Effective Voice Mail Messages
Between voice mail, automated attendants, and caller identification systems, doing business on the phone is more challenging than ever. It’s increasingly difficult to reach people because it’s becoming easier for them to avoid us.
For many sellers, the number one medium for contacting prospective clients is voice mail. Many sellers experience two or three times as many voice mails as they do voice-to-voice conversations. Unfortunately, many sellers downplay leaving voice messages and consider them a waste of time. They view voice mail as an enemy—the evil gatekeeper. Salespeople are often taught that leaving voice mails is useless, and they are instructed to not leave them. In most cases (especially with business-to-business calls), this is a mistake. Although it is true that a majority of voice messages will not be returned (this is not a phenomena reserved to sales calls), when prospects do call back they are almost always qualified and convert into sales.
Note: Use your initial benefit statement script to create a voice mail script by simply injecting your phone number and/or email address.
Surprisingly, when we survey our trainees, a large percentage of them claim to hang up on voice mails rather than leave messages. This is a decision I have a hard time understanding because what is the chance a prospect will call us back if we don’t leave a message? Zero. On the other hand, if we leave a message, we automatically increase the odds that we will receive a return phone call.
In most cases, voice mail can actually be a bridge instead of a barrier. Many successful sellers prefer to leave voice messages because they have higher success ratios in less time. Leaving a voice message is fast, and it also preliminarily qualifies a buyer. Because many buyers use voice mail as a way to screen calls, when they call back, they are obviously interested in your product or service; you have “struck a nerve.”
Voice mails (like emails) are also checked at the leisure of the buyer, thus avoiding the “interruption” factor of cold calling.
I recently consulted a company with a very dynamic CEO. This gentleman was not the average “glass ceiling” CEO. He regularly got into the trenches of his corporation and would drop by the shipping department and help fill orders. If his garbage was full, he emptied it. He even made cold calls! He was extraordinary, so when I began setting up The DNA Selling System for his company, he was on hand for every decision. As the issue of cold calling came up, he made it clear that he did not want his salespeople leaving voice messages. Of course, I questioned his decision and asked him why. He replied that leaving voice messages was a waste of time. When I pressed him a bit further, he stated he had never had a prospect call him back after leaving a voice mail. After listening to his response, I told him I thought we should still leave voice messages. He gazed at me with an incredulous look on his face that conveyed something to the effect of, “Did you not just hear what I said? How could a person like you call himself cerebral!” So I made him a gentleman’s wager. I told him that I would make one hundred cold calls and leave messages for every lead that put me in voice mail, but I had one stipulation: the return phone number I left had to be his personal cell phone number. He agreed, and sure enough, he received two callbacks. A little over ten days later we were sitting in his office discussing marketing strategies when his cell phone rang. It was a call back from a cold call I made on the first day of our wager.
Note: An alternative way of looking at voice messages is to view them as advertising vehicles. Voice mails give you an opportunity to deliver a message without interruption or objection.
One of the reasons many voice mails are not returned is because most sellers leave the same run-of-the-mill, worn out message that every seller leaves. Traditional voice messages are not effective with busy buyers who hear dozens of the same carbon copy, cold call messages on a regular basis. Unfortunately, most voice messages are facsimiles of each other that simply inject different sellers and company names.
Leaving effective voice messages requires creativity. To be successful, sellers need to implement unconventional tactics to entice buyers to return calls. Because most prospecting calls use the same steps, the same scripts, and the same verbiage, sellers who leave non-traditional voice messages sound unique, and generate curiosity.
Review all of the voice messages sellers recently left in your voice mail. What did they sound like?
Exercise: “Hello, you have reached the voice mail of Will Purdue. I’m not able to take your call at this time, but if you will leave your name and number I’ll return your call.” (Beep)
What would you say? Write it down.
If you left the above voice message on your own voice mail would you return the call?
If the answer is yes, stick with it. If the answer is no, or if you are not sure, consider creating a more interesting, bolder, and more creative voice mail. The key is to differentiate yourself from the other hundred voice messages your prospective client will get this month.
