Casa-Cast

It's the KasaCast, created by KasaGo.

It's time for the show, let's go!

. Kelsey has been with the
company now for about 10 months.

. She started the special business unit
of homeowner acquisition and marketing.

Kelsey's successfully grown the
special business units, , to

a very healthy part of Casago.

. She helps a lot of our partners find
success in growing their inventory.

Welcome Kelsey.

Thank you for having me.

Excited to be here.

Kelsey, we originally met at Keystone
Retreats in, , Nashville at our

first event that Matt and I put on.

what was that, 2022?

Yeah.

And you saved our hides when our
original Event coordinator fell

out the last minute and you came
in and kept the machine running.

And through that, we became friends and
you picked up the ball and ran with it.

Yep.

Good time.

That's what a budget will do.

That's what a budget will do.

That's right.

Kelsey, you're originally
from Colorado, right?

Yep.

Yep, born, well, actually I was
born in North Carolina, but since I

was four, raised in Denver and then
went to college at Colorado State

University and graduated there in
2017 and then moved here to Nashville.

Did you meet your husband Josh in Colorado
or did you meet him after college?

After college, we met here in Nashville.

Okay.

Yeah, he, I think he moved here around
2018, like basically a year after I moved

here, he moved here, but we didn't meet
till 2020 . So you guys met during COVID.

Yeah.

. That's a good time.

Started dating and then
got married like what?

13 months after that.

. So a short engagement, so now Josh travels
around as the drummer in a band Yeah.

For a famous Christian singer.

Right.

Can you tell us a little bit about that?

His name's Ryan Stevenson.

I don't, he's one of those that he
has a lot of well known songs, but I

think his labeled in Doom Justice and
putting a lot of marketing behind him

so that people would know that that
is who is the singer of those songs.

But yeah, he's got a lot of well known
songs and they travel around COVID.

Since COVID, they got off a bunch of arena
tours and decided to, since it all was

shut down and they wanted to play music,
they got bought a van and loaded all their

gear and was playing backyards all over
the country and have continued doing that.

Now it's more churches
and stuff like that.

Theaters.

But yeah they tour all over.

He's a traveling machine., And
you have a claim to fame of

having 8 million views on YouTube.

I'll clarify that.

Josh, my husband, he is loves guns.

He is just he studies them a lot.

He watches a lot of videos.

. . And he started a YouTube
channel just for fun.

And he had just ordered
a what is it called?

Just a thing of ammo, and
it came in this wooden box.

And he asked me to record him
un opening it, unveiling it.

And there, I guess it
was strapped in steel.

And I just made some comments
about like, Use scissors!

And he was like, That's steel,
I can't use scissors on this.

And I was like, Anyway, so,
my, just my commentary on it.

That video ended up, I think it
has over 10 million views now.

He didn't get to monetize it.

It just too much time went past.

But that would be my claim
to fame is having my voice.

There's comments people
commented all on the video, like,

laughing at my commentary, so.

I don't have any other
fame other than that.

. Well, we all know you

\ .
And today we're talking about seven
tips to help you grow your inventory.

And this is really relevant because
this is what you do for Costco

and for our partners, right?

Right?

It is.

It's exactly what I do.

When starting this program, I guess you
could say, we were starting from scratch.

.And now we're built up to about 14.

And just figuring out being new to the
industry, the vacation rental industry.

I have marketing and like music and
events, weddings, retreats, stuff

like that, but new to the vacation
rental industry just learning from

the market representatives that
I'm working with from the partners,

learning a lot about their market, it.

And what the pain points are, what
their homeowners really value.

And maybe what is lacking in other
companies in their area and what

we can speak to in those strengths.

So Kelsey for number one, you have, , Have
a local feel with personal touches.

How do our partners do that?

Yeah.

I really love this because there's
a lot of generality out there.

There's these big national brands that
like their marketing is just very stale.

They have a lot of it.

But it's just very stale and
there's not really like that

local touch or local feel.

, and that is one of Costco's strengths.

