Writing in favor of voice blast telemarketing
Mike Hogan

When I first looked into voice blast telemarketing, at first I thought the system was similar to an "autodialer", which I find intrusive.

What I learned was that voice blast was totally different.

While the system offers great flexibility on how it can be used, we only voice blast to our client database.

We schedule voice blast to be picked up by answering machines only. If a person answers the machine, a recording says "Sorry, wrong number."

Voice blasts are quite simple to do.

We upload our database to the system. We then record the message we want to send.

After a few prompts, your voice blast is ready to go. I record the message myself, complete with any stammering or hesitation on any part.

This provides realism to the message, which a canned presentation does not.

In fact, when clients call our secretary, many times they say "Mike called and left a message yesterday."

We voice blasts our clients two days prior to mailing our monthly newsletter, alerting them to be on the lookout for monthly specials located in the insert of the newsletter.

Prior to voice blast, we showed an average rate of investment of 8-1. Adding the voice blast has increased the rate of investment to 13-1.

Most recently, we added a second broadcast to our client list, scheduled two weeks after mailing the newsletter.

We let them know there is only two weeks left on our monthly special, and then it expires.

This has doubled the response to our newsletter.

In all the time we have been using voice blast, we have not had a complaint from a client.

I feel this is due to the fact we leave the message on the clients' machines.

We schedule the calls on a Monday or Tuesday between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

This accomplishes two things. Usually during that time frame, people are at work, assuring us of connecting with a lot of homes.

Also, by scheduling the calls in the afternoon, we don't bother in the evening.

Using voice blast puts your marketing on automatic pilot.

Where else can you consistently reach thousands of people every month, for only pennies on the dollar?

You can do this consistently, and it only takes you ten minutes a month in time to set up.

On the various industry bulletin boards, you read comments by nay-sayers who trash systems like voice broadcast without any first-hand knowledge on its proper use.

These are the cleaners who will be left by the wayside as this technology evolves.

Real estate and mortgage professions for years have used systems like voice broadcast. These industries are far ahead of most service companies when it comes to marketing.

Many successful carpet cleaning franchises have recently begun using this technology as well.

Independent carpet cleaners have a choice to jump on board systems like this, or stay where they are, fighting for a dollar at a time.

I prefer to ride the wave of the future.

Rebuttal
Michael Ellis

You offer a strong argument, Mr. Hogan.

I am glad to hear you have such a successful marketing scheme. Please accept my sincerest wishes towards your future success!

What marketing approach you take depends upon your business model.

Do you want four trucks producing $500 a day, or one truck producing $2,000 a day?

We can debate that another day.

Your advocacy of voice blasting leads me to believe you prefer the former.

You believe voice blasting is non-intrusive. I will illustrate my point that it is in a moment.

You trouble me by the fact that when your machine senses a live answering person, it reverts to a recording stating: "Sorry wrong number." That is a lie and tricks few.

What does a recorded sales pitch convey to the customer? Does it show that one is a clever marketer or a lazy marketer or both?

Furthermore, has a recorded message sounded so real that it fooled you into talking back and then you realize it is a recorded message making you feel like a fool?

Clearly, your business relies on pricing models to attract customers.

You cite monthly specials. For some that is sufficient; for others it is common. For a few, it is counterproductive.

You make the assertion that you are not bothering anyone. I bet you are, but they will not take the time to complain.

Imagine a retired client working in her garden and she hears the phone ring.

She dutifully stops her work, worries for a moment that a dear neighbor may need her help, rushes to the phone after taking her shoes off and hears, "Sorry wrong number."

Alternatively, maybe your client is someone who pays for advertising to get people to call, so when the phone rings, he drops his work to answer it.

What about the parent who works a night shift? Do you think she ignores a ringing phone in the middle of the day while her children are supposed to be at school?

If you voice blast regularly, do you think they might think it was you?

I personally would not want to be associated with such a tactic.

I do not think that anyone "will be left by the wayside as this technology evolves" because technology already has — the world is turning wireless.

Clogged voice mails on cell phones are in the same league as e-mail spam and clogged mailboxes.

Additionally, the effort to retrieve a voice mail is significant for many.

Have you ever pulled over to the side of the road to retrieve a message?

You cite real estate agents and mortgage brokers who use this technology. I bet that the top ten percent of agents in each industry do not use this marketing ploy.

They rely upon word-of-mouth and impeccable service. Perhaps the bottom 90 percent might rely on telemarketing and voice blasting.

You also cite successful carpet franchises use this technology. I further bet most successful non-franchised cleaners are proud not to be operating like a franchise.

The bottom line is this: If this works for you, wonderful.

However, it is not a panacea for the age-old challenge of keeping in touch with your current client base.

Honesty, sincerity and a good ol' soft touch usually puts the tortoise in first place.

Mike Hogan and his wife Janice own Hogan's Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning in Dutchess County, NY. Mike is a student of marketing, belonging to various coaching programs in the carpet cleaning industry.

Michael Ellis owns Dryex in Olympia, WA. He is a practicing IICRC Senior Carpet Inspector and a Master Textile Cleaner. He uses everything from dry compound to truckmount hot water extraction to meet all production needs. An alumnus of Virginia Tech and Saint Martin's University MBA program, his career as an army officer brought him to the Pacific Northwest. See www.dryex.com for more information.