Email

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Email has revolutionised my and a lot of other people's business I'm sure, but one thing that really annoys me is when people completely ignore direct questions and don't give you an answer and you have to email again, asking the same question and you feel like you're hassling people by doing so. :bang:

[WWDJ]

i share your pain. it seems like you are ****** in the wind sometimes.

I do find though, that if some people send you an email about something they assume that it will / has been done. what it doesn't consider of course if peoples workload and ability to do the job in hand.

Also I find that if people do not have an effective way of managing their tasks, emails tend to, unintentionally get forgotten.

[DJMaxG]

That happens all the time

You ask them 3 simple questions, they selectively answer, avoiding the main thing. :mad:

[Penfold42]

Is this relating to a certain e-mail.....:) ....I did reply but i'm am really under the cosh right now - taking cannon fire from all angles. :(

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Is this relating to a certain e-mail.....:) ...

No, nothing to do with that Tone. :)

[Penfold42]

No, nothing to do with that Tone. :)

OK - :cool:

In which case I agree with you......bleedy fools...:sj:

[Marc J]

The one thing I hate about email is when people expect idle chit-chat back and forward. If you don't ask me a specific question (not including "how are you") then don't expect a reply. I hate endless email tennis when neither party is sure when to just let it die....same goes for texting.

[JTRS]

I don't use email other than for customers to submit a play list.

Anything else I do by phone

JTRS

[Vectis]

I don't use email other than for customers to submit a play list.

Anything else I do by phone

JTRS


Interesting comment.

There is a definite breed of customer who dislike using the phone, or will tolerate being contacted verbally but who would much rather you didn't.

Otherwise why would website contact forms be so popular when there's invariably a huge phone number splattered across the page near it?
They're not just used out-of-hours...

I must admit that in the real world I'm one of those people ... if I can get away with not making a phone call, I will. I don't know why this is - maybe it's a throwback to my shy teens years :o

Anyway, my point is that you may be alienating customers/potentials by taking this stance.

[rob1963]

I must admit that in the real world I'm one of those people ... if I can get away with not making a phone call, I will. I don't know why this is

Interesting...because I'm the complete opposite.

I'd MUCH rather speak to a real person on the phone than send an email & wonder when/if they'd ever reply.

I guess it's because I'm a people person (so I've been told many times) and I love chatting to people (like I do most nights of the week), whereas I don't like sending emails at all. It's so impersonal & boring.

[DJMaxG]

I find that telephone calls are more personal :approve:

E-mails can be a better solution from one point of view, as they don't tend to drift off topic, like a phone call, and they provide a future reference that can be accessed easily, it eliminates the need to dictate the conversation onto paper, as it is there already.

I'm sure that clients would rather speak to you on the phone as it is more personal, you can ask/answer multiple questions without having to send a continuous loop of e-mails back and forth, and they'll feel like they are talking to a person, rather than a server.

[Vectis]

I'm sure that clients would rather speak to you on the phone as it is more personal, you can ask/answer multiple questions without having to send a continuous loop of e-mails back and forth, and they'll feel like they are talking to a person, rather than a server.

Since making the last post I've just had a flick through the booking packs for my 2009-10 gigs (as they're sitting here next to me with my tax return etc.) and over 70% of first contacts came via email/enquiry form and about 40% of customers I didn't actually speak to until either the pre-event meeting or the actual event itself :)

I wasn't expecting it to be that high... :cool:

I ALWAYS make a point of asking people how they would prefer to be contacted and only ever deviate if there's a problem, such as a duff email address or a short-notice matter that needs attention.

Hmmm..... very interesting :)

[CRAZY K]

Interesting comment.

There is a definite breed of customer who dislike using the phone, or will tolerate being contacted verbally but who would much rather you didn't.

Otherwise why would website contact forms be so popular when there's invariably a huge phone number splattered across the page near it?
They're not just used out-of-hours...

I must admit that in the real world I'm one of those people ... if I can get away with not making a phone call, I will. I don't know why this is - maybe it's a throwback to my shy teens years :o

Anyway, my point is that you may be alienating customers/potentials by taking this stance.

I agree and disagree Martin but your 100 per cent correct.;)

Website contact forms are popular ok--but I dont think you alienate people--you just miss out on a massive marketing opportunity to sell more to people who prefer that approach and send your potential business down the errrr .

:Rob James:

My only problem with emails is they sometimes dont get delivered and you cant always tell --until someone complains:eek:

Generally they are a brilliant admin and marketing tool, maybe you should try my strategy Darren, important questions highlight in red and bold ESPECIALLY when dealing with getting paid:D :D :D

Seems to work;)

[JTRS]

The reason I dont use email is because it's too impersonal and you cant sell yourself, additionally you can address every point as it comes up and if you dont get an answer to a question you can ask it again.

If I was a customer and someone emailed me a quote and someone rang to talk me through it and discuss the event I know who I'd be more likely to give the business to.

But at the end of the day, it's horses for courses, if email works for you then great, it doesn't work for me.

JTRS

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

If I was a customer and someone emailed me a quote and someone rang to talk me through it and discuss the event I know who I'd be more likely to give the business to.



That's if the client wanted a phone call. If I emailed someone and didn't ask for a phone call, then I would be annoyed if someone rang me and yes it has happened.

[Vectis]

it's too impersonal and you cant sell yourself

Totally disagree with this statement :o

Can't remember the last time an emailed enquiry didn't convert.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Totally disagree with this statement :o

Can't remember the last time an emailed enquiry didn't convert.

You have 100% conversion rate????

Send me your template to have a look at!! :D

[rob1963]

You have 100% conversion rate????

Send me your template to have a look at!! :D

I've also asked to see it before (so I can increase my conversion rate from about 15-20% to something a lot higher), but alas to no avail.

:(

[Vectis]

You have 100% conversion rate????

Now I didn't say that... :p I said:



Can't remember the last time an emailed enquiry didn't convert.

I honestly can't remember the last enquiry that came to me electronically that didn't convert. There have been instances of course, and there have been jobs that I've passed over or refused for various reasons, but of all those I've chosen to take forward, they rarely flunk.

When I finally hang up the headphones I'll happily share :) You shouldn't have too long a wait... ;)

:beer1:

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Ive this week changed my email settings so it prompts the other people to send an acknowledgement of receiving the said email so at least I know when they have picked it up

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Ive this week changed my email settings so it prompts the other people to send an acknowledgement of receiving the said email so at least I know when they have picked it up

See, I don't do that as I think it's cheeky. I never send an acknowledgement when people do that to me.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

See, I don't do that as I think it's cheeky. I never send an acknowledgement when people do that to me.

Ive done it this week because I had sent a customer an email to confirm details from a phone call only for her to send an email a couple of days later saying wheres this email. Turns out it was put into her junk folder and got me thinking of other times people might of not got back to me not because they didn't like the quote etc... but might again of been filtered by an anti spam etc....

This way if I dont get a receipt I can chase them up in the knowledge they havent received it.

[rob1963]

See, I don't do that as I think it's cheeky. I never send an acknowledgement when people do that to me.

My thoughts exactly.

[TONYTIGER]

E mails just ok but please do not text me if you want a reply this year.:mad: