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My friend Molly is on vacation in India and shared with me how hospitable everyone is: how strangers were so generous and welcoming with food; how everyone refers to her as Miss and Madame; how she felt like royalty and soon discovered the Sanskrit phrase:
Atithi Devo Bhava which translates as "The Guest is God."
Note: You can read more about this 'code of conduct' here.
In our world, many argue a mantra that...
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Latest reply by - DMartinez
I suggest each owner or property manager needs a MISSION to drive their business that makes sense for their goals with 2 fundamental cornerstones: Guest Satisfaction and Profit. Every single successful business needs a relentless focus on these...
Last week I visited @Tarkan and Julia in Istanbul, Turkey and WOW what a gigantic bustling historic crossroads of world history (if you haven't consider planning a visit -- Turkish Airlines is amazing and Julia and Tarkan's properties rock).
For dinner one evening my best friend Adam and I booked our maiden meal on Eat With, which is basically like a listing site for home-cooks. In short, home cook makes a menu...
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Latest reply by - SScurlock
My sister has traveled all over the world, and she and her husband always book a meal in someone's home (not sure through who) when in another country. She has said those meals are some of the highlights of their trips!
It sounds like you had a...
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If you do one thing thing this year, double down on your hospitality brand.
Your hospitality brand is your unique style of taking care of guests (both internally with your team and outwardly with guests) and it's the single most valuable asset *fully in your control* that deserves attention, resources, and in some cases serious course corrections. Remember, Quality Branded IP stands the test of time.
I just...
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Latest reply by
- Matt Landau
I guess my issue with branding is that it feels like a marshmallow. It's a little hard to get a real concept of, and I can't quite put a finger on something concrete. And then how do you express it? Develop a set of words that are used...
Every restaurant was closed at 9:00 PM. Phoenix airport shuts down early. Rather than a couple barstools and industry gossip, we settled into stiff airport seats to talk shop.
I started in the vacation rental industry in 2008 as a Marketing Director on the Outer Banks. I...
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Latest reply by
- DMartinez
FYI Fractional ownership is being outlawed in many communities for fear of becoming a version of Timeshares in the very expensive...
In this special episode, Christina Thoreson takes us through the complicated reality of selling a business she'd built from the ground up to a big industry name.
Wondering if you might sell one day or what happens in the aftermath? Or just contemplating big changes in life? This episode is for you.
This is also the final episode of the Unlocked Podcast in its current form. We expect you'll hear from Matt...
In this episode, we're thrilled to have Vina Rathbone-Falvey, a market research expert, joining us. Throughout the season, we've been exploring ways to quantify the challenging questions surrounding public sentiment and community feelings towards vacation rental regulations for our scorecard.
Vina guides us through the power of market research and polling in understanding and navigating these complex issues...
A robust all-in-one PMS solution doesn't really exist for smaller operators. But new tools are popping up with some innovative alternatives. This is an excerpt from VRMB's 2023 Trends Report: The Roadmap.
For years I’ve referred to those who don’t view STR hospitality as a business (but rather a hobby or side gig) as “Lifestylists.” Lifestylists typically hold down separate jobs, rent for the cashflow, and use...
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Latest reply by - Terry
Hi Terri,
Maybe I'm misinterpreting what you're saying...but I'm pretty sure I'm one of these 'lifestyle' operators. I own a small...
Note: Hospitality Gestures: The "New" Marketing will be featured in VRMB's 2023 Trends Report, which drops first week of January. Early bird specials via newsletter sign-up here.
Back in 2009, with the listing sites (and our category in general) starting to gain momentum, the members of this community and myself predicted that "listing site independence" (ie. marketing diversification for vacation rental pros)...
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Latest reply by - keystokelowna
Yes, yes and yes...
These are not new ideas for us at Moving Mountains, but I love the reminder to double down on...
In this episode we sit down with Lino Maldonado, the CEO of BeHome247, to discuss where the industry is headed in 2023. Lino also offers advice on how to navigate the changing landscape of life and capitalize on new opportunities.
This episode is brought you by PointCentral: https://www.pointcentral.com/vrmb/ the leaders in smart home automation, and Breezeway, https://www.breezeway.io/vrmb the best in class...
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Latest reply by
- Terry
Great podcast.
