Are you chasing your tail with your internet leads?
How are you doing with those half warm emails sitting in your Outlook Inbox? I can tell you why at least half of those don't convert. You give up way too soon and you stick to this "Internet Rule" someone created about making contact only by email and ignoring the valid and willful phone number provided to you by the prospect.
That's right. You are chasing your tail. Stop running in circles and pick up the phone.
Most people who contact you by email first have several reasons for doing so.
- They don't want to feel pressured.
- They don't have time to talk on the phone.
- Email is quick and easy.
- Email is an efficient method to feel out whether you've got the right stuff.
In 2001 the rule was to not contact a prospect by phone.
- Contact the prospect by the method they contacted you.
- You will turn off the prospect by calling them IF they don't specifically tell you to call them.
Say what?
How many prospects do you come into contact with by phone or email that tell you to call them right away? For me it is slim to none unless I have established a worth by blog post(s), referral, or in person contact.
Usually a prospect will feel you out in the first email or two. The prospect wants information and you are the route the prospect has chosen to get it. Do you know why you get grumpy after awhile of giving so much information without feeling the return love in the way of a phone call or a "take me out and show me these houses today" message from your prospect?
You are not calling and asking for the sale. You are expecting your prospect to be the proactive party.
In this process the sales person ironically become the reactive party.
Short story. I contacted a local website company. My first contact was by email. I had some 
questions, and I got a run around with the answers.
The second email to me from this website design company was, "Visit our website and certainly you can see the high quality custom work we do....blah....blah.....blah".
I emailed the account executive back with a few more questions that I expected detailed answers to, again with the run around and, "I'd like to meet so we can discuss this, at my office or yours. I will call you".
Guess what....no call from Mr. Custom Website Extraordinaire Account Exec.
The next email I got from the account executive seemed rather perturbed and annoyed....."I told you we did custom design, so we should talk"- was the gist of the context.
His emails and contact information went into my delete folder this morning.
Consumers are smart and they want service. If they email you first, certainly email back in kind. If there is a valid phone number, unless they tell you not to call, you should be calling them.
Applying common sense certainly comes into play with your phone call. Use the email as your talking points, referencing questions and answering in further detail.
Don't be afraid to ask prospects their time frame. Let them know, if you get a sense of hesitancy or they ask why you called, that you call all of your customers who give you their phone number to answer their questions and out of common courtesy.
It is your good old fashioned customer service that makes you strive to connect with inquiries and make sure you have answered all their questions thoroughly.
Bottom line, unless your customer wants to do all their business by email with you, and this is not the majority of customers, then you need to connect in a more personal way. It amazes me that the account exec. I had email communication with never bothered to pick up the phone to call me.
I could sit here wondering,
Is he confident in his services?
Does he want my business?
Can he close the sale?
Why is he fearful of rejection?
I'm not gonna waste my time wondering why. I've got plenty of choices. I'm movin' on.
Are you Chasing Your tail? Stop Running in Circles, Pick Up the Phone, and Call.
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