What I’ve put together today is true, not only for the subject matter at hand, but also for any kind of persuasion or marketing task I’ve encountered in the course of running our Newtown Square, PA small business tax and accounting firm.
I can boil it down thusly: Keep the point of your communication simple — and do what it takes, and ONLY what it takes, to prompt the necessary response.
Seems simple, right? But I can’t tell you how many voicemails, emails and other messages my assistant has to wade through for me, which could be reduced in length by about a quarter. Messages on my personal cell phone can be even worse!
But in your marketing — especially if you’re wanting to make a sale, eventually — have that old saw in mind: keep the main thing, the main thing…
Stephen Venuti’s Advice For Breaking Through Internal Gatekeepers
While the technology has changed from tapes to megabytes, the basic concept of a voice message remains the same. And, as people have increasingly found ways to streamline their work, they’ve also figured out smart ways to protect their time — gatekeepers aren’t just secretaries any more … they can be technological.
But sadly, many sales people and communicators still act like it’s the 1980’s with voice messages, and further — little effort is made to cut through technological (and human) gatekeepers with any kind of clarity.
So here’s where you can start…
Learn when to shut up.
When leaving a message, you have a limited window to make your point. That means you can’t provide a lot of background information or cover multiple topics.
So before you call, make sure you have a singular focus to mention if you get the person’s voicemail — as well as if it’s an assistant or other gatekeeper. Then, highlight that important point, and leave the rest of your points for the actual follow-up discussion.
Use mystery to your advantage.
Resist the temptation to go into your sales pitch about solving all the problems for your listener. For one thing, the listener probably doesn’t have time (or want) to listen to your pitch. For another, if you give your pitch, what reason do they have to call you back?
Instead, only allude to the idea that a solution does exist…but don’t go into detail. Leave some mystery.
After all — the purpose of leaving a message is to get them to call or contact you back! So everything about what you’re doing should incentivize this ONE action.
And this might seem obvious, but still state a number the person can reach you at even though many phones have caller ID. You can even give them a time frame (such as saying they can call you back by a certain day or time) to help create a sense of urgency about solving the mystery you’ve established in your message.
Put some life and personality into it.
Nobody wants to listen to a person who’s boring or sounds bored. The same is true with voice messages. After all, if you don’t have energy when talking about something, why should the listener have the energy to call you back? So before you call, take a second to raise your energy level. Some experts recommend standing up when making a call or smiling while talking on the phone, as a way to subtly convey a pleasant, energetic tone.
It never hurts to practice, and you shouldn’t hesitate to actually TEST out different approaches (and track the results).
Now, can you see how these strategies can work with any kind of marketing or persuasive communication? They say that salesmanship is one of the most important skills for non-salespersons to have … and it’s true.
Finally raising my head up again from the long tax season … but I am warmly yours,
Stephen Venuti
610-353-0686
And for your business owner associates…
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“No Charge” Return Review
Special Gift Certificate
As a complimentary service this year, we will provide a Return Review To Any Non-Client.
We will also review prior year returns from clients who did NOT have us handle their taxes during the year under question. No charge will be made, unless we have to file an amended return. Email our office or call 610-353-0686 to set up this complimentary service!
Deadline May 10th
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