How to write a CouchRequest

CouchSurfing is more than just a free couch - it is about the experience of meeting and spending time with people. You should be looking for a host to stay with and not just a couch to use. Some hosts in popular cities get so many couch requests that they have to be selective about whom they chose to accept. They are busy people and have their own lives, and prefer to take surfers who seem interesting, write good requests, and understand what CouchSurfing is all about. So... how to get your Couch Request accepted? Read on!

Couchsurfing request emails that clearly appear to be mass-produced with copy-paste will usually be ignored or declined.

Hello... is it me you're looking for?

• Look for a host with similar interests. If you only like museums and your host only likes drinking, there could be a personality clash :).
• Read their profiles to see if you are compatible. Also read to see if they have special rules/requirements. (eg. bring a sleeping bag, no smoking, go to bed early, etc)
• Try to contact newer & less busy hosts to increase your chances. Busy hosts can get up to 10 requests per day, or possibly even more.
• Realize that some hosts get fewer couch requests simply because they live outside of their main city limits "proper", but they still happen to live very close to the main attractions. Be sure to use the "Within ___ kilometers/miles" of a city when you do a couch search. Often, these hosts are more willing to take surfers simply because they get less requests.
• If you're travelling with friends, make sure they all have profiles, and be sure to link to their profiles in your CouchRequest, this makes it easier for hosts to look at all your profiles. Also remember to add your friends to your list of friends on your profile.

Say my name...

• Start with a good impression and say the person's name. Don't start with, "hey man/hi there/hello you/hi" unless you already know them. Sometimes people have a username on CS that is not their real name, but their real name can often be found in their CS references - why not use that and show that you've read that section of their profile, at least. People of Asian background might be uncomfortable with addressing someone by their name the first time they write to you, since, in many cultures, addressing a person by first name is considered rude and too forward. You can work around this by specifically referring to something from their profile to communicate that you read it. A "Hello Mr. Surname" will most likely not offend anyone.

• Introduce yourself. Don't tell your whole life story, but try a little harder than just saying, "Hi! I want to surf your couch." Don't copy/paste your request emails to try to get a couch. Hosts have already caught on to this, and your chances of being successful are much greater if you make it clear to the host that you've actually read their profile and want to stay with them, not just stay on their couch.

Timing is everything

• Be as precise as possible about arrival and departure dates/times. If you are hitch-hiking, let your host know and tell them not to wait for you at home because it's impossible to know when you will exactly be there.
• Be aware that people may write dates in different formats. The dates "8/9 to 8/11" could mean 2 days or 2 months, depending on the culture. Instead, use date formats like, "9-August to 11-August", to avoid confusion, so that it is easy for your host to decide quickly if they can host you or not.
• Don't rush. If you need a couch by tomorrow, you are making it hard for yourself. Try to send requests 1-4 weeks before.
• Realize that many hosts will have a hard time accepting couch requests more than a few weeks in advance, due to unpredictable schedules. Many hosts have a "sweet spot" of about 2 weeks beforehand. Asking to be hosted months in advance can make a host feel more like a hotel reservation system than a personal residence.

Are you for real?

• Make sure you have a complete and detailed profile. Upload more than one picture of yourself - possibly doing fun activities that you enjoy, or places you've already visited. Describe yourself in details, not generalities. This takes some time, but it is worthwhile, especially for those who have few (or no) references. If this is a hard task, try taking some personality tests to understand yourself better.
• Write about what you want to do in the place you are wanting to visit.
• Don't make any demands. In principle, as a surfer, you should adjust to the environment of your host, instead of the other way around.
• Get verified! Being a level 3 fully verified member might help increase your chance of the host accepting you because you have verified that you are who you say you are. This is an important safety feature of CouchSurfing.

Traveling with friends

• If you are surfing together with other people: mention them, introduce them, link to pictures, and try to make them sign up on CS with their own profile. Most people will not host you if your travel partner is not a member as well.

Conclusion

No couch of your own? If you have been a member for a while but don't host now (and have never hosted), then your chances of being hosted are lower. Hosts tend to be good at guessing who are freeloaders and who really "get" what CS is about. No prior CS references? Try to go to a meetup with people from your home area before you start your trip, to learn more about CouchSurfing, and to make CS friends that have met you in real life.

If you are completely new or your current living situation prevents you from hosting, you can still meet some local/visiting Couchsurfers for a coffee & drink before you look for a couch. There are frequent gatherings happening in many cities. More at Couchsurfing Cheat Sheet. If you can't host, try and explain why you can't host in your Couch Information, instead of having a blank response.

It's OK if you contact several hosts to "increase your chances", but please don't spam everyone in a particular city. CouchSurfing has several spam filters in place and when you send a certain number of messages within a small amount of time you may be automatically identified as a possible spammer and NONE of your messages might go out until they are reviewed by a volunteer to make sure you are not spamming people.

Also be aware that if you send out copy-pasted requests, some active members in a city might know each other and tell each other about requests, comparing them, if they find out you just copy pasted a request, chances are slim they'll host you.

Also, it's only polite to reply to everyone who replies to you to thank them and say you already have a couch if you have already found one. They are doing you the favor. Even if they say "no", reply with a "Thanks anyways" - they will remember your politeness... and who knows, one of their friends may be able to host you.

Remember, Couchsurfing request emails that are clearly appear to be mass-produced and without effort will usually be ignored or declined.