• What is an outbound dialer?
• How does an outbound dialer work?
• Types of outbound dialers
• Choosing the right type of outbound dialer
• Pros and cons of outbound dialers
• Who uses outbound dialing?
• Top 3 providers for outbound dialers
• What now?

What is an outbound dialer?

An outbound dialer is advanced technology designed to improve the productivity of call agents. It transforms the traditional, manual process of dialing into an automated one, allowing agents to concentrate more on customer interactions, engagement, and conversion.

How does an outbound dialer work?

Outbound dialers automate the process of making phone calls, integrating key functions to improve call operations:

• Uploading a list of contacts: Users import contact lists from sources such as CRM databases or spreadsheets into the dialer system. This step organizes and targets the appropriate audience for each call campaign.
• Scheduling calls: The system enables users to set specific times for calls, with options to adjust based on time zones, customer availability, or agent schedules. This ensures calls are made at optimal times.
• Providing live transcriptions and summaries: Many dialers use AI to generate real-time transcriptions of calls, converting spoken words into text for immediate review. Summaries, often derived from these transcriptions, highlight key points or actions from each call.
• CRM system integration: Outbound options integrate with CRM systems, allowing for smooth data flow. This ensures agents have up-to-date customer information, making calls more informed and personalized.

Together, these features improve the effectiveness of call campaigns, enhancing both agent productivity and customer experience.

Types of outbound dialers

Preview dialers:

• Function: Preview dialers allow agents to view contact details before making a call, facilitating calls that require a personalized touch based on the customer’s background or previous interactions.
• Use case example: A healthcare provider uses a preview dialer to review patient histories before outreach calls. This allows for more informed discussions about health plans or appointment scheduling.
• Best for: Useful for campaigns that require a personalized touch. Agents can view comprehensive customer information before the call, allowing for a more informed and individualized communication approach.

Power dialers:

• Function: Power dialers automatically connect agents to the next contact once they complete a call, reducing waiting time. Ideal for campaigns requiring a continuous flow of calls.
• Use case example: In an insurance company, a sales team uses a power dialer to contact potential customers. Once an agent finishes a call, the dialer immediately connects them to another lead, increasing customer outreach and potential sales.
• Best for: Favored in contexts where customer experience and conversion are crucial. These dialers automatically connect agents to the next call, facilitating more time for meaningful customer interactions.

Progressive dialers:

• Function: Progressive dialers are similar to power dialers but offer a brief pause between calls, allowing agents to prepare for the next interaction.
• Use case example: A customer service team in an e-commerce firm uses a progressive dialer for handling queries and complaints. The dialer ensures agents have a short period to review upcoming customer information, leading to more prepared and effective interactions and thus improving customer satisfaction.
• Best for: These are ideal for high call volume environments where reducing agent idle time is essential. They are effective in situations where quick and frequent customer connectivity outweighs the need for personalized calls.

Agentless dialers:

• Function: These outbound auto dialers use IVR systems for automated messaging or informational campaigns, eliminating the need for direct agent involvement.
• Use case example: An event management company uses an agentless dialer to send automated reminders about event dates and times to attendees, ensuring widespread message delivery without manual calling.
• Best for: Best for mass notification campaigns or when direct agent interaction isn’t required. Utilizing IVR systems, these outbound dialers automate calls for broad information dissemination, such as alerts or general announcements, without needing direct agent input.

Choosing the right type of outbound dialer

Selecting the suitable outbound dialer is based on your business’s specific requirements and the nature of your call activities:

1. Analyze call volume and type: Assess the volume and nature of calls in your call center. Predictive dialers might suit high-volume centers, while centers focused on detailed customer interactions could benefit from preview or progressive dialers.
2. Consider your team’s workflow: Evaluate how your team operates. Progressive dialers, offering breaks between calls, might be ideal for preparation, whereas power dialers could suit continuous call requirements.
3. Evaluate technical compatibility: Check that the dialer integrates well with your existing systems, such as CRM software, ensuring smooth operation.
4. Understand your business goals: Align the dialer with your business objectives. If customer engagement is a priority, consider dialers that allow for personalized interactions.
5. Budget considerations: Look at the costs of different dialers in relation to their potential returns. Advanced systems might have higher initial costs but could offer more benefits in the long run.
6. Compliance and legal requirements: Make sure the dialer meets industry regulations and legal standards, particularly if you operate in multiple regions.
7. Trial and feedback: If possible, test the dialer before full implementation and gather feedback from agents on its usability and effectiveness.

Pros and cons of outbound dialers

1. Improved agent productivity: Automation of dialing tasks allows agents to concentrate on customer interactions.1. Call drop risks: Automated outbound dialing can lead to an increased number of abandoned calls, especially with predictive dialers.

Outbound dialers bring a balance of pros and cons. They improve agent productivity, simplify campaign management, and offer better customer data management, leading to increased satisfaction and scalability. However, they also pose challenges. Businesses must carefully evaluate these factors against their specific needs and objectives to determine if an outbound dialer aligns with their operational strategy and growth plans.

Who uses outbound dialing?

• Sales teams: For generating leads and reaching out to customers.
• Customer service centers: For efficient customer support and service.
• Debt collection agencies: To improve the collection process.
• Healthcare and nonprofit organizations: For patient engagement and reaching out to donors.

Top 3 providers for outbound dialers

MightyCall

MightyCall offers a rich list of features for call centers, small, and mid-sized businesses. It combines SIP technology with modern telephony, including high-quality voice calls, scalable voice channels, and strong security measures. It’s straightforward to set up and has excellent customer support, suitable for call centers transitioning to trunking.

Pros:

• User-friendly interface with regular updates.
• Advanced security protocols.
• High-quality voice calls.

Cons:

• Less appropriate for very large organizations.
• Limited customization for intricate setups.

Price:

• Core Plan: $15 user/mo, billed annually, 3-user minimum
• Pro Plan: $20 user/mo, billed annually 3-user minimum
• Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing, 10-user minimum

Best for: Call centers and small to medium-sized businesses looking for a straightforward software with good pricing plans.

Features:

• Call analytics and monitoring.
• Roles and permissions settings.
• Multi-level IVR.
• Direct inward dialing.
• Options for disaster recovery.

Location: Primarily serves the USA and Canada, also suitable for businesses with international operations.

AutoReach

AutoReach is an outbound dialer software recognized for its intuitive interface and rapid deployment. It’s ideal for businesses needing a quick setup for their call operations, accessible for teams with various skill levels.

Pros:

• Intuitive interface.
• Rapid deployment.
• Suitable for various team skill levels.

Cons:

• Requires an integration with a different VoIP service.
• May lack features for larger enterprises.
• Limited integration with non-standard CRM systems.

Price: Customizable and is calculated on an individual basis.
Best for: Small to medium-sized teams seeking an outbound auto dialer software.

Features:

• Simple management for outbound calls.
• Call scheduling and management.
• Basic call performance analytics.

Location: Focuses on North America but suitable for businesses in various regions needing outbound call dialing.

Dialpad

Dialpad is known for its integration with AutoReach and advanced AI transcription features. It’s a solution for businesses integrating their outbound dialing systems with AI for more productive customer interactions.

Pros:

• Integration with AutoReach.
• Advanced AI for call transcription and analysis.
• Call management tools.

Cons:

• Higher cost than simpler systems.
• Potential learning curve for AI features.

Price:

• Standard Plan: $15 user/mo, billed annually
• Pro Plan: $25 user/mo, billed annually
• Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing

Best for: Mid-sized to larger businesses or call centers needing integrated AI tools for enhanced customer interaction.

Features:

• AI-based call transcriptions.
• Detailed analytics and reporting.
• Integration with CRM and business tools.

Location: Strong presence in North America, also suitable for international businesses needing advanced AI in communication.

What now?

Integrating an outbound call dialer is a significant move for businesses aiming to improve their call operations. MightyCall suggests carefully assessing your specific business requirements, the volume of calls managed, and the training level of your agents when selecting an outbound dialer. The right choice depends on understanding your call dynamics, the abilities of your team, and matching these with the functionalities of different dialer types. By taking into account these essential aspects, businesses can choose a dialer that not only meets their immediate operational needs but also supports future growth, ensuring visible results and success in customer communication efforts.

The post Understanding the Outbound Dialer: A Guide first appeared on MightyCall.

The concept applies to most areas of life, but it carries a special message for small business. To feel certain that the product or service you’re offering is a “wow” experience is one of the most powerful goals a business can have. And the surest way to wow customers is by encouraging customer feedback through a thoughtful combo of skill and technology.

Getting customer feedback may sound straightforward: send out a nice email, pop up a 5-star rating box, and voila! you’ve got a review. But step into user shoes for a moment. Remember how often we take it for granted that a product intuitively grasps our needs or is stuffed to the brim with cool features. Or how many feedback requests we’ve ignored in the past month.

How do you avoid the trap of poorly optimized feedback, disinterested, or grumpy customers? What digital tools should you use, and which ones should you drop? We asked five global experts in small business to share insights accumulated through years of experience.

Let’s go!

1. Encourage customer feedback via different channels

Company info: OpsRamp | SaaS | California, USA

Any time when you struggle with a substantial amount of ignored customer feedback requests, it’s time to rethink your customer feedback strategy. The problem is most likely the communication approach, which is not convincing enough to your audience (even if it works for someone else).

Gerardo Rodriguez, Senior Technical Support Manager at OpsRamp, relates how a revamped feedback strategy impacted his company.  “Previously, our Customers had a very limited amount of ways they could deliver feedback to us. Once we started tracking how feedback was coming in, we noticed our engagement was quite low, so we decided to make changes to our processes.”

The changes implied a greater range of feedback channels and results were quick to show. “Since we’ve given our Customers multiple options for providing feedback and we follow up on it, it helps us make better decisions.”

“[Formerly], engagement on feedback inquiries was below 8% but is now at 34%,” Gerardo adds.

Tracking your active customer interaction channels is key to getting the most productive feedback. Channels to encourage customer feedback include: Customer Feedback Management (CFM) apps and services, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) or Case Management System (CMS) services, Phone, E-mail, Social Media, Google Reviews, web reviews, Chat, Surveys, and more.

2. Don’t leave customers second-guessing (and don’t do so yourself)

Company info: Edge Marketing | Digital Services | Gold Coast, AUS

A lot of failures in life are a result of second-guessing. Instead of plainly asking, we lose hours ruminating over what other people think and want. In a business environment, second-guessing is even more ridiculous and will always lead to poor ROI. If we turn the tables, though, the same applies to your clients. You should never leave customers wondering about the credibility of your business.

After encouraging feedback from customers, Sean Clancy, SEO Director at Edge Marketing in Australia, became aware of a customer service problem. “As we are an online agency, people expected us to be on Facebook messenger or emails all day every day. [The most surprising feedback] was us not being available 24/7.”

Thanks to timely feedback, Sean implemented digital tools that help users in different geographies feel equally heard and cared about.

“We did implement auto-responses on our FB and email systems to let people know our working hours and when they are likely to receive a response if they contact us outside of those days and times.”

For an online business, where 30%-50% of sales go to the business that responds first, such a simple tweak in customer experience made a lot of impact.

Learn more: 5 Customer support tools that work while you sleep

3. AI is good; people are better

Company info: MightyCall | SaaS | California, USA

In marketing and sales, businesses use a lot of automation tools to facilitate processes. But like every digital tool, automation can become a wall between you and your clients when used as a replacement for human connection.

Anna Miranchuk, our own award-winning Product Manager at MightyCall, explains the importance of picking up the phone and finding a personal approach to every client. “We use several successful feedback channels. Some, like our live support, e-mail, and feedback forms, are always available. When launching new functionality, we always include a feedback request right in the new interface.”

If you’re a growing business, getting live feedback over the phone shouldn’t be taken lightly.

“It’s usually thoughtful, rather than spontaneous communication that gives the best results,” Anna underlined. 

Here are the essential components Anna mentions as critical to successful customer feedback over the phone:

• Select your target audience prior to the phone call
• Share the subject of your conversation in advance
• Allow the customer to schedule the date/time by themselves
• Map out the goal of the conversation, why you wish to talk to this person in particular, and jot down important questions
• Always be flexible and get a feel of the person you’re talking to, adapting your questions as you go. Often it’s the unexpected turns that lead to the deepest insights!

4. Get customer feedback  across to the right people

Company info: English Blinds | E-Commerce; Retail  | England, UK

Being in retail and online businesses at the same time is a tough double act. For such companies (or any growing business), gathering successful feedback from many channels is only half the deal. The critical part is getting information across to the right people. Unfortunately, that is precisely the stage where many businesses stumble.

John Moss, CEO of English Blinds, shares a story where feedback could’ve easily been overlooked. Instead, it became a game-changing impulse for his business.

“We manufacture and retail window blinds and dressings and our showrooms are divided up into specifically themed sets,” John says. “One [set] was carpeted, prompting a comment on the feelings and associations generated by that new carpet smell. [It] was something of a revelation for us was when a customer commented on the…impact that [smells] have on the shopper experience and buyer journey.”

Sensory marketing is a popular “trick of the trade” in food industries (e.g. that fantastic freshly-baked bread smell in your local supermarket makes you eager to shop). Nevertheless, it’s easy to see how feedback like that could have been ignored in the home improvement sector. Instead, John’s team gave it due attention and passed the right info to the right people.

The resulting changes, John adds, were considerable.

“We built on this feedback to… produce an immersive shopper experience, and targeting multiple senses, particularly one with such a strong association with memory as smell. [It] became something of a game-changer for us.”

5. Use uplifting feedback to boost company values

Company info: Hollingsworth | Logistics | Michigan, USA

Feedback comes in many shapes and sizes. There’s positive, sunny feedback that makes your day brighter. There are angry social media trolls who project negative vibes to ruin your day. And then, there’s feedback that will leave you thinking because it’s not about some cool feature or service to implement, but your deeper company values.

