by Steve Webb
posted on January 4, 2016
You’ve listed your car on Turo — now what? It’s showing up in people’s search results, but is your listing all that it could be? Is it dazzling travelers and making them want to rent your car?
Try these six simple tips to help take your listing to the next level:
#1 — Write a great description
Tell your potential guests everything they need to know up front: how many seat belts does it have? Does it have a manual transmission? A ski rack?
Be informative, but also be creative — what makes your car unique? Where are some under-the-radar spots to visit? Be detailed, have fun, but also err on the side brevity — travelers are more likely to read a short-and-sweet description than a super long novel.
Check out more pro tips for finessing your description here.
#2 — Get your car professionally photographed (for free!)
Cars with well composed, inspiring photographs garner up to 50% more traffic than cars with ordinary shots. Check out our free professional photography program and see if we have photographers in your city. If not, we’ll try to find some!
And in the meantime:
- Make sure the entire car is captured — don’t crop too tightly.
- Make sure the light is good — not too dark or with too much glare.
- Take horizontal shots, otherwise they may get cropped upon upload.
- Never use stock photography. Part of what makes travelers want to rent your car is its uniqueness; if they wanted stock cars they could go to a big agency.
#3 — Update your calendar often
Keeping your calendar up to date lets potential guests know when your car is available for rent. If it’s not updated, then you’ll need to decline trips when you’re busy, and declining requests will negatively impact your approval rating, which will, in turn, negatively impact your rank in search results.
Updating your calendar helps ensure that you don’t need to decline requests, keeping your approval rating high and ultimately earning you more cash.
#4 — Be responsive
In addition to approval ratings, quick response times, good response rates, and approving requests help make your listing more attractive.
Responding promptly to requests means you’re really engaged with your Turo business, so travelers can assume that you’ll respond to their request. And approving requests will bolster your revenue, since you’ll be renting out your car and guaranteeing income. Being attentive to your guests’ requests will get you both started on the right foot, help your search ranking, and invite a positive review at the end of the trip.
#5 — Get good ratings & reviews
And speaking of positive reviews, they help your listing stand out as well. In fact, owners with five-star reviews earn 25% more and their cars get booked over five times more frequently than those with four stars, since high ratings imply a stellar guest experience.
The secret sauce for getting good reviews? Be cool, be welcoming. By renting out your car with Turo, you’ve joined the hospitality business, so being kind, accommodating, and helpful will always help you win over hearts and minds.
#6 — Offer to deliver your car
Whether your guests are visiting from around the world or from across town, everybody loves the convenience of getting their rental car delivered. You can charge a small delivery fee or deliver it for free, deliver to nearby airports and/or set a radius within which you’re willing to deliver; however you spin it, offering delivery will certainly boost your listing’s curb appeal.
Steve Webb
During the week, Steve is head of community and communications at Turo. During the weekend, he's a travel and outdoor enthusiast without a car. All of his US adventures are fueled by Turo.
