the time frame you select (starting at or after 10 am). No charges for this.

We want your stay to be super comfortable and enjoyable. Please don’t hesitate to let us know if you need anything at all, have questions on using the appliances, or questions about the area (remember our guidebook in the app).

:heart: Host’s first name

  1. Seven Days Before Check-in, 9am

Dear short code start
[guest first name]short code end

We look forward to hosting you here at [Adress] in seven days!

Just as an FYI we’ve put together a guidebook to Worcester. You can access it on the airbnb app, and also on the website.

To access my guidebook on the website, go to short code start
[guidebook]short code end

If you discover favorites or tips we’ve missed or places you’ve enjoyed, please let us know.

Please update the number of guests before check-in if that has changed and you expect more than short code start
[number of guests]short code end

Check in is at or short code start
[check-in time]short code end

; check out is at short code start
[checkout time]short code end

You might want to bring your own slippers though we provide some in a shoe closet at the entrance.

If you have any questions or requests that can make your trip and visit more enjoyable, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

:heart: [Host’s First Name]

  1. One Day Before Check-in at 9 am

Dear short code start
[guest first name]short code end

Just a quick note to say I look forward to hosting you tomorrow, on short code start
[check-in date]short code end at or short code start
[check-in time]short code end

– Your home is UP the stairs.
– Your parking space is on the LEFT side of the house as you face the house.
– Code on the smart keypad [outside and to right of door] is XXXXXX activated at your 4 pm check-in time.
– Backup key in a lockbox eye level on the chimney by the air conditioner, code XXXX.
– Check-out is by 10 am on short code start
[checkout date]short code end

– Side gate to the backyard has code XXXX; turn handle DOWN. If you make a mistake, firmly press “C” and start over.
– Co-host Glenn is downstairs and you can message on platform or message him freely 24/7 [xxx-xxx-xxx] if you have any questions, requests or would like an orientation face to face or by FaceTime.
– Wifi Network: On the kitchen counter you’ll also see a little sign on a pedestal with a QR code. Just point your phone’s camera at the code and you’ll be immediately connected to the XXXXXX Wifi network, XXXXXX is the only network you should use.
– A hard copy of the House Guide is also on the kitchen island.
– Guidebook on kitchen island for Worcester sights, restaurants and travel tips; most up-to-date version on app; please let us know if you have suggestions to add/modify

If somehow you’re coming in late and would like Glenn to pick up some sundry groceries (e.g., wine, coffee, something to eat late at night or in the morning), please let us know what you’d like (please be VERY specific) and Glenn will pick up the items, put them away or in the refrigerator for you. [No fees for this, just reimbursement for actual grocery cost.] It’s easier for Glenn if you can use Instacart (let him know) and have the groceries delivered on or after 10 am tomorrow, which he will take in, but if that’s inconvenient or if there is no time for that, just write Glenn your list on the platform or text him at XXX-XXX-XXXX.

You might want to bring slippers as, kindly, no shoes inside the house (wood floors easily scratched by grit held in shoes). We have some slippers here for you.

Wishing you a comfortable, restful and enjoyable trip here and stay,

:heart: [Host’s first name]

  1. One Day Before Check-in at 1 pm [This was also one-pager in bedrooms, now removed]

Dear short code start[guest first name]short code end,

You can imagine that after hosting for seven years we’ve ‘seen it all!’ What is common sense to one person is not to the other. You will see that your vacation home is a real home, and so it needs a little love and care to keep it nice. So at the risk of telling you things that you already know Glenn has put together this ‘cheat sheet’ excerpting some of our rules, best practices and things to know. Please bear with us.

