Want some more P.M.P?
Last week I gave you the first three “legs” of the Pre-Meeting Potentiation Framework that’s designed to supercharge your close rate.
It’s part of a strategy we’ve been using to boost our meeting show ratios to 93% in the COLD market. (That’s
absolutely unheard of in any industry…let alone the financial services space.)
But there’s actually more to P.M.P.
There’s an additional element that’s so important I wanted to set it aside for its own discussion.
I’m talking about SMS confirmations and text reminders.
And if you take what I taught you last week about P.M.P., this is really going to elevate your strategy to the next level.
Wait…Why SMS?
I know what you’re thinking…
Out of all the different communication mediums and channels, why would I use text messaging?
Isn’t email adequate? Or why not send a message on LinkedIn?
As great as these channels are, they can’t hold a candle to SMS in terms of quick engagement. (And that’s precisely what you need when confirming that a client is going to show up to a virtual meeting.)
That’s not my opinion – it’s a fact!
It’s not a matter of if the client or prospect will see your text message, it’s just a matter of when.
SMS has an open rate of 99%…with 90% of messages being opened within 3 minutes.
On top of that, 78% of consumers say that SMS is the fastest and easiest way to get a hold of them.
Compare that to the average email open rates of 15.1% (B2B) and 19.7% (B2C).
You know we love email around here, but if you’re just relying on emails to confirm someone’s attendance to personal meetings, you’re missing out on 5x-6x the power compared to SMS.
Make sure you’re collecting phone numbers when getting opt-ins for webinars or meetings. (If you don’t have all of your client’s numbers already, make it a point to gather them as soon as possible.)
Virtual Meeting SMS Confirmation: 3 Good Examples
As a virtual advisor, one of your primary goals when first building a relationship with a prospect is to be more human.
You want the prospect to know that, while you’re meeting virtually, you are a real human with tangible personality traits, empathy, and even a sense of humor.
One of the ways you do this is by communicating like a real human does in the 21st century: via SMS!
So while I’d encourage you to communicate in whatever style is true to your voice, here are some copy and paste SMS confirmation texts you can swipe and use if you’re unsure of what to say.
Example #1: Scheduling a Virtual Meeting
This type of SMS can be sent when you’re trying to schedule a virtual meeting after some previous touchpoint (like a virtual seminar).
It works well because you’re asking a simple question that requires a response.
You’re giving them two options – Friday or Saturday – rather than asking an open ended question like: “Would you be interested in scheduling a Clarity Call?”
By subtly assuming that they’re going to meet with you, it makes it harder for them to ignore you.
Example #2: Day-Of Reminder
This SMS is ideal for when you want to do two things:
- Remind the prospect of the meeting that’s happening later that day.
- Subtly encourage them to be on video, too.
You’ll find that a lot of people are still unsure of what a virtual meeting is. So the fact that you clarify video ahead of time encourages them to participate with a camera as well.
Example #3: Are We Still On?
What happens when you log into Zoom for a meeting and three or four minutes go by without the prospect showing up?
An email isn’t going to do you much good – they might not see it for an hour or two.
A phone call can catch the prospect by surprise.
An SMS, however, is likely to be opened within 3 minutes.
This text is the perfect catch-all for whatever the problem is.
If they forgot about the meeting, it gives them an out and doesn’t embarrass them.
If they’re actually having technical difficulties, you can help them get things squared away.
The Power of Emojis in SMS Confirmations
A plain, text-based SMS confirmation is great.
It’s quick, personal, and virtually guaranteed to be read.
But if you want to take your text reminders to the next level, you can add emojis to the mix.
I know what you’re thinking…
But that’s not professional, Jeremiah! My prospects would never take me seriously!
But don’t be so quick to jump to conclusions.
Emojis are more than trendy little characters. They’ve actually become an integral component of how we communicate in today’s culture.
Don’t believe me? Here are a few specific reasons why you should:
- 1. When people look at an emoji, the brain behaves the same way as when they look at a real human face. Emojis are considered equivalent to the human brain by your face.
- Emojis make your text messages more friendly. A simple smiley face can totally lighten the mood of an entire text conversation.
- Emojis can help you communicate empathy in situations where a normal text message could be misconstrued as being sarcastic, rude, or condescending. It helps communicate the intent behind the text.
- Emojis make you seem human. They show your personality and help the prospect understand that you’re a real person, too.
- Emojis make the engagement feel “non-salesy.” It makes it feel like a casual check-in between two friends who’ve known each other for a long time.
- Research shows that emojis boost push notification open rates. So while SMS open rates are already sky high, a user who sees an SMS in the preview portion of the message is even more likely to open it up.
Not convinced emojis will be effective for you and your target audience? Test it!
In fact, that’s a general rule of thumb for all marketing activities.
If you’re ever unsure of what to do in marketing, test it in small amounts and see what happens.
Tests are non-commital. The stakes aren’t as high as when you implement a new process or totally new campaign.
Rewriting SMS Confirmation Using Emojis!
Emojis are powerful in any sort of SMS marketing scenario. But I think they’re especially powerful when used in an SMS confirmation message.
Just consider the before and after of the three text message scripts we used above:
This is the same text message, except for the inclusion of the “praying hands” emoji and “winky face” emoji.
The praying hands emoji is a psychological catalyst that makes people want to help you. It makes them feel like they’re the sort of person that helps other people.
The winky face at the end shows them you understand their hesitations. It sort of says, “I know…been there before myself!”
The purpose of the “waving” emoji and “grinning” emoji are to let them know that you’re (a) human and (b) friendly.
These two emojis take the text from feeling like a cold, pre-loaded message to something personalized and engaging. You’re genuinely excited to meet!
These two SMS are identical except for the “anguish” emoji included in the middle of the text on the right.
It’s a subtle inclusion, but one that shows your concern for them. It makes them feel like you genuinely want to help.
Without this emoji, there’s always the risk that the prospect could think you’re being sarcastic and/or that you’re frustrated.
What’s Holding You Back?
I hope you found this discussion on SMS helpful.
It’s a really important part of marketing and prospect engagement that doesn’t get nearly enough conversation in our industry.
Frankly, I think most advisors are a little intimidated by the fact that they could come across as being unprofessional or childish.
But the more emojis are used in our everyday lives, the more powerful they become as tools for humanization and engagement in the business world.
Using emojis gives you a whole lot of upside without much risk.
Why not give it a go?
🏆 Finally Win Big With Virtual Meetings 🏆
The P.M.P. Framework is HIGHLY effective for increasing virtual meeting show up rates, but it also requires a considerable amount of energy, time, and effort.
Getting a client to agree to a meeting and nurturing them to the point of logging onto the Zoom call is just half of the equation, however.
If you slack off now, you’ve just wasted all of that pre-meeting potentiation.
It’s time to wow your prospect and begin the process of moving them to action.
I’ve personally hosted THOUSANDS of virtual meetings over the past few years…and have figured out through painstaking trial and error what works, what doesn’t, and how to convert prospects into clients…
And I’d like to show you how to do the same.
Use the form below to claim your 44 Tips and Best Practices for SUPERCHARGING Your Virtual Meetings in 2021 and Beyond.
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