01. Audience & pricing.

10/10 times, when I’m working with a client one-on-one, the first thing they ask is, “So…what are we going to do with the styling?” Which is when I slow them down and ask, “Well, before that, do you know who your audience is?” Nearly always they don’t and, though it sounds illogical, that’s the exact place we want to begin. Knowing your audience is crucial to know how you should tell you story — in fact, it’s something that will set you apart from 98% of the other rentals out there. How so? Because when you know who your audience is, you know how to connect with them, rather than trying to connect with everyone by trying to be everything. I know it may not seem like much, but getting clear on who your audience is , is really one of the most powerful things I can teach you. Every decision you make from here on out should revolve around who they are and I am confident this is how you create a home that brings you well above the market’s nightly average.

Let’s begin with our video overview.

01. Your homework for this module.

• Watch this TED talk - How Great Leaders Inspire Action

• Read this, ‘How to Sell With Emotion’

• Go into your instagram and take stock of who is following you. How old are they? Are they men or women? Where do they live? Get comfortable with digging deep to know your audience.

01. Q and A with Sarah Andrews.

Q. I don’t want to pay to make an AirDnA account, It seems expensive!

No, don’t pay! You just need the basic unpaid account to see your high-level area data. I hate putting my details in, but to get this info, it really is worth it.

Q. Hi Sarah, quick question on pricing - the average for my area according to AirDnA is $196 / night in the last month for a 2.5 bed / 6ppl whole house. Mine is a 1 bedroom / 2 person studio off the side of our house - does the 10% extra on the average price rule apply if your accommodation is on the smallest end of the available accommodation in the area? Also, we have very seasonal accommodation pricing down here. How would you navigate this?

Great questions, let me tackle them one by one.

First, remember pricing is emotional and not practical. This means it doesn’t matter how many bedrooms you have, the data just sort of shows what people on average are willing to pay for a visit to your area. Does that make sense? Don’t let how many bedrooms you have get in the way. 80% of people traveling through anywhere will be a couple…on average. Make your place amazing and back yourself. When people are selecting a place to stay, they choose the place that makes them feel the most excited, not the one that has the most bedrooms or mod cons.

Secondly, seasonal. I get it — maybe price seasonally based on your differing AirDnA data to start with, if that makes you feel comfortable. Throughout the season, per season, continue to chip up your prices. If you're doing really well, you’ll find your off-season price will match your high season one. Work with them differently and see how high you can climb! Remember one more time: it’s emotional versus practical selling. To couples, not families. Families are practical buyers who pay seasonal prices, emotional buyers pay year round what your property is worth. Personally, I am the same price year round, in one of the most seasonal tourist climates in the world. However, since I target couples who travel year round, and I do it in an emotional way, I can charge the same.

Q. Hi Sarah, I've opened an AirDnA account but I can't get any free pricing / occupancy data for the areas in which my properties are located (White Beach, Tasman Peninsula and St Helens Tas). Just wondering if I'm doing something wrong or if this is now the case with AirDNA? Looks like it wants to charge me US$20 a month for each location. Cheers.

Okay, a couple of things here but I’ll preface it by saying I’m not affiliated with AirDnA so I can’t really troubleshoot any issues (you can contact them, though?). Here are a few things you can try:

1. Zoom Out. Really, very really, you are just trying to get a ballpark for what people are paying, on average, in your area. That doesn't mean your street or suburb, but generally and, in your case, beachside holiday spots in Tasmania. Get where I am going?

2. Use another source of data. You could just jump on Airbnb and take a look at what is around you, what it’s priced at and, most importantly, how busy they are (just click on their calendars).

3. Pay the 20 bucks, grab the data, then close your account.

4. Lastly, try again. I seem to be able to make an account. I used the Sign-Up button, popped in my details and was in. I typed in White-Beach and it gave me the top level data, which is all you need. It does say I can pay more for more detail, but you don’t need it.

Q. I created an AirDnA account and found a few properties in my area. As none of them are quite like ours, we decided to start at $120 / night per guest for this exercise. We considered including a light breakfast with this price but felt like adding a cleaning fee would make it too expensive. What are your thoughts on this given our area? Am I on the right track?

Hello! I agree with you. Really, you are just using the data to see what your area, or your type of area (rural or remote), or even the type of accommodation you have (room, cabin, tent) is charging, on average, per season. It’s a finger in the wind to find a place to start, then, over time, use your bookings and occupancy data to put your price up (if you are booked a lot!) or down (if you are not quite getting bookings).

