I usually carry my cell phone everywhere I go. That's the number I advertise, and it's usually not a problem getting in touch with me. Unfortunately, I forgot my cell phone a home today, and I didn't get a chance to check my voice mail. By the time I returned home and called everyone back, it was about 7:00 pm. By that time, everyone who had phoned to book a magician had already gone on to book someone else!

I've come to the realization that the best time to close the deal is with the first ring of the phone. If a client has to leave a voice message, it often amounts to a missed opportunity and a missed booking. Yet, whenever I'm there to answer the phone, my success rate in closing the deal is about 90%.

I don't know if this is the same experience for others out there, or if it's just me.

Kent

P.S. - Of course, I'm talking strictly about cold callers. Repeat client's have no problem whatsoever leaving a message.

The only people I've found who won't actually leave a message and wait an hour for a return call are the ones who want "a magician for a show TOMORROW, I know it's a last minute thing, but....". And I don't really want that kind of show anyway...

Steve

If they're going on to other magicians that quickly, they're probably looking in the phone book. So, here's what you do...
Get many listings in different names with different numbers, but be sure they will all be listed at the top - ABC Magic, 123 Magic, A1 Magic, Ace Magic, etc. That way, when they keep getting your message, they'll think you must be the only magician in the area and will resort to waiting for your return call.

If enough of your clients are repeat customers and recommendations, you don't have to worry about this. I almost never take calls on my cellphone, and the majority of bookings come either through the Internet or from phone messages. I once went on vacation for three weeks and didn't realise till I was in my hotel room that I had a new answerphone, and I'd forgotten how to access it remotely! When I returned, I had something like 60 messages, about 40 from potential clients. Of all those messages, only ONE client had booked another entertainer. It's true, I was astonished, but most of my clients want Potty the Pirate, and no one else will do.

Kent -

Often the first to respond/answer gets the booking, especially with birthday shows. However, you can change that if you find you aren't often the first to respond.

I forward my business line to my cell, but can't always answer it. I used to have a comment in my voice mail that would indicate I would call them back within 24 hours. This helps.

A good 1/2 to 3/4 of the people calling me are either repeat customers, referrals, people who have seen my parent magazine ad, and/or people who have seen my website. If that is the case, they wait for me to return their call before moving on. They prequalify themselves somewhat to want me. This is what you want.

For the rest, here's how it goes. Occasionally, if I do return a call and they have moved on and found someone else, they were either a price shopper, impatient, or booking last minute. I still offer to give them the show information. I can tell you that sometimes they cancel on the other (even less expensive) entertainer and book me instead.

The percentage of prequalified people you have calling depends upon where most of your leads are coming from, and how much info you give them up front. If at all possible, have your website listed with your phone number in parent magazine ads, in the yellow pages, on business cards, etc. I even direct them to my website in my phone message when they reach me, and I can't answer it. Let that be the next piece of marketing that pre-sells them somewhat on having you.

Then you become the one they want, instead of "just a magician or a clown". Then, they wait for YOUR return call.

To fix the problem, three things to do:

(1) realize that advertising in the yellow pages will drive a large number of price shoppers to call you... you are just one of a myriad of choices... you can fix that by having a website presence, which helps them to want you specifically,

(2) realize that advertising in a parent magazine with lots of other entertainment choices will produce the same problems... besides the website presence, having a USP will help to keep them wanting you specifically, because they can't get it anywhere else, and

(3) return calls as promptly as possible, but only to assure them you will call them back later that day or that night to give them the full information (when you have more time, to be thorough). In many cases, they will wait for your second call before making a decision.

- Donald

P.S. A USP is not a catchy slogan. It's something UNIQUE that you do, that they want, that they can't get anywhere else in your marketplace.

This happens to all of us. Even if you have your phone, you can't answer during a performance. I was checking my voice mails after a show and called this one woman back in less then 30 minutes of when she called. She had already booked someone else. And so it goes. Unless you have an answering service that can act as your secretary and book gigs, this will happen.

Kent, Kent, Kent ...

Don't you pay attention to Dave Dee and Eric Paul? You're not supposed to answer your phone anyway! Keep the customers waiting! Make them think you're in such high demand that you simply don't have time to take any calls!

Sheesh, Kent. Maybe it's time you took a marketing course to learn how to *really* run your business!

Brian

P.S. Before others jump all over me, Kent and I are friends, and everything I said was tongue-in-cheek.

Thanks for the comments. Don't get me wrong. I don't tend to lose a lot of bookings and, for the most part, my clients tend to be extremely loyal. If a potential client does happen to get my voice mail, the message is extremely professional, friendly, and informative. I just HATE to lose any potential bookings. I guess it's just the competitive nature in me!

Kent