, I know all of our partners really hold
a lot of value in their business, in

who they are, what makes them Different
being with Costco, who does have the

national reach, but also that local field.

That's really the heart of
the point about all this.

So touching on that and
utilizing that in your marketing.

And so some of the things that we do
in the markets that I work with is

showcasing, Them, the, a photo of them or
their team or whether it's a husband and

wife or just them solo or the entire team.

We, I always like to have some sort of
photo that puts a face to the company.

That way they it's a little more
o welcoming and it just feels

like it's a little more personal.

And so when somebody calls they, they may.

Now they know who they're talking
to they have that like face rather

than just like a logo or . So that, I
think that local feel and then always

putting local boots on the ground 24
seven support, like always putting that

in your marketing , I think it makes
people feel like it's not just you're,

they're not just lost in the mix, right.

. Yeah, I actually saw an article one
time talking about how when you put

the face of a real person, not like
some model, but like a real person on

the website, and especially around the
contact area, the trust in the website

doubles for those who are going there.

And I think what you're talking about
is a perfect example of when you put

people's faces, when you talk about the
local person who's actually on the ground,

somebody who they're going to speak to.

Right.

I mean, we put it on our websites
and we put it, I mean, even think

about your experiences with guests,

?
, it's all about personal
touches with guests.

And I know Henderson personally
does really well with this.

So why wouldn't you also
do that in your marketing?

Any, anything you can do to build trust
in marketing, I think is super important.

Yeah, that's really good advice.

So for number two, you said identify
the known pain points for homeowners

and address those solutions.

Yeah, I kind of mentioned that a little
bit ago, but identifying pain points so

that when I'm meeting with my markets
I'm constantly asking them, like,

What are you hearing in your area?

What are you hearing from the community?

What are you hearing from your homeowners?

What are you hearing from other
management companies that are

maybe calling you frustrated?

Like, what are those pain points in your
specific market that we can speak to and

we can meet by being a part of Costco.

And so it's figuring out what those
pain points are and addressing them

in your marketing or addressing the
solutions to those in your marketing.

Because that's, what's going
to stand out to people.

So if it's property protection,
like maybe all these guests are

just like trashing their home.

And that is a pain point of your market.

Like put, like, we take
care of your investment.

Like it's our own, like we are the steward
of your property owner centric, like, We

like property protection is huge for us.

Like put that in your marketing or if
it's revenue Like maybe it's a numbers

market and that's what Owners are
frustrated that they're not making enough

revenue obviously the time is different
and whatnot, but like maybe like go

into your the data of your portfolio
and like pull out like how your homes

are Performing showcase that on your
marketing showcase those numbers and how

like with dynamic pricing make a point
to highlight those in your marketing.

So what are the pain
points and address them?

Because that's what's going to
speak to somebody in that moment.

Kelsey, when I was out in
the field, always signing up

homeowners back in the early days.

Yeah.

I found that there was like these themes
of friction points in different markets.

So like in one market, it seemed like
there was an entire group of homeowners

who were very concerned about work orders
and being overcharged for work orders.

And then, to go to another market or
community and I would be talking to them

and they were concerned about, damages
and then another group and when I found

those themes, I would start speaking to
those themes about not badly not in a way

that's that bad mouse or is, negative of
the competition, but I would highlight

how we were fixing that problem and,
putting that into marketing, putting

them to your homeowner meetings when you
know, these are common friction points.

It's amazing how well those
increase your conversion rates.

Totally.

Absolutely.

I mean, I mean, you're trying to
stand out from the competition, right?

And so those are addressing solutions to
the pain points is a big way to stand out.

So for number three, you put that
the key is the value proposition.

Yeah.

I mean that that's actually a good
segue into the next one because

we're addressing solutions, right.

And our marketing and so value proposition
is literally addressing those solutions

and then elevating why cost to go.

Is the value of to homeowners, so
that's, it's a national approach, right?

We've got a national reach, but we're
local and we've got our own touch.

