1. Press the fixed key with the envelope graphic, or dial the phone’s phone number.
Hello. You’ve received Laura Brown in the Accounting Department. I’m not able to take your call right now but please leave a detailed message and I’ll return your call within 24 hours. Thank you.
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For all the above cases and more, preparing yourself and being careful will ensure that you only send professional and meaningful voicemails. Here’s how:
2. The Simpsons Share a Funny Answering Greeting. If you’re looking for a short and simple message, we suggest turning to Homer Simpson as he tells callers to… leave a message.
“Congratulations! You’ve reached the right person! It’s [your name]. Unfortunately, you’ve called at the wrong time. Please leave a message with all your contact information, and I’ll call you back within 24 hours.”
1. Personal Business Voicemail Greetings. Hello! You’ve reached (insert company name.) This is (insert name) in the (insert department.) My apologizes for not being available to take your call, but I’m on the line helping another customer (insert business’s most attractive result or purpose point.)
Why the difference in response? When you made the request specific to one person in the second circumstance, you placed a burden of responsibility on that person. So it is with sales voicemails: The more specific the question, the more responsibility the person feels to answer you.
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.
Sticking with our "Andy Applicant" example, if Andy had left Hannah Hiring Manager a voicemail of, “It’s me and I would like to talk to you.” She will not know who Andy is nor what Andy wants to talk about. Effectively she will be answering Andy’s questions on the spot the whole time after she figures out how to get in touch with him. What if she forgets to mention something?
Having a dedicated emergency contact will help make sure anything important that comes up is taken care of. Another option is directing callers to a separate answering service.
Sound upbeat in your message. When recording, be sure to say your message with a smile on your face. It’s obvious when people aren’t happy in their message. Since your work revolves around keeping happy customers, do your part by keeping a happy-sounding voicemail message.
Expert advice: Four phone script lessons from “Mr. Inside Sales” that will double your close rate
“I followed your advice on how to leave voicemail messages that get more callbacks and since using it, my call backs have increased. But my question is, what do I do with the prospects that haven’t called back?”
Your second voicemail should include information that was missing from your first. For instance, a rep using this technique might leave the following two messages:
We've all heard that automated voice mail lady, telling us what to do after the beep. But fewer people than ever are leaving messages. And the millennials, they won't even listen to them — they'd much rather receive a text or Facebook message.
Sorry, Chris and Susan aren’t here right now. Please leave your name and number after the tone. If you are calling regarding an outstanding debt, please leave your message before the tone.
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