The pandemic has caused key changes related to the channels we use to conduct business – both personal and professional. Around the country, broadband providers have worked hard to keep up with demand as homebound consumers increased internet usage including more WiFi and video calls. Carriers such as Verizon and AT&T also confirm that voice traffic spiked also as people began working from home. As millions of American schoolchildren begin learning virtually this fall, another broadband spike may be on the horizon.
As networks continue to see traffic surges, recovering businesses hope to take advantage of every opportunity that comes their way. For businesses relying on direct calls, calls from paid search, and inbound chats and texts, here are three technologies that can make a significant difference in conversion rates.
Implement a text channel
Let’s face it, consumers love to text. Being able to communicate –and conduct business – right at your fingertips is powerful. More importantly, response and engagement rates for text messaging can be as much as 5 times the rates of email, according to Gartner. Although cold email tools are effective, businesses are increasingly adding a text channel to their marketing mix. If you haven’t already, consider doing so. Marchex Sonar is an intelligent mobile messaging system that offers automation that can speed up the path to purchase.
Get a second chance with a lost or missed opportunity
No matter how well-trained your staff is, not every call goes as planned. For instance, a part may be out of stock, an appointment time requested is unavailable or a prospect questions just aren’t answered satisfactorily. However, this doesn’t have to be the end of the conversation. When a high-intent prospect hangs up without a conversion, you need another chance to save the sale. Marchex Sales Edge Rescue alerts your team in real time when a high-quality call ends negatively, so you can quickly learn what went wrong and act.
Optimize campaigns that drive calls
Whether you drive calls across your marketing mix or mainly focus on paid search, knowing the outcome of the calls by channel or ad group and using that data to improve your campaigns helps you optimize performance and budget. While there are many call tracking platforms on the market, being able to see your actual sales data from calls right in the right tool where you make decisions is the key to ongoing optimization. (See how integrating call data into your Google Ads campaign improves decision-making.)
Marchex Marketing Edge is an easy-to-implement Conversation Analytics platform offering key integrations with tools you use every day.
Request a demo or start your free 30-day trial to learn more.