This is something that Pat Donovan, Director of Operations at Hollingsworth, a logistics company catering to the whole of North America, encountered. “One client asked us to provide a waiting room because truck drivers are often exhausted and want to be comfortable,” Pat shares. Many a company would overlook a concern that wasn’t “top priority”. However, Hollingsworth saw it as an opportunity to invest in values.

“We know their concern is valid and want our clients to feel like family. [As a result] we revamped our waiting rooms and made them more interactive and friendly with snacks and drinks.”

The fact that the company noted this feedback expressed by one client speaks tons about its customer service and core values.

Why is customer feedback important?

• Adapting to customer needs: Understanding and responding to customer feedback is crucial for meeting their evolving expectations and enhancing their satisfaction.
• Business growth and innovation: Gathering insights from various sources can lead to innovative ideas, helping businesses stay ahead of the competition.
• Quality improvement: Regular feedback helps in identifying and fixing issues, leading to continuous improvement in products and services.
• Brand loyalty: Engaging with customers and valuing their opinions fosters a sense of community, enhancing brand loyalty and advocacy.
• Market relevance: Feedback keeps businesses aligned with market trends, ensuring they remain relevant and successful in a dynamic environment.

Time to start collecting feedback!

The journey of a small business is filled with challenges and opportunities. By embracing diverse perspectives, focusing on customer feedback, and staying adaptable, small businesses can carve a unique path to success. Balancing strategic planning with a passion for innovation allows them to grow and thrive in a competitive landscape, turning obstacles into stepping stones for achievement. In the world of small businesses, the right approach and dedication can transform aspirations into realities.

The post 5 Ways to Encourage Customer Feedback Like a Pro first appeared on MightyCall.

There are so many things running through your mind: goals, strategy, how to organize your processes and increase revenue, how to cut potential losses. Although there is no one universal “right” way to own a small business, there are definitely some great examples out there that will inspire you. Let’s look at a few success stories in the world of small companies.

• What are the types of small businesses?
• 15 examples of small businesses
• How to choose a small enterprise to run?
• How to start a small business?
• Small company, great expectations

What are the types of small businesses?

A small business is a pretty general term – there are so many structures, colors, and flavors to them. The most popular kinds, however, are the following:

• Sole proprietorships are an example of ordinary small businesses. They are owned by single individuals who are liable for all business transactions, debts, and lawsuits, unlike LLCs, which protect owners from some legal complications;
• Partnerships, also one of the most popular types of small businesses, are run by two or more individuals who are liable for the financial and legal aspects of all their business operations;
• Incorporated companies: this example is registered with a state to become separate legal entities, independent from its owners and shareholders. This is a significant legal distinction since, in the eyes of the law, an incorporated corporation practically becomes a different “person”. Limited liability is provided to the owners of corporations, and in the event of an owner’s passing, the corporation continues to exist.

15 examples of small businesses

After a thorough analysis of the popular fields in small business, we have come up with a few examples of small businesses for you:

Professional, scientific, and technical services

What is it? This sector includes a great variety of services. Scientists, lawyers, engineers, and a good number of people with STEM degrees reside within this industry. It also includes advertising, specialized design services, tax preparation, and more.
Why is this field popular? The popularity of this sector is directly related to the number of essential industries and niches it encompasses. Scientists and labs are greatly sponsored by the government and private organizations, ensuring that there are workspaces within several scientific fields. The crimes always get committed, and tax forms always get issued, hence the constant need for lawyers and tax advisers. Industries keep growing and require engineers to optimize processes and increase gains, and everything that has been made needs a design, hence the need for specialized design services.
How do you start? Once you have a specialization within one of the niches in this sector, you need to find a good location, one of the larger cities, preferably. If you are currently working for a university, research how much time your contract allows you to spend on your personal business, and whether this branching out will cause a conflict of interest in this small firm example.

Construction

What is it? New construction, additions, alterations, maintenance, and repairs are all included in the construction sector. The companies in this field are typically hired to perform work on a contract: buildings, bridges, or new highways—all these fields are potential niches for your small firm.
Why is this field popular? The constant growth of the human population, as well as the natural decay of existing structures, ensures the need for more workers. This is one of the most common small businesses that requires a large number of people to complete the job, so it has a large number of workplaces.
How do you start? Decide on your specialty: are you better at transporting construction materials, doing the facades, or industrials? Residential, commercial, or both? Research the areas that are most in need of your services. Get familiar with the local establishments, and check whether there are any professional communities that are helping beginners. Based on the location and state, obtain the required licenses and permits you need, gather the funds, and make sure you are prepared to handle the contracts as a local small business.

Real estate & rental and leasing

What is it? This field is all about renting and leasing assets, both tangible and intangible. That means not only property rent and leasing are included, but also patents and trademarks (but not copyrights). This field also includes handling other people’s rent, such as real estate agencies that represent both property owners and buyers. This means: equity real estate investment trusts, rental and leasing of motor vehicles, computers, and consumer goods.
Why is this field popular? Leasing and renting property is always in high demand. You may only want a jetski for the weekend by the lake; a lot of things are only needed for a short period of time, especially in tourist areas. And trademarks are included in almost every major brand out there, coming and going as the companies are passed on or sold.
How do you start? Identify your area of expertise, perform the research, and acquire something you believe will sell well. You will spend a lot of time communicating with your customers; this business is all about being good with people. Estimate the budgets: how big will your sales team be, how much will you need to invest in your project, and how much will a professional phone system cost?

Administrative, support, and waste management

What is it? This industry sector includes large and small companies that support other establishments. This could be anything from security to HR services. Waste disposal, solicitation, office administration, paperwork, cleaning, and surveillance are all included in the Administrative, Support, and Waste Management sector.
Why is this field popular? What franchise doesn’t have paperwork? How quickly will an office become a health hazard without cleaning? Where will the waste from your community go if no one collects it? How does a store function without surveillance? These are just a few rhetorical questions that emphasize the important role administrative, support, and waste management companies play in our society.
How do you start? Choose the specialty you feel comfortable with for this common type of small business and decide whether you can handle it on your own or whether you need a team. Solopreneurship is easier to manage, but multiple people will bring in more profit. Figure out the state and city/town where you would like to become a small business entrepreneur. Larger cities will always have more need for cleaning services than small towns. Take into consideration the licenses and their costs, as well as equipment and tax.

Transportation and warehousing

What is it? The transportation and warehousing sector is all about equipment and support activities related to the modes of transportation by air, rail, water, road, and pipelines. Warehouses are included, as they are considered to be transportation-related facilities.
Why is this field popular? The travel industry is booming once again due to both internal and external tourism. And not just travel—the moving and storage services for all the families and college students, cargo, cruises—they make up so much of American society that it would be impossible to imagine life without them. Regardless of the economic situation, there will always be a need to transport materials or people across the country.
How do you start? Uber was a small transportation startup at some point. It was so successful because it identified a need and managed to successfully fulfill it. Maersk started out as a small family business, and now it is one of the largest and most successful cargo companies in the world. Although your goals may not be as ambitious, looking at how they found their niches may be good inspiration for a local business.

Retail trade

What is it? Store and nonstore retailers make up the most popular small businesses in the retail trade sector. The store retailers operate at fixed locations, like the bike shop down the block, while the nonstore retailers sell their goods via online or portable methods, such as door-to-door solicitation or e-commerce. Nonstore retail also includes vending machine distribution.
Why is this field popular? This is one of the oldest business types if you are interested in being a small business entrepreneur. Selling and reselling goods is highly valued in today’s consumer society, and while many trends come and go, this segment is not going away anytime soon.
How do you start? Identifying the needs of your community is a good start to launching a small business. Take a few days for observation: do you see people who jog at the park looking around in search of where they can buy a water bottle? Is the nearest bike shop miles and miles away? Are there always hungry college students in your town who struggle to get food after everything is closed? After that, all you need to do is make a strategy and launch.

Health care and social assistance

What is it? The health care and social assistance industry includes a diverse range of options for popular small businesses from test centers to private clinics. If you have a medical degree, this small business fits you perfectly. This field is people-intensive and high-risk, but it also holds one of the most important roles in society.
Why is this field popular? People will always need health care, and now there is a virtual niche in the field. Accessibility, low costs, and high demand all make virtual medicine a steady income and a prospective field in the industry. Social assistance is a slightly different example of a business in the field, focusing on the caretaking part of healthcare. Whatever your choice is, chances are there will be demand.
How do you start? You would usually be starting with a medical degree, or at least with getting familiar with the medical field if you have medical professionals on your team. If the market location you are about to enter is saturated already, it’s possible that you’ll have to work significantly harder to gain a foothold. Once you do, however, you will have a chance to build a loyal customer base.

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

What is it? A diverse variety of enterprises that manage facilities or provide services to cater to their consumers’ diverse cultural, entertainment, and recreational interests. Performing arts, education, gambling, museums, and spectator sports are all mixed within this sector. Anything that people enjoy for entertainment is a good description: musicians, actors, fitness trainers, amusement attendants, etc.
Why is this field popular? Watching a movie after work, going to a concert with your friends, taking your family to a museum. It is tough to find an American who does not occasionally enjoy at least one of these things. The expression “bread and circuses” may have originated in the Roman Empire, but the concept is as old as humanity, and it is not going anywhere.
How do you start? Netflix was started by an idea to rent DVDs by mail, which turned out to be a success that shaped the movie industry we know today. A unique sample, sure, but there are smaller businesses in the entertainment industry that are also doing well. The key to becoming this small business owner is doing what you love and finding a way to market it to the right audience via research.

Accommodation and food services

What is it? Anything that includes lodging and/or food for immediate consumption is part of this small business example. Fast food, restaurants, hotels, motels, and all their personnel. Food and lodging are often together, thus they are often discussed as one segment.
Why is this field popular? Without accommodation and food services, tourism would cease to exist, and leaving your house would become far less enjoyable. No Starbucks, no Wendy’s, Waffle House gone. Visiting new locations and small business enterprises while eating new foods is one of the most joyous activities humans take part in.
How do you start? Bed and breakfast, a cute cafe, catering, or hostel business owner: you will need to make your choice. The good thing is that research will be especially fun within this segment: you can go and scout your competitors’ locations. Try their food, look at their places, and meet new people. Then take account of all the things you like about these small businesses in the USA and come up with a plan of your own. Gather resources, set deadlines, and start working towards your dream.

Finance and insurance

What is it? Financial intermediation via asset sales and acquisitions, fee collection, insurance premiums, or annuity considerations and their investment. Financial managers, chief executives, personal finance advisers, analysts—all those people and many others make up the foundation of the financial segment.
Why is this field popular? Finance is involved in everything today, and insurance is just another financial tool. The financial system is crucial to the economy. It facilitates the flow of funds between savers and borrowers, ensuring that financial resources are allocated properly to promote economic growth and development. Medical, construction, transportation: it does not matter which industry you name, finances and insurance are a part of it.
How do you start? This is a popular small business that requires a university degree at the higher levels, especially if you are planning to go into banking. Bachelor’s degrees should be enough for most positions, though. If you want to start a small firm in this field, you will absolutely need experience and legal assistance. Working with money implies great responsibilities, and you will need to make sure you are thoroughly prepared prior to offering your services.

Educational services

What is it? Profit and nonprofit schools, courses, training centers, and universities —all of these are included in the examples of a small company for this segment. Organizations that have teaching and education as their goal could be online, in person, pre-recorded, on TV, etc.
Why is this field popular? Education shapes society, allows you to switch fields and obtain higher qualifications, and improves a country’s quality of life. We start learning from the day we are born, and many continue until their dying day. Just the global EdTech market is projected to grow annually by 19.9% from 2021 to 2028, showing the increasing interest and investment in the segment.
How do you start? This is a lucrative small business field. Would you like to work on upgrading a school’s technology, do you want to start online courses, or are you after the ambitious goal of creating an education center? Narrowing it down will provide you with a clearer business plan. Some fields will demand a license; others, like some online courses, will not. Online courses are the easier way to start, and they require fewer financial investments.

Wholesale trade

What is it? Wholesale trade, as one of the examples of a local business or a larger enterprise, is all about selling and reselling raw and unprocessed products in bulk, such as in agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and some information companies, like publishing. This field also includes transportation, buying, scientific input, moving, and more.
Why is this field popular? Raw materials are in demand, be it recycled plastic that can be used to create new items or clay. The wholesale trade is the link between manufacturers and retailers. Wholesale traders have a lot of influence on market pricing and planning.
How do you start? You will need to know what you are buying and selling to grow your small business. Ideally, it will have to be something that is not yet on the market but will be in high demand. Check if you have any special connections or if there is something only you can deliver to your community. Or do you simply want to be on the scientific side of it, probing the materials? Once you’ve got your place in the wholesale trade chain, focus on the equipment you will need so you can start offering your services in this small enterprise example.

Manufacturing

What is it? This is the next step after the wholesale trade segment. The manufacturing sector is just that: materials, substances, or components are mechanically, physically, or chemically transformed into new products. The scale of the facility varies: a home, a factory, a mill.
Why is this field popular? Quality products are a must for a functional society. Even if it is not about creating original products, taking and fulfilling orders from other companies is also a popular option. Manufacturing is a crucial component of the American economy since almost all the items in use have been manufactured by someone.
How do you start? This is typically something that you have already done if you are planning to start a common small business in this segment. You could also get a loan and purchase a local business from someone else. If you are looking for a way to have everything ready in a shorter period of time, it might be an exciting journey. But before you go all out and buy a mill in New Zealand, make sure you have all the information you can about it to avoid problems.

