Rave-Worthy Rentals: Branding, Design & Marketing Magic with Steph Weber

Rave-Worthy Rentals blog
By The Hospitable Team

In this episode of the Hospitable Hosts podcast, we're diving deep into the world of short-term rentals with a true expert in creating unforgettable guest experiences. Our special guest is Steph Weber, founder of The Weber Co., a company that helps hosts transform their properties into sought-after destinations through strategic branding, impactful design, and savvy marketing. Steph is also a hands-on host, using Hospitable to streamline operations and maximize bookings.

An expert in branding and marketing for STRs, Steph shares her tips on how to build a brand strategy that resonates with your ideal guests, market your rental property, and keep it consistently booked.

Press play now to learn how to elevate your property to differentiate it from the competition, create the experience your guests will rave about, and set your business for long-term success.

If you prefer to read the highlights, we've got a summary of the key takeaways below.


How Steph Started Her Branding and Marketing Business for STRs

At the beginning of the conversation, Steph pointed out that she started her business as a fashion, beauty, and travel influencer and worked with many hotel brands. In 2019, she pivoted her business, The Weber Co. "to branding and marketing strategy for small businesses and entrepreneurs." She worked with business owners from different industries, helping them scale and grow their brands.

In 2023, when Steph was pregnant with her second son, she and her husband decided it was "the perfect time to get into short-term rentals." So they bought their first property in Indianapolis, where they live, and started a co-hosting business simultaneously.

"I have this decade-long career of branding and marketing knowledge and experience that parallels and works well in the short-term rental industry. And there's a huge need in this industry. And the bridge was designed."

Steph says that The Weber Co. now provides branding, design, and marketing services to short-term rental and boutique hotel owners. They're also building their micro resort, Cabins on the Cumberland. "So we have our hands in literally every possible pot in the short-term rental industry," she underlines.

Some of the Biggest Branding Mistakes STR Owners Make

Steph thinks that short-term rental owners' biggest mistake is that they do nothing to build their brand. "It's like, we'll list our property on Airbnb and Vrbo. And that's great, you guys. And I'm certainly not saying to leave them tomorrow. But I am saying: have control over your brand and business," Steph emphasizes.

Steph believes branding and marketing strategies are crucial for those building their portfolios and expanding to have multiple properties under their umbrella. "It is non-negotiable for you to build and establish your brand because that's what guests are loyal to. And then, if you're not marketing that brand, guests don't know about you, and the recognition and loyalty aren't there. The trust isn't there for them to be able to make that booking decision with you. It all has to work together."

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Identifying Your Ideal Guests

Steph points out that branding starts with identifying your ideal guest avatar and two sub-audiences you can target. If you already have a property, you can copy and paste the reviews left by your guests into ChatGPT and prompt it to outline your ideal guest avatar based on these reviews.

You need demographic, psychographic, and behavioral information. Potentially, you should determine their pain points and deepest desires. This will help you develop a brand strategy and messaging for your ideal guest avatar.

"Everything with branding is about connecting to our audiences on an emotional level when they're coming to our properties. They're not just looking for a place to hang out or crash; they're looking for the story that will be cultivated."

Differentiating Your Property from Competition

Steph emphasizes that branding and design go hand in hand. "We identify those brand stories and want to be incredibly intentional about incorporating them into the design."

When you put specific pieces in your space, always consider how they contribute to the overall story and feeling you want to create inside your property. There are also certain ways to differentiate yourself based on your market. So, Steph recommends doing market research to "personally feel and see the properties that are doing best."

If you don't have a big budget, Steph recommends elevating your property's brand and design with "thoughtful little touches that cost minimally to us but make a big difference for guests."

Using Hospitable

Regarding how Hospitable helps her with the guest experience, Steph reveals that they selected this software because of its "incredibly robust" guest messaging features. She also loves Hospitable's review management feature, which allows her to automate sending review reminders and use AI to draft reviews and review replies for her.

"Each of our properties is unique in its way. And so, we have different check-in instructions for each property. And it was so easy for me to set those up, use the shortcodes and custom codes you have as part of the platform, and ensure those automated messages are sent from me," Steph explains.

She says that Hospitable's automated messages save her many hours a week. "And it's a better guest experience," Steph underlines.

Tune in to the full episode of the Hospitable Hosts podcast to discover actionable branding and marketing strategies that will help you attract your best guests.

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In this e-book, we cover: Decisions to make and things to check before you start. How to prepare your property for short-term rental. Setting the ground to stand out from the crowd. Admin work. Assembling a team. Not putting all eggs in one basket. Your daily operations. Mastering communication with your guests. Getting the 5-Star review after all that hard work.
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