Trying to connect with prospective clients over the phone can be frustrating. About 80% of the calls you make will go to voicemail, and you’ll spend about 15% of your time leaving messages. Unfortunately, as an agent, there is no way to avoid this method of communication. While you might question whether it is worth leaving a voicemail or if you’ll even get a response, there are ways to make cold sale voicemail messages work in your favor. If done correctly, your voicemail will lead to a call back – you just need to follow these simple rules.
Research shows that each time you leave a message, the chances of getting a call-back increase about 10%.
According to RingLead’s Donato Diorio, research has shown that each time you leave a message, the chances of getting a call-back increase about 10%. The first voicemail is likely to get an 11% call-back rate, the second voicemail is likely to get a 22% call-back rate, and the third voicemail is likely to get a 33% call-back rate.
In order to justify multiple calls, you can first leave a voicemail including the reason for your call and the bulk of the information that you want to get across. Then shortly after, you can call again and leave another voicemail that is 10 seconds or less in which you quickly mention an important detail that you forgot to mention in the first call.
Keep It Short & Sweet
One of the best and simplest ways to get a call back is to stick to a 10-20 second time limit for your messages, if at all possible. If your voicemail is too long, the recipient of your call is less likely to listen to the whole thing. Do not go into the nitty-gritty details of the discussion you want to have with them, save that for when you actually speak to them. Make sure to leave just enough information to let them know the nature of the call.
Be Personable & Watch Your Tone
To make your voicemail seem more personal, make sure to use the person’s name when speaking. Be mindful of your tone and speak as if the prospect was right in front of you – don’t be overly enthusiastic but also don’t be too monotone. Speak in a tone that is confident, yet friendly and casual. If you sound like a salesman, then your voicemail will be deleted before they even hear the full message.
State Your Name & Number Twice
It’s always annoying to have to listen to a voicemail over and over again to catch the name or number that is being left. Speak slowly and make sure you clearly state your contact information at the beginning and the end of the voicemail. It is especially important to state your phone number at the beginning of the voicemail, just in case they do not listen to the entire message.
Create A Sense of Urgency
Create a sense of urgency when leaving a voicemail so that the person feels the need to call back as soon as they can. Mention a time frame when you ask them to follow up. Instead of saying something like, “call me back when you get the chance,” ask them to call you back by a specific date or time. Create a sense of urgency of providing a discount or great deal if they sign up by a certain date.
Call At The End Of The Day
Prospective customers will most likely be busy during the day with work, errands, or other distractions. They will be less likely to listen to any voicemails that sound like sales calls. The morning is probably the worst time to leave a voicemail, instead try calling at the end of the day when they have more time to listen and possibly reply back. In fact, studies show that the best time to call is Wednesday or Thursday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
You might think that leaving endless voicemails is not worth your time, but if you follow these simple tips and leave short, friendly messages that offer help and value, then you will be more likely to get a call-back. The more quality voicemails you leave, the more return calls you will get, and the more sales you can make.
