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19. "Hello, you've reached [your name]. I'm currently [exploring Asia, hiking through the jungle in Costa Rica, hanging out on the beach in Bermuda] — or more likely, [recovering from extreme jet lag, googling ‘Are red spiders poisonous,' or looking for SPF 150 sunscreen] and won't be back in the office until [date]. Leave your contact info and reason for calling and I'll get in touch then."
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However, keep in mind that your prospects might be faced with a lot more distractions at the beginning of the day. "The morning is the worst time to orchestrate a voicemail," says Zachary Weiner, CEO of Emerging Insider Communications. "Most decision makers have a lot on their plate when the day starts. Finding them when they have a bit more mind-share is often more conducive to a positive reply."
To end the voicemail, state (or restate) your main question, then say your phone number. You can also say you’ll follow-up with an email. Now, this isn’t the same as saying, “If I don’t hear from you, you’ll hear from me!” Instead, it’s giving them another way to contact you, one they may be more comfortable with. They should still feel a responsibility to respond to your question, but now they have two options for how to get back in touch. (Then send that email, of course.)
3. "Hey, this is [your name]. If you're calling for [X reason], please [contact so-and-so] or [go to our website, send me an email]. For all other inquiries, leave your name and a brief message and I'll call you back within [one, two, three] business day[s]."
1. "Hi, you've reached [your name] at [your company]. I'm unavailable right now — probably helping [type of company] get [X results, e.g. ‘ double their leads in 60 days,' ‘hire the best and brightest engineers,' ‘convert 40% more customers.']
For a downloadable Quick Reference Guide to the voicemail phone menu, click here.
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The more personal and specific the question, the more likely it'll get a response. Think about it this way. If you start to have chest pains on a busy city street, and you cry out, "Somebody call 911!" you might get help … but you might not. However, if you were to point at one specific person and shout, "Would you please call 911 for me?" it's almost a certainty that the stranger you selected would grab their phone and dial.
So, consider changing your voicemails. Leave behind the typical “give me a call back when you can,” and instead expand on your services and purpose.
Find some common ground. If you’re cold calling someone, your voicemail is your 30 second chance to make a connection and leave a good impression. One of the best ways to make a connection in that short amount of time is mentioning a mutual acquaintance. You could also mention a shared affiliation with an organization.
If there are specific messages, be concise, and let the person know at the beginning so she can be listening for the information. For example, "I'm calling to let you know two things.
Access your main voicemail menu. If you do not know how to access your voicemail box, follow instructions on Listen to your Sprint voicemail messages. Press 3 for Personal Options. Press 2 for Greetings. Press 1 to Change Greeting. Press 1 to Record personal greeting or press 2 to select the standard greeting. Press # to End Recording.
Let’s imagine you call a property agent, you don’t expect you get a Voicemail message. You expect them to answer the phone. In this case the Voicemail starts to play.
It makes sense to have an after-hours / weekend voicemail greeting for important teams at your business so that your clients feel confident that they will be taken care of. You may also suggest alternate resources like a help forum, knowledge base, or online chat to support customers while closed, if available.
“Hi, this is _______from ________. When I was out running around the other day, I noticed that your house was for sale by owner. Before you delete this, I just wanted to let you know that I’ve sold homes, very similar to yours, in the same area, and above list price. You might have received a few “Just Sold in Your Neighborhood” postcards from me. Because I have met with many buyers looking for this type of home, I think I could help you meet your goal of selling your home. I’m available to answer any questions about finding the right buyer, and I provide a free consultation. Please give me a call on my cell phone at _____________. Again, my number is ________. Take care and enjoy the rest of the day.”
Might sound a bit alarming but consider the number of times you’ve tried to leave a voicemail only to hear “this voicemail box is full”. Even if you can leave a message, a millennial may never listen to it. After you’ve made the call, whether you were able to leave a voicemail or not, follow up with a text message to get their attention and hopefully a response.