No animals
No smoking anywhere on the property, inside or outside
Not suitable for children under age 12
Self-Check-in at 4 pm or later
Self-Checkout at 10 am or earlier
We’re happy to provide tour of property face to face or through FaceTime; if desired, just ask
Park only on left side of house (facing the house)
Maximum occupancy is six,
Please update your reservation if the number of your overnight guests change before extra guest enters property
No parties or events
Quiet time is 11 pm through 7 am (but don’t worry about TV sound; main concern is outside noise disturbing neighbors)
No shoes in house; Keep at entry; Don’t drag anything across floor; you shouldn’t move furniture but if you do LIFT it
Don’t move or water plants
No open flames inside house or within six feet outside
Separate trash from recycling; rules/guidebook/House manual on kitchen island
Hand wash pots, pans, knives and kitchen tools
Garbage disposal is for incidental food, rest goes in trash in compactor or garbage can backyard in pool season
Put used kitchen oils in glass jar (see under sink)
Wipe oils off plates with paper towels and put in trash
Scrape and rinse before loading items in dishwasher
Always have cooking lid out when cooking on cooktop (to snuff a fire should it occur); no combustibles near cooktop
Don’t leave kitchen when cooking on cooktop; consider using provided splatter guard
Use retractable kitchen exhaust fan as soon as you start [unlidded] cooking on cooktop
No abrasive cleaners or pads on kitchen sinks or cooktop
Toiletries, condiments, spices etc. for use during your stay
Only toilet paper in toilet, not even so-called flushables
No oils, salts or products in the jetted tub’s water when jets are on
Shower curtains inside tub; don’t run tub unattended (no spillover drain); water will damage floor
On checkout, leave house in tidy condition, with furniture and items in original placement.
No illegal activity
Pool Safety rules in listing and outside, including swim at your own risk, no lifeguard on duty, no glass in pool, no drinking or eating in pool; don’t swim while under the influence, shower/bathe before entering, no diving at shallow end, no use if you have communicable condition, no use in electrical storm; don’t swim alone; skim pool before using.
Clear any food from outside each night so as not to attract vermin
Use emergency supplies in closet only in declared emergency, not for munchies or other use; charges apply for any use (just for replacement cost of whole item, no markup)
Report any breakage/damage/injury immediately on Airbnb platform
Don’t lean on light fixtures or hang on pergola’s curtain rods
Don’t walk on landscaping; Walk only on pavers, not on stones (not glued) or walls
No luggage on bedding
Printer, sewing kit, cleaning tools/supplies in hall closet (not that we expect you to clean)
Fire extinguisher behind microwave; another on shed when pool open
First aid kits in hall closet; another on shed when pool open
Meeting place if fire could be on sidewalk by tree in front of house; alternative: XXXXXXX High School
Let us know if spices, condiments etc run low or you see anything needing our attention
Clean Weber grill while still hot with Grillinator steel brush on Weber grill; turn gas off to stainless steel Edo grill when not using; no abrasive cleaners on Edo grill.
Edo Grill ‘shelves’ need to be completely extended while cooking. Close only after grill is cool and gas turned off.
Avoid placing tools or anything that might mar finish on Edo grill’s shelves

Need anything? Questions? Ask co-Host Glenn on platform

:heart: [Hosts’ First Name]

  1. Day of Check-in, One Hour after Check-in Time

Dear short code start
[guest first name]short code end

Just checking in with you.

If you have any questions at all, please ask.

Things like:

– Have you found everything you need?
– Is everything as you expected?
– Are you able to operate the TV projection system?
– Are the instructions on using the Apple Home Pod minis working for you?
– Please ask if you have any questions at all.
– Is there anything we can do or provide to make your stay more comfortable and enjoyable?

Note that behind the door in the bedroom with the Queen size bed [end of hall to right] are shelves with some books, board games and playing cards.

To use the Electrolux cooktop first wake up the control panel by touching the display panel. All the kitchen lights are on remote controls. More information in the guide on the kitchen island.
Note that each of the beds have electric bed warmers. Find the controls on the sides of the bed.

Need more spices? I might have them here and can bring some up to you. Need a food processor? Instant Pot? Other? Let me know and I’ll bring to you. [No extra charges]

The square thermostat in the hallway controls the A/C and fan. Mode should be AUTO. Set the temperature to make you most comfortable. If you choose to open the windows please know we often get a nice breeze (ceiling fans help) but anything on a window sill can blow over, so you won’t want to place anything breakable on a window sill.

