Chasing up email enquiry responses

[rob1963]

If you get an enquiry by email (with no other contact details given), do you just reply & then forget it if you don't hear anything back, or do you wait a while, and then chase it up, possibly asking what they thought of the quote or enquiring whether they require any further information?

At present, I just answer their query, then delete it after a few weeks if I haven't heard anything, as I don't like to appear pushy or desperate.

If I started following up my responses to their enquiries, would I get more work, or would that just annoy them?

How do you all deal with this situation, and what are your views?

[Danno13]

I usually just leave them if I don't hear anything. But I did do a bit of housekeeping last week and emailed all my enquiries from the past 3-4 weeks that I hadn't heard from.

They either didn't get back to me or said they'd booked someone else, and this is what has happened when I've done it before, so probably not worth it.

That said, its easy enough to stick all your enquiries in a group in Outlook and then just send a generic email to the whole group.. might be worth it for the sake of for a 5 minute job.

[rob1963]

Thanks for that Danno.

It seems we both think the same way on this.

[Danno13]

I don't think it appears pushy or desperate though, just put something along the lines of "we are booking up fast for 2008, so wouldn't like to dissapoint by becoming unavaliable for your date"... gives the impression you're nice and busy and so must be good! :D

[rob1963]

I don't think it appears pushy or desperate though, just put something along the lines of "we are booking up fast for 2008, so wouldn't like to dissapoint by becoming unavaliable for your date"... gives the impression you're nice and busy and so must be good! :D

Good thinking...I like that!

:D

[Vectis]

If it sounds like a worthwhile (£££) gig and I've not had a response, then I'll give it a couple of weeks and then mail again saying I've had an enquiry for the same date and I'm offering them first refusal, giving them 48 hours or whatever.

If it's a tyre kicker or a low payer I don't bother.

Have to say though I get very very few that don't respond to the initial mail; maybe about 10 or 12 in a year.

[Danno13]

Have to say though I get very very few that don't respond to the initial mail; maybe about 10 or 12 in a year.

Really? I had 32 with no replies just in January!

I'd be putting my prices up if i had so many takers!

[Dragonfly]

Really? I had 32 with no replies just in January!

I'd be putting my prices up if i had so many takers!

glad it's not just me Danno :( :( :( and the latter part I have which i think is probably why :D :D :D

[scoopd]

what's a tyre kicker?

[Vectis]

what's a tyre kicker?

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=tyre+kicker

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

what's a tyre kicker?

Shoulda looked in the urban dictionary innit...:D http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=tyre+kicker

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Should have been quicker posting too...:lol:

[CRAZY K]

Good thinking...I like that!

:D

Or might be desperate:D

Personally I get about 4 to 6 a day so I dont have time to follow up.

I agree with Danno that its extremely unlikely you will get a booking by following up---more likely the whats your best price response--

We dont have a best price here as I explained yesterday to someone---we just have THE price:D :D :D

E Mail quotes to me is a method by which punters assimilate information and make decisions--I doubt they want reminding they need someone for the Wedding--very few are aware that the dates really do go--they just think its another DFS sale con!

Personal views here --would be very interested to hear if you have any success trying this.

Remember also--its not like selling a product which costs many thousands of pounds where there is scope for discounts and reductions and you might reduce the price if you thought you had someone who was genuinely interested.

Disco and Barn Dance enquiries are like Buses and trains--theres always another one coming shortly:D :D :D

CRAZY K

[scoopd]

now I know!

[CRAZY K]

Really? I had 32 with no replies just in January!

I'd be putting my prices up if i had so many takers!

Well at least your prices arent too low!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know the feeling as well--

CRAZY K


If it sounds like a worthwhile (£££) gig and I've not had a response, then I'll give it a couple of weeks and then mail again saying I've had an enquiry for the same date and I'm offering them first refusal, giving them 48 hours or whatever.

If it's a tyre kicker or a low payer I don't bother.

Have to say though I get very very few that don't respond to the initial mail; maybe about 10 or 12 in a year.

Yes good idea if its a really decent paying gig--hey ive just taken one like that near Petersfield ( again ) down your way ---now confirmed--

They sure like their Country Music in Hampshire--yee haw!!!!!!!!!!

CRAZY K

[Danno13]

Well at least your prices arent too low!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know the feeling as well--


Yep, thats the way I look at it.

