Should you phone or email in response to an enquiry?

[paolo]

Its interesting what Paolo says about the conversion rates from an enquiry to booking being increased by phoning! It is something I just cannot do, unless they specifically ask me to, or phone me in the first place. But then I am not a salesperson by nature...

I am also far from being a salesperson, and I rarely phone an enquiry. But the reason I think it works well for many people is that if someone is interested enough to enquire, they are interested enough to book. It does not then take much to close the sale.

Adding some human interaction reassures them that the property they saw is real and the owner is (hopefully) trustworthy. When you talk to someone the chances are you will go down some conversational sideroads that serve to build a relationship between you, no matter how briefly.

When I have called people, they generally start off cagey and defensive, and by the end of the call they are much more vivacious and geared up for the next step in the booking process.

A good email response can have the same effect, but all things being equal, if they have to choose between three email responses and one phone call, they are more likely to remember what was said in the phone call.

[la vache!]

Paolo,
Do you just phone when they request or whenever customers leave a phone number? And how do you reply e-mail to close the deal? I just give the info required, e.g. availability, price, and anything else they specifically request. Nothing else. Its difficult by e-mail - when I teach, its face to face and I can charm more easily. Its not so easy electronically!

[tansy]

Susan - if you cut me in half you probably would find the word sales written through me!

I love selling - it gives me the biggest buzz ever....but I don't ring enquiries....don't ask me why...but instincts tell me that you shouldn't 'sell' the property....let them have all the relevant facts on web site, photos etc. (and your site is good, informative,shows good clear pictures), there is your sales pitch.

I think for what it is worth if you ring an enquiry and sell the holiday to them, they could end up with buyers remorse or worse when they arrive are disappointed and you have a complainer.

I think that it should be an informed choice for a holiday.

There is no harm in closing though...if someone is dithering and you have another enquiry for the same dates just a short email do you or don't you want to book as I have another enquiry.

Yes, answer straight away - I always get thank you for your speedy reply - yes perhaps do a gentle chase up email - did you get my reply OK if you don't hear from them again.

But don't worry about not being a sales person...let people choose to come to you...but just help them along to choose you with your follow up emails etc.

[vrooje]

Meishka,

We don't even ask for a phone number in the inquiry form on our website -- but that's just because I personally wouldn't want to be called until a couple of e-mail exchanges had taken place with the person I was renting a property from. I am not a salesperson at all, and like Tansy I want the property to sell itself. For now, that's working fine and we're very full again this year -- for off-season bookings, though, it may be worth it to call. I would definitely wait an hour or so after their e-mail, though -- let them get a little excited imagining themselves in your property before calling. With e-mails, though, I send those right away.

I don't know if any of the listing sites have a way for people to specify their preferred method of contact, but it would be a good idea.

In the e-mail response to an inquiry, I confirm availability, detail how to pay us (by giving a PayPal link and our address should they want to send a check), attach the booking contract, say something nice about the time of year they'd be visiting the house (to make them picture themselves there), and lastly invite them to either visit our website, if they came to us from a listing site, or go back to make sure they've seen all the pictures/read all the information, if they inquired directly from the site.

Cheers!

[paolo]

Paolo,
Do you just phone when they request or whenever customers leave a phone number? And how do you reply e-mail to close the deal? I just give the info required, e.g. availability, price, and anything else they specifically request. Nothing else. Its difficult by e-mail - when I teach, its face to face and I can charm more easily. Its not so easy electronically!

I phone if I really want to make sure I get the booking, like when I have a late cancellation for a peak week.

When I reply by email, for my two-bedroom I include some text about the layout of the house, which tells the story of the house and why I did what I did to it. This serves to bring the reader 'into' the house - I think if you can get someone imagining themselves in your house, you are well on the way to making the booking.

Here are my tips on responding to an enquiry from a previous Lay My Hat newsletter:

10 tips for responding to an enquiry

When someone emails you about your property, that is only half the dance - how you respond is crucial, because this first point of contact is your opportunity to serenade someone into feeling good about you and your home. Here's what I know on the subject:

React first Most people looking for accommodation will email a shortlist of candidates with an enquiry. If you are the first person to respond, you have the best chance to make the booking. So check your emails often.

Save time You can use pre-written emails that cover the usual communications: first enquiry, payment enquiry, rental contract, and directions. Then you just copy and paste these into a reply and tailor them as necessary. A great time-saver.

Identify yourself You're probably not the only person the enquirer has emailed so identify yourself by including their message in your reply. It's also a good idea to add the web address of your website after your sign-off-they can then click through to the site and fall for its charms again.

Use questions to say more There are usually questions attached to email enquiries. When you answer these questions, try placing the enquirer in the property. If they ask about the size of the bed, tell them what a lovely view there is from the bed in the morning. If they ask about the garden, say how lovely it is to be cooking at the barbecue as the sun is setting.

Get them involved Tell them a story. How you found the house, why you love it, how you renovated it, its history. Then tell them about the local area, what are your favourite places, restaurants, activities, etc. In a sense, make them fall for it like you did. Make them feel involved and it will be harder for them to say no.

Tell them something they don't know It sounds contrary, but try holding something back from your ad/site, which you can reveal when they enquire. Not something big like a pool, but something like 'We have hairdryers in the bathrooms so you don't have to pack them', 'We have a library of classic films', 'Local phone calls are free'. These will not break a deal, but they may just make one, especially in a market of similar properties.

Already booked If you get an enquiry for a period that is booked, suggest a week that is not booked-some people will change their dates if they really like the property.

Tone of voice Tone of voice is important. Don't talk to them like a hotel does, because they don't want to book a hotel. Talk to them as if you are writing a letter to a friend. Let them get to know and trust you and they will be much more likely to book your house instead of another.

Call to action At the end of your email, make sure you state what you would like to happen next, e.g. 'Please let me know if you'd like to go ahead and book'. Sometimes a little nudge is all that's needed.

Telephone or email? People who switch from replying by email to telephoning say that their conversion rate improves dramatically. Your response time will be quicker and if they like you they may commit there and then. But this is not best for everyone-if you come across poorly on the phone but write well you will be better off charming your prospect by email.