Timing is everything. The moment you receive the lead alert is the best time to make the follow-up call. If you call them days later, your chances of getting them on the phone are greatly diminished. By calling them right away, you’ll talk to more leads which will inevitably boosts sales. Role-play your voicemail scripts so you sound like you’re making your 20th call, not your 1st. Ask your friends and colleagues for honest feedback on your voicemail scripts. Continually review what’s working and what isn’t -- there’s always room for improvement. If you have the lead’s email address, follow up with an email, and let them know in the voicemail you’re going to do so. If you don’t have an email, let them know you’ll follow up with a text.
And that's the reason that most people leave garbled and rushed messages, because they take about two seconds to adjust to the fact that they've got through to an answering service and then with Mary Mitchell's message they have maybe a second or two to compose a short and concise message... which just isn't enough time for most people.

First-time sales outreach response is plummeting. According to sales strategist and author Jill Konrath, 97% of all business calls now go to voicemail.
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!”