I hate it when this happens

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

Ditto. A potential client is attracted. A lead is chased.

 

[Guest]

He should have left a message, it's professional to do so. And he could have kept the lead.

Regardless of attracting the clients.

My comments had nothing to do with "interested buyers" because that's a different subject.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

He should have left a message, it's professional to do so. And he could have kept the lead.

Oh, I agree. I would have left a message that I had sent the email. No doubt.

I also keep all the leads in my database for some drip marketing (the most effective kind).

My point was that a lot of agents engage in incessant chasing...calling people back hoping they may have changed their mind, etc., etc. It's mainly a waste of time.

Try this test: leave a bunch of messages as to how you're calling back to "follow up" on the quote you sent them, blah, blah, blah...or

Don't leave a message.

I guarantee (because I've tested it) you'll get more calls back from the numbers that you don't leave a message on.

They're curious, see the number on caller ID, and can't stand not knowing.

There's a marketing lesson in there....

 

[somarco]

Early on I had left a message or two, but she never acknowledged. Nor did she bother to open a follow up proposal, or an instructional email (when she kept going back to my site and re-entering her data over & over to view different plans), nor did she open the email with the link for the accident plan.

So . . .

After all this, I did not care to leave a message, nor did I care to keep her lead.

It is in my database and can be recalled in seconds, but the paper copy I print with all my notes was in the round file.

I used to leave a message all the time. Now I rarely do.

On my first call, I leave a message.

After they open my proposal, I leave a message.

After that, I do not leave a message.

Saves time. Makes it easier on me and them.

After 1 - 2 messages, they know who I am and what I can offer. After a proposal and half a dozen follow up emails, they know who I am and what I can offer. After getting 1 or more newsletters, they know who I am and what I can offer.

No doubt I still waste time on folks that have fooled me, and sometimes I am fooled (like this time) by folks who I have written off as unresponsive. But I win more than I lose, and that is what matters.

That, and of course, referrals . . .

 

[Guest]

I know those odd stats, but that isn't really an interested client, curious yes, interested, no. I'd rather leave a voice mail and get the call back rather than try to trick someone into calling me back.

My thoughts are this, when I call back a number I don't recognize and I say "someone called me . . ." And they say "yes, you were interested in . . ."

I actually say the following:

"why didn't you leave a message!?!?!"

And they stammer because they know it's wrong and have no excuse.

Their credibility is lost, to me.

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quote=moonlightandmargaritas;116301]

Try this test: leave a bunch of messages as to how you're calling back to "follow up" on the quote you sent them, blah, blah, blah...or

Don't leave a message.

I guarantee (because I've tested it) you'll get more calls back from the numbers that you don't leave a message on.

They're curious, see the number on caller ID, and can't stand not knowing.

There's a marketing lesson in there....[/quote]
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Bob, I agree, we all get fooled.

I look at it this way now:

I go on a date, call the girl, leave a message or two and she never calls back.

Is she interested? Of course not. Should I keep calling and calling and leaving messages? No, that would sound desperate right?

Early on I had left a message or two, but she never acknowledged. Nor did she bother to open a follow up proposal, or an instructional email (when she kept going back to my site and re-entering her data over & over to view different plans), nor did she open the email with the link for the accident plan.

So . . .

After all this, I did not care to leave a message, nor did I care to keep her lead.

It is in my database and can be recalled in seconds, but the paper copy I print with all my notes was in the round file.

I used to leave a message all the time. Now I rarely do.

On my first call, I leave a message.

After they open my proposal, I leave a message.

After that, I do not leave a message.

Saves time. Makes it easier on me and them.

After 1 - 2 messages, they know who I am and what I can offer. After a proposal and half a dozen follow up emails, they know who I am and what I can offer. After getting 1 or more newsletters, they know who I am and what I can offer.

No doubt I still waste time on folks that have fooled me, and sometimes I am fooled (like this time) by folks who I have written off as unresponsive. But I win more than I lose, and that is what matters.

That, and of course, referrals . . .

 

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

Rob...good points, but in 28 years, not a single soul asked me why I didn't leave a message.

In fact, I feel confident in saying that most of us have heard "Stop leaving messages" a heck of a lot more times than "Why didn't you leave a message."

 

[bill3173]

I know those odd stats, but that isn't really an interested client, curious yes, interested, no. I'd rather leave a voice mail and get the call back rather than try to trick someone into calling me back.

My thoughts are this, when I call back a number I don't recognize and I say "someone called me . . ." And they say "yes, you were interested in . . ."

I actually say the following:

"why didn't you leave a message!?!?!"

And they stammer because they know it's wrong and have no excuse.

Their credibility is lost, to me.

Robliano probably has me on ignore, but I think that calling repeatedly without leaving a message is annoying and could cost you some decent customers.

I recently landed a fairly large health policy on a physicians family, whom I had not spoken with in months. I called and left him a couple of messages and that was it. He was a lead, not a personal referral, and I'm sure that he had been called by several others.

Maybe some of those were playing on the phone, calling over and over again.

 

[somarco]

"why didn't you leave a message!?!?!"

Never had anyone ask.

Can't tell you how many people who, when I did leave a message, never bothered to check their messages but simply called a number that appeared on their caller ID.

They always lead in with "Did you call me?"

Of course I respond with, "It depends . . . who is this?"

Those folks never pan out and I don't have the desire to try and cultivate them either.

I go on a date, call the girl, leave a message or two and she never calls back.

Is she interested? Of course not. Should I keep calling and calling and leaving messages? No, that would sound desperate right?

You're horny.

She isn't.

That's the way I read it.

Robliano probably has me on ignore, but I think that calling repeatedly without leaving a message is annoying and could cost you some decent customers.

Man, I really expected Bill to jump in on this thread. Can't imagine why he has nothing to offer.

The courteous thing is to always leave a message. Being a southern boy, I was taught the mannerly thing to do is always identify yourself, why you are calling and leave a message.

Like Ed, I have had more folks tell me to stop calling and leaving messages than ask why I DIDN'T leave a message.

So now, despite my upbringing, I leave a couple of messages, then none. Surprisingly, I get more call backs from those where I did not leave a message than from those where I left a message every time.

I constantly test and retest what I do with prospective clients. My email messages, newsletters, etc are constantly checked for what works, what doesn't.

When folks stop returning my "hang ups" then I will do something else.

Does anyone know where Bill is?

He must have me on ignore.

 

[Guest]

Why would I have you on ignore?

And why would you repeatedly leave a message for someone "not interested at this time?"

Wait for them to come to you.

Robliano probably has me on ignore, but I think that calling repeatedly without leaving a message is annoying and could cost you some decent customers.

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That was my point as well.

Never had anyone ask.

Those folks never pan out and I don't have the desire to try and cultivate them either.

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Also, there's a difference between "phone tag" and "stalking"

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

I go on a date, call the girl, leave a message or two and she never calls back.

Is she interested? Of course not. Should I keep calling and calling and leaving messages? No, that would sound desperate right?

It doesn't just sound desperate, it is desperate.

If we never test the conventional wisdom, we never find better processes...

When I pick up a new number, I never leave a message on the first call.

I find that females (of all ages) are great testers, and they want to see if you're gonna leave some boring message like all the other lame-o's out there. They've got to play a little "hard to get".

I play a little "hard to get" too. I want 'em to know if they don't answer, they're not gonna get to talk to me.

Instead, I call them back an hour or two later. Nearly 100% answer rate on that call...