The Wrong Way to Leave a Voice Message

If you want people to return your calls, don't leave a voice message like this.

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This message is for George Torok.

This is Alex calling.

I need you to return my call at 1 800 000 0000  It’s urgent that I hear from you.

Once again the number is 1 800 000 0000.

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That was the message on my voice mail. There were at least two messages from Alex and one from a female using the same script. I could not understand her name.

What's wrong with this message?

1. There was no reason to call. Your listener is wondering, "What's in it for me?"

If you want people to call you, you must tell them why. In particular the reason to call must be in their interests. The listener doesn't care about what you need.

2. Just because you say it's urgent doesn't mean it's urgent. Even if you think it's urgent, that's only your interpretation. It's not urgent to your listener.

If it is urgent tell your listener why it is urgent for them.

3. There was no offer.

What was Alex offering? Was it a free gift, special price or insider information? Who knows? We can only assume that Alex was selling something. Clearly it was not something I wanted or needed because he didn't mention the product or the problem that it would solve.


4. There was no connection.

Alex didn't mention his company name so the listener is left wondering. I don't know Alex. I wondered, "How did you get my name?"

If there was a pre-existing connection or referral - tell your listener. That can warm up the relationship.


5. It was clearly an automated call.

My name was in a different person's voice. So it was patched into the voice message like a mail merge in a word processing program. It was clearly not a personal call but one intended to broadcast to as many as possible in the hope of catching some unsuspecting fish. Telephone spam.





George Torok Keynote Marketing Speaker Co-author of Secrets of Power Marketing
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Why Aren't Prospects Returning Your Call?

If you want prospects to return your calls give them a compelling reason to do that.

It’s tough reaching business decision makers by phone. You either get screened by the gate keeper or trapped in voice mail. That means that sales and marketers need to be smarter not dumber.

Of course, there is the legion of folks that you can reach on their cell phone, day or night, in the car, restaurant, toilette or grocery store. Those cell phone zombies answer their phone because they can’t make decisions. They just crave the ego stroking of wasting your time on the phone. That’s dumb.

I like reaching voice mail because then I can leave a specific message for my intended recipient. That message will tell them exactly why they should call me. That message qualifies valid leads and disqualifies dead ends. You don’t want everybody returning your calls. They will waste your time. You only want real leads to call you. That’s smart.

How can you do that? Invest your time thinking before you call them. Why would this person call you? What can you say to trigger that interest? What can you say that compels them to call you? They aren’t going to return your call just because you called.

Yet, many callers don’t seem to be able to leave a message to get decision makers to call them back.

Here are two examples of voice messages from Dumb and Dumber.

The names of the individuals and the companies were changed to protect the guilty - this time.

Listen to this message from Dumb.

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“Hello George, This is Sue from ABC computer systems. I’d appreciate it if you’d return my call. My number is 555-555-5555.”
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Look at that message. Why would you call? Who cares what she appreciates? What pain did she offer to fix? What special offer did she present? Why would you call? Perhaps, if you were bored. The message didn’t qualify return callers. Most of the return calls will be a waste of time. That's dumb.

This company had repaired my computer. I’d received this message previously. One day I was bored and curious, so I called back. Sue told me that she was calling to see if I needed their services. I was annoyed that I wasted my time in returning her call. She could have said that on her message (I told her that) and I would have appreciated her follow-up. Instead I was annoyed by her lack of thought and value for my time.

I’d appreciate if you’d tell me why you are calling and why you want me to call you.

Here’s the voice message from Dumber.

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“Ah, Good morning, It’s Roger calling on behalf of Down Stream. If you could please give me a call back, ah, regarding your internet and phone services. It’s 555-555-5555. Again it’s Roger calling on behalf of Down Stream. Thank you”
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Roger didn’t say my name. That suggested that he didn’t care about me. If he listened to my answering voice message he would have learned my name.

He didn’t mention a benefit. Why should I call him? He said nothing to compel an interested buyer to call. What pain could he fix?

One more dumb thing. The sentence that starts with “If you could” needs to be balanced with the promise. That sentence should run, “if you do this I will do that”. Instead it was left hanging with nil promise.

Dumb voice message Sue. Dumber voice message Roger.

If you want prospects to call you back, tell them why they should call you. Don’t be dumb. Don’t be dumber. Instead think about the needs and desires of your prospect before you call.


George Torok


Marketing Speaker


Business Speaker

Return My Call Please

Do you wish that more people would return your phone calls? Do you know why they don’t? What to you need to do differently to get more of your calls returned?

Okay. Let’s deal with one question at a time. If you are making sales calls and leaving messages then one of life’s frustrations can be not hearing back from people.

