How I Messed Up Marketing by Phone
It happened just after a successful exhibit at a business women’s conference.
My booth space was in a good position on the show floor, directly inside of the entrance door where my balloons and promotional messages attracted many attendees.
I talked with practically all who attended. I collected business cards and gave away one of my corporate baskets in an on-site drawing.
I was thrilled with the results and possibilities for future sales, especially since some of the women (and men who were also there) told me their offices had an immediate need for employee gift baskets and gifts for out-of-town clients.
I drove to the office afterwards with a huge smile on my face. But there were two reasons for the smile.
1. Following up with the conference attendees was very important, and my plan for connecting with them was being developed in my head as I drove.
2. A vacation to Antigua planned months before was just a few days away, and I couldn’t wait to travel with my honey to enjoy rest, relaxation, fun, and great food in an exotic location.
Three days later, I packed my gear to leave home and the office for a week in the sun. Then, 36,000 miles in the air, it hit me. I didn’t change my telephone answering message to tell callers the office was closed until the following week.
There was more. I didn’t have the access code to my office phone, so I couldn’t call the machine to learn if anyone had placed calls or orders. My heart sank.
My time in Antigua was fabulous, but I had sporadic panic attacks wondering if I had sabotaged my sales. Isn’t that a shame?
Just think: you’re frolicking in the sand and sun, enjoying freshly-caught seafood and fruit plucked directly from trees just yards from the hotel, and you’re wondering if a sales call came through. That’s not the way to enjoy a vacation.
When I returned to the office, I immediately checked the phone. Eleven calls were registered. Six were hangups, two were telemarketers, and three were calls placing corporate orders.
I quickly called the three clients to apologize for the delayed response. One of them placed her order with someone else because I hadn’t responded, but I was able to salvage orders from the other two. I was very lucky.
How do you handle business when you go away? Do you have a check list of priorities to complete before leaving, or are you the way I used to be, keeping lists in your head and hoping you remember every detail?
Changing your telephone message or forwarding your phone number to a responsible person or professional service is one of many tasks to keep your marketing at full speed while you enjoy life.
All of this is just as important as the gift baskets you create each day, and it may be even more important. If you don’t complete the marketing tasks that get you sales, how will you move the merchandise?
Both ends fit together, similar to puzzle pieces. One cannot survive without the other. This is one reason why I created the Gift Basket CD Success Pack, six audio CDs all about marketing, corporate sales, organizing, and the law to pull all the pieces together in your business. You can read about the Success Pack here.
One thing I’ve learned in 19 years in business is that to thrive, it’s critical to have all areas that ultimately make the phone ring working together flawlessly. And speaking about the phone ringing, that area must also be covered, as my story shows.
I like taking vacations, and I bet you do, too. How do you make sure that phone calls are managed when you decide to rest and relax?
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