We've all had 100's of contact ratio discussions. I feel like this piece is one discussion I had with myself; it's a subject that comes up all the time. I'm sitting here at my comuter at 11 pm at night wondering what I want to do with the 3 debt settlement leads that just came in. And it dawns on me because I just got finished writing an e-mail to one of my website visitors 5 minutes ago. Here's how it hit me (pretty much in this order too)
It's 11pm; I can't call this guy even though he applied 15 seconds ago. Bummer.
I tell myself "Christy he's online now, send him an e-mail right now! Send him an e-mail that says Jonathan Smith I got your message" ( I just exchanged 4 e-mails with the other guy, that responded to my e-mail solicitation with "NO THANKS" We're helping him pull is credit tomorrow).
I mean it hits me, it really hits me. Companies hire bloggers all the time, set up auto-responders and buy instant messaging software; usually lacking greatly installed with automated messages that basically tell you have to wait forever. We go through great pains to fill 20 seats, 50 seats, 300 telemarketing seats. Lots of these poor chaps are working third shift from over seas to accommodate the American 'prime time calling hours'.
so I think further..
Transform the answering service system into a late night e-mail quality control process. The goal is to only tickle the applicant. Put a little bait out there and then give him just enough to double verify the lead to get a firm phone appointment for the debt settlement representative. Now I mean tickle him not make the entire presentation so the consumer just ignores the rep's call because he was given too much information that allows him to actually make a decision. The scripting would need a keen eye just as telemarketing scripts do. Create scripts and boundaries for your 'late night typers' perhaps a message to the consumer like: "Hi Jonathan, I got your message about wanting to reduce your debts. I am here now processing your online form submission. Please write back with the time you would for us to call you tomorrow." - if he replies through e-mail, then I would go so far as to reply back to him one more time to reward his response (I believe he will, in some sense, feel rewarded and also obligated to answer the call the next day). "Ok Jonathan, Mark will be calling you tomorrow at that time. Thank you for replying back to me so late. You have a nice night."
Now my Indian friends don't take offense. There will be an import consideration for this business process if outsourced. It will be imperative that the typers have a good handle on the English language in written form. Good conjugation is a MUST otherwise I believe it will kill leads not breath more life into them.
Maybe I'm just full of myself but I believe this will work to increase overall contact ratios and most importantly, sales ... You don't have to talk to someone over the phone to contact them. I have to guess that if done properly the contact ratio on leads submitted after calling hours will go up 20%, possibly more.
Christy O'Connor
President
OCONCO Marketing, Inc.
Berkshire County, MA
http://www.oconcoMarketing.com
http://www.Real-Estate-yogi.com
http://www.VistaLendingGroup.com
http://www.dyogi.com
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I think you are right in theory, however, our company has an email drip campaign for people who visit our website and search for homes. So far, in two years I have not had any luck in getting to talk to someone. They just want to use the sight. I don't know where they go or to whom they go when they want to see the homes they have saved in their portfolio. I have not converted one of them. BUT, if they initially contact us by phone my conversion rate is very very high. Perhaps the internet is just to familiarize them with what is out there and their moving timeframe is way out. I don't know.