Do you wish that everyone would return your phone calls?

Not necessarily. You only want the right people to return your calls. You don’t want to waste your time with people who don’t want or can’t buy what you are selling. So those folks are doing you a favor by not calling you back. In fact your message should dissuade them from calling you back so you don’t waste time with them.

Encourage the right people to call you by leaving a message that states your unique benefit. Be clear on who you want to call and their interests.

For example, don’t leave a message that simply states your name and phone number with the message, “Call me”, “It would be great if you call me” or “I’d appreciate your call”.

Those messages are vague, rude and annoying. It’s ineffective, because there is no reason to call. Adding “please” doesn’t make it more appealing to call you.

The main question in the mind of the listener is “Why?” The second question is “What’s in it for me?” When you leave a voice message you must answer both of those questions if you want prospects to call you. The resulting conversation will already be heading in the right direction.

Consider these examples:

“For a no-obligation quote to re-shingle your roof call us.”

“Leaky pipes and backed-up toilettes are stinky situations. Arrange your annual free system checkup to avoid messy disasters.”

“How much did you spend on advertising last year? Do want a better return on that investment? Call now for a free evaluation of your advertising choices.”

“Does your business experience highs and lows? Learn how we can supply trained staff when you need it without the costs of hiring and firing.”

Add your phone number. Say it slowly and repeat it to make it easy for people to write it down.

That whole message can be delivered it about 30 seconds or less.

Notice how each message clearly defines who will benefit from your service and why they would want to call.

Do that and you will get more of the right prospects calling you.


George Torok
Power Marketing

How are you?

The phone rang. I answered. The person on the other end asked, "Hi, How are you?"

What a stupid insincere opening. When will they learn?

The automatic response might be, "Fine, How are you?" The whole exchange would be insincere and a waste of time.

I've heard and been annoyed by "Hi, how are you?" so many times that I have trained myself to pause and respond differently.

I said, "What do you want?" That should tell the caller that I don't want to waste time and I'm open to a direct explanation.

There was a pause and a mumbled response that I didn't understand.

My response was, "What are you selling?"

There was a long pause and then the phone went dead. She must have hung up on me.

If you are selling then you must know the answer to those two critical questions:

What do you want?

What are you selling?

If you are cold calling then you are most likely selling.

Be prepared for those questions. Don't be surprised and don't be annoyed. You interupped someone with your call.

And stop asking, "How are you?"

It annoys the people you call because they know you don't care. You might think that question is polite. One caller said, "I'm just trying to be polite." It's rude because you are pretending to know them and and care about them. If your first statement is based on a false premise - why would anyone trust you?


George Torok

Sudbury Chamber Event

Sudbury Chamber Event


The following is an excerpt from the Sudbury Star.

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Motivational speaker in town Tuesday


A Hamilton author and radio show host who believes image is crucial to attracting and retaining clientele will be in Greater Sudbury on Tuesday.

George Torok, who coauthored "Secrets of Power Marketing" and hosts "Business in Motion," a weekly radio show in Hamilton, will host a six-hour event. It will include a workshop ("The Secrets of Power Marketing") and keynote speech ("The Secrets of Success").

Set for 8 a. m.-2 p. m. at the Holiday Inn on Regent Street, Torok's workshop will run from 8:30-11:30 a. m. The keynote speech will be given from noon-2 p. m.


"Motivational, very engaging, colloquial and energetic is perhaps the best way to sum him up," said Jonathan Laderoute, a Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce spokesman. "Back and forth with the audience is what he does: he feeds off it."


As of Tuesday, tickets were still available and can be obtained individually for the workshop, keynote speech or both.

The cost for the workshop is $90 for chamber members and $125 for everyone else. Cost to attend the keynote address is $60 for chamber members and $90 for nonmembers. To attend the entire event, the cost is $120 for chamber members and $170 for non-members.

Tickets can be obtained by calling the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce at 673-7133.
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George Torok

Marketing Expert & Speaker

Your media interview - how to be great

Your media interview

So you finally get a interview call from the media. How do you make the right impression?

Follow these tips from PR specialist Pam Lontos

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Pam Lontos Column: 15 Tips (Plus a bonus!) to a Great Interview

Besides spreading the word about your speaking services, what's the best thing about landing interviews? The answer is: you can conduct the interview wearing your pajamas! But there's a catch. You can't sound like you're wearing your pajamas. That's right. Even though you're talking on the phone to the reporter and no one can see you, you still have to communicate a professional image. Otherwise, you might get bumped form the story and theydefinitely won't call you back for future stories. So how can you ensure that you make the right impression and, perhaps more importantly, that you're called back for more interviews?

