The Boost Hospitality Podcast is back for another season, and this time, I am interviewing the people who are making a difference in the Hospitality Industry. This episode is all about turning “lookers” into bookers.
This episode is a bonus. I spoke to Jessica Lorimer, sales coach and leadership expert.
I consider this a big honour. She has transformed my business a lot in the past year. Jessica is a thoroughly nice person, which is one of the reasons why people follow her and listen to her. She also has some of the best sales advice for all types of business owners.
Phone Calls
The first thing we talked about was how to turn phone calls into direct bookings. Jessica said you need to have someone who does sales who can answer your phone calls.
She also said that when you answer the phone, you want to put the customer at ease. First, say how your normal process works. Say something like, “I'm just going to grab my pen, and just to let you know, I'm going to ask you a few questions so we can easily get you booked in”. This shows that you are taking control of the situation and puts the customer at ease.
She also gave advice on how to get the customer from “I'll think of it” to “I'll get my credit card out now”. The first thing you can do is let them know you get booked out quickly. The second is being empathic. If the guest seems reluctant to book, say something like, “I totally understand, but let me just ask you: do you really need to talk to your partner, or is there something else you're unsure of?” This opens up the conversation. Finally, you can give them a fast-act bonus. Offer them a free glass of wine at dinner or something like that if they book straight away. People love getting free things, so this increases your chances.
Email Requests
The second thing I talked to Jessica about is email requests, which is when people email to ask if there is availability. Jessica recommends that you need to put your phone number on the request form to begin with. Then, once you've received the email request, you can give the customer a call saying you just received the email and you want to ask them for a couple of more details. The phone call shows a more personal side of your business, and it's more chatty and casual than a form.
When it comes to Facebook and instant messaging, your strategy should be a bit different. Social media is a generational thing, as older people like a phone call while younger people like instant feedback. One way to deal with this is to set up a chatbot. This way, when someone sends an enquiry on Facebook or other platforms, there will be an instant response. Set it to say something like, “would you like to chat on the phone?” People can respond with a yes or no. If they say yes, set the next message to reply that you will call them back within an hour, and if they say no, have the chatbot take them through the booking process.
To download this episode go to our iTunes page.
To find out more about Jessica, find her at her website.
The Boost Hospitality Podcast is now in season 3.
Over the past two seasons, I have helped hospitality owners all over the world improve their direct bookings and understand digital marketing.
You don't have time to listen to a long podcast. That is why every Boostly episode is under 30 minutes long. You can listen to whilst preparing breakfast or changing over the bedrooms in the morning.
Each episode has been designed to give you practical advice that you can implement into your business straight away.
If you would like more, then visit www.boostly.co.uk/email and grab my free email guide on how you can boost your direct bookings in 5 simple steps.
More Podcast Episodes you will enjoy:
How to boost your bookings in five steps
The Booking Process – How a guest decides where to go
Blogs related to this episode:
