 BUSINESS 4NETWORKING [Your thoughts on the Send me some information request-brush off?] |
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Posted on 21st Nov 2008 at 09:45
I thought I’d ask this question here as I’m can tell there is a wealth of business knowledge and experience on this forum.
I wondered what people’s view and reaction was on this when you get this question from a potential client who you have called for the first time as I find I get it fairly often when prospecting.
Sometimes I think it is genuine, sometimes I think it is to get rid of me. In most cases people are asking for me to email the info now as opposed to sending in literature anymore.
I’m at my most suspicious about this question when I don’t actually get to speak to a Decision Maker and the person says they will “pass it on”.
You know I often wonder if they will or if they just press delete when it comes through?
Let’s say they do pass it on, I can imagine something like that get’s dismissed pretty quickly from their superior, so I wonder in this situation, would it be best not to send anything and try again to speak to a DM?
My other question was if when you do speak to a DM and they too ask for something like this will they actually read it when you do send it?
I remember when I worked for my previous company we had some standard email blurb which we would copy and paste as we saw relevant, but it was pretty longwinded and I can’t imagine many people would actually read it to the end let alone take it all in.
I think when there is genuine interest but it's not quite the right time for the DM for whatever reason we do end up being asked to quote later down the line but I just wondered is it actually possible to make someone pick up the phone or really generate that interest and say to themselves “You know I will send them a quote next time”
My thoughts are now “Less is More” with perhaps a small concise email with a few bullet points about what we are good at and why it would make sense for us to meet or at the very least quote on the next campaign.
I would love to get the boards feedback on this.
Matt Lucas
Business Development Manager
Protocol Communications Management Ltd
01706 239050 (ext 218)
www.protocol.uk.com
matt.lucas@protocol.uk.com
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Posted on 21st Nov 2008 at 10:05
I get loads of sales calls. Most are from people wanting me to advertise. Frequently, they are publications or websites I have never heard of. If I ask for information it is because I want time to do my own research on them. Even the existence of such things as readily mailable rate cards is an indication of competence.
On the rare occasions when people are trying to sell me something tangible, I will only ask for info if it is really of interest. therwise I will tell them I am not interested.
I certainly never use it as a way of getting someone off the phone, as I will still have to deal with the future junk mail! Much better to be polite, but honest. I think that is the problem with most people - they don't know how to give a polite "No, thank you", but it does help if the caller can also accept a "No, thank you" and not persevere selling to someone who doesn't want to be sold to!
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Posted on 21st Nov 2008 at 10:31
IMHO you are better off identifying the decision maker by a phone call and asking for his email address and then sending a brief inroductory email and then following up with a phone call
Chris Slay, Director | Specialist Provider of Polish Jobs | 07977 131 389 | enquiries@skillsprovision.co.uk
Skills Provision Ltd is registered under the Gangmaster Act 2004
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Posted on 21st Nov 2008 at 11:05
Thanks for the replies
I agree there's nothing wrong with a "No Thank You" and it's no offense to me, I then have closure and can move on, but it's fairly rare to actually get this.
My first priority is to always speak to the DM but if I can't for whatever reason I'll usually make sure I do have the right person for later.
My only concern with sending the email first before the call is that you sort of blow your cover, so when you do phone up later, they may recall who you are and may decide not to talk to you, where as if there weren't expecting your call then they may take it?
However if this is the case and they don't take your call they probably aren't looking for the service right now anyway so you haven't lost anything
I don't know if this is right or wrong but there could be that small chance that in a conversation you may say something which might suddenly flick the light on for them.
Matt Lucas
Business Development Manager
Protocol Communications Management Ltd
01706 239050 (ext 218)
www.protocol.uk.com
matt.lucas@protocol.uk.com
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Posted on 21st Nov 2008 at 11:09
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Posted on 21st Nov 2008 at 11:10
Send me some information can be polite 'go away' but also may be a polite 'I do not understand what you are talking about but I might be interested'.
If it is the latter, then you need to refine you sales call to make it clearer. If your product is really technical or complicated it may be that you will never get it all across over the phone. If so, printed and email support is a critical part of the sales communication process and is part of the sequence of conversion. Understand it, plan for it, and get the communications materials into shape before the question is asked. That way it is likely to have the desired effect when you follow up the call or progress the sale through direct mail.
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Posted on 21st Nov 2008 at 11:24
Obviously we get this all the time in our line of work. I would play it by ear Matt and use your gut instinct. I would sas that if you are not talking to a DM then it may well be a brush off (but again you never really know) but I would still send the information.
If you are speaking to DM's a high percentage do want further info. A web link or email or brochure whatever it may be and it could even be considered a buying signal. Buyers are very savvy and first call results are harder to come by and you may uiltimatly need to make 3 or 4 calls before you arrive at any kind of desicion - be it for a chance to quote, appointment or sale. The more you throw at it the more will stick. Just make sure your data is as targeted as possible - dont just buy 1000 records of companies in your area and hammer through them. Be specific - business type, location, amount of employees, turnover, credit score etc. The more relevance the more your success levels will go up.
