Debbie Mayo-Smith: Using voicemail to grow business

I don't know about you, but I hate cold calling. Yet for many, it's essential. Well. Let me share something we've been doing in the office that has, and I shouldn't be so surprised, worked really well.

Last week in Dialling Delivers Dollars I wrote about buying taped tele-seminars, and listening to them while driving. By the way, I've also had my marketing manager Marnie listen to them too - as she helps me in this endeavour.

Anyway, one of the other MP3's purchased was a conversation with Melinda Henning on using Voicemail to grow your business.

Her point was that you tactically use it to start building a relationship with the person you're calling by telephoning a bit before or after business hours. You leave a series of interesting messages to illicit a response by having them call you back (hopefully after the first call).

The goal of these calls aren't about selling. Rather to engage with, to motivate interest, to encourage action. Start your message with your positioning statement (that's another tape and another article for us in the future) and a benefit; or one of their problems solved working with you.

You ask permission to send them your marketing material, or to have a meeting. You ask them to call you back. They don't call you back.

The second message, a few days later, refers to your original message and you leave an interesting tip or another benefit to them and ask them to return your call. Keep leaving messages until you feel it's time to stop.

Your last call you say they must not be interested in achieving the outcome you / your product will produce or that it must be on the back burner for them now. Let them know you won't call again and of course be sure to leave your number and name again.

Now you might think this is counter-intuitive, as we all hate hitting voicemail when we make calls. But you know what? Using this strategy works. As I mentioned, we've started it in our office. Marnie is assisting me with the calling and though it is early days, guess what? We're getting called back! Meetings are scheduled. I believe a strong part of it is we developed a really good positioning statement.

So if you hate cold calling; or you normally hang up or haven't developed a very good what's in it for them -working with you - then try this.

What do you think?

Written by international speaker and bestselling author Debbie Mayo-Smith. For more tips, over 500 how-to articles visit Debbie's article webpage.