Everyone knows that first impressions count a lot. Make a good first impression at a job interview and you might land the position. Come off positively on a date and you might find a spouse. The same is true when you're fishing for guests to book your San Diego vacation rental. Take some time to write a catchy headline as well as an accurate and captivating vacation rental listing description to increase the likelihood that your San Diego property will stay busy and booked. Here are some helpful questions to ask.

1. What is different, appealing and unique about my property?

To answer this question, spend some time browsing through other AirBNB listing descriptions. If everyone else is saying they are close to a popular tourist spot or a great place to relax, find something different to say about your property that will make it stand out. Be sure to include all the important basic information such as the number of beds and bathrooms your unit offers and skip the minute details like the color of the carpet. Highlight a few things that might be extra valuable to a prospective renter like an outdoor hot tub, proximity to an upcoming event or availability of baby amenities like cribs and high chairs.

2. Who is my ideal guest and what do they want?

Think about best fit for your rental property and then include details in your AirBNB listing descriptions that will resonate with that guest's needs and desires. If your property is in a business district, market it to business travelers by focusing on free WiFi, location and availability of business equipment like printers or fax machines. You might want to offer a private, quiet office space within the home with a large desk and plenty of work space. If you want to attract families with young children, provide child-friendly amenities like games, child-sized furniture, outdoor play equipment and hand-blenders or bottle-warmers. Describe the locked enclosed porch with toys or the nearby park. If your property is a romantic getaway, highlight the cozy fireplace, gourmet kitchen gadgets, and beach walks. Describe the quaint, intimate restaurant across the street.

3. How can I bring guests to my property before they arrive?

Instead of standard, boring descriptions, try to create a feeling or an experience with your property description. Think about how you would describe your property by engaging the five senses. What sounds do you hear when you sit by the ocean in the early morning? Could you be awakened to smells of bacon and eggs wafting up from local breakfast restaurants or your own kitchen? What do you see when you sit on your deck overlooking a wooded area or a bustling marketplace? Can you taste and smell your favorite wine over a gourmet candlelight dinner?

4. Am I being honest and forthright in my descriptions?

Sometimes it is easy to get carried away when trying to add more detail to property descriptions. It is important to make sure you are honest and accurate while you're painting a picture of a lovely vacation rental in San Diego. If you take your descriptions too far, you will damage the relationship with your potential guests and make them weary of your integrity. In fact, sharing a few shortfalls of your rental unit in the name of honesty may go a long way in building a positive image. Most people would prefer to give their money to someone honest and of high character and integrity. Keep that as your priority with the captivating descriptions as secondary.

5. Am I losing my audience with too many words?

Think about how you evaluate information these days. If you visit a website or read a description, how much text can you read before you lose interest? Use this as a guideline in writing your descriptions. In today's fast-paced, technology-laden world, you have only a short period of time or text before you will lose your reader. Keep it short, accurate and descriptive. Use bullet points or sub-headlines to make your listing easy to skim. Include engaging photos that can speak for themselves and white space to keep the reader moving.

6. Do I sound friendly and someone people would like to meet?

As dependent as we are on technology in today's world, people still crave real relationships with real people. Be sure you write in a tone of voice that is appealing to your audience. Be helpful, personable and real in your descriptions so that your potential guests would like to meet you as their host. Keep your descriptions respectful and informative but not so professional that it drives distance between you and your guest. If you can, offer as much flexibility or alternative solutions when possible. Instead of prohibiting pets completely, which may eliminate groups of potential guests, you may want to offer outdoor accommodations or a nearby pet sitting option for guests.

By spending some time on your vacation rental listing description, you can make your vacation rental in San Diego stand out among the competition. Be honest, forthright and accurate as well as descriptive and targeted in who you'd like to attract to your property. By doing so, you'll drive more potential customers to your listing and keep your property more fully booked.

Need help from a professional?