Dealing With Incoming Phone Leads
By Paul Esajian on January 22, 2014
Getting your phone to ring is one thing, but converting those calls into a deal is quite another. You can spend months coming up with a marketing plan, but unless you have a system in place for handling the volume of calls you receive, you will be disappointed with the results. Not only do you need to consider how you are going to answer incoming calls, you need to think about whether or not this will be a dedicated line strictly for your current campaign. Incoming leads, without consideration of how you will handle them, will go largely wasted.
There is nothing more disappointing in marketing then missing out on an opportunity. Nearly 50% of all sellers will not leave a voice mail. When you call back, your call will either be met with resistance or not be answered at all. That lead could be the one that produces a deal or leads you to future ones. The best way around this is to enlist the help of an answering service. You can provide a list of basic questions to ask and get a phone number or email to call back. This will provide a screening of the lead and let you work on other tasks without being distracted.
If you prefer to answer every call, you had better be prepared to block off most of your day. Even calling people right back after a missed call is not the same as answering it when it rings. It may not seem like a big deal to you, but for that person making the call, they may have built up the courage to finally call someone and may be ready to talk when they call. You also want to show that their call is important and you will not just treat them like every other deal.
If you do answer incoming calls, you need to have something prepared to say. Put yourself in the caller’s shoes for a minute. They may be losing their home. After months of looking for answers, they may finally realize that their options are limited. When they do talk to you, they don’t want to hear about your services or get a hard sell. They want you to listen and try to help them. The reality is that you may not be able to help everyone. In those moments, it is best to be forthright and straightforward about the situation. If you think you may be able to do something, be careful not to make promises that you may not be able to keep.
That first phone call should be for gathering as much information as possible and setting a follow up meeting after you have done a little legwork. You should not make any promises on numbers, time-frames and anything that is out of your area of expertise. You should treat each incoming call as if it is the only new lead you have. If you wait too long to get back to them or if your attitude is curt and rude, you can believe they will not work with you.
It is remarkable how many deals are gained or lost every day based exclusively on whether or not someone answers their phone . If you are not prepared when your phone rings, you should wait before you do any marketing.