Post by High Priestess on Oct 11, 2015 3:10:50 GMT
Karen shared on October 20 2015:
Hi everyone, I'm a new AirBnb host in _______________.
This is just my 2nd week as a host but it's been really an up and down experience. The first week was fantastic. I got 1 or 2 booking everyday and a few enquiries as well.But everything went opposite since the 2nd week. It was extremely quiet. I didn't even get an enquiry.
I tried everything: lower down the cost a lot, enable instant booking, reduce the minimum night stay for 2 nights to 1 night. But nothing changes.
Is there any one has similar experience ? I'm really trying to find out what is wrong so that it can be fixed.
Queenie & Ted (queenie&ted):
It could just be a slower travel time now in your area. You can look at competitor's calendars and see if they're having the same lull. If folks aren't traveling, there's nothing a host can do.
karen:
The other hosts seems to be doing quite well. That's why I'm really worried.
Juliet and Ed:
Hosting goes up and down all the time, that's just the way it is.
Deborah (High Priestess):
I dont' think you can really tell much in just one week....new hosts do get an "artificial boost" for a short time, and this usually lasts more than one week. So you really can't tell how you will do in the long run until after the first month or so when your "artificial promotion" goes away and you are then competing with everyone else.
When you set up as a host you are setting up a small business, and the same skills and issues apply as to any small business. You are a business entering a market with other small businesses. You are competing with all the other businesses. To learn how to do well in this situation, it helps to have small business skill and learn as much as you can about supply and demand, the market in your area, the competition in your area, prices, differences between hosts, and really all the factors that are involved. There are some things you cannot change -- and other elements that you can change.
New hosts often have the experience you are describing at some point -- perhaps not in the first week, maybe after one month, maybe after 4 months -- and when this question comes up I try to bring up this perspective of small business skills, self-employment skills, and doing research to understand your market and where you can fit into that.
Compare the hosts who are doing well to yourself. What do they have that you don't? How are they presenting that is different from how you are presenting? Study the differences and learn. Small business skills develop from examining these things.
As well, there are things outside of your control. Some areas of the world have become oversaturated with Airbnb listings, there are actually too many listings in some areas and so many hosts are seeing a decline in business. For instance earlier this year hosts in London and Seoul were reporting that. THis though will generally affect all or most of the hosts in an area.
Hi everyone, I'm a new AirBnb host in _______________.
This is just my 2nd week as a host but it's been really an up and down experience. The first week was fantastic. I got 1 or 2 booking everyday and a few enquiries as well.But everything went opposite since the 2nd week. It was extremely quiet. I didn't even get an enquiry.
I tried everything: lower down the cost a lot, enable instant booking, reduce the minimum night stay for 2 nights to 1 night. But nothing changes.
Is there any one has similar experience ? I'm really trying to find out what is wrong so that it can be fixed.
Queenie & Ted (queenie&ted):
It could just be a slower travel time now in your area. You can look at competitor's calendars and see if they're having the same lull. If folks aren't traveling, there's nothing a host can do.
karen:
The other hosts seems to be doing quite well. That's why I'm really worried.
Juliet and Ed:
Hosting goes up and down all the time, that's just the way it is.
Deborah (High Priestess):
I dont' think you can really tell much in just one week....new hosts do get an "artificial boost" for a short time, and this usually lasts more than one week. So you really can't tell how you will do in the long run until after the first month or so when your "artificial promotion" goes away and you are then competing with everyone else.
When you set up as a host you are setting up a small business, and the same skills and issues apply as to any small business. You are a business entering a market with other small businesses. You are competing with all the other businesses. To learn how to do well in this situation, it helps to have small business skill and learn as much as you can about supply and demand, the market in your area, the competition in your area, prices, differences between hosts, and really all the factors that are involved. There are some things you cannot change -- and other elements that you can change.
New hosts often have the experience you are describing at some point -- perhaps not in the first week, maybe after one month, maybe after 4 months -- and when this question comes up I try to bring up this perspective of small business skills, self-employment skills, and doing research to understand your market and where you can fit into that.
Compare the hosts who are doing well to yourself. What do they have that you don't? How are they presenting that is different from how you are presenting? Study the differences and learn. Small business skills develop from examining these things.
As well, there are things outside of your control. Some areas of the world have become oversaturated with Airbnb listings, there are actually too many listings in some areas and so many hosts are seeing a decline in business. For instance earlier this year hosts in London and Seoul were reporting that. THis though will generally affect all or most of the hosts in an area.
I got another booking a few days later, and then a 2 week booking came...and it has continued since I started over a year ago. No slowdown. I think my price was a little lower than others in my area. I am near public transit -- very close, only 3 blocks away from the subway -- so I think that helps. I am also very near a main street and shopping district with market, restaurants and boutiques. As long as it stays busy I am happy!