What Will Be YOUR First Impression in the New Year?
Just because we specialize in internet marketing, the importance of offline communication is not lost on us. In fact, more than ever businesses need to be going above and beyond when it comes to face-to-face, or in this case voice-to-voice, interactions with existing and potential customers and clients.
To make the most of leads you get from your website and otherwise in 2010:
- Answer the phone with a smile. It may sound (and feel) silly, but callers can “hear” your expression on the other end of the line.
- Make it a friendly greeting that identifies your company and your name. Mix it up though so you can avoid sounding rehearsed.
- Project a positive vibe. For instance, if the call is for your boss and she’s with a client, instead of saying “She’s busy right now,” say “She’s helping another client. Let me take your name and number so she can help you next.” Or if someone asks a question you don’t have the answer to, instead of saying “I’m not sure,” say “I’ll find out and call you right back.”
- Return calls promptly. Same day is best, but within 1 business day is a must.
- Use speaker phone sparingly. Not only does it make some people uncomfortable, but being on speaker phone can also imply that your attention is divided and you are busy doing something else.
- Keep calls from going to voicemail. If someone calls from the phone number on your website it probably means they’re shopping right now. So if their call goes to voicemail, chances are their business will go to the company who answers the phone first. Granted you can have “closed” or “off” hours but take all the measures you can to ensure that, as often a possible, a live person is ready and willing to answer incoming calls.
Think about it.
What’s the point of creating a killer website, driving traffic there, and then dropping the ball with your strongest leads? To avoid that pitfall, make sure your company’s friendly, professional online image is in sync with the personality you project over the phone.
