5 Messages You Must Send Your Guests

I can’t tell you how many times I book an Airbnb for my personal travel and I don’t hear anything from the host. No communication is a giant miss for any Airbnb host and it needs to stop. These are the five messages that are absolutely essential to send to a guest before, during, and after their stay.

Thank You For Inquiring Message

When a guest reaches out with a question or inquires about a stay, they are typically expecting an answer almost immediately – don’t leave them waiting!

After the first inquiry, thank them and use this as a time to get to know them a little better. You are running a small hosting business not a large hotel, so it’s important to know who will be in your home. Asking the reason for their stay can allow you to provide better hospitality. Recommend some favorite restaurants, leave a note, and add small details to cater to their visit.

During this time, you have not only been given the opportunity to provide great hospitality, but you can do some vetting of your guests which is super helpful and important. If potential guests respond in an off-putting way or are not aligned with your Airbnb rules, you can be more prepared to prevent the types of guests you don’t want in your house. Pre-screening your guests will help to stop problems down the line before they happen.

Pre Booking Message

Someone completed a reservation and they are confirmed in your calendar. You need to send this message to inspire confidence with your guests. Help them feel good about booking your Airbnb, guests want peace of mind and know they aren’t being scammed. When guests book, they are spending money and want to feel calm about making a big purchase. If they know that you are dependable from the beginning, it will show them what the rest of their stay is going to be with you as a host.

Pre Check-In Message

A few days before arrival, send check-in instructions, address, wifi info, door code, etc. Add that you are so excited they are visiting your home and are thrilled that they booked. Cover any topics that may come up regularly with guests. It is helpful to give the answers to a question before guests have to ask, and they will be thankful.

You’ll want to let your guests know the instructions for self-check in if you’re not going to physically meet them when they arrive. Remember guests are stressed when they travel so the more you can put their nerves at ease the better. We have a guide to creating a good self-check-in process over here.

Day After Check-In Message

I like to send this message the morning after guests check-in. Ask how everything is going and make sure that all of the accommodations are up to their standards. At this point, if there are problems they can tell you about it immediately and give you the chance to fix it before you hear about it in a public review. Knowing this early on is super helpful in allowing you to run a successful hosting business.

Thanks For Your Stay Message

Let them know that they were a wonderful guest and how happy you are that they picked your Airbnb, maybe they will even become a repeat customer. When asking them to leave a review, make sure that you are low-pressure. If your guests had a great time during their visit, they will not mind leaving you a review. Feedback is great as a host and positive reviews are crucial for future bookings.

Automate Your Airbnb Messages

Remember one of the best tools in the Airbnb app is their Automated and scheduled messages feature. If you’re not familiar with it check out our tutorial video (or over here), and our full write up about automation over here.

In Conclusion

You want to have a happy and successful hosting business. Communication is key when it comes to making your guest’s stay as smooth as possible. Sending these 5 messages will contribute to a great hosting experience and also attract better and more enthusiastic guests to come through your Airbnb. Aside from creating a sustainable Airbnb hosting business you want/need to get 5-star reviews from your guests. These messages will go a LONG way in helping that happen, but check out our guide to make sure you’re doing everything you can to make that happen.

Happy hosting friends!