5-Step Marketing Blueprint For Your Short-Term Rental

If you have kids (we don't), you’ve probably been to a restaurant where there’s a kids’ play area. And if you don’t have kids, you’ve probably seen one and knew exactly what it was for.

The same principle applies to designing spaces in your Airbnb.

You want to create a space that is comfortable and inviting for your target guest. Something that they will immediately recognize as catered to their specific needs.

This is upstream from the layout of your space, the furniture, the color scheme, and even the location of certain amenities like the television or the coffee maker.

Here again, the design of your space will have downstream effects on your marketing strategy, because your photos are only going to be as good as the scene you set up for them, and your listing description will only be able to make things sound as appealing as they actually are in real life.

Honestly, interior design is not our strongest suit, so we really struggled with this in the beginning.

Had we not rushed to get our listing published when we first began our hosting journey, Sheila could have spent the time to really think this through and make our space better attuned to our target guests (something we really regret, in hindsight).

For some of you, this will be easier because you have a natural eye for design or you’re willing to invest in the help of a professional.

But for those who aren’t quite as confident in this area, do some research on popular Airbnb designs and see what trends or common denominators stand out.

The main thing to keep in mind is that everything (everything!) we do revolves around our target guest. So design your space with them in mind, and it will make everything else easier.

For example, if you’re targeting business travelers, you might want to consider having a desk or workspace featured prominently in your listing - all designed to have easy access to outlets for charging laptops and phones.

If you’re targeting families, you might want to have a separate play area for kids with toys and games. You might even want to consider having two sets of dishes – one for kids and one for adults.

Once you have an idea of what that is, you can start to design your space accordingly.

How you design your space will have a direct impact on how well your photos will turn out when you take them.

While you don’t have to hire an interior designer, we recommend at least getting to know the basics of design and how to create a cohesive look in your space.

Think about turning your property into some kind of “theme.”

Interior design is sort of like an ecosystem within an ecosystem.

The better you design your space, the better your listing photos will turn out, the more compelling your listing description can be, and the more your space can affect the mood and overall experience of your guests.

That is the the system at the Macro (or larger) level, but there is also smaller, micro system as well.

(More about that later.)

The actual style or “theme” of your space, and how it works together.

There are many names for the different types of design styles such as modern, minimalist, rustic, bohemian, etc.

You don’t have to limit yourself to just one style or theme, but it’s important to make sure that all of the individual elements within your space work together cohesively in order to create a visually pleasing atmosphere for potential guests.

The “rules” of interior decorating can be divided into three main categories: balance, rhythm, and emphasis.

Balance refers to the distribution of visual weight in a room, whether it be through furniture placement or the use of colors.

Rhythm is achieved by repeating elements throughout the space to create flow and movement.

And emphasis is drawing attention to certain key features in your space that you want to stand out.

To make this process more streamlined, predefined styles have emerged, similar to a “template” whereby all you have to do is fill in the blanks with your own personal touches and desired elements.

Another would be Minimalistic, where the focus is on clean lines, neutral tones, and open space.

Perhaps the most extreme examples, and arguably some of the most successful, come in the form of cultural or fantasy themes.

As a kid, Benjamin always wanted to be like Indiana Jones, exploring exotic locations and discovering lost treasures (and getting into firefights by sword wielding opponents.)

So imagine how a “Lost Treasure” themed property, complete with vintage maps, antique trinkets, and even a treasure chest filled with fun surprises for guests, might be a huge hit for families with children.

Within this dynamic, you have yet another sub-system…the theme within a theme, if you will.

Having a Unicorn/Star Wars/Indiana Jones themed interior design represents the customer avatar, their interests, and also sets the tone for their overall experience.

But the technicalities of how everything is put together still must follow the principles of balance, rhythm, and emphasis in order to create a successful and pleasing design.

Living in Washington state, we have a high concentration of tech companies and young, trendy professionals.

In that case, a sleek, modern design with pops of vibrant colors and high-tech gadgets would be more in line with that target audience.

And knowing that most of the travelers in our area actually come from Seattle, a Seahawks football theme in a modern or industrial design could be something that appeals to a much broader audience, should that be our target audience.

In the end, it’s important to remember that your space should reflect who you are and what your target audience desires.

And it’s important to nail this before proceeding, because it’s going to directly affect the next step within our marketing ecosystem…

…which we’ll discuss next.

- Benjamin & Sheila Harty
Skyline STR