Comments on: How to Get Prospects to Apologize for Not Returning Your Voicemail http://www.raintodayblog.com/how-to-get-prospects-to-apologize-for-not-returning-your-voicemail/ Professional Services Marketing and Sales Tips from RainToday Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:07:10 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Kevin Dee http://www.raintodayblog.com/how-to-get-prospects-to-apologize-for-not-returning-your-voicemail/#comment-1286 Kevin Dee Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:47:37 +0000 http://www.raintodayblog.com/?p=276#comment-1286 Hi I would be a little careful with that strategy. It has been done to me a couple of times, and it really ticked me off. Some systems will actually put the invitation in your calendar as a "tentative" meeting, which is what happened to me. I found that very intrusive and immediately replied that they needed to take me off their mailing list. Not everyone reacts the same, but I believe overly aggressive tactics (like this) will turn off more clients than not. I do agree that making a promise of when a call will happen and delivering on that promise, even if it takes a few times, builds credibility which increases the chance of success. Hi

I would be a little careful with that strategy. It has been done to me a couple of times, and it really ticked me off. Some systems will actually put the invitation in your calendar as a “tentative” meeting, which is what happened to me. I found that very intrusive and immediately replied that they needed to take me off their mailing list.

Not everyone reacts the same, but I believe overly aggressive tactics (like this) will turn off more clients than not.

I do agree that making a promise of when a call will happen and delivering on that promise, even if it takes a few times, builds credibility which increases the chance of success.

]]> By: Erica Stritch http://www.raintodayblog.com/how-to-get-prospects-to-apologize-for-not-returning-your-voicemail/#comment-1284 Erica Stritch Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:13:54 +0000 http://www.raintodayblog.com/?p=276#comment-1284 Boyd - I like the idea of leaving an enticing voicemail where they have to call back for the answer. Thanks for sharing, Erica Boyd – I like the idea of leaving an enticing voicemail where they have to call back for the answer.

Thanks for sharing,

Erica

]]> By: Boyd Butler http://www.raintodayblog.com/how-to-get-prospects-to-apologize-for-not-returning-your-voicemail/#comment-1280 Boyd Butler Sat, 04 Sep 2010 21:34:54 +0000 http://www.raintodayblog.com/?p=276#comment-1280 Try one voicemail a day Monday - Thursday. Make each voicemail interesting, relevant and valuable, (saving or making money, time, etc). Make the Thursday voicemail a teaser... "Hi, it's Thursday and if you want to find out how x,y,z worked out then give me a call back to get the answer. Position yourself where you have the answers and someone simply has to find out what you know and they don't. Try one voicemail a day Monday – Thursday.
Make each voicemail interesting, relevant and valuable, (saving or making money, time, etc).

Make the Thursday voicemail a teaser…

“Hi, it’s Thursday and if you want to find out how
x,y,z worked out then give me a call back to get the answer.

Position yourself where you have the answers and
someone simply has to find out what you know and they don’t.

]]> By: Erica Stritch http://www.raintodayblog.com/how-to-get-prospects-to-apologize-for-not-returning-your-voicemail/#comment-1276 Erica Stritch Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:05:11 +0000 http://www.raintodayblog.com/?p=276#comment-1276 Kendra Lee - That's a great idea, thanks for sharing your experience. I can see how that would work very well. Erica Kendra Lee – That’s a great idea, thanks for sharing your experience. I can see how that would work very well.

Erica

]]> By: Kendra Lee http://www.raintodayblog.com/how-to-get-prospects-to-apologize-for-not-returning-your-voicemail/#comment-1275 Kendra Lee Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:21:41 +0000 http://www.raintodayblog.com/?p=276#comment-1275 Erica, That's a great tip and one I've had success with, too. Thank you for sharing it. It brough to mind an idea for an extension of it. When you're not getting a response to your voicemail even after leaving a date and time try sending a meeting request instead. Your meeting request will often get an immediate acceptance, or proposal for a new time. Your contact won't have to make the effort to call you back. Here's what you might say in the voicemail before sending the meeting request: "Hi, Sally. This is Kendra Lee from KLA Group. I’ve left you several voicemails and will try calling you back tomorrow morning at 10 am. I hope we can connect then. I'll send you an Outlook meeting invitation in case that's an easier way to respond. I look forward to talking with you!" Erica,
That’s a great tip and one I’ve had success with, too. Thank you for sharing it. It brough to mind an idea for an extension of it. When you’re not getting a response to your voicemail even after leaving a date and time try sending a meeting request instead. Your meeting request will often get an immediate acceptance, or proposal for a new time. Your contact won’t have to make the effort to call you back. Here’s what you might say in the voicemail before sending the meeting request: “Hi, Sally. This is Kendra Lee from KLA Group. I’ve left you several voicemails and will try calling you back tomorrow morning at 10 am. I hope we can connect then. I’ll send you an Outlook meeting invitation in case that’s an easier way to respond. I look forward to talking with you!”

]]> By: Erica Stritch http://www.raintodayblog.com/how-to-get-prospects-to-apologize-for-not-returning-your-voicemail/#comment-70 Erica Stritch Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:54:10 +0000 http://www.raintodayblog.com/?p=276#comment-70 Jeff, That's a new one to me. It also allows you to uncover some of their objections and address them early on. For example, when you hear, "I'm too busy," perhaps you need to do a better job of showing the value of your services to move it up the priority list. Or if you hear, "plans put off for 3 months," perhaps you need to show them what won't happen during those 3 months of them not engaging your services (losing out on cost savings over this period of time). Erica Jeff,

That’s a new one to me. It also allows you to uncover some of their objections and address them early on. For example, when you hear, “I’m too busy,” perhaps you need to do a better job of showing the value of your services to move it up the priority list. Or if you hear, “plans put off for 3 months,” perhaps you need to show them what won’t happen during those 3 months of them not engaging your services (losing out on cost savings over this period of time).

