3. Business Voicemail Greetings. Hello, you've reached the Sales Department at [X company]. We can't take your call right now, but please leave your name, contact information, and the reason for reaching out, and one of our team members will be in touch within 24 hours.
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A sales voicemail can't do too much for you if there's no room for any sort of progression. If you just give an explanation of your offering's benefits without establishing what that prospect should do or can expect next, you might close the door on a sale — straight off the bat.
I bet you’re not anything close to a “babbling idiot” when leaving a voicemail, but I understand, and until I put the following practices into everyday use, I too felt like I wasn’t showcasing my best self when leaving messages.
“(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 _________.”
I find it helpful to imagine that I am writing a memo when I leave voicemail messages. Outlining points enhances my own clarity and puts the listener on notice for the information.
We’re all familiar with this type of voicemail greeting. Simply put, a caller reaches you by dialing your number or extension directly. For an optimal personal voicemail greeting, be clear about who you are, the team you’re on, and when the caller can expect a callback. Unlike company and department voicemail greetings, you may not be able to configure a greeting for open and closed business hours. If that’s the case, use a general voicemail greeting that accommodates both scenarios.
Use call answering rules to determine what happens when a caller reaches your voice mail. For example, if you have automatic replies turned on, then you could set up your rule to transfer the caller to a different number. If you have multiple rules, you can specify the order in which they are applied.
I’m calling because [reason for calling]. I’d love to talk to you about [benefit you can offer if they call back].
This is a direct and persuasive way of asking for a follow-up meeting. Your prospect is more likely to agree to discuss their pain points further than if you were to say, "I'd love to talk more about how I can help. Let me know when we can get a call scheduled." The latter is vague and feels like more of a burden than the first request.
And for the prospect or client that seems to be dodging you or just not calling you back:
For small businesses, there are a variety of voicemail service providers you can use that offer different features. From transcription and voice to text to more convenient features of handling multiple phones through one number, availability varies by service. Shared voicemail and call routing is intended for multiple access and directing calls to one or multiple phones. Mobile apps are also available that allow you to check your messages from your phone. The below infographic outlines the current state and trends of voicemails.
If you have a visual voicemail from FaceTime you want to preserve, you can save it with the Files app:
I’m home right now . . . I’m just screening my calls. So just start talking and if you’re someone I want to speak to I’ll pick up the phone. Otherwise, well, what can I say?
This scenario piques your prospect's interest by teasing information. But it's only effective when your prospect actually cares about the info. If you say, "Next time we talk, I'd love to tell you more about our latest award for customer satisfaction," they probably (read: definitely) won't care.
The key to leaving voicemail messages that get returned is keeping in mind who you are calling in the first place. Whether you are making sales calls, speaking with current borrowers, or trying to gain mortgage clients, you must adapt to your audience.
Unexpected crises like COVID-19 can occur at any time. Here are a few example business voicemail scripts you can adapt for those unanticipated events. It’s important to incorporate key information that your clients need to know. You should also add a human touch by expressing your goodwill for them and their families.