Turning Enquires into bookings

[pepsipuss]

John & Fatiha
I think Margaret is probably right about the copy. It is rather 'bossy', all about what is not allowed, hardly anything about what is enjoyable about being there, and not very friendly. For me, the prohibitions and restrictions do not belong in the promotion but are much better included in terms and conditions with an accompanying message. The one thing I would leave in the promotion is the 'no smoking' rule but put in rather less aggressive terms. In the real world you will never be able to stop someone smoking if they want to, but it is not a bad idea to put it on the site, in rather softer terms: 'Guests are asked to observe the no-smoking rule inside the house: there are plenty of outside areas where smoking is permitted'. For the rest: type of guests, no drugs etc, it would be much better to put this in the conditions and explain in a message why you have these conditions. I would also completely rethink the bit about weddings and parties and on the website simply say that it is possible to use the house for parties but special arrangements apply, 'please contact us for details'.

[John & Yasmine FATIHA]

Thanx Pessipuss, Good considerations! I am going to change everything......

[Musetta]

Stingray,
that's just odd...I convert probably 90% of those asking about NJ...probably about 80% for Italy....something is wrong if you get 30 inquiries and no bookings for sure (!)

I, honesty do not push my properties or say anything to convince anyone...I pretty much just confirm the dates are free...confirm the price and tell them what they would need to do it they choose to book (i.e. pay the deposit and send a signed copy of my T&Cs).

Are you sending out the T&Cs with each enquiry? (I think that can scare people off)...are you quoting things different form your website (i.e. prices?). I don't offer discounts...I don't go on and on about what there is to do in the area (unless they ask specific questions...then I answer them, of course!) I think they find all that info. on my website anyway.

Anyway...I'll have a peek at your sites too when I get a chance...but I think something needs to be tweaked a bit with either your adverts or your response.

[Chianti]

John
I agree totally with Margaret. By all means ensure that guests know what is and isn't allowed, but that can be done in your terms and conditions not in the ad itself and re-inforced with your damage deposit. For instance we state that we welcome smokers but the apartment is a non smoking area and everyone has co-operated with this rule.

Your ad is for making people want to stay in your property so you need to glow about it, its surroundings and the area.

Some of the beds didn't look like they had linens on them. If you make your photos really inviting I promise you will get bookings.

North Africa used to be a popular destination and I'm sure it still is and presume general costs are lower than those in most of Europe.

Good luck

[John & Yasmine FATIHA]

Thanx you Chianti, by the way.....I have just changed all adds!
I have removed all exclusions....
The tip about the pictures is really valuable also! The next time I will be in Morocco I do make some new pictures!!

[Margaret]

If you have 80% Westerners renting your place, perhaps you can get some of them to write reviews? If you want to attract Brits, they will like to see that other Brits have enjoyed the place.

If you have a garden, do take a photo of it!

[John & Yasmine FATIHA]

Dear Margareth,

I have some reviews, but I think you might have the same problem, not everyone makes a review......
About the Garden- will make a picture!

Thanx

[John & Yasmine FATIHA]

Referring to Margareths last post:
Yes, we have had a lot (and I really think about 80%) of visitors from Western countries, but....if we look better at minimum 80% of those people was not originally from Western countries, or was married with people not originating from Western countries.

So, on the end we only had a couple of Polish (Western???) people living in the UK and some French people.....
And, when I really think about those 2 groups I have to say, I was not too glad with their visits after their stay.......

The Polish people did a lot of neighbour disturbance and damage to our house, and the French people where a real pain in the ass.....
However we made exclusive and very clear regulations and appointments and however during their stay they made no complies, after the stay they were complaining about so many things......from the lay-out of the house to the colours of the walls (literally) even complaining about the bedside lamps (broken bulbs they claimed......, and we have lots of spare bulbs in the house....)
They gave me a real headache.....
So, to be honoust....in some cases i wonder if i really want western people...........

[brenda]

John - I don´t want to sound as though I am nit-picking but I do feel that whoever looks after your property should check that all bulbs are working between each booking rather than the Guests having to find them and change them themselves. This is an automatic part of our end of stay clean.

If the bulb blows mid-stay it is a different matter, and a good thing that you have a spare supply.

I apologise if I have misunderstood what you meant.

[John & Yasmine FATIHA]

bulbs were broken mid-stay......(thats what they told me.....)

we do 2 times a big cleaning, after the stay and before the next stay.......both times all bulbs are checked......

[Casa Montana]

Hi John & Fatiha,

Sorry to hear you're not getting that many bookings. If it's any consolation then i'm not doing so well with my holiday home in Spain. It does feel like your bashing your head against a brick wall sometimes doesn't it Hopefully things will start to improve for us all soon.

Sorry to go away from the original thread, but i just wanted to
ask - Your opinion on iha.com.

Do you think they are worth advertising with?

Thanks in advance

Carl
Casa Montana
www.casamontanaspain.iowners.net
www.holidaylettings.co.uk/54076

[brenda]

I had a 12 month freebie with iha and got a few bookings.

Paid to renew the ad 6 months ago and not a single enquiry.

[John & Yasmine FATIHA]

Hi Carl,

IHA, what can I say.....I have a 24 month add with them, but to be honoust, i am not really satisfied.....
The site promisses a lot, but deliveries are not so good....
I have now completed a year with them, and have to say....there are periods i get some enquiries, and there are periods that make you completely forget what the h*ll is IHA.......

About the promisses and no deliveries.....The site is neatly made, the members area looks good, but most things (like statistics and guestbook) do not work......for over a year now!

And to be honoust.....this is not giving me a lot of confidence about the site.......

Also, I have sent several e-mails to IHA support during the last year, and never had ANY reaction........
so, in one word.......IHA NO!, underperformer in my opinion.....

[Margaret]

I would have agreed about IHA until yesterday when we got a 2 week booking for next February from Holland. The sites which have not performed in the past seem to be producing a little more now, while the big sites are in free fall!

[Big Sis..]

Well I had 2 bookings yesterday from Ryanair.
I week for a week in May and a weekend break in April, all handy last minutey stuff.
Ive had constant enquiries from them and Homelidays recently at least five a week, whereas all the other sites have dozed off