First-time sales outreach response is plummeting. According to sales strategist and author Jill Konrath, 97% of all business calls now go to voicemail.
Before we tackle appropriate voicemail etiquette for outbound messages, let’s first discuss proper etiquette for setting up your own voicemail system. As a professional, make sure you are regularly updating your voicemail greeting with information most relevant to those calling you.
.
The phone company Vonage reported a drop in voice mail retrievals over the past year. Many of those ignoring voice mails are millennials.
Leave your name, number, and a brief message, and I’ll call you back immediately. Voicemail Greetings For Business. You’ve reached (insert company name.) All of our team members are busy at the moment, but someone will return your call within (insert timeframe) if you’ll be so kind as to leave your name, number, and a brief message. Hello!
The Serial Position Effect states that the human brain is most adept at recalling the first and last items in a series. For sales reps, this psychological phenomenon means that your voicemails are much more likely to be remembered if they're listened to at the beginning or the end of the day.
I have my uncle’s recording of him singing me ‘Happy Birthday’ on my phone recorder which I’ve saved since June 2016 which apparently cannot be recorded other than via speaker phone to a recorder that makes a poor quality recording. So I seem to be unable to delete it if I want to hear it again so my message machine fills up continuously. My phone is ATT. Is there any way for me to record it to save his voice to some other media so I can replay it to hear him again?(both he and my dad,his brother passed away). Are there any home phone systems available that either record to a removeable chip, cassette, or whatever which can be saved other than an audio recording to another audio recorder which declines its quality significantly?
At the same time, if the prospect can’t hear or understand you, all of your work is wasted. Drink water, clear your throat, and invest in a good headset or phone. Be aware of your accent or the way you say words or numbers. And, avoid sales speak and buzzwords.
Although it is okay to give a little bit of information, keep in mind the goal of your voicemail is to take the next steps in the conversation, and not to have the whole conversation then and there in your recording.
So what's the point? Should salespeople even bother with voicemails? Absolutely, and here's why.
Conducting extra research on your prospects before you call them is always a good idea. This script from Mike Brooks is a great example of how you can use this additional information in your sales voicemails.
Acing the Interview: How to Ask and Answer the Questions That Will Get You the Job. Buy it at Amazon. Unbeatable Resumes: America's Top Recruiter Reveals What REALLY Gets You Hired. Buy it on Amazon. Powerful Phrases for Successful Interviews: Over 400 Ready-to-Use Words and Phrases That Will Get You the Job You Want. Buy it on Amazon.
Thank you for calling [LinkedPhone – Where Freedom Rings!]. You’ve reached us outside of business hours. Please select from one of the following options: [for business hours press 1; to leave a message press 2; if this is an emergency, press 0 to be directed to our 24-hour customer success team.] We are grateful for your call and we look forward to speaking with you soon!
“(Intro) I’m calling regarding the voicemail I left you (earlier today/yesterday) about (example: how we recently helped competitor 1, 2, and 3 avoid ______ while ______) and wanted to see if it would make sense for us to have a conversation to determine if what we do would be of some help to you as well. If you’d like to discuss this further you can reach me at __________. I’ll send a follow up email to this message so if it’s easier to reply that way you can or if you’d rather talk via the phone, again, my number is _________.”
Let's get back to performance anxiety. Our fear of being judged negatively fuels our performance anxiety in any situation. When it comes to voicemail, we are being judged on our tone of voice and the clarity of our information.
Increase the odds of getting a call back by mentally composing your message before each call. And remember, people hate it when callers state their name and phone number too quickly in voice mail messages – no one wants to listen to a message ten times to comprehend simple information. Begin by saying your name and company (if applicable). Then assume the person you’re calling doesn't have your number, so say your phone number twice. If your name is at all unusual, spell it the first time you say your phone number. Talk slowly like you were writing it down yourself. The second time you say your phone number, you can say it at your normal rate of speech. A gracious phone message is no longer than 30 – 45 seconds. Be pleasant, but also get right to the point. Keep your voice mail message to two points maximum. If you need to share more information, then say you will send an e-mail message with the rest of the details. Leave a specific message. There’s nothing more frustrating than a voice mail that says, “Hi, it’s me. Call when you can!” Even if you’re just calling to say “Hi”, tell them that in your message. End on a high note! You don’t necessarily need to say “Goodbye” at the end of a voice mail, because you didn’t really talk to anyone. Instead, try something like, “Look forward to talking* with you!”
Calling just to "check in" isn't a relevant reason unless your prospect has specifically asked you to. It's just a lazy excuse to get someone on the phone and it hardly ever works. Instead, find common ground between you and your leads.
Most importantly, have fun with it. If you don’t enjoy leaving a voicemail, you might not be in the right job. Voicemails can add value, whether or not a prospect calls you back right away. Even if it triggers an email response or call-back six months down the line, it’s valuable. The better your voicemails, the more likely you’ll get a response. This article was originally published on Hubspot. It has been republished here with permission.