Consumer-Direct Marketing and
Your Company Greeting
By Karen Deis
Foundation Marketing Inc., Hudson, WI, deis4@aol.com
More and more companies are eliminating receptionists and using an automated answering system and pre-recorded messages to greet clients who call them. I don't wish to recommend one system versus another one. However, I would like to provide you with information on how you can effectively use your pre-recorded "greeting" to be more effective and market to the consumer at the same time.
1. Provide your office hours, fax number and e-mail address in the greeting. Your office hours tell the caller that they have either called too early-or too late. When you provide your fax number, mention that they can fax information to you at any time. The e-mail serves as an additional point of contact and they could also e-mail questions about interest rates, obtain a mortgage application on-line, or the status of their loan.
2. Mention a mortgage product that you feel is a popular right now. For example, you might wish to say a few words about your No Documentation Mortgage or your 100% financing options.
3. Use simple terms that the consumer will understand. In other words, don't use mortgage terminology. Referring to #2, instead of saying "ask us about our No Documentation Mortgage", you might rephrase it and say, "You might be interested in the mortgage that does not require you to provide your tax returns or bank statements-it's called a No Doc Mortgage". Instead of talking about the 100% financing options, you might say "ask us about the mortgage that does not require any money down-and maybe you could include your closing costs in the loan too."
4. Change your greeting every 2 weeks. Clients get tired of listening to the same greeting time after time-clients usually work with you for about 30 days (with any luck) so update the greeting to keep them from getting bored.
5. Talk faster. Nothing is more irritating than listening to someone talk slowly. People listen faster than they speak, so don't worry about your talking speed. The length of time for your greeting should be 20 seconds or less. Some people just don't talk fast-so find someone who does and have them record the greeting for you.
6. Don't use music in the background. It's difficult to listen to two things at once.
7. Change your greeting during holidays. And, it doesn't have to be the major holidays. Groundhog Day or Flag Day will do just fine-and you may even mention an interest rate special for that day.
Companies who have automated their greeting usually have voice mail in place too. The voice mail greetings from staff members should also be recorded to provide an additional layer of consumer-direct marketing to the caller.
1. Change the voice mail recording every two weeks.
2. Identify yourself in the voice mail recording.
3. Give the caller information about your job description
4. If you are out of town, say so. (Nothing is more frustrating than a client leaving a message, not getting a return call, and then finding out you were on vacation for 10 days.)
Here's an example of a greeting that you might want to use:
"Thanks for calling (name of mortgage company). Hours are from 8 am to 5 pm, Monday thru Friday. Our fax is open 24 hours. That number is _______. Email us anytime at___________. Ask us about the mortgage program that does not require any money down and could include your closing costs in the loan too."
You would then go into how a caller would access members of your staff using your voice mail message center. If you wish to vary the greeting including a holiday, you might say "Happy Valentine's Day from (name of mortgage company)".
As for the voice mail greetings, here is an example of what staff members might say:
"Thanks for calling and you have reached (staff member's name) I work in the closing department. Please leave your name, one or two phone numbers, and the best time to reach you, and I will do so. "
You really don't have to mention that you are away from your desk, on the phone or meeting with clients. It is assumed that if you didn't answer the call personally, there must be something else going on. Identifying your job lets the caller know that they reached the right person or department.
Asking for 2 phone numbers and a time to call back allows you to plan your day and schedule callbacks on your calendar. With 2 phone numbers, you have a better chance of reaching the person instead of playing telephone tag all day.
The consumer called you-with the assumption that they were going to talk to someone-either about a mortgage program or obtain information from a staff member. Your greeting should give them several options to get in touch with you. Mention mortgage programs that you specialize in. (You might even start a "mortgage of the month" club.) Include your staff in your marketing efforts too.
What you don't want your clients to hear is "I'm either away from my desk or on the phone right now, please leave a message". Boring! Definitely not consumer-friendly either.
Karen Deis had been in the mortgage business for 28 years. She now provides seminars, sales tools and speakers for the mortgage industry. Please visit her website at www.mortgagespeakersbureau.com or email her at deis4@aol.com.