It seems we never run out of ways to embarrass ourselves these days. Yes, almost all of us are guilty of leaving voicemails which should NOT have been listened to..
Hello, this is Zachary Koch from Sprocket EdTech, I'm calling because you recently signed up for a free consultation on our website. I'd love to talk about how we can streamline your institution's curriculum planning. My number is 408-555-8317, and I'll follow up with an email tomorrow. Have a great day. Goodbye!
.
Your voicemail greeting is the message your callers hear when they reach your voicemail. There are two types of voicemail greetings - Busy and No Answer. The Busy greeting is played when you are on another call and do not have call waiting, and the No Answer greeting is played when you do not answer the call.
A phone call to your business is often the first encounter your customers and prospects have with your company. If no one is available to take the call, having the best professional voicemail greetings possible is important to leave a great first impression and to ensure that business opportunities don’t slip by.
I don’t know about you, but I’m shocked every time I listen to a voicemail message left for me by sales reps, prospects and even clients. They are filled with ‘um’s’ and ‘ah’s’, they ramble on and on, they leave no compelling reason for me to call back, and they almost always leave their number so fast that I have to listen to it two, three, sometimes four times to make it out!
Your message should be specific, and you have to create a sense of urgency so the contact opts to get back in touch with you. Words and phrases to use include: Must; I must hear back by [day]… Need; we need to talk about… Should; we should discuss…
I don’t know about you, but I’m shocked every time I listen to a voicemail message left for me by sales reps, prospects and even clients. They are filled with ‘um’s’ and ‘ah’s’, they ramble on and on, they leave no compelling reason for me to call back, and they almost always leave their number so fast that I have to listen to it two, three, sometimes four times to make it out!
When your marketing voicemail goes on for too long, you can lose the contact completely. Or, even if they do stick with you through the whole thing, they may lose the main point of why you’re calling. Keeping your voicemail between 20 and 30 seconds is enough time to make your elevator pitch without over-talking.
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?
Hi Joe. It’s Susan in Marketing. I’d like to talk with you about the budget proposal we’re sending out tomorrow. If you have time to chat today, feel free to call me back at 345-3456 or send me an email. Thanks.
4. To delete multiple voicemails, select and hold the first voicemail, then click on “More items.”
5. "Hello, [Person's name] is chasing new adventures and is no longer with [Company name]. Please forward all future requests to [New or interim person's name] at [phone number].
Perhaps the biggest mistake in a sales voicemail is pitching too aggressively. If you sound like a smarmy used car salesperson, your prospects are going to delete your voicemails faster than you can say "lowest price guaranteed!"
Note: to fill someone is means to give them necessary details and keep them up-to-date with information.
4. Save and delete messages. Voicemails will be deleted if the auto-save period is reached. The auto-save period can be from 14 to 30 days, depending on the type of voicemail.
Do me a favor though please. So I’m not bothering you anymore, could you please give me a quick call and just give me an update so I know what direction you’re moving in?
After each one, evaluate your performance. Most systems provide the option of listening to the message you just left. Doing this as much as possible will improve your performance more than anything else. Would you save that voicemail? Would you return that call? Would you return that call right away? Are you missing the basics (alternative phone number, optimal ways to get in touch, a fall-back person to call)? Did you craft it or wing it?