Do Old-School Free Recorded Messages Still Work Today?

Good morning. Do free recorded messages still work today? In modern times? You know, I'm really fascinated as I'm looking back through my journals here that, you know, circa 1996 free recorded messages were what we had.

There was no very few people had websites. Very little like activity of saying [snorts] to people. It was very difficult to get anything like websites were very cumbersome to build. Most people didn't have a website and most people weren't used to um going to websites.

But what we all had was cell phones. We all had cell phones and we all were um able to call from wherever, whenever. But that was back when phones were phones. And there was no distraction.

And I've been thinking about why recorded messages were so effective and still are very effective is that they are an immersive focusing device. That everything about when we're whether we were running ads running postcards, doing any kind of lead generation, the intention of just getting somebody to call the free recorded message was like magic. It was the thing that got the most people to do it. And of course, we had caller ID.

And so, you know, if your offer was call and talk to somebody, a live person nobody wanted to do that. But using the words free recorded message made it safe for you to call without feeling like you were going to try and be sold something. Or or we used to joke that Eban and I would make these ridiculous infomercials and use all the anti language. We would say, you know, "Call now.

Trained sales people are standing by 24 hours and will rush your auto debit commitment contract." All the things that people All the fears that people had about talking to real people and getting sold something were valid and I think it's still true today. Nobody want to talk to anybody for anything now. We all It's almost like even when people you know call you, it's like, "What are you doing?

Calling me. Text me, right?" We all want to just not be intruded on. But, here's the thing is when if you're doing all of these things, you can you can use the idea of recorded messages just as validly today.

Let's go into my tickle trunk from 1996 and we'll go in the the Julie Matthews tickle trunk here. And you know, we were running all of these ads. We were growing you know, getting lots of leads, getting um you know, very busy. And if you remember the whole idea that Michael Gerber talked about is treating your business like it's something that you're going to duplicate 5,000 times and creating systems for the routine.

So, once things are set up, you know, a lot of the things, especially of running a real estate business, but any business really, can be systematized and handled by other people. So, we were at that point with Julie and she was getting busy. It was just her. So, we set up a recorded message to and created a system for finding and hiring an assistant that was duplicatable.

And we've had I've used this system with lots of with lots of realtors and other business owners to um set up an automated way, a predictable way to find the right people. So, we ran little classified ads in the help wanted section cuz the newspaper was still the way to get to people. And we'd have Winter Haven busy realtor needs part-time assistant flexible hours. And we'd say recorded message free recorded message and a phone number.

And then when people would call Here was I'll get I'll read a bit of this for you. Here was the actual message that we had. Thank you for calling. My name is Julie Matthews and I'm a realtor with Brokers Realty in Winter Haven.

This message is about 2 to 3 minutes long and I've recorded it to do three things. First of all, to tell you what the ideal candidate for this position would be like. Second, to give you an idea of what you'll be doing if we decide to work together. And third, to tell you what to do next if this sounds like a match for you.

So, right out of the gate, the first thing Now, imagine in a modern day thing of this might be that you have this same thing on a landing page as a video where people can go and and see you right there. And you're saying these the main thing. Here's what the candidate we're looking for. Here's what you'll be doing if we decide to work together and here's what to do if you think you're a match.

So, let me tell you what the ideal candidate would be like. You'll be able and willing to work flexible hours during the day, maybe 15 to 20 hours a week to start and then growing with the position to 25 to 30 hours a week. You're an organized person who pays attention to detail. You've got a pleasing personality and professional appearance.

You're computer savvy. If you have a computer and laser printer at home, you could even do some work from your house and that would be a big advantage. You have a car. You may have kids in school that you want to be home for in the morning and afternoon.

You probably don't need a job, but you want to do something for extra money and to use your skills to make a difference. As I'm reading this, I think about that uh does memes that were uh you know, all these HR violations probably happening in these uh in these words here. But you live in East Polk County and you plan on staying here. You like to implement systems for routine tasks and are able to work unsupervised to get things done right on time.

You're a caring person who enjoys being in service to our clients and are able to treat them like royalty. Now, let me tell you some of the things you'll be doing. >> [snorts] >> I basically do two things. I work with people who want to sell their homes and people who want to buy homes.

