Winning direct bookings from China; busting the myths and giving practical takeaways with expert guests Sam Rason and Gabriel Nicklin

China is one of the most misunderstood markets for student housing, BTR,  universities and the wider rental living sectors - we wanted to bust some of the myths surrounding this market and, in true Housed style, dig deeper and get some practical takeaways to share with the sector.

We learnt so much from this conversation with Sam Rason, CEO of VIVA - Mini Programs and Gabriel Nicklin, Managing Partner of TONG Global and are pretty sure our listeners will feel the same.

This episode covers:
- Why China is different?
- WeChat, platforms and direct engagement
- Marketplaces and the 'convenience trap'
- Diversifying your marketing mix
- How to practically build a direct China strategy
- What the future looks like for this sector

A big thanks to Sam and Gabriel for joining us, we felt that we only just scratched the surface of this topic - if you do have any further questions please get in touch with Sam or Gabriel directly.

And if there any other hot topics you would like us to cover on Housed - please do get in touch.

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Dan Smith is Founder of RESI Consultancy and Co-Founder of Verbaflo.AI.

Sarah Canning and Deenie Lee are Directors and Co-Founders of The Property Marketing Strategists - Elevating Marketing in Property.

Thank you to our season four sponsors:
Mystudenthalls.com -  Reach thousands of students searching every month with 0% commission student accommodation listings.

Utopi - The smart building platform helping real estate owners protect the value of their assets.

Washstation - Leading provider of laundry solutions for Communal and Campus living throughout the UK and Ireland.

Howden  - With a lifetime of expertise, Howden provides tailored insurance, property risk management, and wellbeing solutions for accommodation providers across the UK.

Who this episode is for:

• PBSA and student accommodation professionals
• BTR, co-living and rental operators
• Property developers and investors
• University and higher education leaders
• Anyone working in or around housing policy and shared living

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers, organisations, clients, or partners. This podcast is for general discussion and informational purposes only. Nothing said should be taken as professional, legal, financial, or investment advice. While we aim to be accurate, we make no guarantees and accept no liability for decisions made based on the content of this podcast. This was a jointly sponsored podcast. 

Chapters

• 0:00 Setting The Stage: China Focus
• 1:05 Guests And Roles Introduced
• 2:02 WeChat Mini Programs Explained
• 4:42 The Funnel: From Awareness To Conversion
• 6:09 Why China Matters For PBSA
• 8:15 Safety, Service, And What Chinese Students Want
• 11:21 Trends: UG Growth, PG Softness
• 14:20 City-Level Variations And Global Competition
• 16:25 Direct Research Vs Agent And Marketplace Myths
• 19:00 The Marketplace Monopoly Problem
• 22:01 Price, Service, And Direct Booking Barriers
• 24:28 Payments, Language, And Team Readiness
• 27:07 Own The Funnel: Investment Not Cost
• 30:04 Brand Equity, Experience, And Rebookers
• 33:06 BTR’s Pull: Flexibility And Amenities
• 36:21 Contract Lengths, Laundry, And Pets
• 38:56 What Happens If Nothing Changes
• 41:24 A Healthy, Diversified China Strategy
• 44:00 Final Takeaways And How To Engage