Should you include your URL/website when leaving a voicemail? Set up a short and sweet landing page for this connection? Send an email with a link immediately after leaving your phone message? Or none of the above?
Answering this question gets back to the basic quandary facing those who telephone for freelance or consulting assignments. Should you maintain mystery in the hope that the prospect will call you back to find out why you called? Or should you give enough information so they understand why you called and can make an informed decision about how (or whether) to proceed?
Traditional “cold” calling practice is often to leave a simple call-me-back message when you don’t get an answer so the person may be sufficiently intrigued to call back. (“Who is this?” they ask themselves, calling back to relieve the tension of not knowing, goes the logic.)
However, I favor leaving a more complete message because few people are interested enough to call back people whose names they don’t recognize. This message may include a URL as well as a phone number.
That’s why I like sending an email with my website link immediately after the call. This way they don’t have to write down the website (correctly spelled) while hearing the phone message.
(Of course, this only works if you have the prospect’s email address or can construct it using the pattern observed on the corporate website.)
In sending the email, I am hoping that the person will either listen to the full phone message or read the email. I cross reference the two to avoid confusion and annoying redundancy.
The voice mail message states that I am sending an email that explains a little about how my service may be of use to you.
And the subject line of the email may say: Follow up to voicemail message: need help with XYZ service?
Originally posted 7-13-09
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