What should you do straight after the call?
Write down the outcome and the reason the prospect gave while you still remember it. Do this the same day, in one place that your whole team can see, such as a spreadsheet or your CRM.
Use a short, fixed set of outcomes so the notes can be compared later: no answer, wrong person, not now, not interested, asked not to be called again, and interested but no time fixed. Add the prospect's own words in one line, and the date and time of the call. Without this record, the next caller will repeat the same opening to someone who has already answered.
What do you do when the answer was "not now"?
Set a specific date for the next contact, and ask for it on the call if you can. "Shall I try you again in the first week of December?" gives you a reason to call back and gives them a chance to say no.
If they agreed to hear from you again, a two or three line email or message after the call is reasonable. It should repeat the reason you called and the date you will call back. Leave out brochures and discounts, since the aim is only to make the next call familiar.
If they did not pick up, vary the day and the time of day on each attempt. People who are in meetings on Tuesday mornings may be free on Thursday afternoon. Decide before you start how many attempts a person gets, for example 4, and write that number down so the cut-off does not depend on mood.
When should you stop contacting someone?
Stop when the person says they are not interested, and stop immediately when they ask not to be called again. Mark the record so nobody on your team calls that number again, and keep the note.
Singapore's Do Not Call rules are in the Personal Data Protection Act. The PDPC's page on checking numbers refers to a 21-day validity period for Registry check results, so a list checked a month ago needs checking again. Checks are made at dnc.gov.sg, which states that organisations must check the Registry before telemarketing, and that the organisation, not a third-party checker, is liable if a listed number is missed.
Calls made to an organisation for the organisation's own purposes are generally outside these rules. That protection is lost once the call becomes about the person's own needs, for example if you start offering something for their personal use. The PDPC's Advisory Guidelines on the Do Not Call Provisions and the Act itself set out the detail.
This is general information and not legal advice. If your case is specific, such as a mixed list of company and personal numbers, check with a lawyer.
What can you learn from calls that did not book?
Review the outcomes after each batch of calls, not after each call. Count how many were no answer, wrong person, not now and not interested. A high share of wrong-person outcomes points to the list. A high share of not-interested within the first 20 seconds points to the opening or the reason for calling.
If you record calls, listen to a sample of the ones that did not book, not only the ones that did. Ten calls is enough to hear whether the opening is clear, whether the caller was talked over, and whether the prospect's objection was a real one. Change one thing at a time, so you can tell what made the difference.
How does this work if you use an appointment-setting service?
You still need the same record, so ask what you will see. Greetsby calls the people on your own list and books meetings into your calendar. It makes up to 4 call attempts per person on a new list, on different days, between 9.30am and 6.00pm. Every call is recorded, including the ones that did not book, and you can play any call on your list.
You get a weekly report of calls made, people reached, meetings booked and meetings held. A named Greetsby caller is responsible for your campaign and is reachable during working hours. Anyone who asks not to be called again is not called again, and Greetsby passes that on to you, so you can keep your own records in step.
Pricing is per batch of numbers: 1,000 numbers cost S$1,800, which is S$1.80 a number, covering up to 4 attempts each. It is paid before calls start, with no contract. Greetsby does not guarantee a number of meetings, and the first batch shows what your own list produces. You check your list against the Do Not Call Registry before you send it. If you run a financial advisory business, the firm must make the arrangement, since an individual representative cannot sign up. To start, pick a batch on the Get started page or write to hello@greetsby.com.
Questions
How soon should you follow up after a call that did not book?
Log the outcome the same day. Contact the prospect again only on the date you agreed, or, if they did not answer, on a different day from your previous attempt.
How many times should you call someone who does not answer?
Set the number before you start and keep to it. Greetsby uses up to 4 attempts per person, on different days, between 9.30am and 6.00pm.
Do the Do Not Call rules apply to calls to businesses?
Calls to an organisation for its own purposes are generally outside the rules, but that protection is lost once the call is about the person's own needs. Check the PDPC Advisory Guidelines on the Do Not Call Provisions or ask a lawyer about your case.
How long is a Do Not Call Registry check valid?
The PDPC's page on checking numbers refers to a 21-day validity period for check results. Check again at dnc.gov.sg if your list is older than that when you call.
Sources
General information for businesses in Singapore, not legal advice.