Erica

]]> By: Jeff Eskow http://www.raintodayblog.com/how-to-get-prospects-to-apologize-for-not-returning-your-voicemail/#comment-69 Jeff Eskow Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:16:10 +0000 http://www.raintodayblog.com/?p=276#comment-69 I've been using that strategy for several years, as it originated in the Selling to VITO series I believe. Here is ANOTHER way I have been successful with getting messages returned: If I have a pleasant introductory conversation with a prospect, and then find they have stopped returning calls or e-mails, I send an e-mail that says something along the lines of "I've had a hard time reaching you as of late and I hope I have not said or done anything to offend you. If I have, I am terribly sorry and I hope you'll allow me the opportunity to explain or make it up to you!" Very often, I will get an e-mail reply that says something along the lines of: "No, Jeff, you've not offended me at all. It's just...." and then an explanation. Too busy. No longer interested. Plans put off for 3 months, etc. But as long as we are able to reconnect I am better informed and can deal with a specific objection. It also allows a little 'humanity' to play in instead of another dry business relationship. It's a great strategy that I reccomend. I’ve been using that strategy for several years, as it originated in the Selling to VITO series I believe.

Here is ANOTHER way I have been successful with getting messages returned: If I have a pleasant introductory conversation with a prospect, and then find they have stopped returning calls or e-mails, I send an e-mail that says something along the lines of “I’ve had a hard time reaching you as of late and I hope I have not said or done anything to offend you. If I have, I am terribly sorry and I hope you’ll allow me the opportunity to explain or make it up to you!”

Very often, I will get an e-mail reply that says something along the lines of: “No, Jeff, you’ve not offended me at all. It’s just….” and then an explanation. Too busy. No longer interested. Plans put off for 3 months, etc.

But as long as we are able to reconnect I am better informed and can deal with a specific objection. It also allows a little ‘humanity’ to play in instead of another dry business relationship.

It’s a great strategy that I reccomend.

]]> By: Erica Stritch http://www.raintodayblog.com/how-to-get-prospects-to-apologize-for-not-returning-your-voicemail/#comment-34 Erica Stritch Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:55:01 +0000 http://www.raintodayblog.com/?p=276#comment-34 Kayla, Another great idea to try out. And, to build on this piece of advice, if and when you do finally catch someone on a cold call, it is a best practice to always try to set the appointment by recommending a specific day or time. For example: "<insert your value-add opening> and we'd love to talk to you more about this. How does Tuesday at 11:00 AM work for you?" This gets them looking at their calendar and changes the question they are asking themself from if I should have this conversation, to when should I have this conversation. Thanks for sharing. Erica Kayla,

Another great idea to try out. And, to build on this piece of advice, if and when you do finally catch someone on a cold call, it is a best practice to always try to set the appointment by recommending a specific day or time. For example:

“ and we’d love to talk to you more about this. How does Tuesday at 11:00 AM work for you?”

This gets them looking at their calendar and changes the question they are asking themself from if I should have this conversation, to when should I have this conversation.

Thanks for sharing.

Erica

]]> By: Kayla http://www.raintodayblog.com/how-to-get-prospects-to-apologize-for-not-returning-your-voicemail/#comment-32 Kayla Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:35:21 +0000 http://www.raintodayblog.com/?p=276#comment-32 Here's another trick that I've found after leaving so many voicemails and sending emails that are ultimately unanswered: I send a meeting request from Outlook that sets a date and a time, and it offers them an Accept or Deny. They very often show up on the conference call at that time. Instead of going back and forth about what time will work for both of us, I choose a time and offer it to them. If they can't make it, they will almost always propose a new time. Here’s another trick that I’ve found after leaving so many voicemails and sending emails that are ultimately unanswered: I send a meeting request from Outlook that sets a date and a time, and it offers them an Accept or Deny. They very often show up on the conference call at that time. Instead of going back and forth about what time will work for both of us, I choose a time and offer it to them. If they can’t make it, they will almost always propose a new time.

]]> By: Erica Stritch http://www.raintodayblog.com/how-to-get-prospects-to-apologize-for-not-returning-your-voicemail/#comment-22 Erica Stritch Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:39:31 +0000 http://www.raintodayblog.com/?p=276#comment-22 Lorraine, Great points you make here. You absolutely must follow through. The WORST thing you could do is use this approach and then NOT call at the stated date and time. This is the quickest way to lose all credibility and trust (which considering it is a cold call is probably very low to begin with). And your chances of getting in touch with them after that are extremely low. Your point about building a story is spot on. It takes multiple touches to get prospects to 1) become aware of you; 2) remember you; and 3) actually tune in to your message. Erica Lorraine,

Great points you make here. You absolutely must follow through. The WORST thing you could do is use this approach and then NOT call at the stated date and time. This is the quickest way to lose all credibility and trust (which considering it is a cold call is probably very low to begin with). And your chances of getting in touch with them after that are extremely low.

Your point about building a story is spot on. It takes multiple touches to get prospects to 1) become aware of you; 2) remember you; and 3) actually tune in to your message.

Erica

]]>