Create a Hotline

“Free” is a powerful motivator. Almost since the telephone first appeared, savvy marketers have been using it to offer information to prospects in expedient and cost-effective ways. One way to do this is to set up a free telephone hotline. Some hotlines play pre-recorded messages, while others use live call center operators.

There are countless examples: horoscopes, lottery numbers, weather reports, and traffic delays are just a few. Some businesses encourage prospects to call and ask questions about how to use their products, or suggest a product or service they'd like to see offered. Others allow prospects to ask questions about problems they have encountered, and offer solutions on the spot.

The main advantage of hotlines is that they let you keep in touch with your customers. Aside from staying top-of-mind, each contact gives you the chance to sell something. Because the hotline is free, the media will be more inclined to give you free publicity because of it. You can also tell reporters you'd be willing to share with them from time to time the top five questions people are asking. Information such as this is valuable to the media, because it can be a good tip off to emerging trends.

One example is the Butterball hotline. This service is designed to help even the most inept cook prepare a perfect Thanksgiving dinner. Butterball gets fabulous publicity by telling reporters about the most outlandish questions it receives such as "How do I turn on the oven?"

Implementing a lead generation program doesn’t get much easier than this. Of course, the first thing you have to do is set up your hotline. Once you’ve got your message recorded, send a few press releases out to key influencers at radio and newspapers in the geographic areas that you target. The novelty of this idea almost always compels the media to call. If your hotline is set up to provide valuable information, the media will get the word out for you.