We've got our own presence in the market.

And then just like,
that's owning you, right?

Like, what is different about you?

What sets you apart from the other?

So value proposition is really
holding key to like, what are those

foundational things about Costco?

I mean, that's our orange credo.

Like, you could literally start
listing out some things from the credo.

Like, I feel like that is
a big value proposition.

How many companies even have a credo?

Like that alone, the culture
of a company is huge.

So like, culture is a
big value proposition.

And then just what they get as a, as
being part of Costco as a homeowner,

like the different things that
they receive and yeah, so it's just

highlighting those things that like
owning you and what stands out and

making sure to always touch on those.

What are a couple of value propositions
that you've seen partners use

that have worked really well?

I would say local boots on the ground.

That is a, that's a big one.

And then we like to, I like
to express like why hiring the

right property manager matters.

And so, like, the difference between a
average property manager and the right

property manager, and what those, the
value of Costco brings that is the

right property manager yeah, so that,
and I think owner centric is a huge

one, and property stewardship, and the
programs that we offer, like the home

design, And that's with what host GPO,
like highlighting those things, the

homeowner protection program, like the,
all of the technology and the things

that we have at our fingertips, being a
partner of Costco, I'd say those are big,

so for number four, you
said being consistent in

branding to build recognition.

This is big.

And this is what I think most
people like we are in an instant

gratification culture, right?

Like we know that we want to see results,
instant gratification, or not seeing

results, we're going to pull the plug.

And I think marketing
is the opposite of that.

Marketing is longevity.

And like I kind of said at the
beginning With my husband, the guy

that he works for, his team didn't
put marketing behind him to make him

known for the songs that he's singing.

That is a big deal.

That's the difference between a
Justin Bieber and a Ryan Stevenson.

Like, marketing is huge.

That is, it's branding.

It's putting your presence out there.

It's putting your name out there.

And that's money.

Marketing costs money, but it's important
because nobody is gonna know you exist.

If you don't put yourself out there
and so, and being consistent in it.

So if you don't see it, if you do one
or two mailers or you do marketing for

one or two months and you don't see
anything and you pull the plug, well,

great still, then nobody's going to see
anything and you're still not going to get

any return because you're not out there.

And so you have to be consistent with it.

I think I watched something
one time of a cost set, like.

Their marketing spend is
ridiculous, . We received their

marketing in our faces all the time.

We're tired of it, but you know
who they are because they put a

lot of money behind their brand and
to make sure you know who you are.

And so.

It's just and they don't stop.

They just never stop.

So I think marketing is effective
when you just don't stop.

Even if you may not see results at the
beginning or like you feel like it's just

not working, like keep putting a little
bit to it every single month is important.

Just keep going.

Be consistent because

you will reap what you so And so it
could be something that you sewed

in like the first or second month,
but you may not reap that until 10

months down the road when somebody's
like, all right, now I'm ready.

And this postcard has been on
my fridge for 10 months, so

just be being consistent as big.

Don't pull the plug on it.

Just keep going.

Yeah.

And that kind of, and you're right,
that does segue into just never stop.

Oh yeah.

Never stop marketing.

Your efforts don't matter
if they're not consistent.

I definitely believe in that and
I think something great about this

program brings that because like our
partners, they're working really hard.

They have all these things on their plate
between guests and revenue and all the

things and marketing may get backburnered.

But I think what's great
about this program is like me

doing the marketing for you.

Like, You can know and have
trust that there is consistency

going on in your marketing.

So in 08, when the financial crash
happened I had a little airplane

Saratoga and a local guy here kept
sending me postcards and the postcards

had really cool airplanes on them.

And on the back, it was about
there was advertisement about

selling and brokering airplanes.

And there was a couple of those
airplanes that were pretty cool.

I'd thrown them in a drawer . And
I'd see him every now and

then when I'd open the drawer.

And so suddenly, the economic downturn was
upon us and I was in a cashflow struggle.

Things were tight.

