|
|
| www.1001TopWords.com |
|
|
Voice Mail Can Be Your Buddy
Voice Mail is a classy name for "answer Machine".Problem is, people at home had answer machineslong before most businesses. When the answermachine industry finally figured how work to theirmachines into business systems with more than oneextension, they called it "Voice Mail" This article focuses on what you say TO the voicemail, not the welcome greeting you might put onyour voice mail. You can leave two types of voicemail messages. A message to a person you alreadyhave a business relationship with, and a messageto a person you hope to establish a businessrelationship with (a cold call). Most people don't answer machines or voice mail.If you have an answer machine at home you havelistened to that recorded silence while the non-speaking person breathes, then hangs up, havingdecided not to leave a message. Most answermachine message begin with a pause because theperson on the other end was not prepared to leavea message and does not think on their feet likeyou and me. In business, the pause can kill you.Voice mail can be your buddy. Be prepared to meetit head on without a moment's hesitation. Justlike you worked out your one sentence uniqueselling proposition and practiced the quick drawof your business cards for networking, you can beready with several canned voice mail message andnot miss a second when the thing beeps at you.Time is money. You took the time to make the call,so you should make every effort to make it pay foroff for you. What you say is what makes thedifference. There is some research that says the averageexecutive gets over 300 messages (mail, eMail faxand more) each day, not to mention the bombardmentof advertising messages from billboards, TV,radio, cable and newspapers. That's a lot ofclutter to penetrate. And if your message is hohum, or starts with a pause... fahgettaboutit!Your message must attract attention right off oryou go down with the delete button. Leavingmessages for friends and family is a snap, aspontaneous act. Not so at work. You need toprepare your message.Be ready before you dial. What do you say? You have to plan this in advance.Scripting is not a bad idea. I am not saying youshould read from a script, but if you write andorganize what you are going to say and read thescript out loud enough times, it will sound like anatural when you recite it to the machine. Justlike you rehearsed your Unique Selling Proposition(USP) so you don't have to remember, it just comesout naturally when someone asks "What do you do?" I know of one eager saleslady who recorded hervoice mail response on a little cassette machinehooked to her phone with a Radio Shack interface.When she gets the tone, she pushes the play buttonand sends it down the line. Another sales type,(let's call him "Bif") had a guy at the radiostation do up a fancy 30 second commercialcomplete with production effects and music. Thereis a line you cross and Bif may have crossed it.Goals Your message should be targeted at buildingcredibility, so when you call again and the partyis in the office, you can get through. How can you build credibility with a voice mailmessage? For starts, you don't leave a lot ofahhs, gulps, and uuhs. When you begin withouthesitation, in a clear, concise, upbeat manner youare telegraphing a positive image of knowledge andconfidence, even when you get the "unexpected"voice mail prompt. As you deliver your rehearsed script over andover, take care not to speed though with little orno emotion in your voice. Remember how you feelwhen the place you call is answered by a bored,unhappy receptionist who speeds through the spielwith the "I don't care if you can't comprehendwhat I am saying" attitude. Your Voice mail pitchmust be warm, and slow enough to sound as if it iscoming from your heart, not your recorder on highspeed. Here are BIG Mike's Tips for leaving effectiveVoice Mail DON'T BE PREDICTABLE Everyone leaves the same tired message.You gettuned out the minutes it starts, Example of sameol same ol: "Hi this is Bif, we haven't met but Ithought I'd call to see if you would be interestedin hearing about my new..." UGH! Make yourmessages so compelling folks have to call youback. And don't drone on and on, make 'em shortenough to entice, but long enough to incite. IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU This phrase pops up in every aspect of marketing,from advertising all the way down to answermachine and voice mail messages, Its Not AboutYou. Take a poll. No one cares about you. No one caresthat your mug shot is 15 feet high on a billboardacross town. No one cares if you are doing yourown radio commercials and sound worse than thehigh school announcer. No one cares if yourdealership has sold more cars than all the dealersin Central Montana. And NO ONE CARES when youleave a message about you, or your company. Itsnot about you. WIIFM. WIIFM is not a radio station, is the acronym toremind you they don't care about you, instead theyask "What's In It For Me?" WIIFM?? SELL THE BENEFITS The key ingredient for successful sales andmarketing works for effective