Michael, yes, leaving a question in your voicemail can encourage your customers to call back. I'm curious, have you tried this? How did it work?
Shannon Gormley
I love the idea of leaving a question in your voicemail. I am also interested in learning more about the use of humor.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Rose. It sounds like you use an enthusiastic tone in your voicemails and it's something that your students connect with! That's great, keep up the good work.
Sharon,
Great point! Leaving a message that connects with the student on their level first will more than likely have a great impact than if we're just trying to accomplish our agenda.
Great approach, Heather! Having personal information to incorporate into your messages demonstrates that you were listening and picked up on pieces of importance. This offers another opportunity to show and cultivate your connection with that student. Keep it up!
madelin,
Using energy and enthusiasm in your tone is definitely a way to connect with students. Hearing that your excited about your school and what you have to offer or have going on may spark interest on their part. I'm curious regarding using an event in your message. You mention that you don't use if often, is this something that you'll incorporate into your messages when you're having campus activities or an open house? What types of events do you typically refer to in your messages?
Be exited when speaking. Tell them we have a big event going on at the campus & we want them to come by and see everything. It's really about sounding excited to want to have someone call you back speak to you, why would they want to call back someone that sounds boring. Even though the event thing is not something i use often , it has worked!
I try to write down personal information on each student with the first call, then when I contact them again I try to throw in that personal aspect. This adds a deeper dimension to the message. I find that when I do this they call me back- because it feels more like a friend called them than an unknown entity.
Try to see it from their perspective and what is in it for them. If they think it is worthwhile for them, even in a small way, they will most likely call back. This means being thoughtful in the way you relay a message.
it's important to leave an upbeat postive message, I had a student tell me they called me back because of my voicemail.
Thanks for sharing your approach, Carlos. I'm curious, when you say you make your voicemails very clear, what specific aspect of your message to work to ensure is clear to your students?
I usually make my voice-mail very clear and i end with if they will like a tour of the school, to please call me..
Yes I would. I would direct my questions about the person the caller is requesting information for. So tell me Shannon how long has Jean been interested in the medical field? Is she hoping to enhance her current position with career training or is she looking to change her career focus? Does Jean know that you're requesting information for her?
Thanks for sharing, Carolyn. It can be difficult to get a true read of the situation if it's being told from another person's perspective, can't it. In those instances that you find that the caller is requesting information for another individual, would you proceed the same way that you might with a prospective student?
I would ask if the information he/she is requesting is for them or someone else. This would allow me to direct the questioning about the person the information is being requested for. I would ask this question because many times the caller is requesting information for spouse, child etc. Next, I would ask another question..what prompted you to call us today or what interests you about this career choice? Tell me about your current situation.
It's amazing how simply acknowledging the fact that the student has probably received multiple contacts/messages can set you apart from the pack! You'd be surprised how students respond to that acknowledgement too. Once you've done that, where would you go next?
Letting the potential student know in the messaging that you understand they are probably being contacted by several schools. We must find ways to seperate ourselves from the competition.
Great observation, Moises. Humor can help your students feel at ease as well as keep them interested in what you have to say.
I think using humor keeps the person wanting to learn more about us and what we have to offer. It is a great way to keep a persons attention on what you have to say.
Great awareness, Bobbi. I also sense that being aware of the speed of delivery when leaving a voicemail message is also important to you. It can be difficult to catch a number if the message is being delivered at a faster rate of speech.