Pose a Potential Question
One way to differentiate your message from other sales messages is to ask questions. When prospects hear provocative questions, they instinctively want to answer them. During corporate trainings, I emphasize this point with a little exercise. Calling on a participant to come to the front of the room, I ask him or her, “Can I ask you a question?” Without exception they respond with “Sure.” They stand there in anticipation of what the question is going to be and so do the rest of the participants.
One way to professionally “provoke” buyers into returning voice messages is to pose provocative questions.
“Hello Ms. Smith. My name is Patrick Hansen. My phone number is (888) 888-8888. I have a question I believe only you will be able to answer. I’ll be in my office until 5:00 P.M. Please call me back at (888) 888-8888.”
“Hi Mr. Jones. My phone number is (888) 888-8888. I’m calling in regard to a question I believe only you can answer. I’ll be in my office until 5:00 P.M. If you would, please call me back at (888) 888-8888.”
Note: Always leave your phone number twice. Say your name and number slowly and clearly.
Do not confuse provocative questions with intellectually insulting or stupid questions. Ridiculous questions such as, “If I could save you a million dollars, would you be interested in meeting with me?” or “Mr. Smith, do you object to making a profit?” should be avoided. Buyers recognize them for what they are—traps.
The Power of Brevity
The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.
—Thomas Jefferson
Most cold callers leave voice messages that sound like the Old Testament. Since traditional voice messages overburden buyers with too much information, simplicity and brevity are essential to leaving effective voicemails.
It seems as though voice messages are returned in inverse proportion to the amount of information left on the voice mail, so avoid overwhelming prospects with too much information. Brief messages and partial information statements allow curiosity to get the best of the buyer.
“Hi Mr. Underhill, this is Jennifer Coats with Patrick Henry International. My phone number is (888) 888-8888. We helped our most recent client, ABC Corporation, increase sales over 33 percent. I’m confident we can do the same for you. My number is (888) 888-8888. My email address is . I look forward to hearing from you.”
“Hi Mr. Nugent, this is Sharon Moore with Patrick Henry International. My phone number is (888) 888-8888. We help businesses dramatically increase lead generation and based on my research of your company and competitors I am confident we can do the same thing for you. Please contact me at (888) 888-8888. I look forward to hearing from you.”
“Hi Ms. Liddy, this is Samuel Starks with Patrick Henry International. My phone number is (888) 888-8888. We help businesses increase sales. In fact, we recently increased sales at ABC Company over
20%. I’m confident we can provide similar results for your business. That number again is (888) 888-8888. I look forward to hearing from you.”
The Point? Listeners’ attention spans are short on the phone. Leave voice messages that are bold, brief, and to the point.
Tell Them Who You’re Not
One way to sound unique is to use a little humor in the voice message by telling them who you’re not. You might say something like,
“Hi, my name is Patrick Hansen. My phone number is (888) 888-8888. I don’t work for the IRS, the Mafia or the CIA. I’m not trying to sell you Tupperware. I’m not looking for a job, and I don’t need to borrow money. But I would like to talk to you about how we recently increased sales for ABC Company over 33 percent, and why I’m confident we can do the same thing for you. Please call us, Patrick Henry International at (888) 888-8888.”
The Assumptive Voice Mail
Some salespeople leave voice mails (for local appointment-based cold calls) that simply assume the buyer will meet with them. For example, many salespeople leave messages such as,
“Hi, this is _(your name)_ with _(your business)_. My phone number is (888) 888-8888. The purpose of my call today is simply to set up an appointment regarding _(X product or issue)_. I’ll be dropping by for a few minutes next Tuesday morning at 9:20. If this is not a convenient time for us to meet, please call and let me know. My number is 1 (888) 888-8888.”
The assumption is that the prospect will meet with you, but will the person you have called show up for the appointment? It’s hard to say. Will the person call you back if he or she doesn’t want to meet? Maybe. Will the person call back to set up another time that’s more convenient? Sometimes. Remember, if you give a time to meet, you have to fulfill your end of the agreement. Don’t set a time to meet and then not show up for the appointment.
This is a fairly bold voice mail, and it doesn’t work for everyone. If you are involved in local sales, try it out. If it works, stick with it.
How Often Should You Call Back?