voice mail as well.What can you say that will lead the listener toknow and believe that you have something of valuefor them? Prospects return calls if you convincethem you may have something they want...and, soon. ASK FOR THE ORDER Voice mails have been asking callers to "Leave amessage" for years, yet fully three quarters ofthose who do respond to the beep only leave nameand phone number. Your voice mail message gives you a perfectopportunity to call for action on the part of yourlistener (Remember you are competing with 300+messages and the horrid reputation of telephonesales pitches (telemarketers). Go for the close with a call for action. Ask themto do something. To Call You, To be on the lookoutfor a package from FedEx. To check records to seeif you are not right on target. Ask and you'llget. Voice mail response can be an effective salestool. Voice mail is one of many tools theprofessional uses to get the job done, right ©2005 BIG Mike McDaniel All Rights ReservedMike@BIGIdeasGroup.comBIG Mike is a Professional Speaker and SmallBusiness Consultant with over 30 years experience,http://BIGIdeasGroup.com Subscribe to "BIG Mike's BIG Ideas" NewsletterMailTo:subscribe-956603364@ezinedirector.net
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How to Successfully Promote your Business to an International Audience Breaking into the international marketplace can catapult a company into increased profitability and growth more rapidly than when selling to a domestic market. Marketing Yourself and Your Business to Thriving! We all watch the commercials on TV. We hear them on the radio. We meet someone at an event or hear them speak and we are hooked. What has happened? Their marketing efforts have made the ordinary sound extraordinary. They have been successful at essentially creating something out of nothing! This is marketing at its best! Print Marketing Campaign, Whats Important and Whats Not! Every company searches to lure customers to their product. Unless you have a monopoly or unique product your marketing goal is to fulfill your customers needs with your products. Today finding that monopoly or unique program is virtually impossible, and even if you do find it chances are someone will copy it very quickly. The Real Path To Big Bucks On The Internet! "Instead Of Wasting Time Trying To Hit The Lottery Of Internet Riches, Focus On Building Your Business One Sweet Income Stream At A Time!" Fundraising Renewal Letters: Four Goals to Strive For With Each One You Write In the fundraising profession, appeal letters that you mail to existing donors are called renewal letters. They are designed to solicit a gift, but, more important than that, they aim to persuade your current donors to renew their support of your organization. Donors renew their support with their cash, of course, but they also renew it with their commitment-with their hearts and minds. And that's why renewal letters are so vital. They help you maintain your broad base of support year after year, cost-effectively. Ready, Aim, Fire...Oops...Wheres The Target? Everywhere you go on the Internet you find the words, "target market." What do they mean? What does it have to do with you? Well it has everything to do with your success in sales. Full Color Postcard Marketing: 7 Reasons Why They?ve Become the New Direct Mail The most crucial aspect of having a high response rate to any direct mail marketing list is to keep your business' name in everyone's mind, constantly. But how do you do that without annoying your business customers, or divvying up a lot of time and money? 5 Steps To Help Fail-Proof Your Growing Service Business Business startup and failure rates are scary... Resume Writing Service Marketing Marketing A Resume Business Mission Statement Impossible Dant dant da da dant dant da da. Dant dant da da dant dant da da. (That's the theme from "Mission Impossible"...)FADE IN. Avoid the Duds: 10 Strategies for Selecting The Perfect Speaker Today, more than ever, the success of meetings relies heavily on the strength of program content and presentation. Nothing can spoil a meeting more than hiring the wrong speaker. That's because speakers do more than just convey the overall meeting message. You look to them to provide insights, awareness, and cutting-edge information in an energetic, motivational, entertaining, and professional manner. What more could you ask for? Well, the right speaker can emphasize an important message, offer inspiration, help people cope with new assignments, and lead the way towards change. Selecting the right speaker for your event is one of the most important, yet daunting elements for creating a successful meeting. Your speaker can often make or break the event. If he bombs, your reputation not only takes a severe nose-dive, but you also have the pleasure of dealing with the barrage of complaints from a disappointed audience. Yet, if he does well, you can walk away with many of the accolades, compliments, and of course, the rave reviews. By now, you probably realize that this massive responsibility is not to be taken lightly. Raise