I worked out that if the rate of enquiries stays pretty much constant and my conversion rate stays the same I'd net 100 gigs, which is more than enough with regular venues, repeat bookings and work for other DJs (as long as they actually pay me) too.

[Shaun]

I usually just leave them if I don't hear anything.

Me too.

Reply and move on. If they're interested they'll get back in touch.

[rob1963]

I get very very few that don't respond to the initial mail; maybe about 10 or 12 in a year.

:eek: :eek: :eek:


Really? I had 32 with no replies just in January!


You're smiliar to me, Danno...I had at least 25!

I wonder what Vectis is doing to only send 1 email a month in response to a query that the enquirer doesn't then respond to?

:confused: :confused: :confused:

[Vectis]

I wonder what Vectis is doing to only send 1 email a month in response to a query that the enquirer doesn't then respond to?


I could tell you... but then I'd have to kill you! :D

I have my suspicions but I'm not going to air them here.

Sometime over a beer Rod... :)

[rob1963]

I could tell you... but then I'd have to kill you! :D

I have my suspicions but I'm not going to air them here.

Sometime over a beer Rod... :)

No problem Vectis...I'll let you know when I'm down your way!

:D


Anyone else have any opinions/advice on this?

[Danno13]

Hmm.. I was going to guess that it might be due to vectis having prices published, so if they've already got a price they wouldn't enquire if they weren't interested...

But then Rob has prices on his website as well so its odd that you don't hear back from so many enquirers...

[PropellerHeadCase]

...and people dont necessarily read that thoroughly.

I had an enquiry for a wedding in Auckland in November this year, despite my website clearly stating that I'll be in the UK.

[Danno13]

Thats true, I'm sure I could slip "I'm a rubbish Dj, don't book me" in amongst my text somewhere and I'd still get enquiries!

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I'm a rubbish Dj

You can improve Dan :D

[Danno13]

I dunno about that.. I'm pretty bad.. :D

[PropellerHeadCase]

You know it, you know.

[Tony Scott]

If you get an enquiry by email (with no other contact details given), do you just reply & then forget it if you don't hear anything back, or do you wait a while, and then chase it up, possibly asking what they thought of the quote or enquiring whether they require any further information?

At present, I just answer their query, then delete it after a few weeks if I haven't heard anything, as I don't like to appear pushy or desperate.

If I started following up my responses to their enquiries, would I get more work, or would that just annoy them?

How do you all deal with this situation, and what are your views?

Almost all of my work comes via Email and I get about 8 out of 10 enquiries booking me. I just assume the other 20% have found someone else and don't bother following it up.

I have noticed that if I dont get back to them within about 8hrs I have usually lost them. I therefore check my email every couple of hours :)

[Andy Westcott]

Interesting that this thread has cropped up.
I have accumulated a few enquiries who hadn't responded, so earlier on this evening I went through the folder and e-mailed each one (outstanding for more than about 2 weeks) something along the lines of saying that I hadn't heard from them, and are they still looking or are they sorted now?

At least that way I can classify those enquiries appropriately.

Depending on the response I get, I may or may not do this in future.

[rob1963]

Hmm.. I was going to guess that it might be due to vectis having prices published, so if they've already got a price they wouldn't enquire if they weren't interested...

But then Rob has prices on his website as well so its odd that you don't hear back from so many enquirers...

Indeed I do have prices on my site. About 80% of my enquiries are just asking about availability.


...and people dont necessarily read that thoroughly.

Good point Al. Considering the prices are on my site, I still get a fair few people asking for a quote!


Almost all of my work comes via Email and I get about 8 out of 10 enquiries booking me. I just assume the other 20% have found someone else and don't bother following it up.

I have noticed that if I dont get back to them within about 8hrs I have usually lost them. I therefore check my email every couple of hours :)

Almost all of my work comes via email (through my website) as well, but whereas you get 8 out of 10 enquiries booking you, I'd say I get 8 out of 10 enquiries that I never hear from again.

Its a good point about responding quickly, though.

I make a big thing of the fact that I usually reply to queries within 6 hours (except Saturday nights, of course!), and I know I've picked up a fair few bookings due to my fast responses, probably as it conveys efficiency.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

probably as it conveys efficiency.

Or desperation...:boxer2: :D

[rob1963]

Or desperation...:boxer2: :D

:moon: :D