I get many. many calls in any given week from agencies & suppliers keen to show their wares. And that's fine , we all have to make a living. I try to listen to what's on offer, think how it may or may not be applied to my business then, depending on how much time I have, usually have a conversation about possible next steps if I'm interested.
Last Friday, which is usually the day that my phone melts as the sales people are in the office, I had at least four calls from digital agencies. Each of the calls broadly follow this structure;
Nice Agency Person: Hi..I'm X from Y agency
Me: Hello
Nice Agency Person: Do you deal with digital marketing?
Me: Yep
Nice Agency Person:We are a digital agency specialising in everything, we were wondering if your free next week for us to come in and tell you about how we think we can help you
Me: OK, well I'm afraid I'm not available next week, perhaps you can send some details via email and I'll take a look, if I think there's something interesting I'll let you know
Nice Agency Person: Maybe your free the week after?
Me: Well no, you see we already have an agency retained
Nice Agency Person: Oh I see. Are you happy with them?
Me: Yep
Nice Agency Person: When do you review your roster? Is it at a set time?
Me: Yes, it's next year sometime
Nice Agency Person: OK we'll contact you then
Lets just look at this a little closer. My name has probably been picked from some list data and I've been called pretty much out of the blue. You've probably not really looked into who I am or exactly what business I look after, even though this information is probably easily found in a good search engine, which is incidentally a marketing channel that you have just claimed to be proficient in. When I make it clear that I'm not really in the market at the moment, you try to ascertain when I will be and then promise to contact me again in the future, with no other contact in-between?
All of this in an attempt to convince me that your skill in digital marketing is worthy of my attention?
Not very convincing is it?
I expect any Digital Agency worth it's salt to demonstrate creativity & innovation in their work day to day so why shouldn't I expect it from the first contact you make with me?
Why not knock me over with a fantastic email creative which showcases your work, or a mysterious series of anonymous, quirky communications that get my curiosity....anything but the formulaic Friday phone call.
Go on, blow me away...........You might just be surprised where it gets you!
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