Q. I have been hiring out my 2 bedroom houses at a base price for a single or couple sharing one bed. Since Airbnb charges per person and not per bed, (but I love the idea of my starting price being for a couple, thus the upfront price you see as a couple doesn't increase as you start to book). How do you tactfully tell / remind people that if they use additional beds in the home there is an additional charge of $xx.xx (still working on my pp extra charges)? The idea I had was to place small and charming comment cards on each bed saying that if the bed was slept in, an additional charge would be incurred. I have let it go until now, but the cost of a used bed is real, especially since I have to launder my linens in a town 22 km away. Talking about and requesting money is very difficult for me.

Hello! I get it, and there are two things I want to tell you here. Regarding beds, absolutely, the cost is huge. I would pop in the guest manual and on each bed a little sign that says something sweet and positive like “Choose your favorite bedroom, of course, if you have a Goldilocks streak in you, you are welcome to sleep in them all, although any extra beds slept in will incur an extra guest charge of $50 p/p p/n.”

The second thing I really want to talk about is money. Some of us, especially women, feel horrible taking money for the hard and creative work we do. But, give an inch, people will take a mile — please start to practice being a businesswoman, you are running a business, not a community service. I have people every day ask for a discount, extras, freebies, or even my time (which all come at a cost). But I have learned to have strong boundaries in a firm but polite and kind way. You’ll be surprised how easy being like that gets with practice, and at how many people who ask for a freebie or discount book at full price anyway (about 95% of them, most just want to try getting something for free a go). Use this class to have a fresh attitude toward this!

Q. Hi Sarah, I have a question: I have two tiny units within really close proximity to one another on rural land in a pretty remote location in NZ and am not sure whether to give each unit an individual story? Or have them completely different to try and cover a wider audience, what would you suggest? (I was thinking one could be a pioneer hut with history of the location etc and the other really modern and bright and appeal to a younger couple).

Hello, I think I have answered the first part of this question (go back to your story first) in other QnA’s, but it’s the second part of this question I think it is important to talk about.

By trying to please everyone, or creating a space for a wider audience, what you will actually do is please none by diluting your story, your home, and your ideas. Your pioneer hut WILL appeal to that younger couple — people are seeking spaces they are emotionally drawn to (emotional v practical selling). If people want to stay in a bright, modern thing, they would probably holiday in Melbourne. Rural and remote NZ? Wow, your pioneer hut sounds incredible! Does everyone get where I am going? X

Hi Sarah - loved every minute so far! I have a vacant cottage ready to be transformed.. It is 2 bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom and small living. Initially I was thinking of taking out a wall to turn the other bedroom into a larger living space / be able to create a different 'space' like sun bed or something.. Since going through the first chapter I am thinking of keeping it 2 bedroom and having one locked off so I am able to offer a 4 person booking if the opportunity presents and not miss out. What do you think? Kindest!

I agree with you, the size or rooms or space I dont think matters too much, so I would look towards maximising the space in a business sense instead. Great thinking!

Dear Sarah, So far I am thrilled with the course but I’m stuck already and want to make sure I’m on the right track. I’m not really sure how to do this in a four bedroom house that currently sleeps eight. Would a couple want to stay in such a large house? We have thought about reducing to only sleep 6 but being that this is very new to us we thought the more heads in beds the better. We could transform one of the rooms into a library? An area to sit and read, or write, listen to music, be inspired, relax, unwind. This is something to ponder….and if you have advice on the matter it would be very appreciated.

Yes! If yours is the nicest house in the area, in the budget then why wouldn’t you choose your place. That’s how I travel, and most people I know. Large groups are rare, couples are plentiful! So work out how to make your spaces and business set up maximise these trends in vistors, and I have offered a few suggestions on how this can work through the QnA.

We have several wedding venues close by and thought that this could be another avenue for us to market to, but does that mean we miss out on the couple market, or can we do both? We currently charge wn- $500/night, we- $600 but have only been booked in the school holidays.

Of course! With a large house, it is so reasonable to set a couples rate, and then a per person rate after that, essentially getting both markets, and making the right profit in accordance to group size. I think your rate and bookings so far are the prime example of illustrating that groups are only travelling at certain times of the year, and therefore those of you with larger spaces, need to work out how they can be flexible in a business sense to capture both. Although I can’t help you all case by case inside of this class, I do offer one on one help — but also deep dive this QnA section, I have gone to great lengths to offer large house hosting advice.

Q. Hi Sarah , do you recommend setting up " Smart Pricing " on your chosen booking platform?

I prefer to completely control my own pricing.

Q. Hi Sarah , firstly thank you. I am so looking forward to 2020 and what it can/will bring !! Just a quick question on AirDna . I have set up a free account but the occupancy is a paid feature. I can only access overview as free.

