Bombarded with the Same Home Exchange Offer?

It's understandably disappointing for an eager home exchanger if they don't receive responses to their exchange offers. It's only courteous to respond to all offers even if the reply is simply a brief message politely declining the offer. However, we're now beginning to receive the odd report of a different problem: a few over enthusiastic home exchangers seem to expect instant responses to their offers, and if they don't receive replies almost by return, keep contacting the same members over and over. That's hardly the way to encourage anyone to want to take up an exchange offer - if someone is so impatient and persistent on a first encounter, there seems a good chance they would also be irritating and demanding as exchange partners.

First of all, it's important to target exchange offers at those most likely to be interested (take the time to read a listing carefully before contacting a member), compile an attractive, personalised exchange offer and send it. Give the recipient at least a week to respond before following up with a second message. And don't come across as demanding. Then, if you still don't receive a reply, or the member does respond and isn't interested in your offer, don't, for goodness sake, contact them again. If their exchange offer sounds perfect for you, it may be tempting to try to persuade them to change their minds and re-consider your offer. But, more than likely, they will just perceive you as a very annoying person - and be even less inclined to take up your offer.