A complete guide to boosting revenue with guest communications

The opportunity: The initial inquiry is your chance to convert interest into a booking. A strong first impression can make all the difference.

Tips:

• Respond quickly across multiple channels: Use a unified vacation rental inbox, like Escapia’s Communications Hub, to manage and promptly reply to inquiries from various platforms in one place, including your Vrbo inbox and Airbnb channel communications
• Offer options to boost conversions: Use tools like Escapia’s Multi-Quote to respond to inquiries with multiple property options, allowing guests to choose the best fit for their group and increasing your chances of securing the booking 
• Provide custom discount codes: Encourage bookings by including a personalized discount code in your responses when it makes sense

The opportunity: The booking confirmation is your first chance to reassure travelers that they've made the right choice. A professional and timely confirmation boosts traveler confidence, setting the tone for a smooth and stress-free stay. It's also important to let travelers know when they can expect the next message with arrival instructions, so they are clear about the next step in their journey.

Tips:

• Use templated emails: Ensure your booking confirmations are professional by using branded vacation rental email templates. Incorporate merge tags to automatically include all relevant details about a guest’s stay, ensuring accuracy and personalization in every communication
• Automate for timely confirmation: Setup guest communication automation so your confirmation emails go out automatically right after booking, reassuring guests that their stay is secured and providing them with contact information if they need assistance
• Simplify the rental agreement process: Send a simple and clear rental agreement via text or email, allowing guests to conveniently sign and return it directly from their phone
• Ensure a smooth start with Escapia: Escapia’s Communications Hub offers customizable templates, template preview, merge tags, scheduled sending, and the ability to send rental agreements via text—allowing you to deliver a seamless and professional experience

The opportunity: Providing clear check-in and arrival instructions is essential to ensuring a smooth and stress-free start to your guests' stay. How many times have you had a guest struggle to find the door code or navigate other issues upon arrival? By offering detailed, timely information and a guest guide before they arrive, you can help create a welcoming and positive experience from the moment they step onto the property.

Tips:

• Send directions and check-in details at least 24 hours before arrival
• Provide detailed check-in and checkout instructions:
  • Explain how to access the property, including any door codes or lockbox combinations
  • Specify the check-in time and if early check-in is available
  • Provide step-by-step instructions for operating any security systems or smart home devices
  • State the check-out time and if late check-out is an option
  • Outline the process for returning keys or how to lock up
  • List any tasks guests need to complete, such as taking out the trash or starting the dishwasher
  • Provide instructions on how to turn off appliances, heating/cooling systems, and secure the property upon departure
• Include essential information: The property address should be right at the top of the message, and include driving directions, parking instructions, local contact person, Wi-Fi password, and location of important items 
• Share extra tips:  Provide information on nearby grocery stores, favorite local areas or other helpful stops

With Escapia's Communications Hub, you can automate these communications and pull specific information for each unit with merge tags, ensuring your guests receive all the necessary details on time, making their arrival seamless and stress-free.

The opportunity:  Being responsive and available throughout your guests' stay can help resolve any issues quickly, ensuring a positive experience and preventing negative reviews.

Tips:

• Check-in: Be available to ensure guests enter the property smoothly and address any initial questions. Use Escapia's Communications Hub with 2-way text messaging to easily assist guests while they’re traveling
• After the first night: Send a quick automated message through the Communications Hub to check how their first night was and if they need anything
• Mid-stay check-in:  Use 2-way text messaging to reach out with local recommendations or property tips, making it easy for guests to ask questions or request help
• Before checkout: Send a reminder via text about the checkout time and any necessary tasks, such as locking doors or adjusting the thermostat
• Leverage call forwarding: If a guest calls instead of texting, Escapia offers call forwarding to ensure their call is redirected to a phone number of your choice, guaranteeing you can be reached at any time
• Use automated messages: Schedule automated messages for key moments, like a welcome note after check-in, a mid-stay check-in, and a pre-departure reminder, ensuring guests have all the information they need for a smooth experience

The opportunity: Checkout is your final opportunity to ensure guests have a positive stay experience, increasing the likelihood of great reviews and repeat stays.

Tips:

• Provide clear instructions: Outline any checkout tasks, such as returning keys or disposing of trash, and keep them simple
• Stay available: Let guests know they can contact you with any last-minute questions or issues, showing you’re attentive until the end
• Express thanks: After checkout, send a thank-you message to show appreciation and encourage reviews

The opportunity: Engaging with guests after their stay helps encourage positive reviews and repeat bookings. Regular check-ins during their stay can foster a strong relationship, making guests more likely to leave a review. To maximize the number of reviews, it's beneficial to augment requests from platforms like Vrbo with additional personalized communications.

Tips:

• Highlight the importance of reviews: Let guests know how valuable 5-star reviews are for your business’s success
• Offer incentives to drive more reviews: Consider offering discounts on future stays to encourage repeat bookings and positive reviews
• Redirect negative feedback: Encourage guests to reach out directly if there was any reason they wouldn’t leave a 5-star review. This allows you to address concerns before they become public
• Automate review requests with Escapia: Vrbo automatically sends a Vrbo branded email on the day of checkout and another one 11 days later to request traveler reviews (other channels likely follow a similar schedule). We recommend setting up additional review requests through Escapia’s Communications Hub. With Escapia’s native Review Module you can gain more reviews, and your reviews flow to more channels, including Vrbo and your direct website
  • Example review request communication plan (Vrbo booking example): 
    • Day of Checkout: Vrbo sends an automated email to the traveler
    • Day of Checkout or day after: Use Escapia’s Communications Hub to send an automated text message. This helps reach guests on the go as they travel
    • 5-7 days after Checkout: Schedule a personalized email through Escapia with your branding. Thank them for their stay and ask them to share their experience by leaving a review. A customized message adds a personal touch and reinforces your brand identity
    • 11 days after Checkout: Another Vrbo scheduled message goes out, reminding guests to leave a review

The opportunity: Creating and maintaining a strong relationship with past guests is essential to driving repeat bookings. By staying engaged through various channels and offering exclusive discounts, you can turn one-time visitors into loyal, repeat customers.

Tips:

• Send regular newsletters: Send updates to previous guests with area information, seasonal highlights, local events, property features, and travel tips to keep your brand top of mind
• Engage on social media: Actively engage with past guests on social media platforms. Encourage them to follow you and share content that highlights your properties’ unique features and area attractions 
• Leverage email marketing: Use email campaigns to promote special offers, such as seasonal discounts, early booking deals, or exclusive coupons for returning guests

By optimizing guest communication at every stage of the traveler lifecycle—from the initial inquiry to post-stay follow-ups—you can create memorable experiences that encourage positive reviews and repeat bookings. With Escapia’s Communications Hub, you can automate and personalize these interactions, ensuring that guests feel valued and well-informed while making your job easier.

Learn more about how Escapia’s property management unified inbox and Communications Hub tools can help transform and simplify your guest communications.