Converting holiday enquiries into bookings


How often do you hear other Owner's saying "I've had loads of enquiries but none of them have booked?" 

Have you thought that maybe, just maybe, it is how you respond to their request that lets you down?

The Management Team at ETK Lettings are asked daily "why is nobody booking with me"? We have tried our best to give some suggestions below:

Be confident & concise

How do you respond to a holiday request? Do you respond with one-word-answers "yes" or "no" or do you give chapter and verse?

We all know that when a holiday maker makes their enquiry : they are likely to have made the same enquiry to several other Owner's at the same time.  If you just answer "yes" and they have to ask more questions to find out your availability and prices: they are likely to book elsewhere.

Speed is of the essense

  • Get in there first: make sure you check your notifications, text messages, emails, missed calls often.  This will prevent you getting the response "I'm sorted now thanks".
  • Be prepared: do you know what you want to say? Why not prepare a series of replies that you can copy & paste from Word, Notebook or any other processor you are using.  Don't forget to read it back before you send (make sure it is relevant and personalised where necessary) : there is nothing worse than an obviously "copy & pasted" message.
  • Introduce yourself: Many times I see Owner's replying to enquiries on their Facebook Page and it is signed off by their caravan.  Do you want to do business with somebody anonymous?
  • Give them your contact details: Don't just rely on the holiday maker finding your advertisement again to get back to you. Give them your telephone number, name, email, etc.  
  • Find out more about them: their name, their reason for holidaying, who they are holidaying with : and "remember their name" again, we have seen Owner's reply and get the holiday maker's name wrong. Are they celebrating an anniversary, birthday, divorce haha?
  • The surrounding area: are there any activities going on in the area around the time of their holiday? Why not include this in your response?
  • Already booked: if you have other dates around the same time, why not suggest these rather than just saying "sorry booked"?
  • Referrals: If you are already booked: why not network with local Owner's that you trust.  This is something that will often make a holiday maker come back to you again and again.  Or refer the holiday maker back to us at ETK lettings.
  • Don't rush them: Don't pile on the pressure or make gentle threats.  Instead, give them some time to mull things over and look at the alternatives.  Maybe get back to them at the end of the day or the following day to see if they have found a holiday or if you can help them further.
  • Be friendly... be professional: Remember, until you know who you are speaking to you should be friendly & professional at all times.  Remember, it isn't a job interview: drop your guard and be yourself.  Pretending to be "down with the kids" or putting on a "posh voice" won't fool anybody.  Often when a holiday maker books with a Private Holiday Home they are also buying into the Owner.  They are more likely to look after your property if you are nice and honest with them.
  • Be flexible: Do you offer payment plans? If not "why not"? Treat each holiday maker as an individual: we all have rules but we can bend and change those rules to suit individual needs as required.  
  • Phone, email, inbox? Don't be feared from picking up the phone.  But do follow this up with an email outlining what was agreed in the phone conversation.  Remember, there is no physical evidence following a phone call, so cover your back and pop it all in writing and email over.
  • What happens next? Always end your correspondence with something like "if you are interested in booking this holiday, please let me know".  It is nice for the to come back to you, even if that is just to say they have booked elsewhere: this shows you have stuck in their head.
  • Invite them to like your page or sign to your website: Whether they book with you or book elsewhere, invite them to encourage you to contact them in the future with your offers.

Have a fantastic 2015 season from all at ETK Lettings.