They do change things constantly! If you feel like you need more data maybe just pay for a month!

Q. So as l have been doing this for 3 years now and most weekends are booked should l just look at reducing my weekday pricing ? My thought is just to reduce and see if we get traction. My focus is to fill weekdays. Additionally for peak times eg. Christmas to recommend minimum nights.

Firstly, I would recommend to all to look at who is booking your properties. It is a couples market we really want if you’re looking to be 100% booked. If this is who is booking on your weekend, then yes — a weekday price reduction seems correct. If its families and groups who are booking, then you need to reframe what you are doing for a couples market.

In terms of minimum nights, I dont recommend it. Ive seen people go down this path, and what happens is they might get one 3 night booking a week, then the other 4 days aren’t booked, because whats available has to suit those who are looking. When I study those with minimum night amounts set, I see A LOT of big holes in calendars. On the other hand, those who have a 1 night minimum have full calendars. People travelling as couple in a healthy price range will naturally book 2 or 3 nights, who wants to stay a night then pack and leave! Then, you get 1 night bookings in the gaps due to that being the only availability you have. In general, this type of pattern seems to happen across the board. Big holes in calendars for those who have 3 or 4 night minimums, which I feel is a bit unreasonable, and full calendars for those who dont. I know it sounds counter intuitive but try it for yourself and see how it works for you!

Q. Hi thanks for engaging - one of the main feedback issues I have is the provision of linen - we have the facility to provide linen if requested at a price but notwithstanding clear "managing of expectations" that we do not provide linen unless requested (as we have 6 beds). Do I just bite the bullet and charge the extra and provide linen.?

Hello, my pleasure! So, it is standard now to provide linen (or bedding, when I say linen anywhere, I just mean bedding, sheets, etc. — by no means do you need to provide high end sheets) as part of the cost of the booking, not as an extra. I think time to bite the bullet and wrap it up in the pricing! You could look at using a linen service as a good starting point. I go into depth into all of this further in the class.

Q. I keep getting stuck on the pricing as it's difficult to compare properties in the area as we all offer something slightly different . So a couple of questions ….

My property has 2 bedrooms, ( one with ensuite) and a main bathroom, kitchen and sitting room etc. For pricing, is it better to just list the price for 1 bedroom e.g.$150 per night and then negotiate if the second bedroom is required at an additional $50 ? ..my understanding this seems to then pose a tricky transaction on Airbnb via the 'resolution' billing, or do you list as 2 bedrooms for $200 and then offer a discount for only 1 bedroom being used. The second bedroom can be locked. Either way seems cumbersome on the Airbnb platform. My instinct is to show the photos of the 2 bedrooms on the listing but list as 1 bedroom price making it clear that the price is for 1 bedroom then they won't be put off by higher price .... as I think the majority of the bookings as you've suggested will be from couples .. then if additional bedroom is required , bill for that additionally. I know the pricing may change depending on bookings etc .. but can adjust up or down as we go along...Thanks

Hello! You are very right, this approach (renting essentially per bedroom) is cumbersome and confusing for all involved, and will turn guests away from booking. I’ve found the best approach is setting the price per guest, so for example $XX per night for two guests, and then a price per night for each guest after that. This is straight forward to do on all hosting platforms.

In some cases, both beds will be slept in (say 2 singles travelling together) however over your year, your linen costs and your total incomings will work out. I think you need to see the big picture and not worry so much about getting the exact amounts right per booking, anything more complicated is really going to turn people away!

Simple is always the best option, you are going to be in this game for a long time! And once you get going, slide that price UP!

Q. Hi Sarah, is it wise to add a surcharge for single night booking....I have done this previously and it has been received reasonably well.....single night bookings whilst you seem to advocate for them..can be a pain....when you primarily only have weekend bookings!!! And do you advise to use a single booking site? over multiple sites? Hope that makes sense!

It makes sense! I feel like you are coming at it the wrong way, instead of focusing on trying to expand your accessibility with single nights and multiple booking sites, I would really love you to focus instead on creating a property that appeals to a better audience - to those who book week round and to those who will book for 2-4 nights on average. Does that make sense what I am trying to say? You’ll do this by working on other areas of this class. I think by focusing on doing what you have always done and expanding that, you are going to get the same results. I’d love you to first complete this school, then reconsider these questions. If you still come back to them, then I’d say for sure charge the surcharge if people are paying it, we are all business men and women and never be frightened or embarrassed about that. I do however advise using a single booking site. You’ll turn this into a full time 24/7 job if not updating things!

