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Category: Getting Started
By: James Wu
Reply by Emily Chen:
The honest answer: most guests won't read a 4-page manual. Here's what works: 1. **Digital guidebook sent via automated message** — Hospitable (https://hospitable.com) sends my guidebook link at check-in. It's a mobile-friendly webpage, not a PDF. Guests actually open it because it's on their phone. 2. **Physical "quick reference" card** — One laminated card on the kitchen counter with ONLY the essentials: WiFi password, checkout time, trash day, emergency contact. That's it. Not a manual — a cheat sheet. 3. **Labels on everything** — I literally label the thermostat ("Set to 72 for comfort"), the TV remote ("Press this button for Netflix"), and the coffee maker ("Pods in left drawer"). Guests don't need to read a manual if the answers are right where they're looking. 4. **Automated messages for critical info** — Checkout instructions sent the night before. Check-in instructions sent 2 hours before arrival. Don't rely on the manual for time-sensitive info. I used https://strspecialist.com/tools/house-manual-generator to build my digital guidebook — it covers all the sections guests actually care about and the format is way more scannable than a printed document.
Reply by David Okafor:
I switched from a printed manual to a QR code taped to the fridge that links to a Notion page. My "manual read rate" went from ~10% to ~60% based on the click tracking. The difference: guests will scan a QR code on their phone but won't pick up and read a printed booklet. Meet them where they are. The Notion page has collapsible sections so guests only expand what they need. WiFi, TV, appliances, local restaurants, checkout — each is a 2-3 line section they can click into.