ENQUIRY
1. Enquiry – what is it ?
- Communication asking for information
- The first step a prospect may take before buying your organisation’s product or service
- It can occur as a phone call, an email or a letter (and still, as a fax message)
- The content can vary, depending on:
o how well the prospect knows the supplier
o whether the supplier is based in-country / abroad
o which type of goods or services is referred to
2. 3 types
- General or routine enquiries (basic)
o Request for a brochure, a catalogue, a price list …
o Request for a call-back 2
- Specific enquiries
o Special issue, request …
o Need for full details and clever writing (complex)
- First enquiries (new supplier)
o Mention referrals (internet search, recommendation, advertisement, …)
o Introduce your own business: segment, products
3. How to make an enquiry ?
3.1 Opening
- Tell the organisation who you are
- Tell the organisation how you heard about its business:
o Advise, recommendation, lead-sharing, namedropping, …
o Events, chamber of commerce, associates, partners, …
3.2 Asking for catalogues, price lists, …
- The ‘basic’ enquiry
- Keep information about yourself concise
- Be precise in what you need … but be brief
- Could you send me / Please, would you send me ...
o + particularly interested in …
o + need your product/service for …
- When the reply-to channel (e-mail, letter, phone call, …) should be different from your
enquiry’s, indicate your preference
3.3 Asking for details
- The ‘specific’ enquiry
- Make good reference to your source, such as advertisements, catalogues, events, …
- Be extra precise in what you need
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, 3.4 Closing
- Keep it simple, unless:
- ... you need quick reply and/or
- ... have special requirements regarding, for example, delivery time.
- Your writing may influence quick reply (eager to buy, very interested, informed …)
- You could also indicate further business
4. How to write a letter (based on the example letter)
4.1 Layout
- Letterhead template
- Reference: JM/PS (Johan van der Meer)
- ‘Keyboards’ (too short)
- ‘The Sales Manager’ (the name is not known)
- The letter will be passed on to the right department in the company.
4.2 References to advertisements
- Opening paragraph = short
- Reference: a business relation
- Advertisements: in a newspaper, online, …
- Other than advertisements:
o An exhibition or fair
o the Chamber of Commerce
4.3 Reasons for enquiring
- Midisound introduces: a chain of music stores
- Midisound gives a brief but clear reason for enquiring: to promote and sell keyboards
4.4 Asking for details
- Midisound’s exact requirements: a quotation and details about delivery times and terms of
payment
- An enquiry can also ask for:
o A complete description of …
o Samples, patterns and drawings
o A price list, discounts
o Brochures, leaflets, catalogues
o Terms and methods of payment
o Availability of goods, method of transport
o Delivery times, charges
4.5 Possibility of doing further business
- Final paragraph is short
- Final paragraph expresses which action would preferably follow on the enquiry
- Midisound hints at future business provided that prices are ‘right’: we may decide to place
regular orders with you.
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