Rush of last minute summer bookings

Up, down, could be better? How to get more bookings is our number one obsession. Talk shop here.
Donna P
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Rush of last minute summer bookings

Post by Donna P »

Hi Chums

Has anyone else had this happen recently. I have had more enquieres in the last week than I've had all year.
Whats going on.. Is this usual for this time of year ..?

Donna x :shock:
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reddevil
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Post by reddevil »

Well lucky you :lol:

You either have a bucket load of spam e-mails or your luck is in this week. Hope it is the latter?
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Donna P
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Post by Donna P »

I'm sorry.. I did'nt mean to sound boastful.....I just can't understand what is happening and hoped you guys could shed some light on it for me.
I did'nt have my apartment this time last year, so this is new to me. I just wondered if it usually happens this way. If so , next year I wont start panicking in March like I did this year.

Thanks for your reply

Donna x
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J&J
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Post by J&J »

Yes, we seem to have had more enquiries in the last week (not that we've got any summer weeks left to offer them).

The first week of a month, when people have just been paid, always seems to be busier.
Guest3
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Post by Guest3 »

I have only 2 weeks left in June to get rid off...other than that July & August is fully booked (and has been for sometime)...so that would explain the lack of enquiries for me....mind you it's been quiet since March!
LaLuz
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Post by LaLuz »

I've had a flurry of enquiries too, most for August, which is fully booked but I did manage to pick up a couple of bookings last week which made me think my luck was in!

Unfortunately, one of the bookings has since cancelled and it's gone quiet again :cry:
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Mouse
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Post by Mouse »

Lots of hits to us but no enquiries - I only have 1 week left in June, so I imagine the activity is down to people still looking for July/August accommodation.

praps the bank holiday in the UK is making people think of summer and tans!

Mousie
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Alan Knighting
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Post by Alan Knighting »

Mouse,

On one of my listing sites the English version of my entry has had 3649 hits and the French version has had 2744 hits since the beginning of the year and yet I have received very few enquiries or bookings.

I suppose that could mean my entry leaves a lot to be desired but the same entry has been very successful in the past. Could it be that most of the hits have been by automated “spiders� which are doing nothing other distort all the figures?

What does anyone think?

Fluffy
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iracathey
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Post by iracathey »

Howdy Folks,
I just realized...that's a pretty American way to begin a post...

Anyway, I just posted on the France forum asking the same question, then came upon this post. So I'm not crazy after all...
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roxytoo
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hits

Post by roxytoo »

My limited knowledge tells me a 'hit' is not a unique visitor or rather a bot/spider,visitor hitting a page that has, say, 8 pictures on it that results in 8 'hits' being returned as each piccy has to be...............oh I think I know it then I try to explain it and I can't!!

I have had 14187 'hits' on my website but 141 unique visitors since 1st May
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iracathey
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Post by iracathey »

I think that you're correct about the bots. Even when using one of the more sophisticated website analysis programs, I have difficulty decided what's a 'hit', what's a 'visit' and what's a 'unique visitor'.

You know, sometimes I think that it's possible to over-analyze these things. On the other hand, we're in business and should be able to understand these things. Maybe I should just drop flyers out of a helicopter. A

nybody have any info on the best demographic regions for flyer-dropping?
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Normandy Cow
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Post by Normandy Cow »

iracathey wrote:Anybody have any info on the best demographic regions for flyer-dropping?
Yes, you're right - definitely a Bit Off Centre!!!! :lol:
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Mouse
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Post by Mouse »

Spider-bots...good point Alan. When OD publish the stats do they include those visits? I don't know. And do they effect the unique hits?
I'll shoot an email off to them when I've a minute to see what they say.

In the company I work for we tend to reduce our visitors stats by roughly a third to take into account spider hits. Our techie is working hard trying to find something out there that can reduce these hits.

One thing I will do is compare my stats with my friends (also on OD & manages 5 houses) and see how I compare.
Another friend who's on OD and hadn't used the calendar facility (she wanted to see what the response was like) said she could have sold the last week in May and all of August 5 times over.

Wish I was brave enough to leave the availability clear to see what response I got.

Mouse
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Last edited by Mouse on Wed May 09, 2007 8:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Alan Knighting
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Post by Alan Knighting »

Mouse,
Wish I was brave enough to leave the availability clear to see what response I got.
That's a thought I've had too. My larger cottage is booked for the whole year and my availability calendar shows that. I have the suspicion that people are looking no further and that’s why I'm getting very few enquiries for my smaller cottage.

I wonder. Should I change the calendar to “available� for a while just to see what happens?

Fluffy
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Mouse
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Post by Mouse »

Do you know Alan - I think I would.
You can always say to the person enquiring that you're waiting on a deposit from someone for the week they are interested in (but it would also give you a chance to ask if they visit the area regularly....if they do then offer to send them a courtesy email next year of your available dates)

It would also help you gauge the market...if you start getting enquiries for your larger property but still none come through for your smaller one - then at least you would know the demand is less this year for the smaller property for some reason.

Mouse
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