5 Topics to Cover when Meeting with a Potential AirBnB Partner
Hello! If you’ve been following along, then you’ve read all about how to find potential AirBnB partners. If you’d like to see those first three steps, you can find them here:
Alright...let’s get back to it! You’ve found some potential partners...yay! Now it’s time to prepare for that first meeting. There are FIVE main topics you want to be sure you cover when you meet with them.
{TOPIC ONE: What + how you’ll be paid as a Designer}
Do you remember back in STEP ONE, when we hashed out how important it is for you to make these decisions from the very beginning? Now you know why, friend! It’s super important to have this all sorted out so you’re ready to go when it’s time to start forming partnerships. So take those decisions you made with you and be clear about what you need to be paid for your design services and how you’d like to be paid. If you need a little refresher, hop over to that blog post.
{TOPIC TWO: What + how you’ll be paid as a Host}
And again..I have to refer back to STEP ONE, friend! You also made some big decisions about how you’d prefer to be paid as a HOST. Now’s your chance to make that clear and set a good foundation for residual income. Some home owners/real estate investors have their own set of expectations for host payments. You may need to be prepared for a little bit of negotiation here. But don’t bend too much. Make sure you know your margins and that you’ll be compensated appropriately for your time and services. It’s never a bad idea to make sure both parties are open to re-negotiations as things get rolling. You may feel like you need to revisit your pay...keep that door open as much as possible.
{TOPIC THREE: Get clear on THEIR vision for the space}
Hopefully you’re able to meet with them in the actual space they want to have designed and hosted. But if not, ask to see photos or ask for a virtual tour. Once you’ve seen the space, ask them if they have any ideas about how they’d like it to be set up as an AirBnB. Chances are, they won’t have any ideas...that’s why they’re meeting with you! But if they do have ideas, you for sure want to hear them and do your best to honor them.
For example, someone I worked with wanted each bedroom to have a chair...wanted to make sure we used only queen beds and had some special items from a local artist they wanted incorporated into the design. So I made accommodations for all of those things and it came together beautifully. The owner was happy, I felt great about the finished product and our guests loved it! Win-win-win!
{TOPIC FOUR: Share YOUR vision for the space}
Now’s your time to shine, friend! Share your vision for their space....what furniture pieces you think might be necessary and where they should go? What color scheme or theme or design style you think would be best?...go for it! It can sometimes help to pull Pinterest up on your phone/iPad and look at some examples together.
Pro Tip: Take some time to set up some boards on your Pinterest account that represent some of your favorite design vibes. This will really help when you’re in the moment and the owner is looking at things with you. You’ll have a board for that specific design theme or part of the house (ie: a board for AirBnB Bedrooms, AirBnB Bathrooms, AirBnB Kitchens…you get the idea) right at your fingertips and can effortlessly share your inspiration.
Let’s be PINTEREST friends!
If you’re looking for ideas for how to set up your inspiration boards for AirBnB design, check out how I’ve got mine arranged. I hope it helps!
If you like my boards, maybe you’d like to follow me. It would be fun to connect over on Pinterest!
{TOPIC FIVE: Clarify NEXT STEPS}
There are lots of things to consider...here are a few things you don’t want to miss when you’re clarifying next steps:
How long the design phase will take (give yourself a week or two more than you think you’ll need...trust me)
Agree upon a budget. If you need help with ballpark prices for the space, check out this infographic below where I’ve shared an average cost per room...based on my experience.
Will they provide you funds upfront to pay for the items purchased, or will you collect receipts and be reimbursed?
How would they like for expenses to be recorded? I use Google sheets and share it with the homeowner right away, so they’re in the loop as I’m recording design expenses
Will they give you access to the space while you are working? Will there be set times or will you be able to access it as needed? Is there a SmartLock, or will you need a key?
Who will take photos? Recommend a photographer you trust.
The list could go on, but I think those are the high points. There will absolutely be things that come up...that need further discussion...after you meet with them. But, you want this first meeting to go as smoothly as possible and cover as many bases as possible so you can get to shopping and create a beautiful space!
{But WHAT IF?}
I have this little feeling that you’re wondering: What if they need time to decide and don’t hire me on the spot? I hear you. I am writing this post from the positive perspective that they WILL hire you on the spot and you’ll be busy designing in no time. However, if that’s not the case, you will have made your intentions very clear and set healthy expectations. You will have given them a great vision for the space and provided an idea for what the cost would be. Don’t second guess yourself. The RIGHT partner is out there. And if they don’t choose to partner with you, it’s because they weren’t the right one. And you want the right one, trust me. Keep at it...don’t compromise and you’ll find the best fit for you. I just know it.
Well, friends…that’s all I have for now!
Stay tuned for the next post where we’ll dig more into how to set a realistic budget for the space. Talk soon!
Are you looking for resources to help you get your Short Term Rental business started? One thing you’ll need for sure is a reliable checklist so you have all the essentials for your guest!
I’ve got you covered! Download my FREE essentials checklist. This is the exact list I use to make sure all my spaces are ready!
