Is it OK to Text a Prospect? (Sales Advice?)

Prospect defined as ANYONE who gives you their card, that could be a customer. 

If someone gives you their card, you’ve met them. Therefore engaging via text is implied to be OK. 

I have my mobile number on my card and a sales rep used it as the primary source of communication. I was OK with it because I put in on the card. ( I actually kind of liked it, made things easier and faster.)

If you don’t get the card from that person, but from someone else or another means, then no texting is NOT OK.  

This is the kind of flawed thinking that makes people hate salespeople. And your poll is probably meaningless because your audience (presumably mostly salespeople) will carry an inherent bias. The right answer to your question would be to ask your prospect’s permission when they hand you their card.

I agree with Jonaston.  I have my mobile # on my business card in case people need to reach me quickly, but if a sales guy were to text me there without a legitimately urgent issue I would consider it intrusive and likely never do business with him/her.  Regardless of whether it’s on a business card or not and/or whether you consider that consent, there are social norms that sales guys need to keep in mind.  Some folks (like you, Keenan) would like it and a good sales guy will pick up on that.  Some folks (like me) would hate it — and if a sales guy took the time to get to know me at all, they’d pick up on that as well.  I’d expect if I polled my friends, 90% would consider getting texts from a sales guy that they’d given their card to (even with their mobile # on it) intrusive (or at least annoying) and it would hurt the potential sale.

I think the poll would be less biased if both sides of the argument were given prior to asking the question. Or, have no opinion before asking the question.

But it is Definitely okay to text a prospect. The under-30 crowd responds quicker.

I agree that it is a bit intrusive. Even when a prospect has his mobile number on the card, I would not use it until i had tried him at the office a couple of times first. i also agree that the mobile number isn’t  on the card for salespeople, it is a method for his clients to reach him if there is a matter important that their contact can’t wait. Now if i had more than casual contact, or i was meeting the prospect somewhere, or something like that – i might text. But I would think most non-salespeople would feel it is a ‘pushy move’ to call their cell, much less send a text.

Then why put that communication mode on your card?

//keenan

I like that! Hmmm!

//keenan

Love the conversations here. My direct answer is no, unless the card indicates SMS specifically. Some might remember when Voicemail systems were new and everyone was asking if it is appropriate/OK to leave a message. Then email arrived on the scene and many were hesitant to send an email to a prospect. Now these technologies are utilized many times each day in sales activity.

SMS is moving more and more into the mainstream business environment. You now have the ability to receive a text message to remind you of an upcoming webinar as an example. The main point is that I have selected to be notified in this way and provided my cell number for this purpose. 

I say ask permission and if it is given, use it specifically for the purpose intended, similar to Newsletter subscriptions. Using text messaging without express permission puts you in the position of having to defend yourself if the recipient did not give you permission. Why put yourself in that situation?

Yes. There are those that will say, “text away and deal with the fallout later”. Just not my style to churn and burn.

 By extension, does that mean I have to ask for permission to call them, e-mail them, etc.?  I think people only hate sales people if they are bad sales people, I find few hate professional, proactive sales people who deliver value, and that can involve SMS.

A few thoughts on this great topic Jim:
I feel the question needs some context; more
specificity. Prospect and customer are not the same thing. 

A mobile number number on a business card does not come with “rights.” I feel texting as a prospecting channel is inappropriate, lazy and unprofessional, in my opinion. This may be different in a few years, but today, unsolicited text messages have a spam feel.

Once a relationship is established with agreements on how to best communicate, texting may be appropriate as long as it does not weaken the sales rep’s position. There’s a difference between confirming an appointment and delivering information that is a decision tipping point. In today’s world, texting is not the best channel in most contexts, IMO.