Put Your Guests First – How This Host Got His First 100 Bookings
Over the past six months, Mark H. has hosted over 100 bookings in his creative New York loft and boardroom. While he’s become quite the pro at turning inquiries into bookings, that wasn’t always the case. What’s his secret? Mark understands how to hook guests on his space in his first response.
We talked to Mark about what he’s changed since his early days of hosting to land more bookings. “If you can take away some of the guest’s concerns, like your ability to provide a one-stop experience,” he says, “you’ll see conversion rates go up dramatically.”
Read on to learn Mark’s foolproof tips on how to seal the deal.
Photography by Keri Tan Photography
Your response rate matters
Responding to inquiries quickly is a key factor to getting more bookings. “I would say there is a direct correlation between my response time and conversion rate.” He says, “If you wait 24 hours and the client is ready to book, you’ve lost that customer.” Mark suggests replying right away even if you’re on the go and can’t provide all the information immediately.
Pro tip: For iOS users, our app provides immediate push notifications for incoming inquiries and requests, and makes it easy to reply. Download it here.
Photography by Keri Tan Photography
Put your guests first
In both the listing and his first response back, Mark emphasizes his commitment to delivering an amazing experience. One of the ways he does this is by taking an “all inclusive approach.” He says, “We have a supply closet chock-full of anything guests might need, and it’s free. So if they forget easel pads, post-its, or glassware, all that stuff is in the supply closet.” Mistakes are bound to happen so if guests know you’ve got their back, they’ll feel more comfortable booking your space.
Photography by Keri Tan Photography
Follow up for a five star review
After every booking, Mark reaches out to his guests and thanks them for booking his space. He says, “Since guests will be prompted to give a review shortly after the booking ends, expressing gratitude will help them remember the entire experience.” This gesture seems to work, because if you look at Mark’s reviews, they reflect his above-and-beyond hospitality style. These five stars reviews also instill confidence in potential customers looking to book, he says, “It goes full circle.”
Ultimately, Mark believes you should make planning the activity fun for them. “In the case of every event, I strive for all of my guests to have an enjoyable time and a memorable experience. He suggests, “Help them do that, and you’ll be successful as a host.”
Photography by Keri Tan Photography
