5 Steps To Creating A Rental Ad That Makes the Phone Ring!

Depending on your market, your rental listing services (e.g., Craigslist, Zillow, Trulia) will be very competitive, and very crowded. You want to stand out above the rest. Let's face it, if they don't click, they won't call. A few rules to follow:

Rule 1 - Use proper caps in title (i.e., capitalize the first letter of each word). Zillow conducted research on Craigslist postings and found that views per ad were over 30% higher when following this simple rule. Rental listings using ALL CAPS in the title performed the worst. Not only is it hard for a prospective tenant to read, but it means you are SCREAMING at the reader.

Rule 2 - Keep it short and sweet. Again, in Zillow's research they found that the most viewed rental ads were the ones with the fewest characters. Don't take this too far though. It pays to be descriptive, which brings us to the next rule.

Rule 3 - Hook them with concrete benefits. We learned that brevity is good. We learned ALL CAPS are bad. Most important of all is to remember the marketing axiom "sell sizzle, not steak". To really stand out in a crowded market you need to sell the benefits of your rental. This doesn't mean dump the descriptive stuff - combine a descriptive title with benefit. "2 bedroom 1 bath in New Haven - Short walk to downtown" does both.

Rule 4 - Stay away from the fluff. "Awesome", "Nice", "Beautiful", etc. All of these are examples of words that are generic and overused. Try to stick to descriptive words in the title, or be warned - you may be the 15th "Nice" 2 bedroom in someone's search results. Not a good way to stand out.

In the days of newspaper classified listing you had to be frugal with not only your words, but your letters (e.g., EIK = eat in kitchen). That is not the case for online listings, and you should use that to your advantage. More is more, and more is better if it gives people the information to know if they should call for a showing. If you are getting phone calls that ask "Do you accept pets" or "How much is the security deposit", shame on you. Make sure you include all of this necessary information in the body of your listing.  

Amount of rent, security deposits, application fees, and any pet deposits.

Location of the rental (including maps if available).

Number of bedrooms and bathrooms.

Appliances - OK, people know a stove and fridge are included, but what about the other things. In unit washer and dryer? Dishwasher? These are not standard, and people are interested.

Pet policy - Cats, Dogs, Fish? What is allowed and what isn't.

Parking - on street, off street, garage? Make it clear.

Amenities - pools, fitness center, other? Highlight the features (and position as a benefit).

Contact information (including best time to reach you if appropriate).

One final note, make sure you are descriptive where it matters. If you have granite counter tops, say it. If you have stainless steel appliances, say it. It matters to prospective tenants and will help you stand out versus the rest.

 

If you are not posting pictures to your listing, start now. It is the number one thing to improve your traffic. In Craiglist many people will filter out ads that don't have pictures. Prospective tenants don't want to waste their time.  

Not only should you be posting pictures, you should be posting "good" pictures. "Good" pictures are well lit, uncluttered, and include all the major parts of the house. The short list of pictures you should include: 1) the exterior of the rental, 2) the kitchen, 3) the bathroom, 4) the bedroom, and 5) the main living area. Again, more is more and more is better. At Robert C. White & Company we work to post a picture of every room and put them in the order you would walk through the house. 

One other thing - we follow a truth in advertising policy. We feel that prospective tenants should see a picture of the "ugly" exterior, for example, and decide if they want to have a showing. Why waste their time or yours by hiding it early. You won't be able to hide it when they arrive to view the home. Also, if your bathroom or kitchen is so outdated you don't want to include a picture because people won't call, spend the money to improve it or adjust the rent accordingly. You don't need to be a professional photographer to take "good" pictures for your rental listing. You just need to take your time, practice, and pay attention to details. Soon you will be giving the professionals a run for their money.

Formatting and grammar matter. Please don't spend your time creating the perfect rental ad and stop just short of the finish line. White space is your friend. Make sure to break up paragraphs of text and use bullets for critical listed information.

Grammar matters for several reasons. First, and most importantly, some people make judgments based on blatant grammar problems and will pass on your listing. Second, with the rash of scams on Craigslist, poor grammar and awkward syntax are often a warning sign for people that the ad may be a scam. Please don't fall in that camp.

While not common yet, expect to see more and more video embedded in rental ads. Not only has editing and posting video become much simpler, the cost of equipment is now negligible (hello Mr. iPhone).  

Video also increases the chances of a purchase. According to a study by the Wharton School of Business, prospects are 72% more likely to purchase a product or service when video is used.

The benefits of video for rentals are obvious. Prospective tenants can really get a sense for the rental and your phone calls will be from truly interested people. Also, when you are renting an occupied unit you will be able to significantly limit the disruptions to the current tenant. Several leading property managers are moving in this direction, and you may want to give it a try. 

So that's it - 5 steps to make your rental listing stand out and make the phone ring. Let us know what has worked for you (and what hasn't) when creating your rental listings!

 

Unsure about marketing and leasing your unit? Give us a call! Our experts are ready to help get your property rented quickly for the best possible rate. 

Email: info@robertcwhite.com
Main Office Line: 203-613-6290

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