So, you’ve done your research and have created a beautiful listing on one of the big short-term rental sites. You’ve written vivid descriptions, posted professional photos and are listing your space at a competitive price.

People seem excited to rent your space, but for some reason they don’t end up choosing you. If you’re confident in your listing, but aren’t seeing the bookings, what gives?

Keep the Booking Process Simple

You want to make the choice to book with you as simple as possible. Accept instant bookings if you can. Instant booking is a way for guests to know they can stay in your space without having to write a complicated message, check availability, or wait for a response from you. The magic is in the word Instant.

For better or worse, we live in a world of instant gratification. Everyone wants a sure thing, and no one wants to wait for it. If you can provide this type of convenience for your guests, do it. I personally use instant booking on our apartment, and it is a game changer. I get fewer questions and a lot more bookings by offering this convenience to guests.

Response Times: Focus on ASAP

If you’re not comfortable with instant booking or can’t have that type of on-demand flexibility, what can you do to offer the same level of booking convenience? The answer is quick responses.

You may think it doesn’t matter when you get back to someone, but it makes a HUGE difference. In my previous experience as a sales manager for a luxury travel agency, we found that if we responded to an inquiry within 5 minutes of receiving it, we were SEVEN TIMES more likely to book that client. Clients were always pleasantly surprised when we reacted so quickly to their request. This level of service set the tone for the experience of booking with us.

The same logic applies to your short-term rental. If someone reaches out to rent our home, which carries a higher price tag and bigger commitment, I try to respond to their questions or booking request immediately. People aren’t used to these types of quick responses in the short-term rental business.

Many homeowners treat their short-term rental or vacation home as a secondary priority to their day jobs, families, etc. This means that responses are delayed at best or ignored at worst. There have been many times I’ve reached out about a property for my own personal travel and not gotten a response until 24 hours later. The problem with this is that I wanted an answer about the place yesterday, but have since found something else that I know will work in the meantime.

Timeliness Matters

I know life is busy, but if you’re really committed to increasing your short-term rental business, I encourage you to commit to quick responses.

•   Use the app and when someone inquires, respond right away. Shoot for less than 5 minutes. Create templates to common questions if it helps.

•   If it’s not possible for you to write a thoughtful response in the moment, save a message that you can send right away. “Thank you so much for your inquiry. I’m unavailable now, but I’ll respond to you by the end of the day.”  While not as good as answering the request in the moment, it does manage the expectation of when you’ll get back to the guest. This might keep them from going to look at other options if they’re really set on your place.

• The key is to follow through in the time frame you’ve provided. You can’t forget and reply the next day. This is bad service and makes guests weary. They could end up thinking, “If you can’t do what you said you will do before I arrive, how will I know that you’ll be able to assist me if I need something when I’m at your place?”

In conclusion, the best way to increase your bookings is to make it as easy as possible for your guests to book. It’s providing the convenience of instant bookings or quick responses to differentiate yourself from the competition. This level of service isn’t common in the short-term rental business, so set yourself apart by responding as quickly as possible to your guests.

You’ll find that your bookings increase, guests will mention your quick communication as a positive in your reviews, and you can stay in the good graces of the booking platforms you use.