The rectangular thermostat controls the heat. For heat you need to press repeatedly UP or DOWN till you reach your desired temperature.

We bought some ‘Death Wish’ coffee, and put it in the cabinet above the Cuisinart coffee maker. They say it’s ‘the world’s strongest coffee.’ It’s fair trade and organic.

BTW, there’s a gold filter in the Cuisinart, so you don’t ‘need’ paper filters. But some people say paper filters are better. So you’ll find a supply of #4 coffee filters above the Cuisinart coffee maker. If you want to use these, feel free, but then set the gold filter aside. You can throw used ground coffee in the trash. Or, if you’re feeling ambitious, distribute them among the sedum outside. Plants love coffee too!

Please don’t hesitate to reach out.

:heart: [Host’s first name]

P.S. Glenn is often up till midnight, so feel free to write him on the platform or text if something comes up. XXX-XXX-XXXX

  1. Day before Checkout. 9 am

Dear short code start
[guest first name]short code end

I so hope you’ve enjoyed your stay!

Pre-check-out instructions:

– Check-out is at 10 am.
– Please return any furniture or items that have been moved to original position.
– Recycling in recycling bins.
– Please don’t inadvertently pack up toiletries for use during stay
– Turn off lights.
– General tidy up.
– Update number of guests if that’s changed.
– Message me on platform if you’re leaving before 10.
– Press the RED AUGUST logo on the keypad to lock the door.

If you happened to notice that we’re short of snacks or if any of the spices or condiments are getting low, or you’ve seen something that could benefit from our attention, or just have a suggestion, please send us a note on the platform before you leave or a text so we can get a head start before the next guest arrives.

Thank you for choosing our home as your vacation home.

Safe travels home!

:heart: [Host’s First Name]

  1. Check-out Day

Dear short code start
[guest first name]short code end

I so hope you’ve enjoyed your stay.

Your stay has been orchestrated by my team of three: My vision guides the Decor, Design and the Hospitality you experience. Glenn runs day to day Operations, Communications and amenities. Bob is our master gardener, housecleaner extraordinaire and pool master.

I hope that my team has done well for you.

Safe travels home!

:heart: [Host Name]

  1. Request for Review [not scheduled], often personalized

Dear [Guest First Name]

Please permit me to invite you to review your stay at my home.

We work hard for our guests, and our Airbnb community deserves your input. Please leave me a note outside the review process on how my team and I could have done better for you.

Thank you again for choosing my home as your vacation home.

Thank you,

:heart: [Host]

2

Guests don’t read, the first few need to be much shorter imo

RR

10 Likes
3

NOOOOOOO
Too much and quite off putting!

13 Likes
4

Cut it down to 10 percent of what you have! It’s entirely TLDR

7 Likes
5

Thank for your feedback.

I have heard from some members here that message #1 was too much, especially brand names.

But do ANY of the eight messages work for you? If so, which ones? 6-8?

#3 is pretty important. I know I could edit it a bit (eliminate guidebook language) but I think you and others would find it still too long.

1 Like
6

Leaning on the light fittings?
Walking on the landscaping?

All you need now is to say you have cameras and you will have a completely paranoid guest!
Don’t leave the kitchen when cooking……
:anguished::anguished::anguished::anguished::anguished::anguished::anguished:

5 Likes
7

We do have a camera but externally facing at the entrance, which we note in the listing.

The thing is several guests have leaned or sat on the light fixtures, breaking them. Also the landscaping is sedum, not grass. We do have signage at the light fixture that was twice broken, and several signs not to walk on the landscaping. So that could be an argument for not saying this here.

On the unattended cooking maybe I should be more specific, though I don’t have objective data here. My sense is that the main issue on unattended cooking would be: a) uncovered cooking on the burners and b) oven temperatures over, say, 400F. Do you think I should do more research on this to support such specifics? Most fire experts will say things to effect of ‘Don’t Leave You Pan!’ [That’s what Worcester’s Community Emergency Preparedness team advises, but it does seem unrealistically strict, doesn’t it?]