Q. So many aha moments and learning so much already! Now looking forward to reading the story chapter and allowing myself to let go, this will be my greatest challenge I feel in the whole class! I know business, I just need to allow the emotion to guide the dialogue and present the image! Any letting go tips?

Advice on letting go!

• Take a very small step at a time, like doing a chapter, doing this class, doing a few moodboards.

• Creating is a process, which means you can make lots mistakes, and make lots of improvements before you launch. And take it from me, even after you launch, you can make lots of mistakes, and lots of improvements before anyone but yourself really cares.

• And lastly, “Perfection is the death of all good things, perfection is the death of pleasure, it’s the death of productivity, it’s the death of efficiency, it’s the death of joy. Perfection is just a bludgeon that goes around murdering everything good.” - Elizabeth Gilbert.

Q. Sorry, one more question... I have already got one social media account for our business. Having accommodation is another way to diversify our business and is definitely aligned with our vision/passions and 'why'. But I am worried that having it all on the same account will become too watered down and that it will detract from the main goal - ie the business one is for the farm stuff - but I also have worked really hard to get a following on my socials and don't want to lose this by starting again.. Any advice?! Thank you!

Hang tight, we cover social media down the track. But what you need to think about, is are you one brand or two? My gut tells me you are one, so you are selling the same story, and offering two different products, farming and accomodation.

Q. Hi Sarah, despite my best efforts to aim at couples (which to be fair is the majority of guests) I regularly have people with babies and young kids. It’s a totally impractical property with steep stairs, a fireplace and unfenced dams! All of which i’ve clearly set out in my listing. How to do I deter them? They are generally fairly young and adventurous couples but I worry about the safety of the kids. Also what do you think about dogs? Nearly all bookings lately (When borders are closed) are because people can bring their dogs. I love both dogs and babies but they add to the cleaning time and costs and general stress! Should I ditch the babies and dogs?

Oh gosh, a hard one. I am a YES to no kids or dogs. The question I would ask myself, is — is this bringing in more bookings, to make me more, considering damage and cleaning costs, than if I said no?

If the answer is yes, then I would add accept it as a business decision, and it works out better for you in the end (perhaps also put up your cleaning costs or add a surcharge for pets?), if the answer is a no, or when it becomes a no (post 2020), there is space in Airbnb where you can say no kids or dogs. Try to keep a business mind about these things, and change it when it becomes no longer needed.

Q. Hi there, I'm just working my way through Chapter 1 (loving it!). I've just signed up for AirDNA, however, the occupancy, rates and revenue data for my area is locked. I'm looking in Heathcote VIC, 3523. My understanding from our lesson is that this information should be accessible just by signing up for a free account. Not sure if these are new restrictions recently introduced to the platform, or whether I'm looking in the wrong place.

Hello! It’s a bit tricky, you do need to pay for specific areas, but if you zoom out, or look at the wider area the information becomes free. You are just looking for a very general indication, so the larger, or comparable holiday areas are fine! You really are just getting a sense here for what people are paying.

Q. Would you consider letting a beautifully restored 40ft timber boat to couples?

I would first check you legally can. Planning law with short term accommodation, and your Marina Laws. Secondly, make sure you have the correct insurances in case of an accident to guests, boats and marinas can be dangerous places to those who don’t know them well. Thirdly you are really going to have to make water, sewerage, and power systems idiot-proof. For those students, I know people who have done vans, boats, and off-grid type accommodation — it’s been more complex, and taken far more work and attention to guests than regular houses.

Q. Hi Sarah, am really enjoying the course and find it very thought-provoking and exciting!! I have a house which can offer three different options (whole house, two bedroom with full amenities or one bedroom with kitchenette and living room). A connecting door can be closed off to enable options. I really liked Student Lizzie's approach and wondered whether we could obtain more information on Lizzie's approach. I confess I haven't read on - apologies if you cover it later!!!

Yes, easy! Just check out these Airbnb links here and here (if you have 3 options) which show you how to do it! We are not strictly and Airbnb class hence we try and stay away from the nuts of bolts of how they work but its easy enough to find!

Q. My thoughts were to avoid Air B and B as my 'older' mindset believed my target audience might not use this platform. Then I looked into booking.com and was shocked by their commission. Your course has challenged me on many levels. I guess I'm starting to wonder if Air B and B could be my booking platform (along with a simple but elegant website)? Do older (60+demographic) think to go to Air B and B to find accommodation? Within saying this, I travel the world using Air B and B and love it. Just not sure my cohort is comfortable with this platform. Your thoughts. Thanks in advance.

