I get loads of enquiries but very few convert into bookings. When I receive an enquiry by email, I reply almost immediately saying the house is available for the dates they want and asking them to let me know if they want to reserve those dates. If the enquiry is in English I also ask them to let me know if they need any further information about the house or area. (if in another language and I've used google translator I keep the reply short and sweet!)
Then I hear nothing further. A few days later I send a chaser email asking if they would like to make the booking or if they need any more information and I still hear nothing back! It also surprises me especially the enquiries I get where they say something like "please let us know if your lovely house is available" I can understand if they decide to go to a different location or a different property but why don't they let me know?
I never ask if they want to reserve the dates - not in the initial response or in the chasing email - or only if they have already said they intend to book.
'your lovely house' is, in my experience, the way Americans especially enquire about accommodation. It doesn't actually mean that they are in any way more enthusiastic and likely to book than someone who doesn't say it.
One possible answer is that the source of your enquiries: listings sites, your own website? you don't say, does not give a clear enough picture of your property and the area i.e. what type of holiday enquirers can expect. I don't think you give any links where we can see your property so it is impossible to say if this is the reason. One website we were on at the beginning produced huge quantities of useless enquiries and never a booking. In the end it was literally wasting our time and we came off it so maybe you are just on the wrong websites?
We adjust our website continuously to reflect questions from enquirers and comments by guests and I believe this has helped our conversion rate to rise.
For me, it is like window shopping or browsing in a shop. I wouldn't expect to tell a shop assistant why I'm walking out without buying something I've tried on, so I don't expect a response to my response. I've had the same enquiry for different properties and they are often exactly the same, saying 'your property looks lovely' so I think people often enquire on a job lot basis.
The ration of bookings to enquiries is quite low, but that's business!
If I get a response along the lines of "thanks but no thanks", for whatever reason given, then that's a special occasion, and I always send a "thanks for letting us know, keep us in mind etc etc" reply. Even if I've spent some time hand-crafting an initial reply to specific points, I still don't expect a response - and I'm never disappointed!
Well, it looks a nice place and your prices are pretty competitive I would say.
I think it's just human nature that's giving you problems! We all suffer from people enquiring and then not taking it further. They probably make lots of enquiries. You're definitely not alone.
I'm with Greenbarn on this - someone actually letting you know is practically a champagne moment and I always thank them. Except for one who just wrote in block capitals DEMASIADO CARO!!! (Too expensive). I didn't bother replying to that one.
I don't chase up either.
I had an enquiry on Friday evening from someone who was definitely booking, but needed to sort out travel arrangements, replied with info they required. She replied saying she wanted to sort it before the weekend was out, more questions about trains etc, but still no sign of the booking.
the past couple of years, I had a very high conversion rate...this year? NO!! I'm spending SO much time answering emails and very few bookings in comparison. My own theory is that people are looking and THEN looking at air fare, which has been horrendously high this year for cross-Atlantic flights anyway. I'm sending the same responses and answering the same questions as always, so I can't think of anything else. Total bookings aren't that far off...just LOADS of emails.
Marks - The OP says that she writes about about booking when replying to a first enquiry - and again in her chase up email. I just meant that to me an enquiry is just that - an enquiry - so I would not talk about booking when replying to their first email.
Sorry of that doesn´t make sense - although other people seem to have understood my meaning.
