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Mention to guests that if they book direct at the same or slightly less amount. It will keep money with the host which can be used for rental upgrades and better service or included freebies.
Also, when the economy tanks and people are feeling poor. They will be asking hosts for discounts, Airbnb won’t help with that.
Use PMS software which stores guests phone numbers automatically. If guests ever message you for repeats. You can just call them and book the Airbnb price direct. Make 14% more.
You don’t know my personal value system. Please don’t tell me what my motivation “should be”.
When people say, “you NEED to…” or “you SHOULD…” they are telling you what is a good fit for them.
I have always preferred to let guests think for themselves. My guests are adults. If they choose to book either direct or via Airbnb, it’s not up to me to dictate which method they use.
In the same way, my guests have control of the AC in the apartments - I am not going to dictate the temperature to them. Similarly if a guest prefers to be in contact via text or any other method I am not going to dictate that they must contact me in a specific way. (Some hosts insist on the Airbnb message system, for example).
As you can see, I’m in the hospitality business rather than being a dictator.
Is it a full moon tonight?
JF
Good question—but no. Apparently 76% illumination can mimic full moon activity. Whatever it is, it’s everywhere.
Today there was a Facebook group host post that he didn’t like paying his cleaner $400 (USA) to clean a 7br9ba home! Huge. $75-$100 per BR/BA combo is normal in my area so $525-$800. SMH
And did responders tell him he could look for a cheaper cleaner and enjoy terrible cleanliness ratings and reviews?
Guy’s probably never wielded a toilet brush in his life, let alone cleaned a house.
2/22/22
Russia invades Ukraine. Worldwide pandemic ignored. Domestic terrorism and political shenanigans in formerly “democratic” countries. Climate crisis ongoing.
Full moons and mercury in retrograde should be banned for the foreseeable future.
Unless of course I were to say “you NEED a 
and you SHOULD not stop at one”.
Just saying like 
JF
But that fits my personal views!!! We are in sync.
Why in the world would a guest do that? At least for their 9% (I realize that differs per market) they get someone (AirBNB) who can advocate for them if an issue arises.
I’d think a host was super greedy to suggest I forego the convenience & security (real or perceived) of booking via a platform and still pay the same amount just so they can pocket an extra 13+%. .
No way would I suggest it as a host or do it as a guest, especially if I’m not paying by credit card (provides protection such as I can challenge a charge & some provide travel related protections).
To me the only reason to accept off platform from a repeat guest is to encourage them to pick me over a competitor because I’m now a bit cheaper as they are NOT paying the full 9+% AND they know what to expect from me.
Exactly. What possible advantage or enticement is it to a guest to book direct if it doesn’t save them any money?
I’m one of those. I have all my communication and scheduled messages set up on Airbnb. Unless I’m getting the at least 10% of the 14% Airbnb fees by going direct, I’m unlikely to approach guests to book direct.
Taking direct bookings at this moment is a big undertaking for me. I feel like my time is better spent right providing better service to existing guests and getting more five star reviews so I can charge more to future guests.
Not only that, but when is the conversation supposed to happen? It has to be before the guest leaves. For hosts whose rentals are separate places, the host has no idea what state the rental will be in when the guests leave. If it’s left in bad shape, sensible hosts wouldn’t want those guests back.
Since AirBnB gives you a phone number, you can text a short note after they leave (you did save it, right?). “Hey, thanks for selecting our home and treating it so well! If you ever come back to Timbuktu, you can book directly with us and save some money compared to AirBnB. Just text me or contact us at TumBukTuShack@gmail.com”
I take cash or checks with my direct book guests. They love it. They save money and I make more money.
Why book direct? This is a great question. I’m coming at this from the work that has been done in the hotel space which has come up with some great answers and incentives.
…I would definitely suggest hosts start on airbnb. If you have only 1 STR that might be the final business plan. But for those expanding or running multiples listings, it is usually a business. Connecting PMS software to multiple platforms and taking direct bookings is an eventual priority. Automating messages and door lock codes is getting much easier off platform with PMS software.
The conversation can also happen offline while the guest is in house.
The work to set this all can be more/less/equal to the time it takes setting up a listing on a platform.
But when a recession hits, you will be in a position to offer a lower price direct. Airbnb certainly will never give discounts on their 14% cut.
I recently booked an airbnb. The host had put his phone number in the welcome message you see when one goes to book. This signaled to me that perhaps he was open to direct bookings. I tried to google the property name but it doesn’t appear that either of his listings (both at the same location where he also appears to live) have their own website or book direct method.
I could have texted him but didn’t want to take a chance on him thinking I was trying to scam him. So I booked for the one most important night on Airbnb. If I end up taking that trip and perhaps extending I may text him about adding days and if he wants cash on arrival or via Airbnb. Since I’m a host with almost 700 reviews as host and guest that might help. Or maybe he’s one of those who fears hosting other hosts, lol.
A local host was suspended in my area with no notification from airbnb. He had guests IN HOUSE from airbnb and was locked from communicating with current (he hadn’t recorded their phone number) and future guests for days while airbnb safety team reviewed why he was suspended. After a few days and much stress, they just said it was an error!!!
For those of you that this airbnb is the bees knees, you may not have yet experienced the downsides of having an authoritarian platform in between you and your guests. 
A host can decide how to split the 14%. 7% and 7% seems like a win/win.
I’m just trying to point out, that from an economics textbook perspective (supply demand curve), if a guest is willing to pay for a product at $114 for a nights stay. They are probably willing to pay for that same product direct at $100-114. Hosts can shift the guest perspective on why its better to book direct for reasons I listed in another reply here.
Every hosts owes it to themselves to be diversified in their sources of bookings due to risk of airbnb shutting them off.
When the economy goes down and bookings are scarcer, hosts will have more chance of getting more bookings if the 14% is not part of the equation. It’s just economics. Now, when times are good, (hopefully) may be the time to put some time and effort into putting direct booking platform in place.
As some mentioned here, they don’t run their listings as a business. I’m fine with that. But, my goal is to promote book direct strategies, which keep money in the hands of hosts and guests. This keeps the economy stronger IMO.
I’m on a FB group where hosts are achieving 40% direct, 40% airbnb, 20% repeat. That is amazing IMO. My market doesn’t have many repeat guests and not many guests stay a week or more. (like beach vacations). We get mostly 1-2 nights from the platforms. Yes, I use airbnb for most of my bookings, but I have a direct option as well.