On the buyer side, I'll need you to help me prepare for showing houses by setting up appointments with other offices so I can show their listings. Pick up any keys. See how old we're going now? Pick up keys.

Not everything was on a Supra uh box and prepare a file for me to refer to while I'm working with that client, then return the keys and update the file for my future work with that client. We went through and described the basic things that they'll be doing and building a real estate practice that really focuses on delivering a wow experience for my clients and not just focusing on transactions, but on building lifetime relationships. The most important thing in my practice is delivering a level of service that's so extraordinary that my clients feel compelled to refer their friends and family. I'm developing an after sales service program for my clients and I'll need your help to manage that process.

Basically, I need you to help me implement and the support systems for this business and help me document the way we do it here. I can promise you an environment where you'll love to come to work, where you'll be challenged and encouraged to grow. This is an opportunity to build a really extraordinary business model that's very different than the typical real estate office. A business you'll be proud to be a part of.

And then we just described what to do if this sounds like a match for you, leave your name, your mailing address, your telephone number and your email address if you have one. Tell me a little bit about your work experience and what you're looking for and I'll send you our information kit. Now, when people left their name and number. And by the way, this is a sifting and sorting tool as my friend Terry Hunnefeld would say.

Terry Hunnefeld, by the way, was the founder of the Gold Rush system and he really pioneered and took recorded messages to a whole 'nother level in the '90s and uh you know, I learned a lot about using recorded messages by uh working with Terry. >> [cough] [clears throat] >> Then, when people would leave the information, we would send them a package. So, we would send out a picture of Julia up there. But, here's the information package you requested for the part-time assistant program.

And then it included a transcript of the message that they heard, a description of what to do. Here's what I'd like you to do next. I've transcribed the message you heard when you called on the ad. Please read the message to make sure it sounds like something you're really interested in and that you sound like a match.

To complete the application form and return it in the enclosed envelope with your resume. And we would send them a return envelope. We'd send them a uh little checklist application form. I was laughing because one of the questions um would you be able to work from home?

And then, if so, which of the following do you have at home? Home office, fax machine, computer. It was 486 or Pentium. That was the state of the art back then.

All of these things were great. And then, um we included a calendar and asked them, "Please highlight the hours that you would be available to work, indicating the earliest you would be able to start, the latest you could end each day, and any days you would not be available to work." And we included a highlighter in along with the package and the self-addressed stamped envelope for people to return everything back to. And part of this, as much as it was to systemize the process, what it was also doing was it was sorting the people who could follow directions and follow instructions.

So, it was a really good way to standardize the process of conveying the information that you want, using it as a filtering mechanism to find the people who could follow the directions and then inviting a short group, a small group, a short list of those people to come to a career night where you do and introduce all of them at the same time. So, I still think there's a lot of legs to this system. And, you know, the recorded message as a part of conveying this could just as easily now be a landing page with a video. That's super easy.

The main thing though is that we're getting immersive, focused attention. That's the value of creating something to clone and automate conveying the perfect message that you want to convey without having any distractions or having to do it one at a time to everybody that calls. So, do recorded messages still work? They sure do.

I got a funny email the other day from Rick. It says, "Dean, question. Are you saying you can teach me to make fat stacks by hanging out at a pub drinking coffee like you?" And I laughed to myself because I was thinking, you know, yes, I I can do that.

That's what I do. Is the funny thing, what I really realized is that every idea that I've had, every dollar that I've made over the last 30 years has gone through my brain, through my pen, onto a piece of paper in my journal before it went out into the real world. And if I can turn people on to that activity as a driver for what to do, what to think about, what to ask yourself to draw out what the next most valuable action is for you, and how to find the most profitable things that you can install in your business, I'm all for it. , I'm going to do for the first time a 50-minute profit finder workshop.

And you're going to join me live on Zoom, and we're going to go through a 50-minute exercise. Bring your pen, bring a notebook or piece of paper, and I'm going to guide you through a thinking process that will help you identify where the lowest hanging fruit is in your business, and maybe some fruit that you didn't even know was there, but I'm going to show you where to look for it. m. this Friday.

Just watch. Go to What did we call the website, Josh? >> 50-minute profit finder. com, and I'll get you all the details, and hopefully you can join us then.

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