Your ExpectationsThe skill to selecting a great speaker is determining what combination of education, motivation, and entertainment best fits your function. Then set out to find a perfect match. But keep your expectations high, since nothing can spoil a meeting faster than booking the wrong speaker. The following 10 guidelines should help you keep your focus and also keep you away from the "duds."1. Know the program objectives. Before you can start looking for the right speaker, you must know the program objectives. Begin with the end in mind. What are you looking to achieve? Is this an annual meeting, a training program, an incentive get-together, an awards celebration, or another type of event? This will probably be a committee or management decision, rather than one you will have to make. But you may have to make an intangible concept tangible. 2. Understand the audience's needs. Along with the program objectives, consider the needs of your audience. Does your group need industry-specific or technical information? Will a mix of motivation and entertainment serve your group's purpose? Today's audiences are generally younger, more educated, more diverse, and more sophisticated than in the past. They want content. They want to learn, but they also want it to be fun, so consider the audience needs and exactly what they expect. Consider surveying your audience. Ask them what they want or what skills would most help them in their jobs. For example, sales people may ask for advanced selling skills, but managers may request teambuilding programs. 3. Check for reputation. With countless speakers out there vying for your business, how can you possibly determine which one best meets your needs? Many speakers produce highly professional or glitzy marketing materials to help sell their services. You must look deeper than simply scanning a few brochures and ask pointed questions to find the right fit, such as What experience does this speaker have? How familiar is this speaker with this industry? and, Who else has used this person? 4. "Test drive" your prospects. If you don't have the opportunity to preview a speaker in person, then the next best thing is to request a video or audio recording of a previous presentation. A session that was recorded before a live audience gives you a better sense of a person's real ability.Watch or listen carefully to how the speaker builds rapport and interacts with the audience. Ask yourself if this person would be right for your group. Is the combination of education, motivation, and entertainment appropriate for your needs? Does the speaker have a message that is appropriate, timely, and relevant to the theme or purpose of your event? Does it conform to your company's philosophy and policy? Do you feel the speaker is genuine and has the expertise to deliver a solid presentation? 5. Don't be star-struck. If you are considering celebrity speakers, make sure they can speak! TV personalities do a great job on the air, but sometimes have little public speaking expertise, and you should be aware that the skills needed for being on TV and for speaking live are very different. However, many well-known personalities make excellent speakers and can add enormous value and clout to your event. Politicians and sports, media, or entertainment celebrities often share life experiences, offer advice, or have an inspirational message to impart. 6. Be wary of grandiose claims. Speakers who claim to be all things to all people are probably desperate for work. Avoid them. True professional speakers, on the other hand, usually have certain areas or topics of expertise. They would much rather refer potential business to a true expert than jeopardize their reputation by trying to do a program outside of their knowledge zone. Also, beware of the charismatic and fluffy speaker as your audience wants good, solid take-away value. 7. Provide and ask for good information. Reputable speakers want to find out as much as possible about the meeting objectives, the audience, industry challenges, and so on in order to tailor their presentation to the group. Share information on your organization and audience to help the speaker design a program to fit your specific needs. provide them with newsletters, catalogs, or any other publications that highlight industry trends, key people, industry jargon or buzz words, and insider news and views.Also include as much information as possible about the size and demographics of the audience such as age, gender, and positions. 8. Ask for an outline. Ask prospective speakers for an outline of the presentation to make sure they will be covering the material as you discussed. This will clearly lay out what's expected as verbal communication is subject to being misunderstood or misinterpreted. Seeing exactly what speakers plan to cover in the sessions should help to ensure that the material is tailored to your specific needs. 