I support local music shops as much as possible so it was a surprise to see the name of an online musical instrument supplier calling me. It was even more surprising to answer the phone and hear a real person asking what I’d been up to and whether I’d had any questions about anything musical. It was a knowledgeable sales person – not a customer service rep from an overseas call center. I didn’t need any new gear but after hanging up, I felt drawn to their Website, just in case. Only days later, I received a call from a real person at the AAA asking if I’d like to add anyone to the roadside assistance membership at no charge. Then I received a call from an electrolyte supplement company and a real person with a bio on the company’s Website asked what I thought about the product I’d recently purchased.
As an existing customer, I already receive emails, catalogs, and other mailings from these companies on a regular schedule. So why are more and more companies like these using real people to call their existing customers? Staying in touch by email marketing, direct mail, social media, and other vehicles can be highly effective, it keeps the name brand at top of mind, and can drive quote requests and sales leads. But it’s not enough anymore. A phone call can feel personal. When a credible sales person calls, it creates an opportunity for an emotional connection, and that creates an opportunity to sell.
Once on the phone, it’s easy to offer a special promo code on the next purchase, alert loyal customers about an upcoming sale, or to ask if they’re willing to accept SMS messages. Sure, these sales messages may have already been delivered by email or another vehicle but linking direct response with a live phone call multiplies the impact and message retention exponentially, and improves the likelihood of a positive outcome. Even when calling the many customers who refuse to answer the phone, leaving a voicemail demonstrates the company cares about its customers, reminds customers the company still exists, and may bring people back to the Website to buy.
And the sales team can make these calls remotely. When marketing establishes confidence in a name brand, it helps set the conditions for a live phone call to yield a positive result, to build trust, and to close a sale that otherwise would probably not have happened.
