Turning enquiries into bookings....

1. 1. Be the first one to reply Most people who are looking for a holiday home will email an enquiry to a number of property owners. If you are the first person to respond, you have the best chance to confirm the booking so make sure that you check your emails on a regular basis.
   
   

1. Minimise time  

1. Create a template  that covers the following:- First enquiry response email, a payment enquiry, terms & conditions, booking form and directions. Then you just copy and paste or attach these to a reply (amending where necessary) to save a lot of time.

1. Be clear who you are  

1. You're probably not the only person the client has emailed so make sure you state the name of your property, & include their message in your reply. It's also a good idea to add your website to your email signature so that they can then click through to your website for more details on the property and the surrounding area.

1. Tell them something they don't know  

1. Try holding something back from your ad or website, which you can reveal when they enquire. Not something big like parking or garden, but something like 'We have a hairdryer in the bedroom so you don't have to pack one', 'We have a library of DVD's', 'We have lots of chidlrens toys and books'. These will not break a deal, but they may just make one, especially in a market of similar properties.

1. If you are already booked on date requested  

1. If you get an enquiry for dates when you are already fully booked then its a good idea to suggest some dates when you are free as some people may change their dates if they like your property enough.

1. Call to action  

1. 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'. 'I can hold the dates for 2 days only'. Sometimes a little nudge is all that's needed.

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