Absolutly they do, and I have also found that if they don’t — and they would like to book you, they will join up. Also please note: we teach how to drive your own traffic to any platform you like, hang tight until chapters 6 to 8 and all will be revealed.

Q. A property I am considering has two buildings: a house (spacious but only one bedroom) and then a dedicated cottage for Airbnb. They are only about 50m from each other - but can be quite private. I am definitely running the cottage as an Airbnb, but would also like to eventually rent the house as well, as an option to upgrade to '2 bedrooms'. Do you think different couples (not in the same traveling group) would be happy to rent these independently at the same time, or should I consider only making the house available as an upgrade? Any guidance is appreciated! Love your work.

Absolutally fine! And yes! So many students have a similiar set ups — and have never had an issue. Just always set context in a positive way in your listing. For example “The smaller of two heritage buildings on the property” or “Blue Bird Cottage (for example) is one of two twin side by side cabins we have for guests”.

Q. I get what you are saying about couples being your ideal market, but I have a big house, what do I do?

So, make it smaller. There are a few ways to do this: you can discretely lock off or close areas of the house - price it for a couple and increase your nightly rate p/p. Another option is leave the house open and ask guests to “choose a bed, any additional slept in beds will incur a charge of $100 per bed per night” (or whatever would be the equivalent for an extra couple per night).

This way you’re pricing to get couples in — after all, they’re your bread and butter, year round, great guests, and you keep the flexibility of being able to host groups and families coming through. In short, design your price and house for couples, with the flexibility to ramp it up when the opportunity comes along.

Q. Just wondering on how to emote about the activities in my area. Plimmerton is coastal with a huge mix of activities available both on and off the water. I often say, "There is always someone out on the water no matter what the weather." We get a lot of weather here as we are beside the Cook Strait (NZ) so flat calm with SUPs to 45 knots with windsurfers jumping waves and everything in between. My guess: start with sunsets with sand between the toes, romantic walks or rides along the many beaches and inlets, discover an aquatic playground, etc. Will work on that one. - Tom

Hi, Tom! Okay, let’s get to helping you. I think such a key, key, KEY learning from this chapter is that your audience is actually women or, possibly, just a woman. I would highly recommend you find one or hire one to help you get a start on your listing and your socials (more on that to come). It’s worth the reach out so you know that what you put out is hitting the ears (and hearts) of who you want to talk to (WOMEN!). I’m a woman, so here is what would draw me in…

“We watch the waters out here on the Cook Straight swing from flat calms to roaring white horses, always dipping our toes in the water no matter the weather.”

And then, further down the listing, I would list or talk about the specific activities guests can do. For example:

Our guest love to dive into:

• SUP’ing on flat days

• Kite surfing on days when the wind kicks up

• Long, lonely beach walks and combs

• Beach Rides

etc…

So, it tells the story first (emotional, to women) then you can be specific and practical next (practical, because you need that too).

Q. Hi Sarah, I have huge concerns that our place is not being found on Airbnb as we are in a tiny town that basically no one’s heard of, so they’re not going to search us. We are 15 mins out of Launceston and I’ve noticed there are properties listed under Launceston that are actually further out. I have tried to change our listing to come under this as we are in the same region. How else do I grab those looking to stay in the Launceston area? Also, I have trouble finding our listing on Airbnb so are there any better tricks to be seen ? I’m really not savvy in this area, unfortunately. Any help much appreciated.

Hi! Okay, a few questions / concerns here so a multi-part answer is needed.

First, you need to hang tight for this one. In a few chapters, I give marketing back to you, not Airbnb or any other booking platform, or the random chance someone might stumble across you. Airbnb, for me and for you and everyone else out there, is purely the technology to make a booking, check in’s, and getting paid very easily. I generate ALL my business myself and direct them to my listing link to handle that part of the process. The question I ask automatically when I get a booking is, “How did you find me?” 9.9/10 the answer is: Instagram. I will teach you how to do this down the track towards the end of the course.

Second, never lie or change your location, you will really upset every single guest who stays with you that way…and every upset guest will tell everyone they know. It’s not how to do it. Look, I am, and pretty much every INCREDIBLE property I love, is far, far, far off the beaten path. I am 5 hours from the nearest city in a place no one ever visited. You make your place amazing, you tell everyone about it, they come to you. Hang in, think about all the incredible, not central places you love. The next few sections will help you make your place amazing, the last few teach you how to market it.

Q. So I have my property listed on both Airbnb & another booking platform with an incredibly ludicrous commission fee - a complimentary gin at my place if you guess who they are ;-) I love Airbnb and want to stick with them but I am struggling to determine whether it's worth taking my property off the other booking platform as I probably receive about 50% of my bookings through here and they're a different crowd of bookers compared to Airbnb i.e. an older demographic and not social media orientated etc. Do I just bite the bullet and do it? Or will I suffer a loss of bookings? Have other students had this issue?

