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.