Information

What is it? Small companies in this field are made up of information processing services, producing and sharing information and cultural elements, as well as providing the means to transmit or distribute these products. This field includes customer service representatives, telecommunications equipment installers, and repairers (with the exception of line installation). This segment is mostly dominated by private industries, but local, state, and federal governments are also involved.
Why is this field popular? There is just so much data. Information keeps flowing as the internet grows, and there is a constant need for more people to manage it. There is also a need for operators who can take care of the equipment.
How do you start? You will require a solid background in this popular business industry. There are many online courses available; some are free, but it is critical that they are up-to-date and taught by professionals, as competence will be essential. Finding clientele should be rather simple due to the demand, but retaining it and keeping everything in check will be a more challenging task that will demand time and stress management.

Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting

What is it? Hunting and gathering, in essence. This small business sector focuses on cultivating crops, rearing animals, harvesting timber, and capturing fish and other lifeforms from a farm, ranch, or their natural environments. If you own a greenhouse, a hatchery, an orchard, or a nursery, you are a part of this segment. Truck and tractor drivers, farmworkers, and logging equipment workers would also be included.
Why is this field popular? This is one of humanity’s most important fields, as well as one of its oldest. Producing food is not an option, it is an absolute necessity. That is why, for as long as this country exists, there will always be jobs in the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting segment.
How do you start? This is a high-risk and high-responsibility field; going into it will take a lot of effort and will definitely pay off once everything works out. Assessing potential risks and necessary investments is a good place to start, and you can certainly start small. You will need to get a variety of licenses and pass a few checks before you are allowed to grow beyond the level of an ordinary small business.

How to choose a small enterprise to run?

Now that we have looked at a few potential small business examples, we should talk about your own. Only something that comes from your heart and is truly unique to you will provide you and the world with a product that will last. Creating a small business enterprise is not just about monetary gain or ambitions; it is about giving birth to something new that will have the power to impact the lives and society it interacts with.

There are a few questions you should ask yourself if you are set on becoming a business owner:

1. Have you assessed your skills and resources?
2. Do you have a clear vision of your product, do you absolutely love it?
3. Does your vision match the practical reality given your resources?
4. Do you have a financial plan and entrepreneurial funding?
5. Have you analyzed the market, is there a demand for your services?
6. Do you have a clear marketing strategy?
7. Will your business structure be able to handle a large volume of clients and orders?
8. Do you have a few backup plans to keep going and growing?

How to start a small business?

The algorithm of action will be different depending on the small business idea you go with, but some steps will be universal:

1. Ensure that your organization falls within your area of expertise. That way, you will not have to frantically search for answers when it comes to running the firm;
2. Get the support you need. Having the people who support you and the finances to rely on can make or break your small organization. It is always better to have a backup;
3. Set the expectations. You will not reach your goal if you do not know what it is. Define the desired outcome, preferably with clear and precise KPIs;
4. Do the SWOT analysis. While making your business plan, write out and define the Strengths, Opportunities, Weaknesses, and Threats for your SMB;
5. Software. Choose the software. Will your team work in the Google ecosystem, or do you have a different cloud service in mind? How will you keep track of tasks, budgets, and KPIs? How will you handle professional communication, so you can have proper work hours, voicemail, an auto attendant, etc?
6. Workspace. Set up a workspace where you will not be disturbed while you are taking care of your small business startup. It can be a room, an office space, or a coffee table in your garden—as long as you get things done with minimal interruption;
7. Legal aspects. One of the most important things to do for any company is to ensure that you are operating within the legal frame, that all fees and taxes are paid, and that in no way you are violating the law.

Small company, great expectations

There’s a common theme in each small company example: you are selling something you have expertise in. It does not matter what the field is as much as the passion, planning, and execution. The top smb’s in all fields are making excellent revenues, so do not choose based on the numbers, start with what you love.
It will take hard work and long nights. You might have to wait a year or two before you reach stability with any of the examples of small business, but that is completely natural. The secret behind most success stories is motivation and persistence. You have what it takes, now it’s time to start your journey and make a difference with your entrepreneurship.

The post 15 Small Business Examples: Most Popular Ways to be a Successful Entrepreneur first appeared on MightyCall.

To ensure that your business voicemail gives off a positive image, it behooves you to have a great voicemail greeting befitting your type of business. In this article, we’ll be running through 50 of the best examples, including for different days, types of businesses, and moods you want to get across to your callers. It’s not hard to come up with a free voicemail greeting for business!

• What is a good voicemail greeting for business?
• What to say in a voicemail greeting? 
• Why is having business voicemail greetings important? 
• Tips for creating a business voicemail greeting?
• How knowing your audience can help create a perfect voicemail greeting?
• How to set up business voicemail
• 50 business voicemail greeting examples 
• How do you create the perfect voicemail greeting? 

What is a good voicemail greeting for business?

A good voicemail greeting is created with a short message, oftentimes no more than a couple of sentences, in which callers are provided with the information they are most likely to need. The best voicemails seek to predict, and therefore address, the concerns of callers before they get to a physical person, in order to cut down on call times.

What to say in a voicemail greeting

It’s easy to mess up a professional voicemail greeting for business by using unoriginal phrases or by going on too long. Here’s a few things to do (and not do) when composing a message:

1. Do not begin with the “Your call is very important to us…” This overused phrase is a boring “turn off” to callers and isn’t taken sincerely.
2. Let the customer know the name, department, and position of the person whose voicemail they reached.
3. Apologize for being unavailable to take the call.
4. Invite the caller to leave a message.
5. Mention the approximate time when you’ll return the missed call. Follow through with a call back!
6. Optionally, your voicemail may include: a call to action, an alternative service phone number, a company email, a website, or social media. Some industries (e.g.medical) may find it necessary to give an emergency contact number.
7. Keep the information concise – giving too much will confuse the caller.
8. Keep things simple! While you don’t want to sound overly generic, it does not hurt to follow a script or even a template of some kind.

Why is having business voicemail messages so important?

Businesses need to present a professional tone to interested clients; if you seem amateurish or unwilling to care about the little details, it’s likely that they’ll pass you by. One of the best ways to start off on a good foot is with an appropriate voicemail script. The main reasons to have a good greeting are:

1. Coming across as a professional.
2. Being able to immediately provide information to callers.
3. Cutting down on the number of callers who actually need to speak to a person. If you write your voicemail script right, you may never need to be one of those people who go about answering a business phone.
4. Keeping callers attended to during after-hours when a receptionist isn’t available
5. Being able to mention recent successes. It’s *your* voicemail message after all- it doesn’t hurt to remind callers who *you* are!
6. Encouraging call-backs: Motivate callers to leave messages, ensuring follow-up communication.
7. Customized for seasons or events: Update greetings for holidays or special events, showing attention to detail and current engagement.

Tips for creating a business voicemail greeting

1. Write a script ahead of time – Nothing sounds worse than a business voicemail message with a bunch of pauses and “uhhhh”s that ruin customer expectations. A simple business voicemail script can help to avoid this.
2. Prepare yourself and your surroundings –  If you plan to record yourself, make your space quiet, without background noises. Test the mic, do a few takes. See what you can improve but give it a practical eye — don’t just roll your eyes at “how weird my voice sounds”.
3. Mention key facts about your business – Many business callers just want to find out things like opening hours. By including information like this on your business line, many callers won’t need to actually speak to you
4. Make it unique – Try to avoid cliched and standard phrases. They make your business communication strategy seem impersonal and uncaring.
5. Keep it (relatively) short – While you shouldn’t make your voicemail only seconds long, you shouldn’t approach a minute either. The best is to shoot for about 30 seconds
6. Listen to your business voicemail sample recording before you’re finished – Make sure you are audible and that you are not speaking too quickly or too slowly.
7. Don’t forget to update – Often we run short on time, and Christmastide tends to spill over into Eastertide. Don’t let that happen here! An outdated version of information, music, etc. can make your callers believe that your company is either negligent or has gone out of business.
8. Include a friendly sign-off – End with a warm, courteous closing that leaves a positive impression and encourages interaction, such as “Thank you for calling, we look forward to speaking with you soon.”

How knowing your audience can help create a perfect voicemail greeting

Your voicemail is like the welcome sign on the door of your business. You wouldn’t want one that wards off potential clients – you’d want something that reflects your business ideals, looks inviting and keeps a professional tone.

To give the appropriate sort of welcome to your callers, approach your voicemail message like you would bigger customer experience content: analyze your audience and goals. As each industry is special, your goal is to find the “golden ratio” of flexibility for your specific audience.

Here are several things to consider regarding your audience:

• Industry or niche: how much of a business “dress code” does your client communication involve? Remember that even in formal business areas, a polite personal touch is always welcome.
• Target audience age: are you part of an industry catering specifically to millennials, senior citizens, or perhaps Gen Z-ers? You might want to spice up/tone down your message accordingly. Read into a sample helping of messages to get a tone right for you.
• Geographical and language preferences: if your business is serving a national audience (for example, you have an online shop) it makes sense to follow the example of caring business owners nationwide who go the extra way of adding bilingual voicemail greetings. Consider English/Spanish business voicemail pairs for the U.S. and English/French for Canada.

How to set up business voicemail

Setting up a voicemail for business varies depending on the kind of phone you are using. With VoIP online numbers, a business owner or employee can usually go to their central web portal or mobile app to change the telephone greeting for the business number when setting up their voicemail for business. But for many cell phones, it works like this:

1. Go into “Settings” or tap the “Phone” icon
2. Tap voicemail, and press 1 or 0
3. Oftentimes a password will be required (you should have set one up previously). Input that.
4. Record the proper new message, and (usually) press 1 or 0 again to save it.

50 business voicemail greeting examples

Below is just a small sample of the many ways you can make it interesting for your callers to leave a message at the beep! To download any of the audio files, click on the menu (three dots) and select “Download”.

General voicemail examples

1. Hey, I’m not at the phone at the moment but rest assured I’m hard at work and willing to work with you. If you leave your name and number I will get back to you as soon as I can.

2. Greetings! You’ve reached [Name] but unfortunately I can’t pick up. Please leave your preferred contact information and I’ll respond [by certain time].

3. This is [Name]’s inbox. Thank you for your call. Alas I’m currently occupied but if you leave your name and number you will receive a call back.

4. Hey there, you’ve reached [Name]. Hope you’re having a great one. If you leave your name, bumber, and why you’re calling, I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”

5. Hey this is [Name]. As you can tell I’m currently unavailable but if you leave your info I’ll respond when I can.

6. Hey I’m currently not available. Please leave your name and number at the beep and I’ll get back with you.

Small business voicemail greeting examples

7. Hello hello! [You’ve reached {Company} but] Unfortunately we can’t come to the phone right now. But thank you so much for your call! If you leave your info we’ll get back to you as soon as humanly possible.

8. Hello friend! It’s callers like you who are the lifeblood of [Small Business’ Name]. That means your needs are important to us. Leave us your name and number and they’ll be addressed as soon as we are able.

9. Hello there! It’s good to hear from you and we hope you’re having a wonderful day. We’re probably helping a client at the moment, so if you just leave your name and number at the beep we’ll be sure to get back with you.

Short voicemail greeting examples

10. This is [Name]. Please leave a message, thanks.

11. You’ve reached [Name]. Leave your name and number and I’ll get back to you.

12. This is [Name], sing your song at the beep!

Cell phone voicemail examples

13. You’ve reached [Name]’s cell. If you’re trying to reach me at work, my number is [Number]. Otherwise, leave your name and contact info and I will get back with you.

14. This is [Name’s] mobile phone. If this is a work related call, please try contacting me at [Work number]. If not, leave your information at the beep.

15. Hi [this is {Name}], thanks for the call. Please leave your name and number.

Business voicemail greetings during opening hours

16. Hey you’ve reached [Company Name]. Today we’re open [Insert Hours Here], so come on by! If you can’t manage a trip, leave your name and number and we’ll get back to you at the earliest opportunity.

17. This is [Company Name]. Thanks so much for giving us a call. Today we’ll be open until [insert closing time]. If you have a more specific question, leave us your information and we’ll get it answered.

18. Hello, [you’ve reached {Company Name}]. We’re currently open so we might be helping a customer at the moment. Drop us your name and number and we will return your call.

Voicemail greetings for after business hours

19. You’ve reached [Company Name]. We’re currently closed but will re-open tomorrow [Time of Day] at [Time]. Leave us a message and when we open up we’ll be sure to address your call.

20. Unfortunately, we [at {Company Name}] have gone home for the day. But rest assured we’ll be back and hard at work the next business day [at {Time} tomorrow or whenever the business is next open]. For pressing matters, leave a message and we will answer it first thing when we can.

21. Currently, [Company Name] is closed and will re-open at [Time]. While we cannot answer calls now, we will be sure to return them in the order they were received, so make sure to leave your name, number, and reason for calling at the beep.

Main office greetings

22. Greetings, you’ve reached the main desk [of {Company Name}]. Leave a message at the beep and be sure to include the name of the person you’re trying to reach.

23. This is the main office at [Company Name]. Unfortunately, we’re currently unable to take your call. Please leave a message with your name and number and any other key information.

24. We at [Company Name] care about your concerns. Please leave a message with any important info and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Department specific greetings

25. You’ve reached [Name] at the [Department Type] Department. Please leave a message. Thanks.

26. Hey, [Name] here in [Department Type]. Leave your name and number and I will get back with you.

27. This is the [Department Type] at [Company Name]. Please leave your name and number and one of our associates will get back with you as quickly as possible.

Greetings for specific team members

28. Hey-howdy-do! This is [Name] at [Company Name]. I’m not at my phone right now but if you leave your information and why you’re calling I’ll be sure to get back with you.

29. Hey there, [Name] at [Company Name] here. I’m unavailable to take your call, but if you leave a brief message I’ll be sure to make time for you.

30. Hi, you’ve reached [Name]. I currently can’t talk. Please leave a message at the beep and I’ll return your call.

Customer service voicemail greetings

31. Hi, you’ve reached Customer Service. Leave a message with your question, comment, or concern and we’ll get back with you ASAP.

32. This is [Name] at [Company Name]’s Customer Service. We’re currently servicing other callers but if you leave your name and number we’ll call you at the first available opportunity.