Is it Booking Dot Com? I’ll be there next week for that gin! (No seriously, I’m in your area right now…)

So, we dive into this a little more down the track, but I’ll raise it here: What we are trying to achieve is you doing ALL your own marketing and only using whatever platform makes your life easiest (for me, right now, this is Airbnb) because, essentially, it will only be your booking tool. I ask every single booking how they found me, because I am in the middle of absolutely nowhere, and 99% people answer Instagram.

Sure, you are probably going to see a dip in bookings while you work on your marketing through this class and some hard work, but for me? Not juggling two platforms (and, most importantly, the entirely wrong demographic), not only doesn’t make my life hell, but in fact quite worth it. That being said, every circumstance is different.

Q. I have worked out an estimated price for our proposed cottage with light breakfast (which will have an additional service fee added). I wanted to find out when creating an Airbnb profile, does it allow you to have extra options for the guests to choose, along with their accommodation booking? For example, in our case: a cooked breakfast or a picnic hamper or cheese platter and wine or a meal with the farmer are some that come to mind. We would provide these provisions / meals at a cost and the guest would pay when booking.

Hello! So, for anyone with platform questions like this, I want you to call Airbnb, or Stayz, or Hip Camp etc. All of the platforms are changing or actually improving things quite quickly, so I can’t give advice on that here because, at some stage, that information becomes incorrect. I am also not affiliated with Airbnb! Quick phone call, question sorted!

Q. Hi Sarah, just wondering what your opinion is about charging a security deposit on AirBnb? x

Well, with questions like this, I always ask myself - “how would I feel about paying one?”, and the answer is, I wouldn’t. I actually have never. You are insured via Airbnb anyway so why turn away people by adding that one more step of difficulty? Just never have anything in your property you can’t replace or couldn’t bear to loose.

Q. So I am totally (regretfully since my marketing to date has been totally toward groups), understanding why targeting couples would increase chances of more bookings and fill in the mid weeks. Great tip! However when I'm doing the sums, on a fair to high couple rate (~$240/night in my area) even over 6 nights (~$1440) each week, it would not match or exceed what i am currently getting hosting weekends only groups of 8-10 (~$1550)... Financially this might not stack up for me? My cleaning fee is $175, it might come down to $120 for a couple, but when groups share this it isn't a scary fee to add. But when a couple pays it all, i fear it might price us too high? Also, i do price my mid week nights at the price a couple would pay (~$240) but i don't get midweek bookings? Am i missing something, or are my sums way off? I hope so... Sorry... that's three questions. But so early into the course I want to ensure I have this right and truly deeply feel couples is my best market.

Hello! Great questions. So good I needed to save this one until I had a few morning coffees under my belt. So! Let me try and tease out your questions one by one.

Firstly, I deeply wish anyone thinking about getting into this game, would invest in my class first before buying a property, there is a best case senario for a target audience, which matches a house size to best maximise profit v’s expenses and probably a mortgage, but as they say “you can’t change the wind but you can adjust your sails” so let’s get your sails adjusted.

Everyone’s property is going to be different taking this class, so I think it’s important to point out that in this section of the school, the science behind selling and being booked out is your starting point only to manipulate your property, price and marketing around. For some, perhaps — exactly! Reducing the house size for couples doesn’t work, however every single section of the school really adds up to sales. Other sections of the class which are going to make a big difference to getting you booked out at top price in a big way, are Storytelling and Styling, Press & Photography, Botanicals, and in a massive way, Marketing. So please also consider that.

Now, back to your property. You have a lot of options really! Here are some ideas for you and everyone else in a similar boat with a larger house.

1. Perhaps take the view, okay! Friday/Saturday/Sundays are for groups at my group price. The four days during the week pop down to say $260 for 2 people, $50 p/p after that. You can set a weekend and a weekday price in Airbnb. For other platforms just give them a call to see how you might be able to do that. I think this would be a great start for you to start making more cash! It’s better booked than empty!

2. Work on raising that weekend and group price by becoming the biggest thing since Captains Rest on Instagram by working through this school. There will be a knock on effect to getting a few more mid week bookings.

3. Really target groups that will come during the week. Yoga retreats, Brides, Honeymoons etc. Perhaps work this into your strategy as you work through the marketing chapters.