9. Maximize opportunities. Look for ways to maximize opportunities with your speakers. Discuss different ways they can add extra value and be a significant resource to help improve your meeting's success. Brainstorm ways that you feel they can assist you in planning, preparing, promoting, and presenting. Some suggestions include serving as an emcee, conducting special sessions or roundtable discussions about current issues for select groups such as company executives or the board of directors, and participating in a spouse program. 10. Trust your instincts. Through your communication with the speaker, you will quickly form an opinion or have a feeling about this person. First reactions count here. "I like this person" or "I don't like this person," or "I feel comfortable or uncomfortable working with this person," are strong indicators. These responses usually comes from your gut - a very trustworthy organ. Have confidence in your instincts and trust that so-called sixth sense. If you experience any kind of negative feeling, think about looking for someone else or get another opinion from a colleague. You want to make sure that you can work with this person and that both of you are on the same wavelength.The true objective of hiring a professional speaker hinges on establishing a partnership where a mutually beneficial relationship grows and flourishes. When this happens, you know you've chosen well. The Perfect MatchOverwhelmed with the plethora of speakers to choose from? You may want to turn to a speaker's bureau for advice and guidance. A good bureau should act as a consultant and partner to help your event succeed. Even though many hundreds of bureaus are out there, the numbers pale in comparison to the thousands of speakers. A bureau's sole purpose is simply to make your job easier and provide you with solutions. They want to find the best possible match for your event within your price range. So, where do go looking for one of these bureaus? Here are a few places to start your search: the phone book, chambers of commerce, convention and visitors bureaus, the Internet, industry colleagues, and friends. A Final Note:Look for CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) or CPAE (Council of Peers Award for Excellence) designations. Both these are conferred by the National Speakers Association and are considered the speaking profession's international measure of professional platform skill (http://www.nsaspeaker.org). Armed with these guidelines and resources, your search for the perfect speaker will be more fruitful. And with a little effort and some time, you will connect with a speaker who will fulfill your goals- one that will be both inform and enlighten. Your audience will thank you. Get Results: Start with Your Marketing Message and Objective Recently I was talking with a very bright traditional marketer on the value of integrating Internet marketing into an enterprise's marketing mix. Personally, I have witnessed significant and measurable increases in the online results of an enterprise when they include traditional marketing strategies like direct mail, radio, television or publicity with their internet marketing strategies. Everybody Loves Raymond....You Should Too! Popular TV Series Provides a Powerful Marketing Lesson How to Convey Trustworthiness in Direct Mail Marketing Sales Letter A person or business that might buy from you is called a prospect. But they might just as accurately be called a skeptic. We live in the age of the spam filter. And call-display. We live in what fellow-copywriter Herschell Gordon Lewis calls, "The Age of Skepticism." Marketing Hat for Graphic Designers or Wannabe?s Many people think that the quality of any graphic design is determined by how aesthetically pleasing it is: Although making the card look good is important, this couldn't be further from the truth. The only true measure of any design, at least commercially, is "How well does it pull?". By pull we mean what type of response does it elicit? Does it pull in calls, or pull people into the store? In essence, does the design accomplish what it set out to do? Color Part 2: Formats and Systems There are several color formats and systems available for mixing and specifying colors. Here, we explain three of the most common systems: RGB, CMYK, and Pantone colors. Marketing Strategy - Whats Your System? Where Do Most of Your Clients Come From? Network Your Way to Success- 12 Tips to Jumpstart Your Business Lots of people network but few reap the rewards of zeroing in on their potential when it comes to networking. Here are some tips to help fill the gap between where you are now and where you can be. Mortgage Marketing and Advertising ? The Magical Ingredient Do you offer superior service, consistently close loans on time and overall are more adept than your competitors, yet you're struggling to figure out the mortgage marketing and advertising puzzle? Direct Mail Postcard Rules It's a fact that your customers are your best leads. This means that the most likely people to purchase your products and/or services are the ones who have paid for them before. It's also a fact that it costs far less money to keep a customer than it does to go out and get a new one.
|
| © Athifea Distribution LLC - 2013 |