You can use the following fifteen tips for giving great interviews:

1. Allow yourself private time prior to the interview. Use this time to relax and focus. Imagine that you are speaking with the interviewer face to face. Rehearse the points you want to make and remember that you can never be too prepared.

2. Seek a quiet spot for the interview. If you are speaking from home, close yourself off in a room with few distractions. Turn off your computer, TV, or radio, and clear your desk so nothing can take your mind off the conversation.

3. Write your main points before the call begins. Do not read scripted responses from a pre-printed sheet, because reporters can tell when something is being read to them versus when you're giving honest answers. But do prepare a note card with three to five topics you would like to touch upon during the interview. That way you won't struggle with an answer during the interview.

4. Show that you care about the reporter and their story. Be helpful and responsive to their requests. Ask the interviewer what you can do to make his or her job easier. Then really listen to their answer and be an eager, accessible source of information.

5. Stand while giving the interview. Even though you're talking on thephone, act as if you are giving a live presentation and stand tall. Standing will raise your energy level, and you will be more alert than if you were sitting. Interviewers love energy and really pick up on your mood.

6. Smile, and answer honestly and sincerely. People can hear your smile over the phone, and a reporter will feel more comfortable after hearing the joy in your voice. Also, the sound of smiling builds a rapport with interviewers. If they feel they can trust you, they will think of you first for their next interview.

7. Put energy and spunk into your voice. No one wants to listen to amonotonous drone, and the reporters and producers are no different. So put energy into your voice. This could make the difference between a mundane interview and a great conversation.

8. Have backup information handy. Reporters will inevitably ask you one question you don't want to or can't answer (this is another place your notecard comes in handy). In case you are unable to respond, you can say, "That brings up an interesting point." then go on to one of your prepared statements. Or, offer to find out the answer to the questions and get back to them as soon as possible.

9. Be concise. The average answer given is only nine seconds long. If you cannot convey your message in this short amount of time, your answer will not be used. So be careful not to ramble and be sure to stick to the facts. Don't overload the reporter with unnecessary information that is not directly related to the story.

10. Be forthright. Answer the reporter's question accurately and thoroughly, and don't be afraid to give away too much information. Many speakers fear that they might give away too much information and then no one will book them for events. But it's impossible to spoil years of experience and training in a short interview, and the audience will actually want more when you give them a little. So answer the questions and don't say, "You'll find the answer to that when you hire me for a keynote."

11. Use the word "you" often. The word "you" draws the audience in and helpsthem relate to what you're saying. And always give them a reason to pay attention by adding benefit statements to the facts in your presentation.

12. Let the reporter lead the conversation. The reporter most likely has an agenda for the story's development already in mind, so don't attempt to take over the conversation or talk about points the reporter does not want to cover.

13. Incorporate personal experiences into your responses. Audiences love to hear firsthand accounts of experiences relating to the topic. It helps them feel as if they know you personally. But make sure you stay on topic and don't get distracted with your story.

14. Be prepared to back up your claims. Reporters want factual information.So instead of saying, "The majority of people do this." say, "Eighty-five percent of my clients do this." And don't say, "I think" or "maybe." Speak with authority and confidence.

15. Find future stories. After the interview, thank the reporter and ask what other stories they're covering. Even if their stories don't directly pertain to your speaking topic, explain how you can be beneficial to what they are investigating.

16. Interviews in the future. Although interviews usually entail a relatively short phone call, you still need to take your time and prepare for it beforehand. You don't have to shower and shave, but you do need to have energy and excitement in your voice. During the call, you want to put your best foot forward with clear, honest and accurate responses. And when you're finished, don't forget to thank the reporter and offer to help onother stories. When you use these fifteen tips for giving great interviews, you'll communicate a professional, expert image to the reporter and the audience for you and your speaking career.

For additional publicity tips and articles now, visit: www.prpr.net. Pam Lontos is the president of PR/PR, a public relations firm thatspecializes in professional speakers, authors and experts. An author, speaker and former VP of Disney's Shamrock Broadcasting, Pam knows the ropes of getting you good publicity and how to use it to boost your bookings or book sales. She is also author of the forthcoming book, "I See Your Name Everywhere!" Call for a free consultation: 407-299-6128 or visit:www.prpr.net.

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Reprinted from 'PR/PR Pulse,' a free e-zine featuring tips and techniques for gaining publicity. To subscribe, send an email to newsletter@prpr.net with 'Add Me' in the subject line.

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George Torok
Marketing Speaker
Marketing Author - Secrets of Power Marketing

Return My Call

Return my call

Do you wish that more people would return your phone calls? Do you know why they don’t? Would you like to have more of your calls returned?

