Even though they do not work well, a large majority of calls go something like , "Mr Davidson, this is Bob at Acme Inc. I am just calling to be sure you received our brochure and quote. Call me if you have any questions at 555-1212."



By the time we have been in sales three years, an average salesperson has made almost 10,000 of that type of call. Even though it works in very few cases, many of us blame the rudeness of the customer and many mangers encourage us to keep calling.

This article takes a look at a few unusual secret twists that actually dramatically raise the chance that prospects will call you back.

Speaking Clearly Is A Must

I have to cover speaking clearly first as the failure to do so is an epidemic. So many messages start off at a great pace and then speed up incredibly when the number is left, making call back impossible as the number is unclear and garbled. Leave practice messages for yourself. Can you understand the name, reason for call and number? Do you sound enthusiastic? Would you call back? Practice and listening to ourselves is the first step in increasing call backs.

Always Leave Messages From The Customer Point Of View

Many messages sent are about us and not the customer. Your prospect didn't call you, they have no interest at this point or they would ahve called us. That means leaving messages like, "Mr Big? This is Keon Jones. I am calling to introduce myself...." This tired old approach is all about what's in it for you, not them. The recipient is not interested and will probably not call back.

Use The Power Of Curiosity

Everyone is curious. If you can raise curiosity, you have a far greater chance of a call back. I like to open with "Mr Jones? I am calling to apologize. When we met last week, I accidentally left out two very important factors that will affect your decision on your new mainframe dramatically. I hope I have caught you before you have taken any action. Please call me immediately as this information is critical to a good decision on your new computer system." Notice this twist . Never call and ask if they thought over your proposal. Use an approach like the one above to raise their curiosity. With curiosity raised, the need to call you back before they can make a decision.

Have A Great Or Mysterious & Personal Thing To Drop Off

Another good technique is to have something to drop off for them. Make it mysterious for the curiosity factor. You could say something like, "I did the math we discussed and found some surprising numbers that you should see before you make a final decision. I am on the road now and I can drop off the new numbers and go over them with you."

Here is another approach. "My Jones, I just received a new software tool that will allow you to analyze the numbers we discussed and project your results out over 7 years if you wish. I have just received a great tool that will help you with your decision. I can drop your copy off for you today or tomorrow and show you how to use it. The software is yours as a gift from our company. Give me a call and I can arrange a time to drop it off. I will only need about 10 minutes of your time.

Ask For An Assistant

Sometimes when you go to voice mail, it is better to talk with an assistant than to leave a voice mail. Some voice systems tell you the assistant's name and extension. Sometimes you can dial "O" and ask for the assistant. Telling an assistant you have important information or an item they will need is a great way to have a real human try to get you an appointment with the decision maker.

Set Up A "Drop By" Often it is good to leave a message that says it is important you see them and that you will "drop by" tomorrow in the morning when you are in the area. When you arrive, you can tell the gate keeper you had a tentative appointment or that you were scheduled to "drop by" at this time. This often gets you in and eliminates waiting for them to call you back.

As you can see, there are lots of twists and subtleties that can move your call back up the priority list. The cahnges we have discussed are enough to get far more calls returned.