Text Availability for Clients

[BTFuzz]

What are your thoughts on having a line specifically for clients and prospects to be able to text you? Since the younger generation seemingly doesn't like to talk on the phone, I have been pondering the possibility of having a cellphone assigned specifically to handle texting and market to my clients and prospects accordingly.

This would be for incoming inquiries only. Thoughts?

 

[somarco]

I handle quite a few emails, more than phone calls.

If someone doesn't want to call or email, I don't have time for them. Certainly not going to dedicate a line to text messages from folks who believe they are bullet proof and would rather drop $5/day on a double shot latte than $100/mo on health insurance.

 

[BTFuzz]

I handle quite a few emails, more than phone calls.

If someone doesn't want to call or email, I don't have time for them. Certainly not going to dedicate a line to text messages from folks who believe they are bullet proof and would rather drop $5/day on a double shot latte than $100/mo on health insurance.

I am in P&C and have a lot of younger people on the books. My thoughts were this would provide an added service to them and may even help penetrate the younger market knowing that my agency communicates this way. Just a thought that I've been pondering for awhile.

Maybe your situation with health wouldn't make as much sense...dunno.

 

[Norwayguy]

I am in P&C and have a lot of younger people on the books. My thoughts were this would provide an added service to them and may even help penetrate the younger market knowing that my agency communicates this way. Just a thought that I've been pondering for awhile.

Maybe your situation with health wouldn't make as much sense...dunno.

I guess my question is why do you need to dedicate a line to this, wouldn't your existing cell phone work? Second Texts are limited in the amount of charecters that can be sent so it would be really hard accomplish something via text...And finally with more and more people having access to email on their phone why bother with texts....If you think it would be of value to you then advertise it.

 

[ksigmtsu]

Here's a thought. I hadn't really ever considered this being something that people might use but why not give out a google voice number for SMS only. That way you can text as if it were just email. No charge to you, type with keyboard, and tell them they can text their little hearts out.

 

[BTFuzz]

I guess my question is why do you need to dedicate a line to this, wouldn't your existing cell phone work? Second Texts are limited in the amount of charecters that can be sent so it would be really hard accomplish something via text...And finally with more and more people having access to email on their phone why bother with texts....If you think it would be of value to you then advertise it.

I wouldn't advertise my existing cell# as I use it for both business and personal. The business portion is primarily email communications. I don't want calls and texts on that.

I'm not even sure I want to do this, but I just know how much young people text and was thinking of a way to provide them an additional service.

 

[somarco]

If you are going that route, you probably need an .mob site and promoting on social network sites.

 

[WinoBlues]

That is what I have been doing. I like that GV shows up on my computer so that I can save it if I feel the need to. I also agree that most people just email from their phones now.

I only this year started sparingly giving out my cell phone. If for some reason the office phones are not going to be answered I just forward them to my cell.

Here's a thought. I hadn't really ever considered this being something that people might use but why not give out a google voice number for SMS only. That way you can text as if it were just email. No charge to you, type with keyboard, and tell them they can text their little hearts out.

 

[Pangaea]

I handle quite a few emails, more than phone calls.

If someone doesn't want to call or email, I don't have time for them. Certainly not going to dedicate a line to text messages from folks who believe they are bullet proof and would rather drop $5/day on a double shot latte than $100/mo on health insurance.

Wait... Are you implying that it's wrong to choose espresso over insurance?

 

[somarco]

Are you implying that it's wrong to choose espresso over insurance?

Guess I am . . .

You got a problem with that?