This week's tip is about direct relationships with your guests and removing intermediaries that dilute enthusiasm and loyalty. A combination of Listing Site Independence and the Theory of Limited Edition.
If you are a creator — say an artist, musician, author — and you can get 1000 “true fans” to support your work by buying $100 worth of what you create every year, you’d earn $100,000 per year.
This sounds like a get-rich-quick scheme. But it is not. It’s a get-a-good-income-slowly approach. Yes, it requires real work. But once you’ve built up those 1000 “true fans,” you are free to live as an independent creator earning good money making what you love. 1000 True Fans is a blog post that I’ve probably read 10 times per year, every year since it was published back in 2008 (it has since become a book).
“A true fan is defined as a fan that will buy anything you produce,” the author Kevin Kelly explains.
We as vacation rental professionals are creators too. We create environments for friends, families, and loved ones to create memories.
And we have “true fans!” Our repeat guests who stay year after year — who recommend us to friends and family. They will buy the credit voucher in the low season; they will try the new restaurant you recommend; they will pay what you ask (so long as it’s of good value).
And our average “true fans” (or should we call them, “true guests”) spend more than $100 — they spend hundreds and in some cases thousands of dollars to support our work.
So how many true guests do you need to make a good living?
50? 100? 1000? (please share below!)
The answer will be different for every vacation rental archetype because of location, property count, and personal/financial goals.
Once you estimate your target number of true guests, ask questions by zeroing-in on the activities that make the most impact:
If you are a creator — say an artist, musician, author — and you can get 1000 “true fans” to support your work by buying $100 worth of what you create every year, you’d earn $100,000 per year.
This sounds like a get-rich-quick scheme. But it is not. It’s a get-a-good-income-slowly approach. Yes, it requires real work. But once you’ve built up those 1000 “true fans,” you are free to live as an independent creator earning good money making what you love. 1000 True Fans is a blog post that I’ve probably read 10 times per year, every year since it was published back in 2008 (it has since become a book).
“A true fan is defined as a fan that will buy anything you produce,” the author Kevin Kelly explains.
We as vacation rental professionals are creators too. We create environments for friends, families, and loved ones to create memories.
And we have “true fans!” Our repeat guests who stay year after year — who recommend us to friends and family. They will buy the credit voucher in the low season; they will try the new restaurant you recommend; they will pay what you ask (so long as it’s of good value).
And our average “true fans” (or should we call them, “true guests”) spend more than $100 — they spend hundreds and in some cases thousands of dollars to support our work.
So how many true guests do you need to make a good living?
50? 100? 1000? (please share below!)
The answer will be different for every vacation rental archetype because of location, property count, and personal/financial goals.
Once you estimate your target number of true guests, ask questions by zeroing-in on the activities that make the most impact:
- What must happen for me to turn a listing site inquiry (stranger) into a true guest?
- Do your true guests pay you directly? Or are there fees?
- How much money can I afford to spend on a special gift or parting thought for a true guest?
- How much time can I afford to allocate to any question or comment in order to cultivate a true guest?
- What communication mediums (tools) and techniques (practices) forge the best relationships of true guests?
- What kinds of stories resonate the most with true guests?
- What services preserve my income from my true guests?
- What other questions can achieve your target # of true guests (please share below)
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