As a Website attorney and entrepreneur with a full plate of things to do from before sunrise until long after the sun sets each day, I installed a prospective client pre-screening device.
Anyone who cold calls my Internet law firm gets patched through by the receptionist to a voice mail that specifically instructs prospects to not leave a message but to use one of the law firm’s website contact forms instead.
Those who follow instructions get a quick response from one of my assistants.
The automatic failure is the prospect who ignores the instructions and leaves a message demanding that I call back. The amusing ones are those who acknowledge they understand the instructions but leave a message any way with a call-back demand as if they are somehow entitled to a response.
Let’s hope none of these non-prospects are holding their breath waiting for that call to happen. Not going to in this lifetime.
Is this mean? Who cares?
It is heartless to steal my irreplaceable time (and yours) – time that can be used instead to deliver quality products and services to those who value them.
What barriers have you set up in your business to disqualify poor prospects?
To your online success!
-Mike the Website attorney
P.S. You want respect as a freelancer? Get my Freelance Protector system.
Related posts:
- Website Attorney: Are you painting the Mona Lisa in your business?
- Website Attorney: Federal Trade Commission Site Compliance Scams
- Website Attorney: Are you hiding 18 monkeys in your business?
- Website Attorney: Group Think – Why Some Gurus Break Internet Laws
- Website Attorney: London Internet Scams Falling Down
Thanks for this timely reminder, Mike.
I just had a discussion with my wife about this the other day (due to those that choose to violate the Do Not Call list). Phones are an interruption, and while at home, I choose not to automatically give #1 priority to phone callers. Telemarketers are time vampires, and just like you'd do anything you can to get rid of a "real" vampire
— the same thing goes for phone vampires.
Same thing goes for public email addresses, such as domain name registration information. Any email sent there gets an autoresponder response that tells the sender to fill out a contact form. The email gets deleted (which means I never see the spam) and legitimate correspondents can get through to me.
I think you have a good system. Thanks for sharing it.
Best regards,
Tom