You might already think that you're a quick responder to inquiries, but what if you didn't have to be tied to your computer to respond? To satisfy our most eager owners and travelers, HomeAway is now offering vacation home owners the option to receive inquiries via text message right to their cell phones. How To Get Started Here are the tools you'll need to take advantage of Text Message Inquiry Alerts:

• First and foremost, you must have a cell phone. It does not have to be a fancy Blackberry or iPhone; you just need a cellular phone that accepts text messages.
• If you signed up for your cell phone service a long time ago or you're not sure whether your coverage includes text messaging, contact your cell phone provider. If your existing plan doesn't include text messaging, many providers offer inexpensive text message packages (also referred to as SMS or Short Message Service).
• If you don't know what a text message is or how to retrieve them from your cell phone, you can refer to the owner's manual for your cell phone, speak to the provider, or find any teenager – chances are they'll be able to walk you through the process with their eyes closed and hands tied behind their back.

How to Sign Up
Once you've confirmed that your cell phone plan includes text messages (and that you'll know what to do when you receive one), here's how you can sign up for Inquiry Alerts from HomeAway:

• Log in to your HomeAway account and click “Edit Listing.”
• Open the “Contact” tab and select the “Edit Contact” button.
• Enter your cell phone number in the phone number field, including country and area code.
• Click the checkbox labeled “Send me a text message every time I get an inquiry” and press Save. Note: If you do not check this box, you will not receive text message inquiries. So, if you just want to test out the service temporarily or if you ever decide you want to stop receiving text message inquiries, simply log back in and uncheck this box.

NOTE: This is a free service offered from HomeAway to help owners receive inquiries on-the-go, but remember that standard text messaging fees will apply based on your specific cell phone plan. Also keep in mind that certain plans place a limit on the amount of text messages – sent and received – in a given month. If you begin to receive a slew of inquiries, they might eat up your allotted text messages for the month, but most cell phone plans are more than generous.

How the Service Works
Now that you're signed up and ready to receive your inquiries instantly, here's what to expect:

• When a traveler sends an inquiry, you'll receive an abbreviated version of the inquiry on your cell phone that includes your property number, along with their name, phone number, email address, the dates they're interested in, and the number in their party.
• You will continue to receive the complete inquiry by email and in your HomeAway account as well for tracking purposes.

How to Respond to Text Message Inquiries
So you're waiting in line at the post office and an inquiry pops up on your phone. Now what?

• Resist the urge to respond with a text message. Not only is this a tad unprofessional, it may not work. If the phone number entered on the inquiry is a landline, the traveler will never receive that response.
• Call the traveler back. Even if you don't have your calendar in front of you, this is your opportunity to let them know that you received the inquiry and will be back in touch with him/her when you're in front of your computer. You can also use this initial conversation to provide more information about your area and really sell your particular home.
• Better yet, keep your calendar up-to-date. That way, you can call the traveler and assure them that your calendar is current so that they can confirm the availability of their dates on the spot.

What are the Benefits of Text Message Inquiries?

• Don't miss out on bookings. If you are unable to check email often and are concerned that you could be losing bookings because of this delay, you can respond more quickly to inquiries when you receive them instantly on your cell phone. (Besides, it's probably easier to sneak a peak at your cell phone rather than logging in to your personal email during the work day.)
• Develop an on-the-spot relationship. Many travelers choose the vacation rental from which they received the first response. By picking up the phone right away, you have an opportunity to convince the traveler why they should stay in your home, hopefully before other owners have had the chance to do so.
• Show your professionalism and responsiveness. When a traveler sees how quickly you responded to his/her inquiry, they'll likely assume you'll be just as responsive if any issues were to come up during their stay. Quick responses go a long way in demonstrating your professionalism.
• Gain a leg up on the competition. If other owners in your area have not yet taken advantage of this service, you'll be receiving inquiries that much quicker. According to research from HomeAway, owners that respond within the first 3 hours of receiving an inquiry are 60% more likely to receive the booking than owners who wait 24 hours or more.
• Alleviate your dependence on the computer. If you're on the go during the day and can't be tied to the computer, you can still receive your inquiries in real time and respond to travelers while out and about.

We live in a pretty instantaneous society, and as technology improves, we expect to receive information faster and faster. The Text Message Inquiry Alerts service is designed to make it easier for you to receive your inquiries wherever you are, whenever you want them, all while improving the renter experience.

What tactics do you have for speedy inquiry responses? "I always reply, by phone, as soon as possible after receiving an inquiry. It's so much more personal than an email, and even if things don't work out, maybe they'll remember me for another time. After I get off the phone, I send them an an email that thanks them for the inquiry and recaps our conversation. I check my home email at work, and on more than one occasion have sealed the deal because I was the first person to respond to someone who was home during the day or who had given a work number. Even though I have only one rental, I'm running a business and feel that if someone is interested enough to inquire, the least I can do is get back to them quickly, even if they neglected to check my calendar and I'm already booked. Christine writes about this frequently, and honestly, it's just common courtesy, good business, and the way all of us would like to be treated if we were the ones inquiring." - Kathy, Phippsburg, ME. (HomeAway #135835, VRBO #82110)

How to Organize Your Vacation Rental Inquiries Don't let your email inquiries take over your inbox; get organized and take control of your vacation rental business.   Why You Should Use an Email Signature in Correspondence Don't overlook this easy and vital business tool.   Seal More Bookings with Your Inquiry Responses Learn when to say yes, when to say no, and when to just pick up the phone!   Checklist for Responding to Vacation Rental Inquiries Be sure your email includes all the necessary information before clicking send.

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