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Get paid to travel
Step-by-step guide to landing AirBnb paid partnerships
Hello, I'm Shannon Marie.
I'm a Brand Expert, Entrepreneur, Content Creator, and World Traveler with 15+ years in Brand Strategy, including NIKE. I'm here to share insights with Brands & Creators to build and scale your business.
Are you ready to start getting FREE accommodations and paid collaborations with Airbnb?
Within 48 hours of implementing the strategy I'm about to share, I secured four Airbnb collaborations, all while having just moved to a foreign country.
I had never reached out to Airbnb hosts before. I had only been in Thailand for two weeks. And I only had one travel UGC video in my portfolio.
Stop struggling with where to start or what to do, and start working with Airbnb hosts this week.
If I can do it. You can do it!
Ok ready to dive in? I going to share every single step I took to land my Airbnb partnerships.
So grab your pen and paper, and let's get you on your way to landing your first Airbnb partnership!
Step 1: Planning
Every great outcome comes from an amazing plan. So, before reaching out to Airbnb hosts, you want to do as much research as possible.
Airbnb Research
First, you want to log in to your Airbnb account and make sure you have a professional-looking profile pic.
Then, enter your target destination into the search bar and choose a random couple of days in the future that is most likely open. PRO TIP: I select mid-week dates and ensure they are not before, during, or right after a holiday. If searching in a foreign country, look up their unique holiday calendar.
Once the search results come back, filter by "Entire Home" and ensure the homes you browse are unique or stand out. Look for homes with low reviews, as these are the ones you want to target.
Social Media Research
Now it's time to look for this property on social media. Look to see if they have an Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook page for their getaway.
If they have social media, what are they doing well? What is lacking? What can you improve to help them grow? What platforms are they not on yet that they could benefit from?
Google Research
Search the name of their getaway to see if they come up on any other websites. Are there other homestay websites they could be using? Is there something you can do to help them start showing up there?
Step 2: Pitching
If you'd like to use my exact pitch template that closed four deals in 48 hours click here:
Now that you're ready to pitch, here are the things you want to keep in mind.
Demonstrate your knowledge of their unique home in the first sentence.
Introduce yourself.
Make them a custom offer for video + photos.
Let them know how this offer will add value and help them grow.
Closing sentence with next steps.
Include all this and make the pitch feel personal in as few words as possible.
Step 3: Mood Board
Ok, you just got your first response to say they are interested! Now what? It's time to create a mood board.
The main purpose of your mood board is to tell a visual story and bring your content vision to life. It is important to know where you want your ideas placed and for what purpose.
How to create your mood board.
Look through Pinterest or google images to find photos of homes that look similar to the Airbnb you want to pitch to.
Select the images that represent your content style and what you'd like to create for them.
Open Canva and search Mood Boards. Select a template you like and add the photos you selected for that specific Airbnb.
Reply to your host and let them know you'd like to meet in person to discuss the next steps. Send them the mood board you made for them.
Step 4: Gifted vs. Paid
The question is simple: Do you have an extensive travel portfolio to share with hosts to demonstrate your style and value? If no, you must first start with a gifted partnership. If yes, you can charge.
And let's keep it real, a gifted collaboration is free accommodations in exchange for content - and there are tons of content creators living and traveling just using this!
If you're just starting out, partner with 4-6 Airbnb's to build your experience and portfolio. This is a huge opportunity to learn and grow, doing something you love while staying at beautiful destinations.
Once you've built out your travel portfolio, you can start charging.
Step 5: Close the Deal
Now that you've got your first Airbnb host interested in working with you, it's time to close the deal.
Discuss the target dates with the host and determine what works best for them. Be flexible and easy to work with. If they have more than one property, determine which one you'd like to focus on and refer to your mood board. Let them know your process and timing for the content you create.
Answer any questions they have and send them a contract if you're doing a paid partnership. Once the contract is signed, you are good to go!
Step 6: Prepping for your Stay
Ok, you just landed your first Airbnb client, how do you prep?
Before your stay, put together your to-do list. Use your mood board to determine if you need to bring any props.
Ask your client if there is anything they'd like you to focus on or need specifically. PRO TIP: I send my clients a Google Form with all the questions I have, just like a content brief, to add the most value and make the best content possible.
Step 7: You're a Travel Creator!
You did it! Make sure to update your portfolio website to include the new content you create so you can refer to it for future Airbnb or hotel partnerships.