Telephone Outreach is Still a Necessity in Today’s Business World.

Using the telephone for business has never gone by the wayside. It may have been supplanted in favor of quicker and easier methods of communication such as email, text messages and social media. Through the years, the telephone has evolved technologically but has never really been replaced as a dependable business communication tool. Do you plan to use the telephone more often to help reach your business goals for 2017? The telephone still has value for your business and can be used to complement any marketing or communication strategy that you may already have in place or planning to implement. I prefer to use the phone and believe it is still a necessity in today’s business world.

• The phone makes you work better. Because, unlike email, the phone forces you to be more emphatic, more accurate, more honest. As human beings, we were endowed with tons of emotional proclivities which can only be expressed when we speak, not write. For instance, a prospect can read about your business through a beautifully crafted brochure, an inter-active website and an exchange of email dialogues. But when you personally call a prospect and invite them to experience your business services, they can sense the passion that you have for your business. They can understand the value of your business more clearly and what is in it for them. Jones and George (2014) stated “face-to-face is the communication method highest in information richness” (p. 506). Spoken communication, electronically transmitted is the second highest in information richness. A telephone call brings your business to life for your customers, and prospects. It exemplifies your personal business ethics and commitment to honesty and transparency. Furthermore, phone calls force the caller to actively listen to what connections have to say. Feedback is important about your goods or services so that corrective actions can be taken, if necessary.
• A telephone call builds rapport with your contacts. It gives them a feeling of importance and inclusion. It clarifies your message and your words so that your contacts are involved and engaged with your brand and your business. In the business world, telephone calls create excellent first and lasting impressions. Your customers get to know you better and you get to know your customers personally and professionally through regular communication. Phone calls reinforce that your priority is serving, and earning trust, while growing your business one phone call at a time, one customer at a time. It shows that you are taking the initiative to go the “extra mile” for your customers and prospects.
• Phone calls make your business stand out from all the competitors who are vying for your prospects and customer’s attention. Consider how would you choose at close a highly lucrative deal. Would you use social media, texts, tweets, email or would you place personals calls to the parties involved to ask for the sale and ensure a smooth closing process?

Overall, telephone outreach brings past, present and future business together. It is an essential component to business sustainability. When was the last time you picked up the telephone and placed a personal call to a customer, client and prospect, giving them your undivided attention? When was the last time you thanked your customers for their business, and asked if there is anything else that you can do to serve them or improve their experience? When was the last time you personally invited a prospect to become a customer? When was the last time you had a meaningful conversation (that excluded “selling” or “overcoming objections”) about your business services that helps solidify relationships?

Phone calls build trust and nurture relationships over time. We all well know that major deals rarely close overnight. It often takes several calls to make that “connection” and guide your prospects in making a business decision that has far reaching impact. It is worth the time and effort. A five minute phone call is a selfless act that can change your business life. Consider how long you plan to have a customer. With patience, perseverance, respect and reasonable expectations, personal telephone calls will help earn customers for life. Will you resolve to use the telephone more in 2017?

About the Author: Adele S. Busch is the Owner/President/Managing Member of ASB Business Services, LLC. “Business By Personal Invitation”.  Adele can be contacted directly at 614-477-2961 or via email: adelesbusch@gmail.com

References

Jones, G. R., & George, J. M. (2014). Contemporary management (8th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.