When it comes to generating sales leads, few techniques are more effective -- and also more dreaded -- than cold calling. Luckily, voice marketing services, also called voice broadcasting services, offer phone-shy business owners a chance to reap the rewards of cold calling without the awkward conversations.

Voice marketing is the process of using a computerized message delivery system to send pre-recorded messages to customers via phone. It's fast, it's efficient and it's easy. More than that, voice broadcasting software is incredibly versatile, which makes it an ideal marketing and sales tools. Consider, for instance, a few of the many uses that your business can find for voice broadcasting services:

1. Use voice broadcasting software to generate qualified sales leads.
2. Use voice broadcasting services to sell new products and promote new services.
3. Use voice marketing to communicate with existing customers.
4. Use voice marketing to build awareness of special events.
5. Use voice marketing services to drive traffic to your website.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Woo sales prospects by phone with voice broadcasting services

With voice marketing services, you can call hundreds, if not thousands, of consumers at one time with the push of a button, and only serious, qualified leads will return your call.

I recommend: Market leaders like Protus IP Solutions, TouchLogic and ifbyphone can offer you dynamic voice broadcasting services, as well as advice on how best to use their technology.

Use voice marketing services to connect with current customers

Voice broadcasting services are a great way to engage existing customers. Consider calling with exclusive offers and discounts, to give advance notice of sales and events, to thank folks for their purchases or even to say Happy Birthday once a year.

I recommend: For ideas on how to use voice marketing services to better serve your customers, engage companies like Vontoo, which publishes customers' success stories, or RingClear and Call-Em-All, both of which offer industry-specific examples of how their voice marketing technology is being used.

Collect consumer information via interactive voice broadcasting

Voice marketing is an ideal market research tool. If you use interactive voice broadcasting services, your customers can interact with your phone system after listening to your message, taking surveys or updating their contact information.

I recommend: If you're interested in interactive voice broadcasting services, look for voice marketing services and voice broadcasting software that uses interactive voice response (IVR) technology. IVR suppliers include GroupCast, CentraVoice and PlumVoice.

To maximize sales opportunities, consider marketing through voice mail

While many voice marketing services allow you to connect with live customers, many others specialize in voice mail messaging, allowing you to engage customers' voice mail for marketing purposes.

I recommend: To help you do marketing through voice mail, VoiceConnect allows you to leave pre-recorded messages on answering machines and voice mail. Also consider voice broadcasting software, such as Business Link International's WebLaunch, which lets you send messages to customers' voice mail from your computer.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The key to voice marketing success is in, of course, your voice. Sound natural; if customers perceive that they're speaking to a faceless, automated machine, they're more likely to tune out or even hang up.
• •  When you're marketing through voice mail, consider using a script. Doing so will eliminate rambling and help you make your message more targeted, relevant and effective.
• •  Keep your voice marketing messages short and sweet; get to the point as fast as possible and, if you're marketing through voice mail, limit your messages to 30 seconds.
• •  Voice broadcasting services are most effective when you speak with customer benefits in mind. In other words, don't focus on your product; focus on your customer.
• •  Consider setting up a voice mail line where your customers can return calls during voice marketing interactions. Doing so gives you the flexibility to filter out qualified sales leads and return calls at your convenience.
• •  Pay special attention to the National Do Not Call Registry when engaging in a voice broadcasting campaign.