Would more specificity on the unattended cooking address your concern?

8

You are writing short stories, not normal guest information. Your extensive lists mentioning everything you have in the listing is painful to read and if I were a guest, I would not bother to plow through it. The majority of guests simply want a working stove, and fridge, and enough pots and pans and utensils to make a meal.

There is no need to list everything you provide. That is what your ameneties list in your listing is for. All of your extra messaging about it can, and should be, IMO, be be totally eliminated. Replace with “Please read over our amenities list in our listing info, if you haven’t already. Do not expect amenities which do not appear there. However, you will find useful items in the house which may not be listed, so if there is something extra you might need, feel free to ask if, in fact, it might be available.”

There is a place on the amenities list to check board games. There is zero need to put this in a message and less than zero to list the names of the games.

You don’t need to suggest to guests what personal items they pack. You are talking to your guests as if they are clueless children. Eliminate all that kind of stuff. The only things I suggest my guests bring are a flashlight, as my place is a 20 minute walk to town with few streetlights, in case they are out after dark, and a sun hat, as they may not realize how strong the sun is here.

Where things are located in the house does not belong in a pre-arrival message, it belongs in the house manual. And you don’t need to tell them where every item in the kitchen and elsewhere can be found, they are perfectly capable of opening cabinets and looking for themselves.

The pre-check in message should only contain basic info re check-in times, locks, and where to enter.

And your rules list is a real turn-off. It is far too long and micromanaging.

I’m not surprised your guests said it was intimidating. Quite honestly, if a host sent me the kind of lengthy tomes you send, I would probably cancel after that first message.

8 Likes
9

I send 4 messages TOTAL!
Before arrival if there are any changes to the booking- particularly the guests number.

Day before
Approximate time of arrival as I do a meet and greet.

Day of arrival- please give 20 minute heads up so I can be there to meet you with keys.

Departure day
Thank you for choosing us….

That’s it! I assume guests have common sense and they know where to find me.

These days people might scan your messages for 10 seconds. On a mobile phone, that is just word vomit, unreadable and intimidating.

Just pretend you are staying at a hotel - would you appreciate getting all these messages?
Do you get repeat guests?

3 Likes
11

OK, one at a time. Bullet points are your friends!

Here’s what I do - feel free to steal if you like it:

14 days ahead. I send a couple of questions:
1) When does your flight arrive? [we are a fly-to location]
2) Do you need to hire our driver to pick you up or did you rent a vehicle?

Then, some info to help them plan.
1) We’ve stocked the villa with a lot of things so you should just need to bring your clothes and personal items such as medicine. [Then I attach two pdf files - one for a recommended packing list and one for what’s at the villa. Bullet points in both of them!)

Then 2-3 bullet points on local currency, drinking water safety, and paying for items (what you can pay with credit cards and what needs to be cash.)

That’s it. Give them what they must have to get there, then give them more they can read if they want. But don’t make them read lots of detailed info.

3 Likes
12

I know you weren’t addressing me, but there doesn’t need to be any mention of unattended cooking. You are trying to tell guests basic life skills. And what do you mean about “uncovered cooking on the burners?” Don’t tell me you insist that guests put lids on everything they cook.

4 Likes
13

Is it in the original package? Leave it next to the coffee maker and eliminate all of that wording.

1 Like
14

Thank you for your feedback.

I think I could move some of this into the Guide. [I think most is already there; these are highlights, best ofs.]

One problem is I’m writing for myself, and I would LOVE this information. I would like to know EVERYTHING.

In full disclosure I am a little OCD (meaning I am diagnosed as such) and it’s hard for me to imagine that someone wouldn’t LOVE this. I do and see it as caring ,considerate and so informative! But I see that – inexplicably – mine is a minority view.

So, much as I initially resisted the group’s suggestions when I provided cues/prompts on what guests might most appreciate about their stay to say in reviews , I did eventually come around to the group’s point of view [Do you see that?], and I suspect that this will be true here too. I just will need to figure out how to provide the information that I think guests need to know with how guests process information. I will need a little time to process this.

