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?
With social media, blogs, email marketing, and yes…voicemail greetings, businesses have lots of opportunities to make an impression. But it’s important to make the right impression. Callers will make inferences on what you say and how you say it, and you don't always get another chance to make a positive impact. You want prospective customers to leave a message. You want them to get a great first impression of your business. So, you need professional voicemail greetings. Here’s how you get them…
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While Ross panics about his friends slowly getting dressed for his big gala, Monica hacks into Richard's answering machine and leaves a mortifying message ("I don't know, maybe I'm getting my period or something")which then becomes his outgoing recording.
Visit the prospect’s website and social media and find a piece of connective tissue, such as an alma mater, a favorite sports team, or a common pet (I’m a dog lover, personally). This opens the conversation, and shows that you’ve done your research.
Hello, and welcome to Answering Machines of the Rich and Famous! (your name here) can’t come to the phone right now, because he’s spending the week in his beautiful summer home on the French Riviera…
We are unable to come to the phone right now. At the tone, please leave your name, number, and Master Card, Visa, or American Express account number and we’ll get back to, pending credit approval.
Different phone systems allow users to see different amounts of information ranging from a number, to name and number, to nothing at all. So, this “missed call” method of requesting a call back could end up costing you the very thing you are seeking.
Creating a voicemail greeting might not be fun, but with the scripts I’ve shared, you should have an easier time. No need to practice time and time again — simply plug in your name, company title, and other details, then read it out loud to your phone’s voicemail greeting recorder. With a professional greeting, you’ll continue nurturing prospects even if you don’t pick up the phone.
Once you have accessed the voicemail system, you will have the following options: Press 3: Advanced Options Press 5: Repeat Message Press 6: Next Message Press 7: Delete Message Press 8: Forward Message Press 9: Save Message Press 0: New Messages Press 1: Old Messages Press 2: Work Messages Press 3: Family Messages Press 4: Friend Messages Press #: Cancel Press 1: Record Unavailable Message Press 2: Record Busy Message Press 3: Record Name Press 4: Record Temporary Greeting Press 5: Change Password Press *: Main Menu How do I record my voicemail greeting or name? Option 1 – Unavailable message Option 2 – Busy message Option 3 – Record your name Option 4 – Temporary greeting
If you leave a message, here is a collection of techniques that have gotten calls returned: First name and number only (in a very businesslike manner). It seems that calls are returned in inverse proportion to the amount of information left. Be funny Clean wit will get response. Be indirect “I was going to mail you important information, and I wanted to confirm your address.” Offer fun “I had two extra tickets to the Knights game and I thought you might be interested. (here’s the sure shot) Please call me if you can’t go so I’m able to give the tickets to someone else.” If it was positive first meeting, remind the prospect where you met. Dangle the carrot. Leave just enough information to entice. Ask a provocative or thought provoking question.
If you don't create call answering rules, incoming callers will be sent directly to your voice mail when you’re not available.
Please note that if you record an unavailable greeting, it will be used instead of the default message with your name recording.
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.
When incorporated with a prospecting omni channel approach, voicemail is a powerful tool that can help your outreach goal of creating prospect engagement. Measure your approach, adjust and improve, your persistent efforts will yield significant results.
Sales reps tend to be very declarative in their messaging. Their starting phrase in both voicemails and emails usually sounds something like, "My name is John Doe, and I work for Gadgets Inc."
It’s a good practice for each of your team members to have their own personal business phone numbers. There are many reasons why they shouldn’t use their personal cell phone number for business, so you’ll want to give them their own phone number through your VoIP provider or phone system.
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