Takeaways:
18:00 minute mark > Do way more in the PMS which I have been saying since /2018.
24:00 minute mark > PMS Light, no threat.
34:00 minute mark > Bloodbath, could not agree more. The self proclaimed Airbnbers are in big...
In this episode we dive into the world of advocacy technology and how it’s being used to prevent bans and improve regulations. Our guest is Nils Erik Mattisson, the CEO and co-founder of Minut, a company that specializes in noise monitoring devices. Nils shares his insights...
In this episode, we take a look at big leaps, both personal and professional with @alexhusner -- as the newly appointed Chief Marketing Officer at Casago and co-host of the popular podcast, "Alex and Annie," Alex's personal brand has flourished alongside her success in the industry. Join us as we gain insight into her journey and strategies for achieving your own professional aspirations.
This episode is brought...
In my endless pursuit for limited edition (full workshop here if you haven't watched it) I am starting to assemble chunks of a "how to" process that we can say to new STR operators "here's a good start."
But seeing as though Limited Edition is so personal and unique and IRREPLICABLE lol the process of creating universal rules is difficult!
Inspired by @CJ who pointed out to me recently the operational...
I use the term "lifestyle brand" to describe a vacation rental business whose marketing leads not with the property, but the vibes (or lifestyle) guests experience when staying there. You can immediately feel a lifestyle vacation rental brand when you come in contact with it.
For instance, @Kristi and Starship Landing Retreat. The property itself is still there. But it's not the centerpiece of the photography...
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Latest reply by
- Will Franco
We enjoyed the atmosphere and provenance of the cabin itself, but most notable (aside from the gorgeous hill country views) was the experience of walking through the orchard with grazing cows down to the river’s edge. What a treat for us humans as well as our pup! Thank you for...
Limited edition management recommends emphasizing your one-of-a-kind virtues -- family owned/operated, locally based/headquartered, and specialized in a property type or location -- to create a moat of defense from competing vacation rental offerings. Some activities DO scale (and can be automated or done en mass). But I keep coming back to the word "Unscalable" as not just a good thing (for independents) but...
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Latest reply by - davidliedl
Thanks for asking @davidliedl
Here is a link to the housekeeping checklist (scroll down to the...
Happy 2023, listeners! This week we're letting Matt Landau's Unlocked podcast takeover our channel and share an interivew with Matt Durrette of Cozi Vacation Rentals. Matt is emblematic of the kind of Homerunner that the Unlocked podcast loves talking to, but he's also been thrown into one of the fastest moving advocacy situations in the country and we think his takeaaways will be invaluable to the How to Save...
Matt @Durrette is emblematic of the kind of Homerunner that is positioned to be the biggest winner as our industry evolves. In this episode we'll talk limited edition positioning in the growth to 300 properties, entrepreneurial operating systems and and advocacy in the latest Texas battlegrounds. Also featuring @EmilyRead
This episode is brought you by PointCentral: https://www.pointcentral.com/vrmb/ the...
Kelly Hill is at the center of a network in McCall, Idaho that has real power against the regulatory tide sweeping our industry. She's even tackling seemingly unsolveable problems like low-income housing. Not every owner in her region can keep up with the dizzing pace of change, however. In this episode we find out what Kelly can teach us about balancing stakeholders and inch closer to an 'enforcement' score...
@KarenHunt 's pre-vacation rental career included selling everything from candy and rice to Ben and Jerry's ice cream to Francis Ford Coppola and a whole lot of wine. Now she's running a lifestyle vacation rental business that is the perfect cap to a legendary career. In this episode she gives us perspective on sales, people, and goal setting that will be useful to industry players of any size.
This episode is...
In this episode Michael Mori shares his expertise and insight as a vacation rental investor. His decision-making process and key criteria for evaluating potential markets will vastly improve our scorecard. Additionally, Michael provides valuable insights on the current state of the market and a key way of looking at community engagement for vacation rental success.
This season is made possible by Minut and...
Reviews (whether entered online or handwritten) are important in our industry because they provide validation (feedback loops that make sure you're on the right path) and purpose (that what you are doing really matters).
@Todd's thread a while back about how to make a housekeeper cry and @Rocio suggesting travelers write "love letters" to housekeeping (because they mean the world), got me thinking about a...