33. Thanks for calling Customer Service. All of our operators are currently busy assisting other callers. Please leave a message with your name and number, as well as the reason you’re calling. Thank you!

Out of office voicemail greeting examples

34. Hi, this is [Name]. I’m out of office until [Date or time of return]. Please leave a message with your name, number, and reason for calling, and I will get back to you as soon as I get back to work.

35. You’ve reached the voicemail of [Name]. I’m currently out of office and will not be returning until [Date or Time of return]. Please leave a message with all relevant information and I will get back with you in order of messages received when I return to work.

36. Greetings. I’m currently out of office and cannot receive calls. If this is a time-sensitive call, please dial [Alternative number here]. Otherwise, please leave a message with your name and number. Thanks and have a good one.

Business closed voicemail message

37. Hey this is [Name]. I’m not at work right now but will be back when we re-open at [Time]. If you leave a message with your question and your number, I’ll be sure to get back with you.

38. Thanks for calling [Company Name]. Unfortunately we’re currently closed but will re-open [at {Time}] tomorrow, when we’ll be able to answer your questions. To make sure we get back with you, leave your name and number.

Personal voicemail greetings

39. Hey this is [Name]. Sad to say but it seems that I can’t take your call. So leave your name and number to make sure I can call you back!

40. You’ve reached [Name]. I currently can’t answer the phone but can receive messages; why not leave one?

41. Thanks for calling. Alas I cannot respond at this given time, but be sure to leave a message to make sure I can give you a ring in the future.

Professional voicemail greetings

42. Thank you for calling [Company Name]. Our lines are currently busy or we are otherwise unavailable. Please leave your name, number, and reason for calling. Have a nice day.

43. Greetings, [this is {Company Name}, and] we are grateful for your call. Unfortunately we are otherwise occupied at the moment. Please leave us your name and number and we will return your call at the earliest possible time.

Funny voicemail examples

44. [Name of Caller] work at [Name of Company], only to find your phone message. And I’ll call back, I’ll call back, as soon as I am able! (preferably sung in the rhythm of the original song)

45. This is [Last Name.] [First Name][Last Name]. I’m unable to take your call because I’m doing secret things. Leave your number and I’ll call back when those secret things are finished.

Vocational voicemail examples

46. At a Construction firm: You’ve reached [Firm Name], where we’re hammering the competition and our prices. If you leave your name and number we’ll get back to you once we put our hammers down.

47. At a legal firm: Hey this is [Firm name], where we fight for you. Leave us your number, name, and a bit of information about why we’re calling so we can have the right associate call you back.

Holiday voicemail greetings

48. For Halloween: Our prices are so low it’s downright spooky! Come see what all the fuss is about at [Company Name], but if you can’t, leave your name and number at the BOO and we’ll get back to you.

49. For Independence Day: Happy Independence Day! Please leave a message- but make sure to speak up over the fireworks!

50. For Thanksgiving: “Turkey in the morning and turkey at night means we’re too stuffed to come to the phone right now. Leave us a message and we’ll get to you as soon as we can get up off the couch again!”

How Do You Create the Perfect Voicemail Greeting

Now obviously, all of these are just some examples – there are plenty more ways to make it interesting for your clients when they leave a message. But the important thing is that you have something, you include some basic information, and you keep it relatively short.

To benefit from the practice of voicemail messages, you need a business phone system that makes recording, tweaking, and uploading sample voicemail greeting scripts as easy as possible. Not just for you, but for your whole team.

MightyCall provides such an answer for businesses. With simple, visually-based call flows, adapting your voicemail messages for different customers and even different times of day demands no tech knowledge and no hardware.

The post 50 Best Business Voicemail Greetings (2024) first appeared on MightyCall.

According to a HubSpot report, 35% of sales leaders track the use of tools for sales as a productivity metric. For them, the best sales tools to have in their arsenal are those that automate the sales pipeline and increase the odds of success without costing a lot of money or time.

If you’re wondering how not to get lost in all the market has to offer and choose the right option for your company, we’ll walk you through the seven types of tools for sales you must know in 2024, so you can determine which ones would be the most beneficial to your company’s long-term goals and growth.

Navigate:

• What are sales tools?
• Importance of sales tools
• How to choose sales tools
• Sales tools you should know 
• Integration strategies: a simplified guide
• Get the best sales tools for your business now 

What are sales tools?

Sales tools are applications and digital tools built for and used by sales professionals to optimize their work and help them succeed with their goals.

It’s an umbrella term for different categories of tools in sales, such as sales acceleration, CRM (customer relationship management), sales intelligence, lead handling and prospecting, sales automation, and more.

Importance of sales tools

Sales is a fast-paced and high-pressure industry.

Salespeople are constantly pushed for more leads, more conversions and more revenues.

But with the right tools, this process could be streamlined. That’s why they are so beneficial for businesses.

• Understand which prospects are most likely to convert. Focus on prospects who you’re more likely to be successful with rather than chasing prospects that are unlikely to purchase from you. This way, you won’t be wasting the time and effort that you could allot on the right prospects. Plus, you can ensure to engage in a relevant manner./li>
• Determine when to reach out to prospects. Timing is key. You should know the right frequency and time when to reach out to prospects. You don’t want to keep touching base again and again to be annoying, but you also don’t want to barely keep in touch so that you’d be forgotten. Also, analyze which times or days your messages are likely to be opened or engaged with.
• Save time on tedious and time-consuming admin tasks. Opening emails, keeping records, preparing reports and documents, and data entry are only some of the most time-consuming admin tasks. These non-essential tasks are important, but they don’t directly relate to or impact your business’s core functions. Still, they have to be done. Sales tools can save time and automate some of these admin tasks, so you can focus more on what’s important.
• Automate the sales process. The sales process is a multi-step procedure of brining a lead to the status of a customer and supporting the customer throughout the sales journey.  Tools for sales automate this procedure by pre-qualifying leads, automating email marketing, invoices, sales orders, and overall making the sales pipeline more efficient.
• Demand for modern tools from employees. In a modern world, employees are also demanding for modern solutions. Using traditional methods could push your employees away because of processes that aren’t optimized, which wastes time and resources. Hence, implementing modern sales tools not only helps with your sales goals, but also in employee satisfaction.

How to choose sales tools

When you get a sales tool, you’re getting an entire system. But—it’s not as intimidating as it sounds.

Still, you should know what each tool does—what it’s for, which problems it solves, and whatnot. Then, all your tools should work seamlessly together.

There’s no one-size-fits all solution. Company needs can vary from business to business. The set of sales tools that work for one company doesn’t mean the same set of tools would work for you.

With that, here are some tips on choosing your sales tools to consider:

• Make a list of your core business needs.
• Check if your core business needs align with your customers’ needs.
• Figure out what the process looks like from the customer’s perspective.
• Double-check integrations between tools.
• Evaluate your potential solutions.

Sales tools you should know

1. Communication

While there’s a lot of wonderful sales software you can use, no sale is ever made without communication. A study from SHRM showed that at least a third of sales go down because of poor communication. So, it’s essential to master your craft and avoid making mistakes along the way.

To improve business communication, you should first look at ways to enhance your writing skills and hone your conversational style. From there, you can take a look at some sales tools that will help simplify processes while also keeping track of all communications between you and your potential client.

2. Information

Marketing is no longer about beating your chest and making outrageous claims. Nowadays, it’s more about being useful, relevant, and specific than any other time in history. That’s why tools that focus on information are so critical in sales.

These sales tools not only help you identify pain points for your prospects. They also help you figure out how your product or service can address those pain points and then make it incredibly easy for your prospects to buy from you.

For example, sales automation tools help salespeople remain organized with opportunities and manage leads with email outreach templates and notifications on deals that are about to close. B2B sales tools that focus on information also help you get answers about your connections, networking strategies, and competition in your industry.

3. Data

To effectively tackle sales challenges in 2024, you must first have a solid understanding of your target audience and what they need. This means having an abundance of accurate data. With big data being so readily available these days, it can be tempting to use as much as possible when crafting strategies for individuals and small businesses alike.

However, just because you can doesn’t mean you should. It’s essential that sales teams remain conscious about how personal data is used and how public data might still be potentially useful for B2B purposes.

So when compiling a list of best sales tools in 2024, make sure to consider only those that are legally permitted in your country. Ensure also that the tool you purchase allows users to limit specific datasets and view their information privately before deciding which ones are most suitable for your needs.

4. Customer feedback

The internet is your biggest tool when it comes to sales. With social media, blogging, and email marketing all at your fingertips, you can easily find out exactly what kind of sales tools are working and what aren’t.

To succeed, you must be able to take an honest look at your strengths and weaknesses. By connecting with customers via different sales tools, you’ll learn valuable information about who they are and how they interact with your brand. This information can also help you reach more potential clients while providing them with better service than before.

When implemented correctly, sales tools software allows you to gather important data about customer so you can make improvements based on real numbers and information rather than gut feelings or opinions.

5. Coaching

Sales tools that focus on coaching and productivity (like HubSpot’s CRM) will be a top consideration for B2B sales teams. Companies like these need tools that give their employees all they need to close deals, manage leads, and understand their customers’ needs.

These are all things that require specific knowledge and practice. So, it makes sense that one of your top considerations when choosing a sales tool is its ability to coach you in sales tactics and strategy. Good coaching creates engaged workers who can execute at high levels—and that’s exactly what you want from your team members on your sales team.

For example, a specific sales tool combines data analytics with an AI-powered sales assistant that coaches users through each stage of sales. It also leverages machine learning to identify patterns in customer interactions and coach reps accordingly. A platform as such will ensure every member of your team has access to information, helping them do their job more effectively.

6. Objectives

If you want to achieve your sales objectives, you’ll need tools that focus on them. In other words, sales tools that are specifically designed for your current and future sales tactics will give you a competitive advantage and ensure that you stay top-of-mind with prospects.

For example, lead qualification software helps businesses close more deals by identifying high-quality leads. Meanwhile, other sales tools allow marketers and salespeople to send personalized emails (that increase conversion) without actually having to write them.

Both functionalities are essential B2B sales tools because they were built around specific objectives—lead generation and lead qualification—and therefore deliver results by focusing on them.

7. Tracking

Lead tracking is a critical part of creating a successful sales funnel. In fact, a survey by CMO Council revealed that poorly managed leads cost businesses at least $1 trillion per year. By collecting leads with opt-in forms on your website, you can start tracking which content attracts which prospects—and then feed those preferences into future email marketing campaigns.

This kind of customer data management is essential for modern sales reps who want to be able to close deals by using tailored pitches that cater directly to their buyers’ interests. Fortunately, lead management systems will give you one important weapon for reaching out and closing deals with some clarity about what prospects need from you at every step in their journey.

Integration strategies: a simplified guide

Integrating sales tools into your business systems can significantly improve operations. Here’s a brief guide for effective integration:

1. Evaluate current systems: Assess the functions and limitations of your existing software. This is essential for understanding how new sales tools can fit into and improve your operations.
2. Define objectives for integration: Clearly outline your goals for this integration, focusing on areas such as data management improvements, process automation, or communication enhancements.
3. Select compatible tools: Opt for sales tools that work well with your existing systems, focusing on those with flexible integration options.
4. Plan the integration: Develop a clear plan with a timeline and the resources needed, aiming to minimize disruption during implementation.
5. Conduct data migration: Carefully move relevant data to the new tools, ensuring accuracy. IT support may be required for a smooth transition.
6. Test the system: Before fully implementing, test the integrated system for any issues, particularly focusing on data accuracy and workflow processes.
7. Train team members: Ensure your team is well-equipped with the knowledge to use the new system.
8. Monitor and refine: Continually assess the system’s performance, making refinements based on feedback and performance metrics.

Get the best sales tools for your business now

Successful entrepreneurs understand that their success depends on more than just their hard work. They’re also aware that tools play a huge role in their business’ success. As shown in the statistics by SugarCRM, 80% of businesses spend at least $1000 on technology every year to acquire the right tools to do their regular operations effectively.

A lot has changed over time and an updated list of sales tools and techniques should be one of your priorities. If you’re a sales professional looking to grow your business in 2024 and the coming years, you need to keep up with the trends by learning about and implementing new sales tools as they become available.

The post 7 Types of Sales Tools You Must Know first appeared on MightyCall.

Whether it’s a live chat program that reaches out to your website visitors automatically, or a CRM that helps you track and manage leads across multiple channels, automation tools can benefit your business in many ways. So, to give you a better understanding of marketing automation products, here’s a list of the top ten ways using such tools can help your business.

Increased Productivity

Modern marketing methods are all about enabling your business to do more with less. By automating some or many of your marketing tasks, you allow your staff members to do other things that may require more time or attention. Of course, sending out emails, posting to social media and other mundane marketing tasks are important. Still, since many marketing automation products can handle those tasks for you, they free up a ton of time for your marketers. Which in turn, makes your whole marketing team, and strategy, more productive.

Fewer Missed Posts and Human Errors

It’s been proven time and again that posting regularly to your blog and social media accounts encourages more engagement and interaction from customers (and potential customers.) Therefore, creating regular posting schedules is a great way to keep your campaigns active and consistent. Marketing automation always remembers to post to your social accounts on time. So, as long as you use the marketing automation software to schedule posts in advance, you’ll never have to worry about staff members getting too busy and forgetting to interact with your social media or blog followers.

Reduced Marketing Costs

Marketing automation can help save your business money in a number of ways. However, perhaps the biggest money-saving feature that automation offers is the fact that one person can wear many marketing hats when using the software. Of course, not all automation products are created equal; but the good ones allow a single person to schedule, follow, reply and do many other marketing tasks from a single interface. This allows your marketing team to employ fewer members while still being able to remain productive and efficient. For many smaller companies, being able to do more with fewer marketing team members can be the difference between losing money and generating a profit.

