The other day my husband (who is in the same business) told me about a new loan application he got from an old acquaintance. I was shocked to hear she had found us after all this time, so I asked him how in the world she found us??? It wasn't just his answer that surprised me, but my initial reaction to his response.
Ready? She had left a message on our home phone recorder! I responded, "REALLY? She left a message on our home phone?"
"Yep, she looked us up in the phone book".
I was quite surprised.
Then laughed at myself! What has happened that I was so surprised that someone would find us using a phone book. Was it really that long ago that we used that as a major lead source?
Hope there are some of you that are laughing WITH me, and not AT me!
Views and opinions expressed on this site are not necessarily those of WR Starkey Mortgage.
Ruth Vogt, Branch Manager
Colorado LMB #LMB100023827
Hi Ruth~ I am definitely laughing with you! Who really uses a phone book anymore? I guess obviously a few do!
I see a new trend emerging. By the way, what kind of phones do they sell in that phone book? :)
Oh no! I just disconnected my home phone because almost everyone calls me on my cell! Congrats on your lead!
Hi Ruth-
You just never know what unusual and old-fashioned means clients will use to get in touch with us. Just goes to show...
Sara
The moral ... make yourself available by any means, old and new!
Vickie, thank you for being the first comment and for laughing WITH me! whew!
Hank, Suggests there probably aren't any new ones, just recycled old ones.
Renee, Amazing how many people I know that have done that, too.
Sara, Funny to think the phone is the "old-fashioned" way, huh?
Mary and Elly - great moral for my story!
Ruth, I DID laugh. But I have to admit, the other day I picked up the phone book to look up a business, and out of frustration, put it down because I couldn't find what I was looking for in the yellow pages. Then I realized I could look up the business on the internet. Stupid me!
Nancy
Hi Ruth! A phone book, huh? I remember when I would stay late at the office and cold call. How time flies when you're working!
P.S. keep the home phone number!
I think a lot more people than we realize still use the phone book! Congratulations on your new lead!
Nancy, I do agree... it's so much easier to do the look up online!
Dawn, I have to keep my home phone - remember... I have an AT&T cell phone and I don't get reception I can count on! ha!
Mary, Don't tell anyone, but I still keep mine!
That is funny-- not the way it usually happens any more.
What a novel concept, we are always hearing stories about people finding us on the internet but not so much a phonebook any more.
Hi Ruth, I guess she likes to let her fingers do the walking, lol. That was a great story! :)
Don, AND we seem to be focusing on a lot of the "new" techniques. Reminds me of an old girl scout song "Make new friends, but keep the old"!
Jackie, Quite surprising that she used that phone book for something besides sitting shorter children on at the dinner table!
I'm not even sure where our phone books are... do we still get them? In fact, we had the same phone number for since 1977 and we turned it off last year.
Glad you still had your land line.
Ruth,
Yes, people still use telephone books especially people without computer skills...
Ann Hayden in Wildwood, MO
Judi, Phone books became a bigger recycling pain than was it was worth. PS: I tried you're "tell me something good" idea with my grandkids yesterday. THANKS for the idea!
Ann, You are right, and it isn't limited to an age driven issue either. In her case, it was her occupation that kept her more tied to her phone than her computer. Just never know.
I thought about an placing an ad in the Phone book years ago. Then when I came to my senses, I decided that since over 80% of home buyers begin their search on the internet before they ever even pick up the phone, it would be a waste of money to advertise there.
Craig, Your comment makes me want to grab a phone book and see who IS still advertising in a phone book?? I wouldn't suspect anyone would throw money on that any more?? Interesting ...
HA! I can't remember the last time I used a phone book!
Patricia... I wonder how long before museums start displaying them??? ha!
Ruth I am laughing with you too. There are still people who are not online and the phone book is very important to them. Everything is moving so fast we have forgotten how new many of the tools we have now are.
Jennifer, You are right! Things are moving so fast it's really easy to take the familiar things for granted.