4. Go hard on being a location. In Australia you can charge up to $1500 p/d for photoshoots etc.

I think I’ve covered everything. The last thing I’ll add is that if you’ve been targeting groups, then of course you havn’t been getting couples (yet!). As soon as I see anything showing groups I personally don’t pay attention! Hope this helps! X

Q. Hi Sarah. My property is managed by an agency, a percentage commission for every booking + annual marketing fees. They set the price/rates. They take our bookings (so I don’t have direct communication with guests and only receive feedback via our guest book & via their online guest review process) and we are competing with 100’s of other properties in their portfolio. This is a LOT of competition!!! Any advice on all of this?? Thanks Sarah!

Hello! Well, I think this is why you are here. Because you want to do better. My advice is take this class, do it twice then take a big breath. You are going to need to decide what is right for you. Having someone else manage your property might be right for you in some respects, and not in others.

Perhaps taking back control is the right thing, perhaps renegotiating the rate or finding someone new to manage it, and investing some of that saving into your new marketing strategy is the right way to go.

Everyone’s personal circumstance will be different, but I think the key for everyone is making new, informed decisions instead of handing over your power to a company who has no interest in promoting your property. The key really is in the marketing, further down towards the end of the chapters, so for you I think its about finding a way you can take your power back in this regard. Hope that helps.

Q. This all sounds great and I've gone through the process and homework to a point (don't worry, I'm still going through it as designed and in order ;-) ). However, I wanted to ask how this stacks up when I'm at the "hunting for a property" stage? Do I simply come up with an arbitrary figure for what my nightly rate would be? And given I don't have a property, do I simply write the descriptions as if I were "selling" my ideal house? Thanks!

Great question, and spot on. For all those out there doing this work before purchasing (well done by the way, this is SMART!) — you can use Airdna to essentially reverse engineer figures. Around the world one bedrooms, cottages, studios, cabins etc — have a varying average price depending on location, and Airdna can give you a rough indication of what you could expect if you do the same job as everyone else. What I’m hoping you’ll read into this is that you will do much better, because you know what you are doing, and others just think they do. When it comes to money however I think its wise to always make decision on worst case senario.

Now, as you make your way through class, I would recommend doing the work on your “dream property” no matter how crazy that may be. It’s always interesting to me what shows up once you put it out into the universe. I can recommend this book in conjunction with my work if you very much want something special to turn up on the property radar for you! I know it all sounds a bit “woo-woo” but I am a scientist first and once you go down the quantum physics universe you never really come back out!

How exciting for you, a totally clean slate! The very best way to begin.

Q. Loving this so far Sarah. How do I delve into my Instagram followers without going into each follower one by one? Is there an app or a feature in instagram or something to use for insights? Sorry, I am not very tech savvy. Any help is appreciated.

Oh I am so glad you are loving it, I am loving having you all! So, to take a look around your audience, follow these instructions. You’ll need to switch your account across to a “business” profile, but thats easy and this article explains it all!

Q. Hi Sarah, Just to clarify...Airdna's average daily rate includes the accommodation rate AND cleaning fees? Thanks!

Hello! So they show the average nightly rate, which is the day rate plus the proportion of cleaning for the stay. If that makes sense? They explain how they calculate that here — but short answer is yes, daily rate plus cleaning!

Q. Hi Sarah, is it best to just have one platform for booking? and have a great website which links ...as you do with Captains Rest.......I run 2 at present and frankly its a pain!

You hit the nail on the head! I don’t advocate any particular site, just the one your feel comfortable with - but GREAT marketing, a GREAT property and a good website which links. You will learn all of this in this school, stay with it!

Q. Hi Sarah, Thank you for this course! I am really excited about this content. I was wondering how to set up pricing & marketing specific for location shooting? I have a small cottage/cabin that I finished building a couple of years ago at the back of my property which I have been approached about being used for photography shoots. I have not felt overly confident with the pricing aspect on this though. I would like to offer this as an option as well as hosting. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Well, this is a GREAT question, straight to the top of the class for you! YES, there is a lot of ways you can make additional revenue — and I cover these, along with approximate pricing in the very last chapter — so skip ahead if you like!

Q. Thank you so much for the content that is in this class so far, Sarah. I've started to really get my teeth into it - and I also see ways in which it can help our business grow, not just the Airbnb side of things.

My question.. We have a shared accommodation space - 2 guest rooms & a bathroom within our family home. It's marketed currently as a space to come and share community with us and become part of the life on the farm. But I am worried that this isn't appealing to most couples wanting a romantic getaway.. Do you have any advice about a way to do this in the current space we have? I don't want to mislead anyone by them not understanding this, of course, but I'm not sure how to go about it? Thanks so much!