More Efficient Lead Management and Nurturing

Depending on the field or industry you’re in, solid sales leads can be difficult to come by. Therefore, once you do have qualified leads, it’s important to do everything possible to convert them into paying customers. This is where lead management and nurturing comes into play.

Once a potential customer shows interest in your product or service, you have to keep him/her interested. This means managing leads effectively and nurturing them to the point they are ready to buy from you. Fortunately, this an area where marketing automation excels. When you use automation, you’ll no longer have to worry if follow-up emails or messages are sent on time. Automated sending processes let you concentrate more on your nurturing strategy and less on having to remember when to actually send follow-up messages.

Decreased Lead Conversion Times

The period between when a person first expresses an interest in your product or service and when he/she actually makes a purchase and becomes a customer is what is known as the “lead conversion time.” Of course, the shorter the lead conversion time, the better it is for your company. One of the biggest benefits companies notice about marketing automation is just how much faster it helps them convert leads into paying customers. The consistent nature of tasks enabled with marketing automation helps show customers that you care enough to follow up and find ways to answer questions or concerns they may have about your products and services. In turn, consistent follow-ups lead to higher and faster conversions.

Better Customer Relationships and Retention

Many marketing automation products make it easy to stay in touch with your customers (and future customers) on social media. Good automated marketing products with a social media focus not only enable auto-posting but also notify you when comments or reactions are recorded on your social networking accounts.

Quick notifications about social media comments enable your team to respond quickly to any questions, complaints, concerns or suggestions your customers may have about your products or services. Quick and efficient interaction with customers on your social media accounts builds trust and respect, which leads to better customer relationships and higher retention rates. Simply put, if your customers know you’re always there to answer their questions and concerns, they’ll remain loyal and also encourage their friends or relatives to try your company as well.

Easier Prospect Targeting Across Omni-Channels

Until recently, if you wanted to engage with and target leads or prospects across multiple channels, such as email, social media, SMS and phone calls, you had to have several people using several different marketing applications to do it effectively. With newer marketing automation products, though, fewer team members are required to reach out across all channels simultaneously or at scheduled intervals, you can define yourself.

Better engagement and outreach across Omni-channels not only increases productivity and reduces costs, but also helps reduce spamming and prevents duplicate efforts and confusion among your marketing team members. Being able to automate outreach across multiple channels frees up your team to concentrate more on the message you want to send instead of spending too much time sending emails and messages with more conventional methods.

Faster, Better Analysis of Marketing Strategies

Determining whether a marketing campaign or strategy is actually working or not requires quality analysis of measurable results, or in a word — reporting. Marketing reports are nothing new of course, and virtually all good applications have always offered them in one form or another.

The thing that makes reporting with newer marketing automation platforms better, though, is that they usually allow you to monitor and track metrics and progress across multiple channels instead of just one. Knowing and understanding how your customers and prospects are reacting to and engaging with posts, messages, videos and other content is essential to tweaking your marketing campaigns and strategies to make them more effective. With better automation applications, generating this type of insightful reporting is quick and easy to understand.

Increased Upsell and Cross-Sell Opportunities

In many cases, customers will buy higher-end (and more expensive) versions of your products or add-ons if they only know they exist and are available.

However, informing customers of upgrades or add-ons manually is usually very time-consuming and may not be cost-effective in the end. With better CRM or e-commerce marketing automation applications, though, following up with emails or social media posts that offer upsell and cross-sell products is quick and relatively straightforward. Upselling and cross-selling not improves profit margins, but also makes your customers happier and more appreciative of more suitable products and upgrades.

Increased Revenues

The ultimate goal of any business should be to turn a profit. Therefore, the single biggest reason to use marketing automation is that it helps you increase revenues. Marketing automation software can be expensive in some cases.

Nevertheless, most companies that use such software report impressive returns on investment. Whether it be from saving you money by allowing you to use fewer resources, or increasing sales with upselling and cross-selling opportunities, marketing automation helps you reduce costs and increase sales at the same time.

Last Word About Advantages of Marketing Automation:

There are numerous free online resources available for content marketers that can help improve their strategies and ultimately achieve their business goals. However, to fully realize the potential benefits of using these resources, it’s key to consider the importance of marketing automation. By automating certain tasks and processes, content marketers can save time, streamline workflows, and improve the overall efficiency of their campaigns. The benefits of marketing automation are numerous, and utilizing these tools can help content marketers achieve even greater success in their efforts.

The post 10 Ways Marketing Automation Benefit Your Business first appeared on MightyCall.

What is Mobile Marketing?

Mobile marketing is a multi-channel, digital marketing strategy aimed at reaching targeted audiences through their smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. This approach encompasses a range of techniques, such as mobile-optimized websites, mobile advertising, SMS marketing, and app-based marketing. By leveraging these strategies, businesses can engage with customers effectively, providing personalized content and promoting their products or services. As more people rely on mobile devices, mobile marketing has become an indispensable tool for businesses seeking to establish a strong online presence and connect with consumers on-the-go.

Mobile Marketing Tips

Have a Mobile App

Just having a mobile-optimized site is no longer enough, mobile apps are the present and future of mobile use. Having an app has many benefits, and as well as just increasing revenue, you are able to include a range of features that would not be available on a mobile site, such as push notifications and touch ID login or payment.

Localized Content

This is one of the most important aspects of mobile marketing if you want people to be able to find you. You should ensure that your site includes information on how to find you and that you are registered with search engines such as Google. This way, if someone looks for a business with your niche in your area, you are likely to come up in their search results.

Paid Search

This is a good way to get your business’s name out there, by putting your brand’s name in front of potential customers without having to spend a fortune.
You’ll be able to stick to the budget that you set and easily track the number of conversions that your advertising is bringing in.

Text Marketing

SMS marketing can be really effective, especially as people are much more likely to open a text message than they are an email. Sending unsolicited texts can get you into trouble, so you have to make sure that your customers really want them. You can do this by keeping a record of who has opted in and who has opted out. Although you may think this will be an expensive way to market, companies like MightyCall have unlimited texts included in every plan they offer, so it doesn’t have to be as expensive as you think.

Media Strategy

Small businesses need to get their name out there, and developing a strategy to drive awareness can be a good way of achieving this.
One of the best methods is to build a connection with those around you, such as other businesses. You should try to reach out to potential partners such as bloggers and writers and establish a relationship with them. This will give you instant access to an even larger audience.

Utilize Social Media Platforms

Social media platforms play a vital role in mobile marketing. Create engaging and shareable content, optimize your posts for mobile users, and make it easy for customers to interact with your brand. Engaging with your audience through social media not only increases brand awareness but also fosters customer loyalty and trust, ultimately driving conversions.

Implement In-App Marketing

In-app marketing enables you to communicate directly with customers using your mobile app. Utilize personalized and targeted in-app messages, offers, or promotions to boost customer retention and increase sales. By incorporating in-app marketing strategies, you can enhance the user experience and encourage customers to remain active within your app, leading to higher conversion rates and customer satisfaction.

Being an early adopter of this marketing trend could help to put you one step ahead of your competitors, especially as mobile marketing is already a very crowded industry.

Mobile Marketing Plan

An effective mobile marketing plan must encompass a diverse range of strategies, incorporating various mobile marketing tactics to cater to your specific business needs. By leveraging a well-rounded and customized mobile advertising strategy, you can ensure that your brand stays ahead of the competition, reaching and engaging customers through different mobile platforms. As mobile devices continue to play an increasingly dominant role in our lives, implementing a comprehensive mobile marketing plan that utilizes a variety of mobile marketing techniques becomes an essential component for business success and growth.

The post Tips fo Effective Mobile Marketing Strategy for Your Small Business first appeared on MightyCall.

The rise of ‘Telecommuting’ has been well documented and debated, but study after study continue to conclude that the trend is better for the government, companies, the environment, and people’s mental health than anyone could have imagined.

Yet for all the things we’re discovering about the benefits of telecommuting, not everyone is onboard with a massive expansion of the practice. For as cool as some the changes coming to certain offices are, changing anything means companies are investing additional money to keep their employees happy, yes, but also stuck in the workplace. That stands in stark contrast to the figures from recent research that peg savings per telecommuting employee at up to $11,000 a year.

Telecommuting is not evenly balanced however—while men and women essentially work from home at equal rates, telecommuters earn approximately $4,000 more than normal workers, largely attributed to the fact the telecommuting population is disproportionately made up of managers.

Accordingly to the 2017 Flexjobs report, the average telecommuter “is 46 years of age or older, has at least a bachelor’s degree, and earns a higher median salary than an in-office worker.” That reality is a stark contrast to the narrative behind the increase being about Millennial drive.

For most white-collar jobs, having as many employees work from home as possible is ideal. Their age or history with the company shouldn’t matter. Considering robots are already encroaching on blue-collar jobs, the workforce needs to adjust, and there is no reason for that adjustment to not be worker-friendly.

Right now many companies still view telecommuting as a perk they grant employees, but that doesn’t properly reflect the value companies themselves derive from having telecommuters.

No matter what your business is, big or small, you may think there is a certain impediment to letting your employees work remotely (they need to meet clients, I want to make sure they’re working, etc.), but telecommuting is the future.

Here are 5 reasons why that’s good.

1.Everyone saves time and money

As quoted above, the Flexjobs report noted that the average company will save around $11,000 per year for every telecommuter they employ when contrasted with a normal, in-office job. A Stanford experiment also found that telecommuting reduces employee turnover, saving companies time and money normally spent training new workers.

For the telecommuters themselves, well, the average person would save 2 hours per day cutting out their commute, which lends itself to a better work-life balance and more flexible offers they can offer their employer.

Even better? The thousands of dollars saved cutting out gas/travel expenses, lunches, coffee, work clothes, and other work-related expenses.

2.Less unemployment and access to larger talent pools

When you factor in the difficulties some people have in getting to a job, allowing more people to work from home opens up more people to work, thus lowering unemployment. This is especially true for older Americans who still want to work but have physical difficulties making long commutes.

Also, not having a job tied to a place means more people will be able to do that job. With more jobs flocking to cities despite rising housing prices, companies won’t get stuck with their geographic pool of candidates. If someone can’t afford to relocate to an expensive city, they can still apply for the job.

3.Better productivity and work relationships

A big argument for not allowing people to work from home is that productivity would suffer. This opinion, while not outlandish for certain employees, rests on mistrust. However, 65% of workers and managers report increased productivity from telecommuters.

There could be hundreds of explanations for why these workers are doing their jobs better from home, but one that often gets lost in the discussion is better company-wide communication. When people work from home, they need to precisely plan and communicate with their bosses and colleagues, so everyone is on the same page.

This increase in communication and efficiency is then likely to lead to better relationships between bosses and their employees. The trust a boss puts in an employee to work from home alone leads to better morale and loyalty.

4.Better for the environment

It’s no secret that cars are a major source of pollution. Cities have tried to get carpooling going to no avail. The better idea? Get cars off the road by letting people work from home. That means less gas consumed, less traffic, and less fossil fuels emitted from cars going 10 MPH on jam-packed highways.

5.Better work-life balance

Americans typically work too much, meaning we have terrible work-life balance compared to the rest of the Western world.

The more psychological research that goes into the topic, the more we understand just how important a good work-life balance is. Even without accounting for added flexibility and childcare opportunities working at home presents people, saving time on a commute alone would be good for most Americans both physically and mentally.

Embracing Telecommuting Benefits: A Win-Win for Employees and Employers

The benefits of telecommuting have become increasingly evident, with over 4 million Americans now working full-time from home. As the trend grows, numerous studies showcase the telecommuting benefits, such as cost savings, improved productivity, environmental impact reduction, and enhanced work-life balance. Despite some concerns, the pros of telecommuting significantly outweigh the drawbacks. Telecommuting advantage spans across age groups and job positions, making it a practical choice for many white-collar roles. Companies should acknowledge the value of remote work, understanding that it’s not just a perk, but a future-oriented strategy. These 5 telecommuting benefits reinforce the importance of embracing remote work for the success of both employers and employees.

The post Proven Benefits of Telecommuting first appeared on MightyCall.

There comes a moment in the life of every entrepreneur, when we wonder – can I become something more? How can I expand, reach new audiences and grow using the resources I have and without draining my budget? And if so, what can I grow into?

If you’re also wondering how to change the world through your business vision, a scalable business model provides actionable means of answering those questions. Here’s your guide to taking that vision beyond the familiar horizon – complete with expert thoughts and practical insights on making it happen.

What Is a Scalable Business Model?

A scalable business model is often explained as “agile” or “flexible”. It’s a business operations approach that increases output and profits without largely increasing input. For example, when a business is able to grow sales volume and acquire new customers without expanding staff or investing into development and operations, the business model is scalable by definition.This approach is particularly suitable for online products and services.

Carlos Barros, Director of Marketing at EposNow comments on the capacities of a scalable business:

“With a good scalability model in place, businesses can easily and efficiently increase the number of transactions they process without having to hire extra employees. This saves the business time and money, and allows them to focus on expanding their operations.”

The Difference Between Growing and Scaling

Many an entrepreneur dreams about “growing” their business without draining the budget… and that’s exactly where “scaling” comes in. The difference between the two is in applying more resources into making more revenue versus making more revenue with the resources you already have. Looks like the latter is a great place to start, right?

As JOBM research notes, “For a business model to be truly scalable, it ought to hold the promise of exponential increasing returns to scale.” In other words, it’s not about investing 10% more to get 10% bigger ROI, but about investing 10% more to get at least double the ROI.

Think of it this way: you have 5 lb of apples. You can sell them for $12 total. Alternatively, with the same key ingredients and just a few extra ones you can make 5 apple pies and sell them for $10 each, making a total of $50. The extra investment is minimal but a smarter strategy generates more revenue.