We had like an 87 percent drop
in revenue in one year and 190

employees or something like that at
the time and trying to make payroll.

So I decided to sell the airplane.

And I had remembered seeing
those postcards in the

drawer just a few days ago.

And I'd, I went there,
opened it up, called him.

And because he was consistent with these
postcards over the course of, several

years yeah, he got to, his commission.

He probably spent, A hundred bucks in
sending me postcards over the course

of several years, but he got the deal.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

They're investments.

Yeah.

That's amazing.

And that's the thing too.

Like you just said, he maybe spent
a hundred dollars on postcards.

Postcards are so cheap.

If all you do is postcards, that
is not, you're maybe spending a

hundred bucks, 200 bucks a month.

Like it's not that bad.

And, but to close that deal is
significantly more like all your

marketing efforts in one year, you
close one home pays for itself.

Yeah.

It also reminds me of a
letter that Spencer put out.

And didn't hear much from it.

And then almost six months later,
he gets a call from that letter.

And it was after the
beginning of the year.

And when this client got his
letter, she put it up on her

refrigerator because she was
frustrated with her, property manager.

And so.

When she got her statement, , she
decided she was going to give herself a

present for the new year and get a new
property manager and took that letter

off of the refrigerator and called him.

And that's led to multiple
referrals from that one homeowner.

But they're investments and
they're not instant gratification.

Like you said, . They take
time , once you plant that seed

for you to reap the benefits.

Nope.

Totally.

I love that.

That's awesome.

So for number six, create a written plan.

. There are a lot of things that have
happened in my life that I wrote down

and they took place, like wild things.

Even, like, meeting a, an artist that I
loved and admired and now we're friends.

Like, I, but I didn't
know her at the time.

Years ago, I wrote that
down and here we are.

But, so if you don't write something
down, it's not gonna happen because

you don't have a vision for it.

You don't have, like,
it's just in your mind.

And how many things are in our
mind that Or just like swarming

and never actually take place
because we don't have a plan for it.

So Marketing a marketing plan is huge
I mean marketing plan strategy all the

things like you have got to write it
down Create a timeline Like by months

create a budget like and stick and
write it down and stick to it Because

if you don't it's not going to happen.

So I just Yep, create a written plan,
whether it's on a Google sheet, whether

it's on an actual piece of paper,
whatever it may be write it down.

So you have, so you know where you're
going, it's clarity, it's vision, it's,

it can always change and ebb and flow and
mold, but like at least brings clarity

and direction to where you're going and
you know that something is gonna come.

Go out.

You're going to be sending marketing out
because you have a plan and you've written

it down and you know where you're going.

And Kelsey, you don't even take on a
client without having a plan, right?

Correct.

Yeah.

We make a plan every single time.

And how far out are your plans?

Are they a year out or
are they six months out?

Every year.

We plan it out for a year and then, but
our campaigns are about three months.

So we'll run a campaign to a specific
group of homeowners for three months

and then shift the next three months.

But we map it out for about a year.

Finally, for number seven,
utilize Costco's resources.

What resources are those?

Those resources.

So being a partner of Costco, these
resources are provided to you at no,

like it's part of being a part of Costco,
which is huge because if you're your

own business like this You'd have to
get these resources all on your own.

So I think it's a really
amazing that Costco provides

for your owner acquisition.

They provide for you the tools
to start or extend your growth.

And that's the Costco CRM.

So that's the customer relationship
management tool that helps you take

A homeowner from a new lead to a
closed home and an onboarded home.

And

I've seen with my partners that
utilize the CRM consistently.

Are successful are I see the most growth
with them and it's because it's organized.

You've got this platform that organizes
your leads and when somebody calls

or when somebody submits a form like
there's communication going out to them.

So just utilizing that CRM to help
you manage those leads and keep you

organized because then if you don't
like so many will fall through the

cracks and never get followed up
with and that's a lot of lost homes.

And so if you've got a system,
you've got a A resource to

help you manage those leads.

I think it's huge.

