Tired of leaving endless, unanswered voicemail and email messages for prospects? Use these tips to get your messages returned.
I used to think the problem with getting emails and voicemails returned is that they either didn’t get through (which happens) or the person deleted them (which also happens). But I have found that the tools for managing emails and voicemails create an even more dangerous demon for getting action: the ease of delay. Because if the recipient of your call or email doesn’t take immediate action, the likelihood of any action shrinks. How many emails do you scan and say to yourself, “I’ll get to that later”? What about your smartphone or office voicemail box–is it empty, or full of messages you plan on listening to later?
To increase the likelihood of getting a response to your message, you have to change your communication expectation. Your messages shouldn’t be used for making a point, or conveying a complete idea or explanation. They are about getting action–a meeting or phone call, a request for information, a decision, an appointment or something else.
Here are some tips to getting action from your messages:
1. Create interest fast. You have seven words in the subject line of your email to get it opened, one sentence to get it scanned and two sentences to get it read. You have to jump into the middle of the issue from the start. A way to think about this technique is like a TV or film editor: Let’s say you can start the scene with the character getting out of the car, or on the sidewalk, or at the front door … or with the moment the front door opens. Most modern shows start the scene at the door opening–because that is when the action starts. Leave out the preamble in an email or voicemail and go straight to the issue so that the person doesn’t “save you for later.”
…to read this article in full, visit leading US small business resource, Inc.