For me it feels so easy to say to make it shorter – though that’s useful when it is SO the majority opinion – and figuring out how to do that in a way that does not shortchange guests in giving them the information necessary when they step into a home that has many appliances and features. And, BTW, these fire safety things, while some here think that they are known by all, they surely are not, at least statistically.

Now and then I get a guest who RAVES about the communications I send. I guess they’re feeding the beast. It’s a little confusing.

1 Like
15

I like all the information you provided – because I am that type of person :smile: But reality is - hardly any guests read the information.
We did up a “Guide Book” and uploaded it.
We provide the link to it and once guest books - we provide them the link in our first “Thanks for booking with us”
We then send a message 7 days before with key code.
Another Message day of check in making sure expectations are met.
Next day – wellness check
And final message - day of departure with check-out details.
4 Short Messages in total.
Short and sweet.
All the messages are in the uploaded guidebook if they so choose to look for all the “details”

2 Likes
16

I have a friend who is OCD, in fact she was in years of therapy for it. She sometimes says things that are quite offensive, and it stems from her OCD. Like I’ll go over to visit, she invites me in, I go to sit on the couch, and she asks “Are your pants clean?” (No dear, I sat down in a pile of dog doo before I came over)

I am not trying to be snarky at all, but you need to separate your natural inclination to be verbose and excruciatingly detailed, from your duties as a host. I don’t know if there is such a thing, but you could benefit from a writing course that teaches how to convey necessary information as briefly as possible. As another poster said, 90% of what you have written can be eliminated.

For instance, in your info about the coffee, you start with “We bought some”. You do not need to use this conversational style when conveying info for guests. That is something you might say when sitting with a friend having a chit-chat.

2 Likes
17

Whoa. Too much, too long. Go with the linked house manual if you want guests to have all that information prior to check in. Put the most important information up front.

For example, your first message.

Dear guest,

We look forward to hosting you. Below is some information to help you plan your stay. Detailed information is in the house manual at [link], and we’ll provide more specifics, including parking and entry instructions, in future messaging closer to your arrival date.

– Please help us take care of the floors by leaving shoes at the door; suggested you pack slippers or flip flops for indoors.
– You can ship luggage in advance. Please keep box weight below 25# and address to Glenn at . .
– If you order groceries for day of arrival, schedule for 10 a.m. or later, and message us with details so we can put them away for you.
– You will have a fully equipped kitchen with staples and coffee, toiletries in the bath, cleaning supplies, and a starter pack of paper goods and trash compactor bags.
– Electronics include a projection TV with Marantz receiver, Apple Home Pod minis, an Alexa Echo Show, charge ports, and a laser printer.

1 Like
18

Also, I try to keep in mind what’s most important to the guest. As a frequent Airbnb guest myself, my burning questions are:

Where do I park? How do I get in? When can I get in? What am I required to do, in general and at check out? What am I not allowed to do? When do I have to leave? Will I have enough supplies to get by if I get in late and can’t get to a store right away?

While skimming, I noticed you tell guests not to move the furniture and then provide instructions on moving the furniture. “Please do not move or rearrange the furniture. Let us know if something is in your way.”

19

Guests do not need to given a suggested meeting place in case of fire.

Why? I’ve never known anyone who does this. Dishwashers are designed to handle grease. And why are guests not supposed to put kitchen utensils in the dishwasher? Everyone I know puts the utensils in the dishwasher.
It’s easier to wash the dishes by hand than go through all the instructions you want them to follow.

1 Like
20

This is literally a wall of text and no one would read this.

I would put any house rules in the listing - and then put only your top 3-5 major house rules in the text you send them.

I keep a laminated sheet that has the house rules on the coffee table - but you don’t want to welcome someone to your property with a massive list of rules / guidance communication. So it’s something they will stumble upon. The WiFi password is on it too.

1 Like
21

Replace the lights with fixtures that won’t break & are not in a place where they would tend to be damaged. Fence the landscaping with a low fence or hedge to encourage walking on it, or better yet install stone or gravel hardscaping.