And then the other one is
audiences, which is our program

for getting absentee owner data.

And so that is also a big deal.

So as a partner, you have access to
your territory in audiences, which pulls

the absentee owner data in your home.

And that is great for
creating your mail lists.

So you create your mail lists and you
create your marketing and you send them

to those homeowners, or it also has the
feature that you can pull the emails

and phone numbers to that so that if
you wanted to do email marketing to

them, or even if you just wanted to
cold call some people like it, it has

that data for you to be able to market
to those homeowners in your territory.

So those two resources are big
and Costco just provides them to

you at your, for your benefit.

And so I think utilizing those and
then I can give some marketing, I

guess, resources to Costco has its own
handwritten machine that I think is

great for For you to utilize as well.

So those would be like more personal.

That's more personal marketing or
that, like I said, that personal touch

feel and you could use the handwritten
machine that's down in Rocky Point.

You can always reach out to
me about it and I'll work with

Janet to help get those sent out.

But yeah, utilize that machine.

There's also we have a postcard
resource as well, and it's called

postcard mania, but also audiences has
the capability to send postcards too.

So there's just multiple resources.

And then I love for like typed letters,
open letter marketing is a great

resource for sending like, Typed letters
that are in an envelope and sent out.

So those are some marketing resources,
but I just love that being a partner with

Costco you don't really have to work hard
to be able to like market, there's it's,

the resources are at your fingertips.

And especially when those leads
come in to manage them and to

close them and have successful.

When ratios, before you came on, I
think one of the struggles that I

was seeing, and, this includes my own
markets that, , that I'm a franchise

in is that we all have the intention to
market, but property managers are busy

managing homeowner relationships, guest
stays, making sure they have fantastic

experiences, damages, accounting,
Statements, finances, teams, and because

marketing is important, but doesn't feel
urgent, it gets pushed to the back burner.

And so everybody has
the intention to do it.

Everybody has a budget in there to do it.

And it just wasn't getting done.

,

I'm glad to be here.

Thank you And so when I get to see like
all of the hard work paying off it's

one of the, one of the coolest things.

And just being able to add value to our
partners businesses is really awesome.

. So Kelsey, one final question.

What is your favorite sentence
from the Orange Credo?

My favorite letter is E for excellence.

And do you want me to
say the whole sentence?

I want you to say
whatever you want to say.

Okay.

, it's yours to interpret how you please.

I will perform my job with excellence.

I will seek to better my performance
and the performance of my coworkers.

And I love E for excellence
because it's not perfection.

I think we get that confused.

It's excellence.

It's a mindset.

It's a posture that we
come into every day.

I, my standard is because I am a
believer and so my standard is I

do everything as unto the Lord.

So think of that thing that you hold
with the highest honor and the highest

standard like in work as unto that.

And so, come into everything with just
that heart posture and that mindset.

Of excellence, because if we
don't, then the people on the other

side are going to feel the lack.

And even though we may lack sometimes,
like, and that's why it's not perfection.

It's always coming to the day,
wanting to seek better performance.

And then also the performance of
your coworkers, lifting each other

up and propelling them forward.

So that's, I just love excellence.

And I think Costco does
a great job at that.

I think as a whole, like we Value others.

And we want the best for others.

We want the best for them to have
the best experience, , and we value

our own businesses and we want all
of our reviews to be five stars.

And so I believe that like Cosco does a
fantastic job at operating in excellence,

. I read a quote one time , speaking to
the fact that if you seek perfection,

it'll be unattainable and exhaust you.

But if you seek excellence,
you'll find satisfaction and

be able to achieve that goal.

And I think excellence is a fantastic
goal for all of us at Costco.

. Kelsey, thank you for coming on today.

What a pleasure.

And you guys are always welcome to
email me and use me as a resource.

Ask me any questions, schedule a call.

. Just reach out to me

It's the Casa cast we're so luxury.

The Casa cast, they want to be us.

The Casa cast, just don't call
it in their being BW Casa cast.

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