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[00:00:01] Sarah: Hello. Welcome back for another great episode. My name is Sarah Karakaian.

[00:00:05] Annette: I am Annette Grant. And together we are–

[00:00:07] Both Annette & Sarah: Thanks for Visiting.

[00:00:08] Sarah: And this is the–

[00:00:09] Both Annette & Sarah: Hosting Hotline.

[00:00:10] Sarah: If you want to get your hosting questions answered here on the Hosting Hotline, all you have to do is go to hostinghotline.com. Ask your question just like Shaina did. 

[00:00:19] Question: Hello, Annette and Sarah. Thanks so much for all your work on the podcast. You’ve really helped me launch my first Airbnb. I have a quick question related to bedding. So in the summertime, I have some light quilts, and going into winter, I was thinking about switching to duvet with duvet covers. I’m wondering if you think we would need to update the listing photos because right now we have colorful quilts, and we’re going to possibly be switching out to white duvet covers. Let me know what you think. Thank you.

[00:00:55] Sarah: I love the attention to detail, Shaina. And Annette and I are always a fan of when a guest walks in, they’re like, “Oh yes, this is the rental I booked. This looks exactly like it.” And you might think that, not you Shaina, but you in general might think that they may not pay attention to a small detail, like the bedding is different.

[00:01:19] But in today’s short-term rental market where Airbnb removed some 200,000 listings because they were subpar and the trust of short-term rentals is wonky because we had some pretty bad operators during that COVID rush of drivable destinations, I think it would be beneficial, Shaina, for you to, yes, take photos of the changed bedding.

[00:01:45] Annette: And I love the thought of bringing in the duvets during the winter. I don’t know exactly where you’re located, but if it is cooler weather, I know that we’ve had that several, several times. Your guest does not want to be cold when they’re sleeping. So bringing in those duvets. And duvets really do look luxurious.

[00:02:05] They make the bed look fluffy and inviting. Not that quilts don’t, but they just definitely have a different feel in photos. They absolutely have a different feel when you’re in bed too. But what we love about this, Shaina, is this is an opportunity to do a photo refresh. This is a great time.

[00:02:23] Bring in those duvets. And I’m sure there’s maybe something else you’ve refreshed in your home. Or if not, maybe it’s a time to get some photos of people in the home, if you don’t have any of those. How are your guests using the home? Now that you’re a host and you’ve got some reviews, what are your guests bringing up in the reviews? Do you have specific photos of those moments or those items or amenities that they’re speaking of?

[00:02:50] Also, if you are bringing this in during the colder months, maybe you have some holiday decor that’s up, and that’s another opportunity for you to get some photos of that if you’ve decided to decorate during the winter holiday season.

[00:03:05] But I think that the refresh is great. And if they are that distinctly different, I absolutely do think you should take photos for your guests. And this is a great opportunity to bring in a photographer and get a refresh, just like you’re refreshing your beds. Why are you doing that? So Shaina, I really want you to think of your why there.

[00:03:25] Your why is for your guest. And the only way guests find us is through our photos. So if you’re going to take the time and money and energy and labor to refresh the beds, you should absolutely make that same investment in refreshing the photos.

[00:03:42] Sarah: And you could think of it like this too, Shaina. Maybe nothing else is changing. It’s just the beds. Maybe you don’t want to get involved with redecorating for the fall season, the winter season, or for a specific holiday, but maybe your original photos were taken during the day. And so this time you could take some twilight photos.

[00:03:58] Annette: Ooh, that’s a really good idea.

[00:04:00] Sarah: More moodier photos. Maybe you have the photographer come right before the sun sets so that obviously the room has really nice natural light, and they hang around when that sun sets a little earlier and maybe you get some different moodier different time of day shots that you don’t yet have and you can add that to your collection.

[00:04:19] Also, for anyone out there thinking Shaina’s cray for changing from quilts to duvets because in the house we have control of temperature, I get that. But also, what Shaina knows and what some people might not know is just that feeling of it being colder and having something fluffier and heavier on you, even if the temperature of the home is consistent with whatever that is, 69, 70, 72 degrees.

[00:04:47] It is that feeling of embracing the season you’re in and having those linens reflect that– is a mental thing. I don’t know how else to explain it, but it is absolutely true. And the best of the best hospitality gurus know that you can absolutely tap into that psychology of it being colder and getting cozier with some really fluffy, comfy bedding.

[00:05:09] Annette: Absolutely. We do that in our own homes. I have summer and spring sheets. Man, back in the day, I used to use the flannel, like warm, warm, sheets. Even my throw blankets at my house are different in the spring and summer than the fall and winter. So again, do onto others. That’s how you want to treat your guests.

[00:05:28] And I bet you, if we all think through, we do have different things that we enjoy on our beds and hanging out in our homes that are different in the spring and summer than in the fall and winter. So Shaina, we say, full steam ahead. Make it happen. Get those duvets. Get those new photos, and let us know how it goes.

[00:05:49] Sarah: With that, I am Sarah Karakaian.

[00:05:51] Annette: I am Annette Grant. And together we are–

[00:05:53] Both Annette & Sarah: Thanks for Visiting.

[00:05:54] Sarah: Talk to you next time.