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Latest reply by - Andy McNulty
LOVE this Matt. Genuinely I do, I don't use CAPS often. I'm going to raise this on our management team meeting today, maybe one person in the team writes a review of one other person, so we're all peer-reviewed. And maybe it's a 'thankful...
In this episode, @BrianO discusses the impact of health on our teams and networks after a personal wake-up call. Tune in to hear his perspective on how to prioritize well-being and the well-being of your team in what is often a fast-paced work environment.
This episode is brought you by PointCentral: https://www.pointcentral.com/vrmb/ the leaders in smart home automation, and Breezeway...
Hilton Head Island was conceived as a vacation destination, and rental homes have been a part of that vision since the beginning. Now, a small minority is reshaping the landscape, and Dru Brown and his colleagues find themselves at the center of a real advocacy fight. In this episode, we explore how things got out of hand in the land of golf, tennis, and pickleball and how a different kind of scorecard can...
UPDATED December 8, 2022
A while back I posted a trend I was calling "The Falling Tide" -- the commentary from members on this metaphor is super insightful and as a result...
I have revised my metaphor: instead of a falling tide in 2023, I think of it a big shake-out.
A big shake-out comes when a wave of hype exceeds the realities of demand (in our case, guests looking for a reliable place to stay).
Do you...
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Latest reply by - JanS
HI @Matt Landau, I have definitely been noticing a falling tide in my own little micro-market and had been wondering if it was broader than that, so this was...
Disclaimer: I am directly swiping this from @StaySavvy of https://www.savvytravels.co/ who (as far as I know) invented the phrase and explained it on our Accelerator call last night.
A walk-through is a protocol typically performed before (and sometimes after) a guest checks-in in which a knowledgable team member ensures that all other standard operating procedures (housekeeping, maintenance, and staging) have...
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Latest reply by - MPerkins
Love the term sleep through...we called it sleepover.....but to owners this was presented as QC Stay (Quality Control.
Staff were required to complete a detailed report covering all aspects of their stay to share with the team and homeowners. Staff loved it - it was...
In many ways, Sharon Walker is the ultimate Limited Edition vacation rental professional. She built a business from scratch with great care for guests and employees while raising a family. Now, with the freedom that business provides, she is heading up the statewide advocacy effort in Texas and blazing a trail for her industry fellows. In this episode, Matt explores what makes her business great and talks...
OLD BAY is a limited edition brand that we can emulate.
It is valuable, it is authentic, and it is niche!
What started as a family-owned, locally-headquartered, and specialized spice eventually got acquired in 1990 by McCormick Spice Company (adding to its portfolio alongside brands like Lawry’s, Simply Asia, Thai Kitchen, and Zatarain’s -- which should underscore the VALUE of any niche spice brand when it...
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Latest reply by - RuthM
I really love the quick "limited edition" backstory on the back of every box:
"Our unique blend of 18 herbs and spices was born in the Chesapeake Bay area in 1939. It has been made the same way ever since."
This is akin to what I believe many of you should be reiterating...
Shelby Fletcher is the president of the The Dallas Short Term Rental Alliance...a very well organized advocacy group with more than 800 members focused on achieving fair, lasting regualtions in the Dallas area. They've faced years of delay, tough anti groups and backroom politics but they're making headway and the next step may be to bring in professional political help. At the same time, efforts are underway...
In this episode Matt and Nate Wysk of Point Central talk 'advocacy technology' and upcoming 2023 trends for the vacation rental industry.
This episode is brought to you by PointCentral: https://www.pointcentral.com/vrmb/ the leaders in smart home automation, and Breezeway, https://www.breezeway.io/vrmb the best in class property care and automations platform.
Point Central's Smart Noise Monitor...
In this episode Dana and Matt discuss our progress so far this season and talk about what the scorecard really means.
Matt shares audience questions on how the scorecard will be used, we dive into some lessons from the first three episodes and talk about what is to come as we look ahead to bill creation, lawsuits, measuring public sentiment and how to keep score.
This season is made possible by Minut and...
Welcome to VRMB!
I’m Matt Landau, the founder of this forum. It was created in 2016 when a group of us wanted a safe space to discuss our growing STR businesses.
Today, you can join our community of 1,000+ creative, thoughtful, and generous members who believe in a better future.