I am so glad you are enjoying the class! Okay, so I dont want everyone to be developing a romantic getaway . The point really is, targeting your audience (for most, a woman in your target demographic), and creating a flexible space so you can capture all the bookings you need, and really considering how you market, to not turn off singles and couples.

This story will be different for everyone depending on your audience and what you have to offer, but the key take homes here is who you are speaking to, flexibility of space for all types of bookings that would suit you, and marketing it to not exclude the bookings you are looking for. Make sense?

Q. Hi Sarah, well the world has changed a lot in the last few months! What on earth do we do about pricing in the current time of corona? I’m in Tassie where the borders are closed so it’s just Tasmanian visitors for now. All help greatly appreciated!

Hello! I am in the same boat. I haven’t changed my pricing at all, and im still mostly booked, just not as far ahead as I normally am with uncertainly with travel.

The same principals apply, its about keeping your finger on the pulse of the market with looking at your bookings, bookings of those around you and adjusting your rates until bookings work for you. Keep wise to the marketing and use the sources you have (airdna, airbnb) to analyse what is actually happening rather than your fears.

Border shut downs unfortunately are what they are, and for some of us, you just need to sit tight, work on your property and use the time for yourself and family/friends/people you owe favours to!

Q. Hi Sarah, We have a large property (7 bedrooms/ 14 guests) which based on the AirDna data (6+ bedrooms) gives me an average nightly rate of $903... this is close to what we already charge, once you include the additional 10%. My concern is the rate it gives me if I change the number of rooms to 1 ($121) for a couple. Most of the properties nearby are quite basic and 'practical'. No one is emotional selling. As we are trying to sell more of an emotional experience, would it be ok to charge more like $282 (double the practical price + 10%)... $121 seems far to cheap. Thank you :)

$121 is far to cheap! I strongly encourage all of you reading this to charge the highest price you can get, because - interestingly you normally get MORE bookings (because your price indicates that you home is very good!) and far nicer people staying.

Q. Hi Sarah. Love reading all your feedback to questions posted. I've been asked by a family member to airbnb their property too. What's your thoughts on co-hosting (helping them host guests under their profile) versus putting their place under my profile?

Hello! That is awesome, honestly it does not make much of a difference either way. If I had to choose, be a co-host — then if your family member ever wants to hop in charge its all clean and easy. Go you!

A Suggestion from Student Lizzie for those using Airbnb as their platform:

What I do is list my property twice and then put the couples-only accommodation INSIDE the bigger version on the calendar link to prevent double bookings. For example, I have Wintersun Cottage and Wintersun Retreat. Same place, the same location except the Retreat is only one bedroom and I use different language when selling to a couple rather than a family. You can also BLOCK the smaller version during school holidays, long weekends, etc. It’s a very good system and I highly recommend it.

Q. Hi Sarah, Finally doing your amazing course (was obviously waiting for the right property). I have just taken on a historic homestead in central west NSW. The property has 5 bedrooms, 3 in the house, and 2 in a schoolhouse, and a small bunkhouse. Each room has their own bathroom. I am finding pricing to be quite challenging. It is obvious that my market would be bigger groups or families. It was previously run as a B&B but I don't want to go down that avenue. You suggest offering pricing for couples and increasing costs according to numbers but I am not sure this feels right for the property. We live 50 minutes drive from the property so I need to make the pricing cover travel costs etc. There is also something that feels wrong about locking off rooms and 2 people getting the same house for cheaper than larger groups. I don't know if this is intuitive or paranoid lol. It is also a venue space, weddings etc. The barn (venue) will be locked when people stay in the air bnb. It is also particularly tricky to price as it is so unique, there is nothing comparable in the area. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Hi! Yes, for you and anyone reading this, big complex properties like this are 100% more suited to groups and events, and that’s okay!!!!!! How most run properties like this is a nightly rate, plus a per person fee on top of that, with access to the whole property. I don’t think be shy about what you have, be excited, and run through the rest of the class with a different audience and direction in mind than most of us!

Q. My main question is, do you think the close proximity of the neighbour would negatively impact the occupancy and price per night with a couples audience?

Not all all, as long as you are transparent in a postive way about any of your situations, your guests wont care a bit! We all have hang ups about the “not ideal” parts of our properties, but you will find that its never a problem for our guests unless its a surprise upon arrival!

01. Community.

It’s time to start meeting your classmates! I encourage you to use and explore the hashtag #thehostingmasterclass and the tag @thehostingmasterclass on your images to see who is around. This helps us all find one another, connecting our work and life to those on this journey with you.

If you’d like to post anything specific to this chapter, you can index it with a second hashtag #thm01 — making it searchable two ways!

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