There are some really good reasons to use AI. Striking a pleasant tone, personalizing a message, making a good first impression and kickstarting a case of writers block, to name a few.
“Hi Janice,
Thank you so much for reaching out about our pet sit from July 10 through 17. We really appreciate your interest. Your profile suggests this might be a good’s match.
Our cats Boomer and Bomber are very special to us, so we’re looking for someone who’s not only reliable but who also genuinely enjoys being around cats (especially ones with a bit of personality!). We’d love to get to know you a bit and see if the sit is a good match for all of us.
Would you be open to a quick video chat in the next few days? We can introduce you to the cats if they’re in the mood to make an appearance.
Let me know what days/times might work for you!
Looking forward to connecting,
Paraphrased ChatGPT initial response reply to Janice applying for a sit.
You put forward a good argument for AI and maybe eventually it will become the norm but I don’t really understand how it can be viewed as personalising a message when it hasn’t been written by yourself. How does it convey your true personality?
I sometimes wonder about that myself, and also if my profile is too long BUT I have realised that it’s listings that are long and with lots of detail that are the ones that appeal to me so I think like attracts like.
Not true. I read every word of sitters profiles besides ALL their reviews, no matter how many they have. I would expect sitters to read my profile and all my reviews too. This is meant to be mutual, not just one way.
I read all the applicants’ profiles in full. I actually get a bit put off when sitters try to ‘sell’ themselves too hard on the initial message but that’s just me, it’s starts ringing alarm bells. I’m looking on the profile, message and reviews literally for one thing, how much they love dogs and evidence they know how to care for dogs well and will enjoy looking after mine. Everything else we can work out but that’s my goal.
@Colin same here. My profile is minimal, but my application is long, thorough, and tailored to the specific sit. I actually removed a lot of info from my profile because I didn’t want everything about me on a profile that is available to the general public. I also don’t want unsolicited invites - having a minimal profile has cut down some on the random invites that I would never accept. When I apply to a sit, HOs get all the info they would need or want. This approach has worked well for me.
Yes we read the entire profile. Regardless of how good the application seems, the profile has the critical reviews and references. We also compare the application to the profile for inconsistencies. For example, an application with a claim of good communication would raise a flag if their profile doesn’t communicate much. FWIW, if the profile is a good match, the application carries less weight than the effort required to setup a video or audio conference call and the sense gained from those calls.
There is nothing I can think of that is generally missing. Some applications are “we’d love to sit for you” (i.e., missing everything); others are in-depth with a lot of personal background and a personalized explanation of why they’re a good fit and why they want to travel halfway around the world to take our sit (i.e., missing nothing). The in-depth applications get it attention but so does a good profile. If either suggests a good fit, we followup with 24 hours. Then again, we follow up faster if the application/profile does not work for us (including applications missing everything).
As HOs, we read everything in the sitter’s profile (including reviews) and in their application. Also look at their photos and if they have links to AirBnB, for example, we’ll look at that, too.
And as far as what we want to see in the profile and application?
Tell us about your experience taking care of our specific kind of pets.
Tell us whether you’ve taken care of a home (e.g. been home owners for X number of years) so we know if you’re experienced in the routine things that might come up.
Share with us why you want to spend time in our town.
On this point I would be a bit stuck to give an answer. The location/country is not particularly relevant to me. Obviously the pets are important, I enjoy having time with pets and second to that is the home. I look for unique places, something quirky and unusual. As for location I’ll go pretty much anywhere, is this a bit weird?
I read everything, every review, look at every picture. Our first sitter didn’t work out well and we almost gave up on THS as a result. We have since learned what works for us and have had many successful sits and also many repeat sitters—the ultimate compliment, IMO.
