How your organisation can boost its number of enquiries

by Startacus Admin

It is a worrying thought; when you work for an organisation whose services many people could benefit from, to come across people you could help or who would be interested in an organisation like yours – but who have no idea your organisation exists! It can be especially dispiriting to wonder how many more people there are out there who you have not met – but whose lives would be improved by knowing about your organisation. Finding ways to widen your recognition and increase the number of enquiries you receive should therefore be a high priority for any growing organisation, however new or well-established.

Take advantage of social media

There can now be no doubt, social media is here to stay – Facebook has gone from a new trend, fifteen years ago, to become an indispensable part of our communication infrastructure for over a decade now. Keeping an active social media presence can feel like a thankless task with so many other people having had the same idea, but it is worthwhile to keep some level of activity up as it is one of the places people go to research your organisation when they first hear about it. It is possible to create a page where people with a prospective interest in your organisation can message you, but in a large or popular organisation this can become time intensive as there is a high chance of spam from bots clogging up the messenger, and drowning out the real messages you receive.

Apply for a memorable / trustworthy phone number

However your organisation advertises itself, one medium which can have a surprising effect on your staying power and how well you are remembered is the phone number that you offer people. A memorable phone number can make the small difference between someone remembering to get in touch with you, and you slipping off their radar entirely. Memorable phone numbers can be purchased online, to make that little difference.

However, while prices vary greatly depending on how memorable a number you choose, some organisations which do certain kinds of work qualify for a cheaper rate and a respected 0300 status. If your organisation is a public service, a non-profit, or is tied to a government department then you might qualify for an 0300 number. These numbers can have inexpensive line rental, as well as acting as a badge of your trustworthiness as a non-profit or government-aligned organisation. 

Work through word of mouth on a local level

This can be one of the slower ways of increasing enquiries for your organisation, but it can also be very effective. If you and your staff spread the word in person across your personal social networks this can have a much greater effect than an online call to action, as it feels far more real when the people spreading the word are in the room. Indeed, word of mouth has sometimes been called the most important form of social media, so do not let this method pass you by.

 

 

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Published on: 20th June 2019