Bizsuccess

As a small business owner, I get my fair share of telemarketing calls. And they usually start something like this:

“Hello” I say.
“Hello” the telemarketer says, “may I speak with the person responsible for purchasing janitorial supplies?”

And right there, they lost the sale (if I did need janitorial supplies). That’s because their first communication attempt with me lacks the most basic of all marketing tools…..personalization.

This person hasn’t done their homework. They don’t know my name, my business, or the state of my janitorial supply purchases. Instead, someone probably gave them a list of telephone numbers (or an autodialer) and said “OK, go make some sales.”

The problem with this approach is it automatically telegraphs to almost any person answering the phone that the caller 1) doesn’t know me 2) doesn’t know my business and 3) wants to take the fastest, least effective approach in order to establish a relationship with me or my company.

A much better approach would be to research my company…just a little bit. Then, they’d find out I’m a home-based business that doesn’t have a janitor. From this starting point, the call might then go something like this:

“Hello” I say.
“Hello Mr. Lipe” they say, “I know you’re the owner of a home based business; one that’s been around for 14 years. Congratulations. Now I know you probably don’t think about buying janitorial supplies, but I can tell you in 30 seconds why you might want to. Interested?”

With this approach, the caller has personalized their approach to me, used my name, recognized a fact I’m very proud of (I’ve been running my own show for 14 years) and that I really don’t give a hoot about janitorial supplies.

However because this person has personalized their approach and put me in the middle of it, now I just might listen.

Use personalized pitches, whether written or phoned, in all your marketing communications and you’ll strike a favorable chord with your target market, even if for the first 30 seconds.

Jay Lipe is president of EmergeMarketing.com, a firm that has helped hundreds of small businesses and Fortune 500 clients grow through strategic marketing. He is also the author of two marketing books:  The Marketing Toolkit for Growing Businesses and  Stand Out from the Crowd: Secrets to Crafting a Winning Company Identity. Sign up for his free e-newsletter “Marketing Tips & Tools” at www.emergemarketing.com .