Lesson · 2 min
How to Get Repeat Guests for Your Vacation Rental
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How to get repeat guests for your vacation rental with your own guest list, in five steps that respect Airbnb's rules and the law.
The easiest booking you will ever get comes from a guest who already loved the house. In two minutes Hal Whitlock shows how to keep those guests: the one Airbnb rule to respect first, then a guest list that grows on your own website, one good email a month, the U.S. email law in plain words, and a reason for past guests to come back. Airbnb's policy page and the FTC's CAN-SPAM guide are on screen.
In this video
Chapters
- 0:00Repeat guests, and Airbnb's rule on guest contact details
- 0:22Steps 1 and 2: a sign-up on your website and a box at booking
- 0:37Step 3: one good email a month
- 0:51Step 4: follow the CAN-SPAM Act
- 1:18Step 5: give your list something first
- 1:32Recap: from guest list to next year's bookings
Press a chapter to play the video from that point.
The Five Steps
- Your own website, with a simple sign-up: a short note, an email box and a clear reason to join.
- A box at booking. When a guest books direct on your site, offer a box they can tick to join. Leave it unticked, so everyone on the list chose to be there.
- One email a month. Not a sale every week: something worth opening, like a new season at the house, an event in town, or the dates still open for summer.
- Follow the law. In the U.S. that is the CAN-SPAM Act, and the Federal Trade Commission's guide spells it out: tell people how to opt out, include your valid physical postal address, honor an opt-out within 10 business days, and keep the subject line true to what the email says.
- Give your list something first, such as early access to holiday dates before they go public. People on your list already know the house. They need a reason to come back.
Why the List Cannot Start on Airbnb
Airbnb's Off-Platform and Fee Transparency Policy lists using guest contact information for marketing, or signing guests up for a contact list, as not allowed. So the list grows from your own website and from guests who book direct with you, while Airbnb keeps doing its job beside it.
Word for word
Transcript
From the English captions on YouTube.
0:00 Repeat guests, and Airbnb's rule on guest contact details
The easiest booking you’ll ever get is from a guest who already loved the place. Here’s how to keep them. But first, the rule. Airbnb doesn’t allow using its guests’ contact details for marketing. So you can’t add Airbnb guests to a mailing list. Your list has to grow another way.
0:22 Steps 1 and 2: a sign-up on your website and a box at booking
Step one: your own website, with a simple sign-up. A short note, an email box, a clear reason to join. Step two: when a guest books direct on your site, offer a box they can tick to join.
0:37 Step 3: one good email a month
Step three: send one email a month. Not a sale every week. Something worth opening. A new season at the house, an event in town, the dates still open for summer.
0:51 Step 4: follow the CAN-SPAM Act
Step four: follow the law. In the U.S., that’s the CAN-SPAM Act, and the FTC spells it out. Every email needs a clear way to opt out, and your valid physical postal address. When someone opts out, you must honor it within 10 business days. And never use a deceptive subject line. Say what the email is about.
1:18 Step 5: give your list something first
Step five: give your list something first. Early access to holiday dates, before they go public. The people on your list already know the house. They just need a reason to come back.
1:32 Recap: from guest list to next year's bookings
So: your own site, a real sign-up, one good email a month, the rules, and a reason to return. That’s how a guest list turns into next year’s bookings. Building guest lists and monthly emails is what we do at Cavmir. Cavmir.com.
Questions
Questions Owners Ask
Can I invite an Airbnb guest to book direct next time?
No. The same policy forbids moving repeat bookings off Airbnb, including through links or discounts in messages.
How often should a vacation rental send emails?
The video's answer is once a month, with something worth opening each time.
What must every marketing email include in the U.S.?
A clear way to opt out and your valid physical postal address. Honor opt-outs within 10 business days and never use a deceptive subject line.
What happens if an email breaks CAN-SPAM?
The FTC says each separate email in violation can bring a penalty of up to $53,088.
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