Okay. Let’s deal with one question at a time. If you are making sales calls and leaving messages then one of life’s frustrations can be not hearing back from people.

Do you wish that more people would return your phone calls?
Not necessarily. You only want the right people to return your calls. You don’t want to waste your time with people who don’t want or can’t buy what you are selling. So those folks are doing you a favor by not calling you back. In fact your message should dissuade them from calling you back.

Encourage the right people to call you by leaving a message that states your unique benefit. At the same time, those who are not interested in buying what you well will not call you back and thus not waste your time.

For example, don’t leave a message that simply states your name, phone number with the message, “Call me.” That’s just plain dumb.

Instead consider these examples:

“For a no obligation quote to re-shingle your leaky roof call us at 555.5555.”

“Leaky pipes and backed up toilettes are stinky situations. Keep this number handy to help when disaster happens.”

“How much did you spend on advertising last year? Do wish you got a better return on that investment? Call now for a free evaluation of your advertising choices.”

“Does your business experience highs and lows? Learn how we can supply the right staff when you need it without the costs of hiring and firing.”


George Torok

WIIFM?

What’s in it for me?

What do you want me to do?

Two simple questions that many sales people have problems understanding and addressing.

And everyone is in sales – even the Dalai Lama is selling a message. He gets it. Listen to him speak.


What’s in it for me?

When you send a message by email, phone or print – first address your audience with what is in it for them. If you don’t address that in your first or second statement then they will not listen or read the rest.

Here is where most could learn from SPAM – in most cases the subject line tells us what’s in it for me – a bigger body part, a smaller body part or an approved loan. Simple clear and understandable. If I’m interested I will read on – if I don’t, I delete it.

Tell people what’s in it for them – quickly, simply and cleary.

Imagine that you receive a phone message like this, “Hi this is Joe, Call me.”

If you don’t know Joe, why would you waste your time to call? Joe couldn’t be bothered to tell you why you should call him. I bet that Joe whines to his boss, “I called but nobody called me back.”

You don’t owe Joe a thing. Don’t waste your time trying to educating him. Poor stupid Joe.


The second question is, “What do you want me to do?”

Do you want me to call you?
Do you want to meet with me?
Do you want me to register for a seminar?
Do you want me to order your product?
Do you want a link on my website?

Stop being mysterious and tell me what you want from me.

Because I don’t have the time or inclination to decipher your cryptic message or pry your offering from your lips.

Just answer two questions for me:

What’s in it for me?
What do you want me to do?

Because if you can’t do that – there is no way I will contact you.

Of course even if you answer those two questions I might not call you and that’s a different issue. No one said that life would be fair.


George Torok

Marketing Tips

Networking Secrets

Telephone Abuse

Telephone Abuse

Are you abusing your customers with your telephone messages?

Too many business owners forget how important the telephone is as a marketing tool. Maybe that is because the telephone is not normally listed in your marketing budget. Yet it can be so powerful and so cost effective. It only takes a little thinking and training. How you use your telephone determines the message you send and feelings you create for your customers.

I agree with the following advice from, the "Master of Influence with Ease", Jeff Mowat. Go ahead check your telephone hold-message and follow this good advice from Jeff Mowatt. And find one additional piece of advice from me.


Common Blunders with 'Please-hold' Messages

If your company's in-bound calls are routed to a call-centre, check to see if your 'please-hold' recording includes any of these blunders:

"Due to overwhelming demand all our agents are busy..." This company is overwhelmed. Sounds like they're out of control and don't know what to do.

"Due to high call volumes..." I guess management wasn't expecting many customers to call. Or they're just incompetent at handling high demand.

"Your call is important to us..." They start the interaction by insulting our intelligence and lying. If our call was that important to them, they'd find a way to have someone pick up the phone.

Better to simply state, "Thank you for calling ABC Corp. Please remain on the line and you will be served faster than by redialing. Waiting time for the next available agent is approximately x minutes." It's to-the-point, informative and unlike the others, doesn't add insult to the injury of being on-hold.

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Jeff Mowat always offers good practical advice when it comes to selecting and using the right words at the right time. That’s why I follow his advice.

The above is an excerpt from Jeff Mowatt’s weekly ezine, Influence with Ease. You can register here.


If you are guilty of telephone abuse please stop it because your customers might stop calling you.


Addtional Telephone Advice
And if you are sending a caller to hold, send them directly. Don’t make them wait for several rings before putting them on hold.


George Torok
Marketing Specialist
Motivational Business Speaker

How to Sound Better on the Phone

Your Telephone Greeting - best & worst

How Many Times Should Your Phone Ring?

Leave a voice message that gets more replies