If you’re an Airbnb host, you probably already know the frustration: you put in the effort to create a stunning listing, maintain five-star reviews, and deliver amazing guest experiences, only to see Airbnb take a big commission on every booking. Worse yet, Airbnb keeps control of your guest relationships—meaning repeat guests often come back through the platform instead of booking directly with you.
The good news? With the right outbound marketing strategies, you can take control of your guest relationships, nurture repeat stays, and increase direct bookings without paying Airbnb’s hefty service fees. In this article, we’ll break down the top five ways to use outbound marketing to previous guests so you can build loyalty, reduce reliance on Airbnb, and grow your short-term rental business sustainably.
Direct bookings aren’t just about saving money on Airbnb’s commissions. They also:
Build guest loyalty by creating a personal relationship with travelers.
Boost your profit margins (no OTA fees means more cash in your pocket).
Give you control over your brand, pricing, and policies.
Improve cash flow through flexible payment options and lower overhead.
Create long-term value since your guest database is an appreciating asset.
Outbound marketing—meaning you proactively reaching out to past guests instead of waiting for them to find you—is one of the most powerful, underutilized tools Airbnb hosts have at their disposal. Let’s dive into the top five ways to do it.
If you want to increase direct bookings, email is the foundation. According to HubSpot, email marketing generates an average ROI of $36 for every $1 spent, making it one of the highest-performing channels in digital marketing.
Here’s how Airbnb hosts can leverage it:
Since Airbnb masks guest email addresses, you need to get creative:
Share a digital welcome guide or guest portal that requires an email to access.
Offer perks like early check-in notifications, local recommendations, or future discounts in exchange for an email sign-up.
Provide free WiFi that requires an email login (a common hotel tactic).
Not all guests are equal. Some may be business travelers, while others are families or couples. Segmenting your list allows you to send personalized campaigns—for example, “Bring the kids back for a summer beach trip” vs. “Perfect remote work stay with fast WiFi.”
Use an email marketing tool (like Mailchimp, Klaviyo, or a hospitality-specific CRM such as Yada.ai) to automate follow-ups:
Thank-you email: Send 2–3 days after check-out.
Seasonal promotions: Invite them back for high-demand dates.
Loyalty offers: Provide discounts for returning guests.
When done right, email campaigns become your #1 driver of repeat stays, ensuring previous guests never forget about you.
While email is powerful, SMS is personal. Open rates for SMS campaigns exceed 90%, compared to ~20% for email. If you want to increase direct bookings quickly, SMS can drive immediate action.
Travelers are often on-the-go, checking messages more than email.
SMS creates a feeling of exclusivity and urgency (“limited availability for next weekend!”).
Great for last-minute bookings and flash deals.
Like emails, Airbnb won’t hand you guest phone numbers directly. You can capture them by:
Offering concierge-style texting during their stay.
Providing property updates, check-in help, or customer service via SMS (with permission).
Encouraging opt-ins via your guest portal, website, or WiFi sign-up.
Keep it short & clear (160 characters or less).
Use personalization (“Hi Sarah, ready for another mountain getaway?”).
Create urgency with time-sensitive offers.
Always include a direct booking link.
Outbound SMS campaigns are especially powerful when paired with email, reinforcing your brand and ensuring guests always have a reminder in their pocket.
Hotels have long relied on loyalty programs to drive repeat stays—and now, Airbnb hosts can adopt the same playbook. A simple loyalty system can dramatically increase direct bookings by rewarding guests for skipping Airbnb next time.
Guests feel valued and recognized.
Discounts encourage direct bookings without lowering your perceived brand value.
You build a reason for guests to stay loyal to you, not Airbnb.
Stay 5 nights, get 1 free (perfect for long-term stays).
Exclusive direct booking discount (e.g., 10% off for repeat guests).
Referral rewards: Offer a discount if they refer a friend who books directly.
VIP perks: Free bottle of wine, early check-in, or waived cleaning fee.
A guest CRM like Yada.ai can automatically track stays, assign points, and apply discounts on future direct bookings. This means less manual tracking for you and a smoother experience for guests.
Outbound marketing campaigns (email + SMS) become even stronger when backed by a rewards system—reminding guests they’re leaving free perks on the table if they don’t rebook directly.
One of the most underrated outbound strategies for Airbnb hosts is retargeting ads. With Facebook, Instagram, and Google, you can serve ads specifically to previous website visitors or email subscribers—ensuring your past guests always see your property when planning their next trip.
Guests already know you and trust your property.
The cost per click is much lower than cold traffic.
You reinforce brand awareness over Airbnb listings.
Install a Facebook Pixel or Google Tag on your direct booking website.
Run dynamic ads featuring your property photos and seasonal offers.
Target past visitors who didn’t book—or past guests who already converted.
Platforms like Facebook allow you to upload your guest email list and create “lookalike audiences”—people with similar demographics and travel behavior to your past guests. This expands your outbound marketing reach beyond existing guests while staying highly relevant.
When done right, retargeting creates a feedback loop: guests book once on Airbnb, you capture their details, and then you keep re-engaging them until they start booking directly.
The final—and perhaps most powerful—outbound marketing tactic is personalization. Today’s travelers expect more than generic promotions. They want to feel like you remember them and value their preferences.
Pay attention to:
Purpose of stay (family vacation, business trip, honeymoon).
Preferred amenities (hot tub, pet-friendly, fast WiFi).
Travel patterns (did they visit during summer? holidays?).
Email subject line: “Ready for another ski trip, John?”
SMS message: “Our cabin is open this Christmas—perfect for another family reunion!”
Loyalty promo: “Since you booked our lake house last July, here’s 15% off for next summer.”
Instead of spreadsheets, use a property management CRM that automatically stores guest preferences and stay history. This way, outbound campaigns are tailored without adding extra workload.
Personalization turns your outbound marketing from “spammy” into hospitality-driven communication, which is what guests truly appreciate.
Outbound marketing isn’t about one-off campaigns—it’s about building a flywheel:
Guest books through Airbnb.
You capture their contact info through a guidebook, portal, or WiFi.
You add them to your email + SMS list.
You nurture them with loyalty rewards and personalized offers.
You run retargeting ads to stay top-of-mind.
Guest rebooks directly, saving you money and strengthening your brand.
The cycle repeats, and over time, your direct booking percentage grows—meaning Airbnb becomes just an acquisition channel, not your lifeline.
Airbnb has been an incredible tool for getting short-term rentals off the ground, but long-term success comes from owning the guest relationship. By using outbound marketing strategies like email, SMS, loyalty programs, retargeting ads, and personalized campaigns, you can increase direct bookings, reduce dependence on OTAs, and turn your rental into a sustainable business.
The best part? Outbound marketing doesn’t just save you money on fees—it helps you build a brand that guests trust and come back to year after year.
If you’re ready to implement these strategies, start small: collect emails, send a thank-you note, and build from there. Every guest you convert from Airbnb to direct booking is a step toward independence and higher profitability.
Want to take your direct booking strategy to the next level?
Check out Yada.ai—a guest CRM and marketing automation tool designed specifically for short-term rentals and hotels. With built-in email, SMS, loyalty programs, and guest portals, it’s the fastest way to scale your outbound marketing and maximize direct bookings.