Global Marketing Plus

If you’re like me, you’re often jumping in an out of meetings or appointments. In between, you have a couple of minutes to return a couple of phone calls, so how do you choose which people you’ll call back first? 

Often the decision is made for me… so make sure your messaging is as effective as possible.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve not returned a call promptly because I didn’t have someone’s contact information readily available.

I’m sure you’ve had the same experience. Someone emails you to please call them or you just want to call them. But they didn’t give you a phone number, and there isn’t one listed in their signature line. You then have to dig through past emails, look in your address book, Google them, and still you aren’t able to find their direct line.

In this age of iPhones, Blackberries and cellphones, it’s rare that I have a phone number memorized. 

I don’t even have my adult children’s phone number memorized because all I have to do is enter their speed number code and my cell phone dials their number for me.  If I get caught without my cell phone or the battery dies, there is no way I can call them!

I know this is a simple and basic thing. But so many people don’t follow it. If you want someone to respond to you, you’ve got to make it as easy as possible for them.  The same thing goes for leaving a voice mail.

So many people rush through their phone number, making it virtually impossible to write down the number without having to go back and listen to their message a couple of extra times. Ideally, you should always give your phone number, say it slowly, and repeat it twice so that someone can write it down and then make sure it’s correct.

Effective emails always include a signature line with contact information. You should include your contact information in every new message or every message you reply to.  This is just good common marketing sense!

I have a friend that has a knack for being able to memorize things like long lists of phone numbers and license plates.

But for the rest of us who have off-loaded our ability to remember phone numbers to our electronic brains, this strategy will help you make sure your calls are returned.