Scaling Drivers

What are the main aspects of a business scalability model? Let’s take a look at something all growth-centric companies have in common:

• Flexibility – an online book store is easier to expand than a physical shop. A local repair shop is easier to take to another level than a large manufacturing facility. See the trend here? The bigger the operations and the more spread out – involving people, physical spaces, and organizational issues, the less flexible the environment and the more effort you must put into expansion.
• Automated workflows – when manual processes are automated on a day-to-day basis, entrepreneurs and teams can put more effort into key business tasks. More applied effort means faster growth, which means more ROI.
• Remote and hybrid work environments – For each employee that works remotely just 2-3 days a week, a company saves around $11,000 annually. Now think of it as the same money that you will invest into growth.
• Easy to replicate – Franchising models are simple to replicate since they don’t depend on unique factors or regulations. This makes them easy to set up and profitable.Your business doesn’t have to be a franchise, but you can build it around a model of simple replication. This is also the way many multipreneurs build their companies.

Scalability Dangers

What is a scalable business gone wrong? Companies that took the plunge without being prepared for fast expansion may notice the following issues:

• Decrease in quality – This may happen when companies fall head over heels for a new opportunity at the price of their current product or service. Always avoid loss of quality by balancing the input directed towards growth with upkeeping your product’s current strategy.
• Coordination issues – With business model scalability in action, your workflow coordination, including team communication, will shift as well. Think ahead of the dangers of poor coordination and address how you will adapt to change, including what team communication and delegation tools you’ll be using at this new level.
• Competitive risks – While it’s natural for entrepreneurs to think ahead, it’s impossible to predict the exact market outcome of how your business will react to scaling. After all, any venture implies a certain risk of failure, and entrepreneurs should research the competition before going into a new market or niche.
• Extra expenses – Scalability is primarily about the ROI you get out of the investments. While it does seek to minimize costs, it would be wrong to think that no expenses at all are involved. Entrepreneurs should be prepared that certain costs will be applicable in the initial stages of scaling, and project how they handle these costs.

Tips to Make Your Business Model Scalable

• Have a clear vision – Where exactly do you want to go? What do you want to achieve? How will expansion influence your current operations? Before you start, learn why you need it and the goal you’re trying to achieve.
• Make the model easy to manage – The simpler your business “ingredients” are to manage, the simpler they are to scale. For example, digital businesses have the most scalable aspects of business models. Conversely, the less your business depends on external resources, the less effort it demands to expand into something more. If you’re exploring business options, here are small business examples to look into.
• Focus on technology and automation – Time is our greatest asset, and automation turns lost time into profitable time. Automation can encompass all areas of business, including: communication (client, partner, and team), sales, development, production, and marketing. Cloud-based tools are doubtless preferable to software or hardware as they adapt to various business sizes and needs.
• Prepare a remote work environment – For each employee working remotely just part-time, a company saves about $11,000 per year. For full-time remote workers, that’s $22,000 in savings per employee. Moreover, when you can hire remote employees and contractors from all over the country or even world without losing productivity, you can keep your business running 24/7 while drastically cutting costs compared to in-house workers.
• Rethink marketing – How can you improve marketing outreach without large investments? Reanalyze your marketing strategy, preferably with expert help and build a roadmap that would include PR outreach, digital marketing, and social media marketing.
• Make the model easy to replicate – One of the staples of a scalable model is how easy it is to replicate, for example, in a different geographical environment or a different market. To take up the pie analogy again – how versatile are your business ingredients? How can you mix and match them to provide more value?
• Be prepared for change – Growing pains are a real thing, in business included. The first few months of incorporating a scalable business model, your team will face new responsibilities, learning processes, and workflow shifts. Plan ahead into how you will address challenges.

How MightyCall can help?

Effective communication, simple management, and workflow automation tools are key aspects of a scalable business model. They are also key aspects of MightyCall’s business phone system that offers a myriad of growth options for business communication.

• Grow with you – Our 30+ communications features for business make it possible for companies of any size to make their business model scalable without feeling like they’ve outgrown their business phone system. Connect as many local, toll-free, and vanity business numbers as you need, add extensions, users, and the features you need as you go.
• Automates routine work – Settings like IVR, auto-attendant, voicemail-to-text transcriptions, and automatic call recording automate communication with customers and partners, saving time on more important tasks.
• Organizes teamwork – When your business grows but your team stays the same in number, workflows need to be more organized than ever. Our system will help you delegate communications tasks, keep track of team activities, and diligently manage the influx of new customers.
• Integrate with other products – Sync your favorite digital tools with MightyCall and perform two actions in the time it took to carry out one. MightyCall integrates with the world’s top CRM platforms, allowing you to combine contact management with communications tasks. It also integrates with countless digital tools through Zapier.

Internal vs External Scalability of Business Model: What’s the Difference?

The difference between internal and external scalability is that of generating growth through the company’s internal resources and growth through expanding external resources. Pankaj Srivastava, Co-Founder & CEO of ClinicSpots, comments in more detail:

“Internal scaling refers to changes made within the company, such as expanding the business model, adding new resources or personnel, or increasing digitalization. The external [method] encompasses changes in the company’s values, business environment, or markets.

“Both have their own set of pros and cons. The internal [method] is often seen as less risky because it doesn’t require as much investment or change. However, it can also be more difficult to execute and may not lead to the same level of growth as external scaling. [The latter], while riskier, has the potential to lead to greater growth and expansion.”

Strategies to Scale Your Business Model

There are two main options when it comes to expanding business, called external and internal scalability. External scalability is taking your company to new markets, audiences, and investors. This process may involve more risk and investment, but, when carried out correctly, unleashes maximum growth potential. The internal method leverages existing company and team resources to do more. This is the easier and less risky method.

Internal Business Model Scalability

1. Form a strong team – it’s not how large your team is but how well responsibilities are delegated and carried out. Make sure that communication is streamlined and all activities coordinated between team members, allowing you as an entrepreneur to focus on key tasks.
2. Work with feedback – building an MVP business model (more on that below) and perfecting it through customer feedback is the fastest way to achieve internal scalability. Starting with a simple product/service version, you use the feedback loop to discover customer wants and make your brand more scalable.
3. Automate routine tasks with digital tools – We’ve already talked about automation, and rethinking how you use technology is another great asset base. On the other hand, you may also consider the digital tools you currently use – how well do they integrate with each other, how comfortable is your team using them, what can you improve?

External Business Model Scalability

1. Target new customers – When was the last time you updated your buyer persona? If it’s been a while, you should do so now. Research your current audience and think what yet non targeted groups can benefit from your product. Then a/b test your hypothesis with a new audience.
2. Expand into new markets – To exponentially scale the business model, a company may enter a national or even international market, extend a branch of the product, cooperate with new partners, change manufacturing, development facilities, or form new business ties. Or it may be just as simple as giving your local shop an online presence.
3. Build new bonds – Network and communicate in the area where you want to expand into. Are you exploring a new niche? Talk with entrepreneurs in that field. Looking to automate certain processes? Find out firsthand what digital tools helped businesses of your size and budget.

Patterns of a Scalable Business Model

“We started with one website, and now we have six. We cross-utilize resources, mainly
people, for all the sites, so our revenue has grown at a much faster pace than our expenses. That is essentially the definition of scaling and its benefit in a nutshell. We can grow our revenue and drastically improve our margins at the same time.” – Carolyn Young, Business Specialist, Step by Step Business

All scalability business models have key aspects in common. These patterns help them preserve funding for growth and vital operational aspects.

• Wide-scope distribution – think of new sales and marketing channels to target your product through, and how to attract new audiences. This can mean growing digitally, nationally, or even taking your company to an international level.
• Outsourced minor operations –give yourself the space to perform key operations that only you and trusted team members can perform. Other tasks can be transferred to a reliable outsourcing partner.
• Teaming up with partners and customers – turn partners and customers into enthusiastic promoters of your product. Create a loyalty program and rewards for active promoters.
• Merging efforts with B2B – create referral and affiliate programs for B2B. Think of the businesses that can complement yours, helping both of you double the revenue through partnership, not competition.

Components of Scaling Your Business Model

“Think about how decisions made as part of your business growth plan might impact you if you were a customer. They can become your strongest ambassadors and help in generating revenue if you anticipate their demands at every level of the process.” – Peter King, Co-Founder, Authority Builders

• Effective management – Organized workflows, clear communication, and automated teamwork ensure that your business is scalable and runs smoothly. If the company operates in more than one location or in both online and offline environments, building a consistent management model will streamline operations and enable effective growth.
• Cross-utilizing resources – Think back to the apples example: how can you create more “recipes” with the ingredients you’ve already got? By cross-utilizing resources and people, how can you offer new or better services? How can you update your product or service without rebuilding it from scratch? And what about approaching existing clients to help bring in new ones?
• Standardization protocols – A scalable business product or service should be built around a set of standards and metrics that act as its market shield. This doesn’t mean that your product should be “standard” as opposed to “unique”. What this means is that your organization applies and follows a smart, unified set of guidelines in its product/service development, sales, marketing, advertising, investing, commerce, and other business aspects.

Roadmap for Building a Scalable Business Model

To take your business to new places, grab a piece of paper and take time to consider the following aspects. Later, you may complement them with examples for developing a scalable business model in the section below.

1. Think in fixed costs vs. variable costs

Building scalable business models is about striking the balance between two types of costs that a business meets with and seeing how they impact or stall growth. Jessica Martin of Rockholder explains this method.

“The key to a scalable business idea is to have a small number of fixed costs and a large number of variable costs. Fixed costs are costs that don’t change as the business grows, such as office rent, employee salaries, and insurance. Variable costs are costs that scale with the business, such as materials, shipping, and customer service… This allows the business to [grow] quickly and efficiently, without sacrificing profitability.”

She remarks that subscription-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) businesses, such as Salesforce, Zoom, and Slack all have low fixed costs and high variable costs. That’s why they can quickly add new customers and scale their businesses without sacrificing profitability. This is the model that works best for digital businesses. On the other hand, franchise model companies like McDonald’s, 7-Eleven, and Ace Hardware have high fixed costs, but due to low variable costs they are able to keep the balance and profits.

2. Understand what works for you and answer the following questions

1. How scalable is the business model I currently have? What can I change about it to foster growth?
2. Who’s my role model/success story in the market/niche I want to expand into? Why do they excel at this niche? (List all the reasons you can think of. Ask your friends/relatives/colleagues for their opinions as well)
3. How digitally optimized is my business currently? What automation aspects can I work on?
4. Am I focusing just on increasing sales, or on beating the competition or expanding into new niches and markets?
5. What steps can I take to leverage existing resources through affiliate marketing, partnership programs, and other cooperation with partners and customers?
6. How competitive is the niche or market we’re expanding into? What is the value of entering it?
7. What aspects of our business mindset do we need to change in order to attain scalability and facilitate entry into new markets and exponential growth?
8. What aspects of business operations/workflows/organization need improvement?
9. What’s our budget and how will we prioritize it?
10. Are we staying focused on quality or just quantity? Is our customer service ready to handle an influx of new customers? How can we ensure that our service stays top notch?

3. Perform a reality check and map out implementation

When you’ve considered the questions above, organize them based on priority. For example, put your main focus and weakest spots at the top, and feel free to disregard issues that don’t apply. A great idea is to answer these questions with your team or a key group of employees. Brainstorming will open up new ideas, help you perform a collective reality check, and map out the fastest implementation route.

Scalable Business Model Examples

Let’s take a look at the three most popular scalability models in practice. These are particularly well suited for the online business industry, but with certain modifications can be applied to any company.

MVP model

A Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is the bare bones model of a product or service that’s preparing for rollout. This may not sound as exciting as a fully customized model, but if you’re preparing for expansion, an MVP model provides the least investment with the prospect of utilizing the feedback loop for each further upgrade.

The philosophy behind MVP models is simple: offer more when people ask you for more. Not earlier.

Example of a scalable MVP model: Amazon

You may know that Jeff Bezos, one of the world’s richest people, started Amazon as a simple … online bookstore. He bought the books from distributors and shipped them to customers via his online store. When he saw the store becoming more popular, he gradually stocked up on other goods, in addition to the books (see the scalability model in action already?). Over time, more and more merchants started adding their products. What started as a very simple enterprise ended up as the world’s leading marketplace – all via feedback and demand. There you have it: a classic MVP example.

Freemium model

Another inherently scalable business model example is the freemium product model. This is a model where a product or service has several pricing tiers, one of which is a free product version. Usually, the free option is a basic trial of the product – it provides limited functionality. Some of today’s most popular digital products including Skype, Dropbox, WordPress, Trello, etc. either started out as freemium or offer it to this day.

The philosophy behind a freemium model is a hook: knowing they’ve got no money to lose, people willingly try the free option and then upgrade.

Example of a freemium model: HubSpot

One of the most popular CRM systems, HubSpot still offers a free plan. Standing in wide contrast to the much more expensive options, it acts as an introduction to HubSpot or as free onboarding. Then, once businesses see how easy it is and need CRM features not included in the free plan, voila! HubSpot is here with their exceptional paid plans. Offering a free basic product version is a simple way to make a business model scalable since it doesn’t cost much investment, time, or effort – you just downgrade your “standard” version and offer it as a separate option, leading to an influx of new customers and greater market visibility.

The sharing economy model

The sharing economy model scales effectively because it leverages human to human interactions to increase revenue. Whether it’s building your partnership network or finding new, experiential ways to engage customers, it’s built around connection. This model can also be combined with others, for example with the marketplace model. It can include commissions, membership/subscription fees, fee-based loyalty programs, listing fees, fees for advertisements/publishing/reviews.

The philosophy behind the sharing economy model is to generate revenue through building a wide partnership network with customers and partners and earn commissions from providing services.

