For Hosts: How to Send a Messages to a Guest – aini｜Help Center

The conditions and restrictions for hosts and guests to send messages to other users vary depending on who is sending a message to whom:

From guest to guest: Mutual follow required.
From guest to host: No follow required.
From host to guest: Mutual follow required (No follow required for guest inquiries).
From host to host: No follow required.

In most cases, the conditions mentioned above apply. However, there are some situations where you can send messages to guests even if you're not mutually following each other. For more details, please check the section on "Conditions for Sending Messages without Mutual Follow" later in this document.

There are four ways to send messages.

1. Sending a Message to a Specific Guest Who Booked Your Event

If you want to send a message to a guest who has booked your event, follow these steps:

Open your browser and log in to helloaini.com.
Click on the account icon in the upper-right corner.
If you're using a PC, select "Dashboard". Skip this step if you're using the app.
From the "Host Menu", navigate to "Event Calendar".
Select the desired date from the calendar.
Locate the booking information for the guest you wish to message.
Click the "▼" mark next to the guest's nickname.
Select "Message" from the options from the pull-down menu.

To review the content of sent and received messages, you can also navigate to the "Common Menu" > "Messages" section. If you need to check messages exchanged with guests who have not made bookings yet, please access the messages using this method.

You can narrow down your messages using the following options:

Show all messages.
Show only unread messages.
Show only starred messages.
- Only messages that have been clicked with the yellow ☆ (star) mark on the left side will be displayed.

Helpful Tips

You can also exchange messages with guests using communication tools outside of Aini (e.g., social media). For more information, please refer to the "Aini Guidelines for Hosts".
You have the option to send images or PDF files by clicking the "Attach File" button. Please see here to learn about the supported file formats.
When the recipient of your message reads it, the message will be marked as "Read" at the bottom right of the latest message.
Please note that including self-promotion URLs in messages or group chats on Aini will not qualify for a service fee waiver. To enjoy the benefit, ensure that self-promotion URLs are shared using communication methods external to Aini.

2. Sending a Message to All Guests Who Booked Your Specific Event

If you want to send a message to all participants of your event at once, you can use the group function. Just follow these steps:

Navigate to the Host Menu and choose Event Calendar.
Click on a specific event date to access the Booking Information.
Finally, locate and click on the Participant Group option located at the bottom right.

For more information about the group function, please refer to the following help page: How do I use the group function?(JP)

3. Replying to a Message from a Guest

When you receive a message from a guest, the system will send you a notification email.

To reply, please follow the steps below:

Open your browser and log in to helloaini.com.
Click on the account icon in the upper-right corner.
If you're using a PC, select Dashboard. Skip this step if you're using the app.
Go to the Common Menu.
Click on Messages.
Select the guest (nickname) you want to interact with.

Helpful Tips

Always make it a priority to respond to messages from guests promptly. Building trust through timely communication is key.
If you find yourself receiving many questions from guests, use the "Questions" feature. You can proactively post and answer frequently asked questions in the "Questions about the Experience" section or include them in the "Important Notes" section on your listings. By providing helpful information upfront, you can save time and enhance the guest experience.
When your message is read by the recipient, you'll see a "Read" indicator in the bottom-right corner of the message.

4. Sending a Message to a Guest from the Guest List

You can also send a message to a guest from the Guest List. Just follow these simple steps:

Open your browser and log in to helloaini.com.
Click on the account icon in the upper-right corner.
If you're using a PC, select Dashboard. Skip this step if you're using the app.
Go to the Host Menu and select Guest List.
From the drop-down menu under Experience Name, choose the relevant experience.
From the drop-down menu under Guest Type, select the appropriate guest type.
Click on Message next to the guest's nickname.
Choose Compose Message and enter your message.

Guest Types

Users who joined/booked the experience
Users who added the experience to their favorites
Users who registered through the friend invitation page

Conditions for Sending Messages Without Mutual Follow

As mentioned earlier, in most cases, you cannot send messages to guests who are not mutually following you. However, there are certain conditions under which you can still send messages to guests without mutual follow:

Sending messages to guests who have been invited to Aini by you through a friend invitation (more details available here).
Sending messages to guests who have added your experience to their favorites.

Since there is no mutual follow relationship, in the above cases, you cannot send messages directly from the guest's profile page. Instead, please send messages from the guest list.

Deleting a Sent Message

If you want to delete a message you have sent, you can do so within a certain period of time after sending it. For detailed instructions, please refer to: "How to Delete Messages Sent to Message/Group"(JP)

You Can Send Messages on Our Apps Too!

The Aini app can be downloaded from the following links:

iOS: Download on the App Store https://apple.co/3kWiX4m
Android: Download on Google Play https://bit.ly/30dHjio

To learn more about messaging on the app, please see here.