James Minion
Symmetry Business Marketing Ltd
 0845 094 3266
 0789 099 6881
 james@symmetry-marketing.co.uk
www.symmetry-marketing.co.uk
Direct marketing solutions
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Posted on 21st Nov 2008 at 11:24
I disagree, Liam.
I am at my desk because I am busy and can't afford to waste time on irrelevant sales calls.
If it's obvious the product or service is not for me then I politely say so (assuming the caller has been polite) as this saves my time and also gives them more opportunity to contact someone who might be interested. I don't feel in the slightest embarrassed by this.
If I am interested I ask for more information and a follow up call in a week's time. This is partly a way of filtering out con-artists and also gives me the chance to consider the proposal when I have the time to do so. It never ceases to surprise me how many callers send an e-mail but do not follow up, or simply do nothing at all.
When the e-mail arrives I tend to read it within a few hours and if it then becomes apparent that it is not for me I reply and inform the caller that I don't want to go ahead.
If I were you Matt, I'd take a day off from making calls and spend it working on your follow up e-mail. Nothing wrong with the e-mail having lots of information as long as it begins with an executive summary that concisely covers the key features and benefits of your proposition.
A good e-mail template needs only twenty seconds to personalise with details relevant to the prospect in question.
Oh, and if you aren't speaking to the DM ask the person you are calling for the DM's e-mail address so you can be sure that they see it. You won't get it every time, but asking costs nothing.
Kevin
Area Leader Merseyside - 4Networking
Kevin Samuel
Managing Director
Crosby Mortgage Solutions Limited & Legacy Estate Planning Services Limited
kevin.samuel [at] crosbymortgagesolutions.co.uk
www.crosbymortgagesolutions.co.uk www.legacyeps.co.uk
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Posted on 21st Nov 2008 at 11:29
IMHO - 'send me some information' can be a buying signal.
If I'm not interested I'll say so.
Ian Hudson
Copyzone Archiving Ltd
(www.copyzone.co.uk)
Mob: +44 (0) 7817 778870
Off: +44 (0) 1279 726169
Marketing Assistant - Bishop's Stortford
Area Leader for Essex - Groups starting in 2009
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Posted on 21st Nov 2008 at 11:31
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Posted on 21st Nov 2008 at 11:33
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Posted on 21st Nov 2008 at 12:00
Interesting. Of course, Jame's stuff is drawn from real experience, so carries the most weight.
For me, I do often ask for more information. That is because I might be interested, and I want a reference point and, oddly, more information, but am not yet ready to invest time in making an appointment.
If I am not interested, I tell them. They are sales people, they can handle it! But I do it politely, it's their job!
Paul Norman 4N North Tyneside and Oxford
Gibside Associates - a different approach
www.gibside.co.uk
Training for business with, no jargon. Consultancy that makes you think. Helping you be deliberately excellent.
Check here for training courses that might just suit you!
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Posted on 21st Nov 2008 at 13:37
Kevin
Good post. This sums up my experience. I'm alsways happy to post or email info to prospectve clients. A healthy proportion of these mailings either enhance the relationship, or lead directly to business.
Simon Barber
FILEBASE
0845 602 7006
simonbarber@filebase.biz
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Posted on 21st Nov 2008 at 13:40
Quote:
Interesting. Of course, Jame's stuff is drawn from real experience, so carries the most weight.
For me, I do often ask for more information. That is because I might be interested, and I want a reference point and, oddly, more information, but am not yet ready to invest time in making an appointment.
If I am not interested, I tell them. They are sales people, they can handle it! But I do it politely, it's their job!
Thanks for the rebuff, so none of the rest of us have real experience!
As a sales person ( business development) responsible for creating the workstream that retains 13 peoples livelyhood, I do not agree that throw as much at the wall is a viable business development position. That smacks of no thought as to a sales decision process, or comprehension of what information is relevant, at what point in the sales channel.
As an ex head of marketing with budget spends of £1.25million, I have never spent my marketing buck that way.
As a current member of the team at Twentyfive, a design agency with significant print experience and internet development solutions, our 25 years experience says targeted, relevant, consent driven communication wins friends and drives sales process. Untargetted generic email brochure / describer, 30 page PDF's and an 'everything brochure' confuses targets and reverts the sales conversation back to square one.
It is all part of the delivery of brand approach to sales and marketing. Think it through, target it, and will have effect.
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Posted on 21st Nov 2008 at 13:53
Aren't on line forums ripe for misunderstandings!!!...Just love them! This was not intended as a rebuff, despite my support for Jame's skills and track record!
My main point is to support the fact that a request for information may or may not be a brush off, but at the very least its an opportunity to continue the conversation.
Paul Norman 4N North Tyneside and Oxford
Gibside Associates - a different approach
www.gibside.co.uk
Training for business with, no jargon. Consultancy that makes you think. Helping you be deliberately excellent.
Check here for training courses that might just suit you!
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