Monetizing Your Phone Calls
How to turn leads into new customers
Why should potential customers choose you? Your customers have choices and you need to recognize this in order to differentiate your business from the others. Before you can set yourself apart from the competition and ask for a sale, you must complete three simple steps. (This includes answering your phone, qualifying your lead and asking for the sale.)
Answer Your Phone
First, you must answer your phone. Your clients need papers served or help with their cases. If you don’t answer your phone, they may not be willing to leave a message and wait for a reply. They will most likely move on and begin contacting other firms.
Designate the task of answering the phone to someone who cares about the customer. While this may seem obvious, people taking the calls must be polite, professional and most of all knowledgeable about the business. Treat each customer as if he or she has the potential to become a longtime client.
Qualify Your Lead
Once you have picked up the phone, you must qualify the contact. Find out when and what they need done. Is this a potential client who could be responsible for a hundred cases or is this a private individual with one case or one serve for a divorce? You will want to weigh the monetary value of the job versus the time that could be put into it.
Think about the volume on a weekly and monthly basis, but remember that even if it’s just one serve or assignment, your client could be friends with the head of the largest litigation insurance firm in your area and have great referral potential. Regardless of who the caller is, you should treat each potential client with respect and professionalism.
Listen
After qualifying your lead, be sure to ask questions about what they have told you so it is clear to them that you are listening. Let them know that you understand what they are trying to do, and have done work like that previously. Keep the conversation focused on them. Your questions will demonstrate your level of competence and experience, and show the customer that you care. They will feel reassured knowing you thoroughly understand the task at hand, and more confident in handing their work over to you.
Pricing
Pricing will come up. Put yourself in the role of the potential client. What do they need to hear to feel confident in giving you the work?
“We talk to customers who have called multiple advertisers on ServeNow.com, to inquire about the services they offer,” said Mike MacDonald, ServeNow.com Brand Manager. “What should you say to them to get them to stop and talk to you? People are not just looking for the most competitive price, but for trust in the provider.”
Do not put your prices on the website because there will be some potential clients who you will not ever get the opportunity to speak with. If you are pricing yourself too low, your competitors will see it. If you are priced too high, people may move on to someone else before picking up the phone to call you. The best option is not to list your pricing and encourage prospective clients to contact you for specific details on price. If you receive e-mail inquiries, pick up the phone and have a conversation with the lead. During the initial conversation you should establish that your company is most qualified for the job, and develop a rapport with the prospective client. Do your best to discuss price toward the end of the conversation.
“Some people may think that they are calling you for price, but really they want to know that you are dependable and that you can help them,” said Cyndi Bowie, PInow.com Brand Manager. “The level of professionalism and experience you exude in the initial phone call or meeting can seal the sale, and form a relationship that may be beneficial in the future. The opportunity to have a conversation with someone who previously would have just passed over your website is essential.”
Having a flat rate may not work for individuals who need more hand-holding than those who are already familiar with investigation and serving practices – like a large law firm. Individuals may never have hired a process server before. They will come to you with lots of questions and may constantly call for status updates. If you are charging a flat rate to all customers, you could be losing money on the time investment that individuals require.
Tip: As soon as you take on an individual client, detail how the process will work, and offer an estimate of a time line. For instance, “Once I begin your case, I will attempt the service of process within 7-10 days. We will call you when we have a status update. You do not need to follow up with us.” Investigators may want to say something to the effect of, “Surveillance will begin on April 2 and be conducted for three days. By April 10 I will compile a report and contact you with the results of the assignment.”
Ask for the sale.
According to retail management expert Richard Fenton, 85 percent of sales conversations end without asking the prospect for the sale. No one likes rejection or wants to be known as pushy or aggressive, but asking for a sale is imperative. It’s the difference between growing your business and staying stagnate.
Ask customers open ended questions that cannot be answered with a “no.” Questions like, “When would be best for you to drop off the papers?” or “Would you be free Tuesday or Thursday to sign the contract?” If your prospective client is hesitant, ask what would be holding them back from taking the next step. Truly listening to your customers’ needs will help you tailor your business to suit each individual.
By following these steps, you are on your way to running an even more successful business. Once you have professionally completed a job and made your client happy, don’t forget to follow up by asking for referrals and a customer testimonial. To learn more about asking for referrals read, Referrals: The Power of Word of Mouth Marketing.