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Using Voice-Mail Successfully
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One of the most effective ways to create “gravity” toward your services is to integrate your individual marketing efforts, so that each separate activity draws from past activities and feeds into future activities.
One of the most frustrating things in sales these days is finding yourself in voice-mail about 80 percent of the time when calling prospects. Since we advise against using trickery to get people to call you back, and since only one in 223 voice-mail offers will result in a callback (these are our internal stats), this frustration often keeps people from dialing the phone at all.
Here’s a tip you can use to eliminate your frustration with voice-mail. Before you make your next round of calls, examine your other marketing efforts and tie one of them into your telephone prospecting. For instance, if you’re writing a book or article, you might leave a voice-mail like this:
<Voice-Mail>
“This is Gill Wagner, with Honest Selling. I’m doing research for an article I’m writing on how manipulation by salespeople damages client relationships and eliminates opportunity.
“I have a four-question survey that will take only two minutes, and, if you agree to take the survey, I’ll send you a copy of the article before it gets published.
“If you want a copy of the article, you can take the survey by calling me at 555-555-5555.
“Thanks.”
</End Voice-Mail>
Once someone calls back, I ask him or her the four questions and improve my article. If the answers seem intelligent and well thought out, I extend an invitation to interview the person for 30 minutes, with the understanding that his or her name and company will be used in the article. Most invitations get accepted, and I end up with much better articles as a result.
Of course, I do not try to “sell” these people. I interview them for my article only. However, the relationships I make often result in referrals or business, but that’s not because I tricked anyone.
Figure out ways to integrate all your marketing efforts, and you’ll find that your entire marketing message becomes more coherent and effective. And, you’ll eliminate much of your frustration.
Have a great week!
Gill
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