Example of the sharing economy model: Airbnb

What was to become the world’s hospitality industry disruptor, Airbnb, started as a hustle to help roommates Joe Gebbia and Brian Chesky pay for their San Francisco rent. Ahead of a large design conference that had most hotels booked, the guys decided to advertise their loft with air mattresses, a working desk, and breakfast included. From there, the business turned into a marketplace model, with the website earning commissions from the sealed deals. However, the scaling didn’t stop at that – in recent years the company added “Airbnb Experiences” in addition to lodging– a new way of looking at travel by connecting locals with tourists in tours, masterclasses, and other cultural experiences. It didn’t take a lot of money to create “Airbnb Experiences” – the people did all the work themselves and the website just earned more commissions. A great example of the sharing economy at work.

A Scalable Business Model Is a Long-Haul Investment

Scalability isn’t a quick fix – it’s a daily investment into variable aspects of your business, it’s frequent a/b testing to know the difference between your projected audience and your factual audience, it’s staying agile to new market opportunities.

Most importantly, scaling your business model is about forming a clear vision of who you want to become, drawing a plan of how you will get there, and taking a fresh look at the human resources and digital resources to make it happen. See a new opportunity, niche, or market? Be curious enough to experience it and you never know where that experience will take you.

The post Scalable Business Model: What Is It & Is It Right for You? first appeared on MightyCall.

• the lack of the “human element” in the shopping experience,
• no one there to answer specific questions about the product,
• no physical interaction with the product.

It’s difficult to see these problems being fully resolved on a large scale in the near future, but concerning you, the individual, there’s a simple solution from one of the most important items you have: your phone.

Here is what this article covers:

• The 7 ways to build rapport over the phone to nurture better customer relationships
• Final look at Building Rapport With Customers Over the Phone Your Way

Your Phone as a Business Resource

Your website doesn’t have to, and shouldn’t, do your shop’s heavy-lifting on its own. Funneling shoppers to call your business is a quick and constructive way to tackle two of the three problems mentioned above.

Speaking to a real person removes the anonymity of the shopping experience, thus providing that ‘human element’ we crave; likewise, talking to a (hopefully) knowledgeable employee can help people get a proper grasp on the product and why they should purchase it. Most people shop ‘emotionally,’ and it’s much easier to tap into that when you get a chance to speak to them rather than hope your website engages them.

Our anxiety-induced society has tried to shift away from talking on the phone in favor of the convenience of texting and online shopping, but the problems that have crept up due to that change can usually be remedied with a good old-fashioned phone call.

Convincing people to call is the first part. Funneling website visitors to your number should be subtle and convenient for them.

• Design choices matter. Your number should be front and center on your site without being an eyesore;
• The impact of customer service is real. FAQ pages are awkward—too short and it’s a waste of space, too long and nobody reads it. If people have any questions about the product/service you offer, encourage them to call; split the basic and more nuanced questions, with the basic stuff on the FAQ page and your number there for the rest.
• If you have a rewards program, encourage people to call when they ‘cash in’, so to speak. The same idea works for customizable or special products (if you offer them)—take custom orders over the phone to satisfy the customer and guarantee the details are right. This is positive reinforcement 101: customers get rewarded for calling and will trust you more.

Once your business fosters its phone’s capabilities, you have a more direct chance of interacting with customers than if you only had a website; that means a better chance at forming lasting customer relationships that every business, especially small business, values.

7 Ways to Build Rapport Over the Phone to Nurture Better Customer Relationships

1. Make calling part of your return policy

Around 30% of online purchases are returned. This is just a fundamental reality of ecommerce. But even if something is returned, you have an opportunity to gain knowledge, trust, and maybe some purchases down the road if you handle things well.

Making people call during the process of returning something shouldn’t be a machination to nag them though—don’t pester them or try to sell something else.

The most appropriate way to do this constructively is to strongly recommend the customer call to confirm they’ve physically shipped the product back to you. Then, you can find out what was wrong, what they’re looking for, and find a solution together rather than them leaving for good after getting their money back. (On another note, that is a good way to discourage scammers, who may have a harder time lying to people on the phone than in writing.)

2. Engage your customers

Talk to your customers every chance you get; it’s important for them to realize it’s human beings on the other end of their purchase who are doing their best to make everyone happy. There is so much valuable information to gain just from a casual chat with your customers.

3. Make your response times ultra-quick

The speed at which problems are solved or inquiries handled are the backbone of customer service. Having to wait or call a company multiple times is not going to help put your customers in a cheery mood. Picking up the phone immediately gives the impression that your company is on the ball.

With a well-organized phone system that uses call routing, it doesn’t matter how many employees you have either; calls will be sent automatically to the proper place, either following predetermined call routing rules or skipping over employees that are busy.

4. Integrate your social media to your phone

Word of mouth is paramount for ecommerce, especially when advertising budgets are strapped or nonexistent. Integrating your business’s social media accounts to send updates to your phone is a great way to ensure you don’t miss anything.

Knowing what’s happening on social media at all times will help your company strategize and better target future customers.

5. Get a multi-level IVR

Having a multi-level IVR will provide your customers with the necessary basic information and lead them to the right operator or department. If the call happens to be placed outside of your business hours, an auto-attendant will record the message, and your operators will respond as soon as the day starts. This system will increase your customer retention rate and improve your reputation on the market. MightyCall will be able to help you with all of the above, and it will simplify your job with many other features like call forwarding or MMS and text messages.

6. Analyze your operators’ work

If you want to know how to build rapport with clients, you will want to analyze your operators’ work first. Listen to a few conversations and look at the operator statistics to see if there is an abnormal amount of unanswered or dropped calls. Ensure that the people in charge of answering the calls are well-trained, positive, and knowledgeable.

7. Be yourself!

Brand loyalty is real, but quality is not the only factor behind it. A brand’s image is gigantic in attracting and keeping customers; for small online businesses, those branding opportunities rest in who you and your staff are as people, so make sure to be yourself! Whether it’s in custom greetings or a phone call itself, inject some personality into every customer interaction.

It’s okay to be informal — every year businesses of every shape and in every industry are becoming more casual, so don’t be afraid to let your customers know who you are and what you and your products stand for.

Building Rapport With Customers Over the Phone Your Way

The tips above are about building rapport over the phone. Building a strong and personal relationship with your customers will make them feel welcome and increase the likelihood of them coming to your operators for help rather than quietly switching over to your competitor’s service. It will also make it more likely for them to recommend your service to others.

There is no universal way to build rapport over the phone, since each company is different and targets its own audience. You can, however, ensure your communication quality is on a professional level with MightyCall, as well as develop a few strategies based on the tips in this article and build your own communication system.

The post 7 Ways to Build Rapport Over the Phone to Strengthen Customer Relationships first appeared on MightyCall.

In this article your will learn about the following:

• Your Business Scalability
• Investors Acquisition
• Partnerships
• Marketing
• Automated Solutions
• Stable Base
• The Team
• Education
• Scalable Business Examples
• Business Scalability Your Way

We, at MightyCall, believe in your success and our partnership with you, so we have laid out some of the advantages of having a scalable business as well as some practical ideas to get your small business on track to capitalize on the success you work so hard to achieve.

“Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together.”
James Cash Penney, Founder of JCPenney

Whether you already own a company or are just taking the first steps towards the startup of your dream, you most likely imagine a bright future. Those who are ambitious always reach for the stars, and almost any small business idea can grow into a big enterprise.

Let’s be honest though, certain concepts have more capacity for scalability and expansion. Estimate your chances of real growth while considering the following points:

1. Your Business Scalability

Look at your current business. If the business is based on the owner’s particular skill or talent, then scaling is harder. It can only grow within the limits of the person’s capability and stamina.

Services provided by experts are almost non-scalable. The skill can be taught, but training and quality improvement take time and resources.

A truly scalable business is one that keeps low marginal costs while increasing revenue and works efficiently with less involvement from the business owner.

How MightyCall can help with this part of the process:

MightyCall offers a number of modern solutions such as additional numbers, international numbers, call recording, voice to text and many others.

2. Investors Acquisition

For investors, the best small business ideas are scalable. Startups that have a high potential for growth obtain sponsors. The power players don’t trust mere talk. They believe in a valid business plan and financial model. High profits, minimum employees, and low support — these are crucial criteria of gaining investor’s attention.

How many locations can you market with the product? Investors bankroll startups that can go worldwide.

Match your business concept so that it is attractive to sponsors, and let us advise you on how to fund small business and find your investor.

How MightyCall can help with this part of the process:

First of all, MightyCall helps lower your monthly phone bill so you don’t have to worry about running up your phone bill or calling long distances.

Additionally, with MightyCall you never have to worry about missing a call with call routing, after hours and call back widgets.

Finally, MightyCall offers international numbers so your business can grow with you.

3. Partnerships

Try to build a trusted business relationship with other market players.

Starting together as green implementers of small business ideas, you may share experience and discuss relevant issues. Collaboration and outsourcing reduce costs and make time for business development.

Even titans of the market chose to cooperate.

In 2006, Nike and Apple announced a partnership. Products of this union are fitness devices that connect to each other.

Making partners with existing market players is a forward-looking approach. It’s more advantageous than trying to outdistance them. In addition, franchising is one of the proven ways to scaling.

How MightyCall can help with this part of the process:

MightyCall lets you add unlimited extensions to your plan so you can create as many partnerships as you want and not spend a dime more on your phone bill.

4. Marketing

Don’t delay an efficient marketing strategy if you want your small business to become a market leader.

A startup needs to be noticed immediately.

It’s not about local promos and advertising campaigns, which are useful to attract clients here and now, it is about joining a global market and getting access to business conferences as well as participating in workshops. These are places to network and make proper acquaintances in different fields.

Visit Meetup.com for relevant events near your location. LinkedIn is also a rich platform of information, communities and events.

Invest in your business brand. It is a valuable asset that demonstrates who you are, what your defining feature is. It should be simple but noticeable.

Marketing is a continual process. Keep updating your product line, so you can attract new clients and innovate. Ask customers for feedback and work with their replies. People buy from those they trust. Remember, “Without customers, you don’t have a business. You have a hobby.” (Don Peppers & Martha Rogers, Return on Customer).

How MightyCall can help with this part of the process:

It creates brand consistency by allowing you to always be available to your customers in whatever capacity you choose with personal greetings and hold music that helps your brand essence show.

Furthermore, it allows you to integrate your phone system with your Facebook and Twitter.

5. Automated Solutions

Appraise your business processes. There are always repeated steps and circular activities that can be automated. This frees time for focusing on business growth.

Business process management consultants say that reduction of staff work-hours is possible with proper automation. For example, instead of depending on manual data entry and setting appointments, invest in a system that simplifies the work process for employees. Newcomers can then be trained quickly and easily and join the workflow without delay.

Carla Martinez, former PM at HICKIES (sneakers store), shared a success story of scaling due to “automating everything”. HICKIES used Zapier’s software for workflow automation. Zapier transfers data between web apps automatically without additional coding. All processes became sped up.

A business that provides services is built on a number of experts, their workload, and efficiency. While considering the scaling of this kind of business, the entrepreneur should particularly focus on automation. It can result in additional revenue with fewer labor hours.

How MightyCall can help with this part of the process:

Sometimes you need to be other places, doing other things. With MightyCall, you can easily reroute the numbers to an available team member or post after hours information. There’s a call queue feature as well as a VIP or block list feature all of which assist with automating the process and letting you decide what’s the most important thing for you to spend your time on in any given moment.

6. Stable Base

When a business is just launched it is the best time to invest in a solid foundation. Avoid cheap and quick software solutions; it’s not powerful enough for a growing entity.

The best software is one that is suited to a small business idea and can support it while growing, and maintain a huge enterprise while using regular updates.

Effective ERP system, e-commerce software, or communication platforms provide automation for most business processes. This is core for business scalability.

How MightyCall can help with this part of the process:

It’s a customized communication solution for any size and type of business. A cloud-based unified platform that provides reliable management of calls, e-mails, social media, and to-do lists, while many useful features (conference calls, activity queue) can be used and added.

Another example is a Xero accounting system.

The vendor offers a free trial for small businesses. Cashflow, invoicing, payments, pay runs — up-to-date financial data that’s easy to compare, maintain and review is what’s essential for each growing company.

Outsourcing of the business support services to professionals is worthwhile. You can concentrate on the core business.

7. The Team

No doubt you’ve put your heart in the realization of your small business idea, but the truth is that a large business can be overwhelming for an owner. You can’t control everything and be everywhere. Scalable business means you are less involved in its processes; your role transforms more and more into high-level supervision.

Build a strong team to do what they do best. Hire the right people so you can manage a scaled business without making every slightest decision.

How MightyCall can help with this part of the process:

It’s a customized communication solution for any size and type of business. A cloud-based unified platform that provides reliable management of calls, e-mails, social media, and to-do lists, while many useful features (conference calls, activity queue) can be used and added.

Another example is a Xero accounting system.

The vendor offers a free trial for small businesses. Cashflow, invoicing, payments, pay runs — up-to-date financial data that’s easy to compare, maintain and review is what’s essential for each growing company.

Outsourcing of the business support services to professionals is worthwhile. You can concentrate on the core business.

The best company structure is streamlined so that trusted people have leading positions. As head of the company, a business owner needs to focus on their main strengths and landmark issues.

8. Education

Investing into your and your team’s education is one of the most powerful strategies a business owner can implement to become more scalable.

“The greatest asset of a company is its people.” – Jorge Paulo Lemann, a Brazilian billionaire investment banker and businessman

Developing this asset by sending your team members to various workshops, courses, or even universities, will eventually result a team of devoted specialists who will apply their new skills and knowledge directly to your business. Your team will feel like it is growing and developing in the direction that interests them, which will make them want to stay and do more for the company.

