Cold Calling/Prospecting
The Follow Up Call How To Further Leverage Your Dimensional Mailer
By Jim Domanski
Dec 20, 2004, 16:45

Why Make the Call?
You make a follow up call because it increases your chance for a two way dialogue. Put another way, because you increase your chances for a two way dialogue you then increase your chances to qualify and sell. The whole point of the mailer was to make your prospects more receptive to your prospecting overture. Capitalize on their receptivity!

NOTE: some prospects will actually call YOU. Be grateful for those. But, realistically, most of the prospects will not. They have other things on their plate; other priorities in their day. But many will take your call if you simply dial the phone and many return your message because they will feel the need to acknowledge (reciprocate) your gesture.

When to Make the Call
There’s an old adage that says, “Strike while the iron is hot.” The same principle applies to making the follow up call to the mailer. You must call within 3-4 days of anticipated receipt of the mailer. That’s the magic number; no more, no less.

There are four reasons for this. First, this time period ensures that the prospect has had the opportunity to receive the item, open it and appreciate it.

Second, it gives your prospects the time to call you back if they are so inclined, to say thank you. Call it decorum if you like, but you don’t want to look too eager in your follow up.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, the prospect is still basking in the surprise and delight of having received your dimensional mailer. This means the reciprocity factor is still strong: the client feels the compelling need to speak to you and say thank you when YOU call.

Lastly, anything beyond the 3-4 days reduces the impact of the reciprocity factor. Reciprocity seems to have a shelf life. It wanes and diminishes over time. This means you MUST schedule your follow up call using Outlook or some similar system.

What to Say
What you say and how you say it will be the ultimate key to leveraging the dimensional mailer. There are really two ways to approach the opening statement.
i. Subtle

The first approach is extremely subtle and the idea is not to reference the dimensional mailer at all. This approach relies on belief that your mailer was significant enough that the prospect will remember receiving it and connect you with the package.

This approach has the benefit in that it does not blatantly pander to the prospects sense of reciprocity. It helps you avoid that feel of being too garish or too mercenary. But there is a bit of a danger here. In his or her busy day the prospect may not associate you with the dimensional mailer. It might be due to a bad memory, a busy day, or a pressing crisis. The point is, if they have forgotten then your dimensional mailer was of no value whatsoever to your selling effort.

ii. Direct
The other (recommended) approach is simply to make casual reference to the dimensional mailer. The operative word is “casually.” You do not want to make a big deal about it. If you do, you run the risk of making the prospect feel awkward in saying thanks. You also run the risk of looking absolutely transparent in your effort; that your dimensional mailer was more of a “bribe” than a thoughtful gesture.

Here is a simple example of how to position the dimensional mailer in your follow up call:
“Mr. Northey, it’s Tim Taylor with Softchoice Corporation. I am calling you for two reasons. First, I hope your received the little package I sent you introducing myself. I hope you liked it. And second, I wanted to take a few moments of your time to determine if my company might help you reduce your costs in procuring hardware and software.

If I have caught you at a good time I would like to ask you a few questions to get a better feel for your situation and to determine if it might be beneficial to speak further. How does that sound?”

This initial opening references the dimensional mailer. It is designed to jog the prospect’s memory but it certainly does not beat it to death. It casually creates a sense of reciprocity when it expresses hope that the client liked it. But what this really does is it changes the attitude of most prospects. Most prospects are a bit skeptical and maybe even a bit annoyed when they receive an unsolicited call. They tend to be defensive in nature. By referencing the mailer, you turn the table a bit. Basic human courtesy demands a “thank you” and with the thank you comes a more warn and open attitude. The defensive barrier drops a few degrees. You are now dialoging on an entirely different level.

This opening also has a business benefit contained within it. This is very important. This tells the prospect that you are not calling to indulge yourself on their gratitude but that there is a business component to the call. This is also very important because some prospects may not be effusive about the package you sent. Some might not associate you with the package even though you referenced it. By referring to business benefits you can continue the call without an awkward silence.

Voice Mail
You know and I know that you will probably get voice mail most of the time. But here is where the dimensional mailer’s benefits really kick in. The mailer was designed to create receptivity to your message. In terms of a voice mail message this means whatever you say will likely be listened to.

Here is a voice mail message you can use:
“Mr. Northey, it’s Tim Taylor with Softchoice Corporation. I was calling your for two reasons. First, I hope your received the little package I sent you introducing myself. I hope you liked it. And second, I wanted to take a few moments of your time to determine if my company might help you reduce your costs in procuring hardware and software.

Could you please give me a call at…?”

The voice mail message is virtually identical to the opening statement created above. It reminds the prospect about the mailer without being overbearing. This helps kick in the reciprocity factor and the prospect feels compelled to return your call.

Summary
Remember that the dimensional mailer was designed to get through the clutter and help create a dialog with the client. This creates opportunities. You can maximize the dimensional mailer with a well timed follow up call and a well crafted opening statement and/or voice mail message.

So strike while the iron is hot and follow up!

Jim Domanski, Teleconcepts Consulting Inc.
© copyright 2001-4

About Jim Domanski: Cited by Canadian Business Magazine as "...Canada's reigning telemanagement guru..." Jim Domanski is regarded as one of North America's foremost experts on outbound business tele-sales and tele-support programs.

President of Teleconcepts Consulting, Jim helps businesses achieve their sales and marketing objectives by using the telephone to help generate leads and sell directly on both a strategic and tactical level.

A highly dynamic speaker and trainer with over 15 years of direct tele-sales experience, Jim has spoken to audiences around the world on telephone selling applications, skills and techniques. His "no bull" training style blends humor with "real life, real drama" situations which he has begged or borrowed from his clients.

Contact Information:
Jim Domanski
Teleconcepts Consulting
35 Vanstone Drive, Ste. 200
Kanata, Ontario K2L 1W4
1-888-353-0948
jdomanski@igs.net
www.teleconceptsconsulting.com

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