Booking How do you answer the first inquiry?

[Ciapolin]

Ciao Anna, e benvenuti a Lay My Hat! Parla bene l'inglese - complimenti!

Anna I don't have much to add to what everyone else has already said but I have had a very quick look at your website an have a couple of comments (I hope you don't mind?):

First of all your place looks wonderful and the site is easy to use. I think you should make more of the fact that you are Italian and not expats - in my experience, people want to have the Italian experience and this is a unique selling point for you. Also you make references to Chianti Shire - I'm not sure what others think, but in my experience this has slightly negative connotations.

I hope you don't mind these couple of suggestions.

[Jimbo]

e-richard wrote:

always try to insert a sentence in the beginning to personalise it.

Our friend Tim, who's a seasoned cold-calling salesman, says he has about 30 seconds to get his potential customers to like him before the phone goes down. Nobody does business with somebody they don't like. We treat our e-mail reply to the initial enquiry exactly the same - a thin sliver of opportunity for us to make our pitch more effectively than other owners. Sometimes, our answers to guests' specific questions are enough but often (I think) it's a little phrase or comment in our reply which swings the balance our way. Like Richard, we pick up on tiny clues in the enquiry and try to personalise our operation. In other words - like Tim - we simply try to get them to like us.

We have a high percentage of conversion from enquiry to booking, so perhaps we're doing something right. Either that, or they're desperate by the time they get to us.

Jim

[e-richard]

Thanks Jim. I intuitively felt that I was doing something right, but didn't know why

Mind you, I was out of the country a couple of weeks ago without laptop under my arm as usual, visited an Internet Cafe, and found an enquiry 9 hours old enquiring about a hard-to-sell week in April this year. Not having my standard template to hand, I sent a cryptic respose saying "sorry for delay, yes we have vacancy for those dates, the price is X. More details at our website at www xxx" and then went to drown my sorrows.
Well lo and behold, 24 hours later checked email again to find that punters had visited my website, read the booking details, posted deposit cheque and confirmed booking ensued.

So maybe everything on this topic is random anyway. Or else I found those folks who were desperate ?

[Big Sis..]

Hi All..

Thanks E Richard and Jimbo .
..and Stu & Syb

Once again something is learnt...
I normally do the yes we have its so much approach...[must admit with quite a bit of success]
But I think youve both got good points to make...I usually get a good rapport with the clients before they go but of course they have booked by then.....
It really does make sense to try and be friendly to encourage a booking...
Its like I used to send another website Ive got that has lots of more info and details photos on once they had booked...[bit like preaching to the converted ]
But after reading posts here I know send it out to anybody making an enquiry...
I think that has helped with my bookings..

So know I have another strategy to try..

Stu and Syb your email was soooo good I felt like booking in myself....Good for you

[Fil]

Getting them to like you and the place might be important but I believe that getting their trust is even more important. This is why I think the reply should be clear and exaustive about the conditiond, even if a little bit long and boring. Don't forget that most people still fear internet shopping, specially if they are doing with a private owner. Anyway, I believe most people will have their mind made up and preferences settled when they enquire.

[anmar1]

and to all the other, I cannot write all the name.


I do not mind at all any comment about my web site, the reason I ask you all to look at it, is beous I need advice...
Ciapolin do you think I should stress i am and Italian?
and can you explain better whay for some of you Chiantshire is a bad connotation?

To Paolo, I will send a copy of my letter, but surely I do not write about myself, if they want they get to know me when they get here.
the basic are:
availability
Description of the accommodation
Description of the whole place
what there is to do or to see ( something special)
instruction about rent and what is included & what it is not.

If anyone of you has other comments on my web please write away, I appreciate everykind of help.
an hug to you all .

[anmar1]

Please forgive my many mistakes, at this hour I get a little bit dislessic...
it will be better to morror.

maybe we should tell Paolo to open a real "property owner chat", it will be faster to write and exchange opinion " in tempo reale".

Good night to you all.

Anna

[Big Sis..]

Hi Fil .

Anyway, I believe most people will have their mind made up and preferences settled when they enquire.

I agreed with most of your letter but I dont think that its all been'Done & Dusted' when Enquiries have been sent because that would mean most enquiries would turn into bookings...

Theyve probably got 2 or 3 in mind at least and sometimes as Ive said before they click the 'other properties in this area' and the Enquiry goes to lots of Rental Owners.......

[Stu]

Anna,

the reference you make to 'Chianti-shire' is as derogatory as the one of 'Dordogne-shire' here in France. The connotation being that it is an 'annexe' of Britain, full of pompous fat-bellied 'country squires', chatting away in their mother tongue, berating the locals for not speaking the Queen's English, 'like as wot they do'!

It's not seen as a good thing really, and you would be well-advised to change it.

Hope that explains. Your written English is far better than either MY written of spoken Italian, so please don't make any apologies here. Well done to you, you've managed so far to explain yourself beautifully.

[Big Sis..]

Hi Both...

Your right of course

...Annas place looks great doesnt it and here grasp of English is admirable...well done Anna

[Stu]

'Morning Wossy,

how's the sunshine girl today?

[Big Sis..]

Hi Both. ..

Feeling VERY Sunny at the Moment as it appens....

Hows YOU

[anmar1]

Ciao ,
Stu & Syb, Ros and to all the others (little by little I will learn all your names).. thank you, I understood the explanation about Chianti.. I will correct it right away.. well, I will ask my webmaster (he is a friend) to do it.
How strange ... I became a member last year, but only this year I discovered how really helpful this place is.

Not only for Paolo tips, but for all of you.

PS I am trying to do three things (all at the same time) , the news are saying that 8 milions of italians are preparing to go to away for their Easter holiday.. apparently the majority of them is heading for Tuscany????!!! and Rome, well I almost feel like driving down to the bridge over the highway and take a look by myself, to see if it is true. To day I spoke with a collegue, here , in this area, it seems, we are all in the same condition ....waiting.

I have been working in marketing almost all my working life, but now I do wonder if I need some refreshing course.


A smile to you all


Anna

[Ciapolin]

Thanks Stu for explaining - I haven't been able to check th forum for a couple of days.

Anna, for a Brit who wants the Italy experience I think it is good to know you are stayng with real Italians rather than expats (like me!). The fact the your English is so good is an added bonus!

I am new to this too and this is only my second season, but feel free to pm me - Italian or English is fine by me!

[Topcat]

Anna, I agree that your being Italian with good English is a bonus and you should stress it. Re the comments on Chiantishire - yes, people are right. It does conjure up negative images, though to my mind it conjures up 1980's style yuppies with more money than sense.

But you could probably say 'Chianti country' without these negatives.

Wher I live is close to the birthplace of the artist John Constable, and it is often referred to as 'Constable country', but the moment I hear 'Constable-shire' I'll move!

Language is very subtle, isn't it, and it's difficult to pick up all the nuances. I often wonder what dreadful blunders I make when I wrestle with another language.

Pauline