When you’re starting a business and trying to win clients, you often want to create the impression your organisation is larger than it is. One way you can do that? Answer the phone in a different voice and pretend to be your own receptionist.
Telephoning picture from Shutterstock
That might seem a strange idea, but it was successfully used by Diane Costa, director of marketing firm Marketing Mechanics. Costa detailed how she had used the strategy when accepting the prize for Best NSW Small Business at the recent Telstra Small Business Awards. As well as faking an accent before putting callers through to herself, she also sometimes invited friends over to pretend to be working in her home office if clients called.
Making this work presumes you’re good at faking an accent. If that’s challenging, a virtual receptionist service would also do the job — but this has the advantage of being free.
Comments
6 responses to “Pretend to Be Your Own Receptionist To Make Your Business Seem Larger”
HaHaHaHaHa!
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Gold
Not sure if serious… or taking the piss?
This is probably one of the more cringeworthy ideas I’ve heard for a while! Maybe it’s just because I’m an awful liar, but I can imagine getting caught out pretty easily. What happens if that client ever came around to your office? Seems unprofessional too which makes me shy away from the idea on general principle as well.
Yep, Why I am thinking about the ABC comedy “Very Small Business” here.
A really stupid idea.
I agree it sounds like an idea straight out of the “dodgy brothers” handbook. How many times have we seen this scenario on a sitcom and cringed
This ‘effect’ can be done in a far less idiotic way. Give customers your “direct line”, this way it isn’t strange that your are answering it yourself and gives the customer a sense that you giving the special attention. I have also found, having someone else (with a professional voice) record you business voicemail works a treat too.
Hillarious – I am going to try this today, and answer the phone in the voice of Borat!