We already had business cards we have been giving to our guests and to other people when it seemed a good idea. Thanks to this group, I started thinking of other ways to market our Airbnb, and I had rack cards made. I intend to put them up on bulletin boards around the area and exchange with local businesses so I can advertise them here, and they can advertise us in their place.
Very nice!! Is a rack card a leaflet?
It’s like a leaflet, but it’s on card stock so it can be placed in a rack upright and taken by people who want it. It’s like a very large business card in terms of thickness.
Did you print them yourself or have them done?
I made the design myself on the VistaPrint website using my own pictures and a jpg version of the Google Maps map. I doctored it with the circle for where my house is. Then they printed it and shipped it to me. The design stays on their site in my account, so I can reprint any time I want.
2 Likes
I’d be interested to know what you are going to do with them other than this. I’m very interested in non-internet forms of advertising but if you’re putting them in the local area, shouldn’t the headline be ‘Do You Have Friends Coming into Town’?
This is how I advertise our rental locally - it works 
1 Like
Great idea! I used the same title as we have on our business cards. I think I like my title for this area anyway, though, since we’re in one of many suburbs near Minneapolis. So that differentiates between Minnetonka, where we are, and Hopkins, St Louis Park, Eden Prairie, etc. I’m going to put my mind to your suggestion, though.
1 Like
Oh, and as to what else to do with them? I’ll see if more ideas come to me.
1 Like
P.S. Another thing I would suggest … because you are are pinning them on bulletin boards, it’s going to be tricky for people to remember the URL - airbnb/rooms/long number. They will have to root around in their wallets or handbags to find a pen to write it down.
You could buy a cheap domain name (short) and put up a one page website that links to your Airbnb listings. That will make life easier for potential guests.
1 Like
Be sure to give a few to any local businesses that might have temporary workers coming into town. Also colleges, universities, hospitals and so on.
1 Like
Fabulous idea, thanks!
1 Like
Yes, we tend to give out our business card to such places. There’s supposed to be a light rail extension coming our way, if one party (ahem!) in the state legislature will stop trying to block it. We went to a pre-construction meeting and handed out our cards to the bidding construction companies for their temp workers.
1 Like
That’s a great idea. Always keep your fingers on the pulse
Look out too for conventions that are happening in your area. So many business travellers do not want to spend all day at a hotel for a convention and then also sleep there - they want a change of scenery.
I will. That’s really helpful. I appreciate the input.
1 Like
@jaquo, I thought of you today. I drove down to Iowa from Minnesota for a week of work, and I took some of the rack cards with me. Now one is posted in a gas station south of St Paul along with other advertising. And several of them are now in a rack with other rack cards in a little tourist information shack in a small town on the road to Iowa. Maybe something will come of them! But for future card printings, I’m going to take your advice and get an easy to remember URL where my listing links can be found.
1 Like
I just got my domain name for future printings of my business cards and rack cards, thanks to @jaquo’s suggestion. Please try it out and make sure for me that it works. www.twincitiesairbnb.com
1 Like
My recommendation when creating a domain name is not to use Airbnb on the title. just for copyright infringements and if you want to create a website in the future.
I don’t think it will be a problem. Airbnb has provided these business pages for us and encouraged us to spread them to our customers and others. My domain name referencing Airbnb and then directing immediately to Airbnb, where customers can travel all around the site shouldn’t be a problem. If anything, I’m giving them more traffic.
1 Like
It definitely works. Your home is beautiful, and your kitties are adorable! 
1 Like
Thank you so much! Adding words…