Scalable Business Examples

• Software — a classic and obvious sample of a scalable business. Once the product is ready, additional copies are released with much lower costs.
• E-commerce — any product or service provided via the internet is scalable. Information business, webinars, some kinds of consulting services can be delivered to the mass of people using only a Skype camera and microphone.
• Replicated products — are similar to the previous bullet. Today online stores compete favorably with shopping malls. Extension of delivery regions and product variety are just two points to consider for scaling opportunity.
• Social media — Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. It seems like any new platform for sharing photos and impressions is welcomed. As recently as 2015, Periscope (a worldwide video-sharing source) and The League (a dating application for the “elite”) appeared.
• Downloads — music, books, games, applications are similar to a software’s scalability. The once launched app can be downloaded thousands of times a day.
• Line production and franchising — most processes of line commodity production are automated. The net cost is relatively low, but always keep an eye on the quality. Never let down clients’ expectations, it forms loyalty. When a person comes to McDonald’s, they want almost the same Big Mac they had the previous time. Ray Kroc set a standard of the smallest specifications including weight, sauce amount and fat content in every burger.

Business Scalability Your Way

On the path to scale your business, don’t let failures break you down. Instead, make it work for you and learn your lesson. Dream big and let no one unsettle you on your way and let MightyCall partner with you as you continue to grow your business.

The post 8 Tips to Make Your Business Scalable first appeared on MightyCall.

However, MMS in marketing does have an unfavorable reputation as well: customers get annoyed with what feels like an intrusion into their personal lives and companies have no idea how to correctly implement the practice only to end up in their clients’ spam folder.

How do you befriend customers through the channel of interactive messages? What purposes does multimedia messaging address and how do you get started? We talked to marketing and entrepreneurial experts to find out how MMS marketing works and a lot more.

What Is MMS Marketing?

MMS marketing is commercial multimedia messaging between a company and its clients. Whenever a customer receives an image, video, link, or other multimedia content from a business as a message to their mobile phone, that’s an example of a company employing MMS advertising services. Companies may send commercial messages to clients manually or in bulk through automation tools.

The Difference Between MMS and SMS

Let’s start with a clear definition of what exactly an MMS message is, how it’s different from SMS, and the types of files it allows you to send.

• SMS (Short Message Service) is any message, whether personal or professional, sent in plain text format. In everyday life, it’s the “casual” messaging format we most frequently use when communicating with family and friends. These messages have a limit of up to 160 characters. When sent over a mobile network, this is the cheapest messaging option.
• MMS(Multimedia Messaging Service) is a format we tend to think of when sending images. In fact, its technical meaning is any message that includes an emoji, picture, GIF, audio, video, link, or attached files in a variety of other formats. It can also be just a really long plain text message since the service has a limit of 1000 characters and above (this varies by provider). When sent over a mobile network, picture messaging and other multimedia formats are more expensive than SMS.

How to Use MMS Marketing in Practice

Whether you plan to send occasional offers to select customers or are looking into bulk MMS marketing, here are the occasions that may warrant MMS messaging for a company of any size, and the examples of entrepreneurs who tried them.

”One of the great things about MMS marketing is that you can personalize your messages to each recipient … using their name, referencing a recent purchase, or even sending a birthday message. You can send MMS messages with purchase links to make it easy for people to buy from you… follow up with customers after a purchase, thank them for their business, and encourage them to buy again in the future.” – Chris M. Walker, founder & CEO of Legiit

1. Customer communication – Some industries, like home improvement, need to quickly evaluate a project before traveling onsite. In such cases, words alone won’t suffice to understand the particular problem. When a company has a multimedia messaging solution set up on their business number, a customer can easily send an image or short video to help the specialist evaluate the work.

2. Customer and partner appreciation – Take a moment to send a thank-you note to customers for making a purchase or return – even better, attach a little thank-you coupon to it!  Thank your professional partners and even investors before or after an important occasion for your brand. Such little gestures take just a few moments but are a heartwarming touch between partners.

3. Product guarantee issues – If you’re in an industry that deals with guarantees and product replacements, a picture is worth a thousands words. Sharing your number with customers so they can easily send an MMS is a quick and easy way to do a preliminary evaluation.

“It’s imperative to assume that your customer service staff requires a photograph of a damaged product prior to giving guaranteed replacements. In addition, they require a receipt before issuing a refund. Give your clients the option to take a short photograph on their cellphone and send it back to you to take customer service to another level.” – Christine Brownstein, Chief Marketing Officer,Palaleather 

4. Promotion/Sale – Talking about a holiday sale in words just isn’t the same as receiving a magical presentation of the sale. And don’t forget to attach purchase links to your website in the MMS, so customers can easily follow through with the purchase!

5. Mobile coupon – Do both your customers and the planet a service – conserve paper and send your coupons to customers via mobile messages. A lot to gain and no slips of paper to lose and waste.

6. Product launch – Keep your audience in the loop of an important product launch or a product update via messaging. This is especially nice if you’re dealing with a mobile product.

“We used Multimedia Message Service marketing for our product launch and it was a great success. We were able to reach a large number of people with our message and the response was overwhelmingly positive.” – Brandon Wilkes, Marketing Manager, The Big Phone Store

7. Holidays/special occasions – use your customers’ birthdays or any holiday as an occasion to send a greeting with a special promo. This will remind clients that you take them to heart!

8. Tips – Adding value is another non-intrusive format that goes down well with MMS text marketing. Some services, like those in the wedding industry, use picture messaging to send useful short styling/event tips and reminders to customers.

9. Contact sharing – Connect with each new customer in a unique way through visual content with your company credentials. This will expand your social media follower base and remind customers of the available channels to contact you.

“I send phone contact cards to my customers. It contains a business name, a number and a link to our social media profiles. This ensures that our details are saved correctly on the client’s phone.” – Rodney Warner, CEO – Connective Web Design

How Much Does an MMS Marketing Service Cost?

MMS advertising is different from commercial SMS marketing and is a standalone service that’s billed separately. Pricing generally varies based on the type of company number you send the message from and the costs charged by your telephony provider.

Generally, there are two options:

• Sending the message from long-code caller ID – if you’re wondering what this means, have no worries. Long-code caller ID is just a regular company phone number, like 1(212) 436-9478 as a local example, or 1(800) 563-4598 as a toll-free example. Long-code caller ID is the cheaper option for commercial purposes since you don’t have to get another number to send messages from. Prices range around 2-3 cents per message.
• Sending the message from short-code caller ID – You may have noticed messages from so-called short-codes – numbers that range from 5-6 digits, turning up on your phone. This is the option that large companies, banks, government and nonprofit organizations use for messaging. This is usually the pricier option since you’ll have to buy the short code number in addition to the MMS marketing service./li>

For small and mid-sized companies, mobile advertising is more cost-effective through their long-code caller ID, aka their regular company phone number. Not only is this better on the budget, but customers can see that a real local shop or service is communicating with them, not just another unknown set of digits.

VoIP services like MightyCall offer a great SMS and MMS marketing platform. For example, on all MightyCall Business plans and above, you get an unlimited multimedia messaging service that works right from your professional number (toll-free or local).

How to Start an MMS Marketing Campaign With MightyCall>

With MightyCall’s professional phone system, you can send MMS messages both from the MightyCall web profile and from the  Mobile App. Best of all, you don’t have to buy special MMS marketing software – the service is available as soon as you get a professional number or port the one you’re currently using.

To send files via the web profile:

1. Make sure that messaging is enabled in Numbers and Widgets for the company numbers you want to send messages from.
2. In your profile, open the texts thread with the customer.
3. To add a file, click on the Plus button that has Add File option.
4. Once the files are attached, it will toggle to MMS type.

To send files via the Mobile app:

1. Tap the [+] button on the main screen.
2. Enter the recipient’s number (To:), manually or from your phone address book.
3. Enter the message (if any), upload the file(s) and send the message.
4. You can also reply to your incoming Calls & Voicemails via texts.

If you prefer the customer to see your company name as Caller ID instead of your number when they receive the message, you can set up a free service we offer called CNAM. This acts as your outbound caller ID, so whenever you send a message to clients or partners, they get to remember your company.

The Benefits of Using MMS in Your Marketing Strategy

“The media can be used as a follow-up, support, or lead magnet to your main message. It allows you to customize the follow-up message to go with the lead magnet. By including media … you can create a better connection with your lead and improve conversion rates.” — Founder and Dr. of Regenerative Medicine Dr.Staci Holweger

• High open rates – Better open rates mean better click-through rates and more effective sales. Mobile messaging achieves 98% open rates effortlessly since people always prioritize messages sent to their mobile phones. Compare that to a just 20% open rate for emails, and you’ll see just how much professionals have to gain from MMS advertising.
• Reliability – When you need to get important information across to customers, messaging is a reliable way to know that your customer will read it, wherever they happen to be at the moment.
• Better Return on Investment (ROI) – compared to other advertising campaigns, MMS marketing for business provides incredible open rates, high engagement, and easy sales tools.
• Improved sharing – customers are more likely to share a visually appealing message, sales, or promo and forward it to friends through messaging apps.
• Personalized experiences – we’re in the habit of considering a message sent to a mobile phone as more personal than email. Brands can use this impact as a marketing strategy to create long-lasting emotional rapport, as long as they don’t overuse this channel of communication.

Is Business Messaging Effective?

We already talked about the amazing open rates of commercial messages that no other marketing tool can approach. But mobile MMS marketing has also surpassed its text messaging sibling: interactive and picture messaging< in a professional context show up to 300% more engagement than a plain text message.

This advertising strategy is most effective for local shops and services because that’s what friends do – they message each other with news. There’s a nice, neighborly touch in inviting your customers to stop by via a friendly message, and keeping them in the loop of attractive offers. On the other hand, national e-commerce stores and companies without a home base may come off as intrusive strangers knocking into your private space with their messaging.

Finally, don’t forget that your customer persona also matters in measuring effectiveness.

“Think about whether MMS marketing is suitable for your particular target audience. [For example], it is a great option if you’re targeting a younger demographic. However, if you’re targeting an older demographic, it may not be as effective.” – Zack “ROI” Williams ROI Marketing Firm

If you’re thinking – sure, Baby Boomers aren’t that good with technology, so they won’t open the MMS as much – it’s not just whether your audience uses technology but how they use it. Older customers get annoyed with technology a lot faster than Millenials and GenZ and prefer to keep it for family and friends rather than professional communication.

The younger generation, however, is used to conversing with companies on social media, and even buying products through apps like Instagram and WhatsApp. This means there’s a lot less chance that you’ll fall into their blacklist than your grandparents’.

Best MMS Marketing Practices

To ensure that your strategy wins customer loyalty without intruding into the private life of customers, follow the following tips before starting a campaign.

• Always ask for permission – business messaging laws require companies to offer opt-in and opt-out services. However, if you’re already using SMS marketing, you have this service set up. So you can transition to MMS marketing campaigns without additional permissions.
• Keep things nice and short – people stop reading commercial messages after the first few lines. So if you’re sending multimedia text messages, seal all the main info upfront.
• Use optimal-sized attachments – large-sized images and videos load very slowly, so optimize your files for messaging.
• Determine your main idea – what’s the main idea and keywords of your message? Keep it clear throughout the interaction.
• Include a call to action – include a CTA and don’t forget a link right below it.
• Don’t overspam – Keep it quality over quantity – one MMS marketing message a week is good enough. Bombarding your audience with even the most terrific offers daily will accelerate you to the spam folder.
• A/B test and track results – Send out different versions of your message to different groups of people and see which one performs the best. Track these results over a period of time to measure performance and adjust your campaign accordingly.

Technical Tips for Fast-Loading Multimedia Messages

Remember the last time someone sent you a video and it took forever to load? That’s because the file size was large and poorly customized for sending via mobile devices. In fact, some larger messages can take 10-15 minutes to load – and that’s definitely not something to try in your MMS marketing message!

Here are some helpful tips for when you’re stuck between quality and speed.

File recommendations

Some extra tips for sending files

Keep in mind that each MMS marketing solution provider has their own technical specifications for messages. For example, even though the character limit ranges around 1000-1600 characters, some enterprise-level providers offer up to 5000 character limits.

You’ll see the same picture in regard to formats like audio and video. You may be able to send up to 70MB of audio or video with some providers, but just below that impressive figure, you’ll read a notice that processing takes up to 10 minutes – and that’s not to mention how long the videos will load on the customer’s end, which will likely boil down to another 10 minutes.

The rule of thumb with multimedia files is simple: bigger isn’t always better. To keep everything balanced, here are a few extra tips:

• Images – to marry quality with user experience, convert your high-quality pictures into smaller formats. If you need help, try TinyPNG – a nice free tool that marketers use to compress files.
• Animated GIF – Keep your files square or trip them accordingly. Sending a gif that’s portrait or landscape-oriented will crop it in the preview, which is the first thing customers see in messages.
• Audio – Though most carriers support multiple formats, stick to mobile-first audio formats like mp3 and mp4. Wav files are higher quality, but they take up a lot of space and are poorly-suited for sending via mobile message.
• Video – Again, your provider may offer support for multiple video formats including flv, mov, etc. but fast-loading files usually stick to mp4.
• Other – large-sized PDF files, such as digital magazines, ebooks, etc. need to be compressed before sending. When sending zip files, keep in mind that the recipient won’t be able to view it on their mobile device.

Successful MMS Advertising Is Just 3 Steps Away

Developing a mobile marketing strategy may sound harder than it really is, especially for us non-tech gurus. So for the final word, let’s recap the 3 simple things you’ll need to get started with marketing MMS.

• Get a business number – all you need is a 10-digit local or toll-free number from a phone service provider that supports business MMS. We don’t suggest buying a short-code number unless you’re a big company with messages you plan to send in bulk through automation tools.
• Focus on interaction, not a marketing campaign – Use vibrant images and gripping words to create emotional content. Smaller companies without designers may use free design tools like Canva, with many out-of-the-box templates available.
• Stick to technical requirements – Always double-check file requirements with your MMS marketing service provider but as a rule of thumb, don’t forget to compress large files and consult the table above. This will ensure that your images and other files are visible to customers.

Want to learn more about professional texting? Check out our guide to business texting etiquette and complement it with MightyCall’s unlimited MMS package that you can use with both local and toll-free numbers, on any device.

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