My general recommendation is one week. Sellers who call back too soon sound desperate. They inadvertently project an obsequious image, rather than a professional image. When sellers appear desperate for business, they can’t sell or negotiate from a position of strength. When buyers know sellers are desperate for business, they are less responsive and are more prone to ask for discounts and price concessions.1 To avoid this problem, don’t beg for business or appear overly anxious for their patronage by calling them back too soon.
My general rule is to call back once a week for three weeks with a fourth call on the fifth week. After that, I move on, and I recommend you do the same. There are, however, exceptions to this rule.
I had lunch with a very dynamic business consultant from Florida who told me a story that proved the exception. When he tried to land an account with a major firm in Miami, he left message after message. After numerous voice messages, he decided to turn up the heat because he really wanted this account and refused to give up. Consequently, he called the person again and left the following voice message (with different names of course), “Hi Mr. Dorfman. This is Tony Starks again. I just wanted to let you know that I’m a perfect fit for your company and know that my services will benefit your business. If you give me a half an hour of your time I promise to make it worthwhile. I’m not going to give up until we have a chance to meet. I’m going to call you three times a day, seven days a week until you call me back. My number is 888-8888. I’m not trying to be a pest. I’m trying to earn your business.” He kept his promise by calling three times a day and leaving a message with each call. After three or four days, he got his call back, set the appointment, and a short time later made the sale.
Depending on the potential pay off for the time investment, it might make sense to make more than the recommended four return calls.
Prepare Your Voice Mail in Advance
Patrick Henry International regularly works with companies to create cold call scripts and prospecting strategies. One of the most predictable nuisances we face is sellers who think that they sound better when they don’t use a script. They are, without exception, wrong. For some reason, this problem is exacerbated when it comes to leaving voice mails. Because many sellers feel that voice mail is somehow completely different from a normal sales call, they “freestyle” their message. Predictably, their voice messages are wordier, longer, and less effective.
I worked with a start up company that received a large amount of investment capital. One of the investors reviewed literature regarding our sales training and consultation services and asked if we would be interested in helping “jump start” the venture. After reviewing the financial numbers and growth potential, we readily agreed. Part of setting up The DNA Selling System involved establishing an effective prospecting campaign, so we created numerous cold call scripts, tested them on the market for effectiveness, and confirmed a finalized cold call script. We then trained the newly hired salespeople in power prospecting principles, role played the scripts in depth, and sent them selling. As part of our coaching program, we reviewed the calls of each salesperson, and as usual, there were one or two sellers who started going “off road,” ignoring the script, and speaking off the top of their heads. Predictably, their calls were longer, wordier, and less effective. They struggled to find the right words, had uncomfortable pauses, uttered too many “uhs,” “ahs,” and “ums,” and lost the opportunity to make a powerful impression. This became especially apparent with voice mails. When they ignored our customized, strategic voice mail script, their voice mails became cluttered, sometimes even confusing.
Be sure to prepare your voice mails in advance.
Five Voice Mail Fundamentals
1. Prepare your voice mail in advance (use your IBS script).
2. Say your name and number (or email address) slowly and clearly.
3. Always say your number twice. (You might consider leaving your phone number and/or your email address as the first and last thing you say.)
• ... I’ll try you again on Friday morning. If you’d like to reach me in the meantime, my number is (888) 888-8888. I’ll repeat that, (888) 888-8888, and my email is [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you.
4. Do not ask questions that are intellectually insulting or stupid. Ridiculous questions such as, “If I could save you a million dollars, would you be interested in meeting with me?” or “Mr. Smith, do you object to making a profit?” should be avoided. Buyers recognize them for what they are—traps.
5. Keep your voice mail as brief as possible. Most cold callers leave voice messages that sound like the Old Testament. Since traditional voice messages overburden buyers with too much information, simplicity and brevity are essential to leaving effective voice mails. Examples include:
• Hi Mr. Underhill, this is Diana Griffith with Patrick Henry International. My phone number is (877) 204-4341. We specialize in B2B sales training and helped our most recent client, ABC Corporation increase new product sales over 33%. After researching your website and competitors, I’m confident we can do the same for you. My number again is (877) 204-4341. My email is [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you.
• Hi Ms. Liddy, this is Jason Bourne with Patrick Henry International. My phone number is (877) 204-4341. We help businesses increase qualified lead generation. In fact, we recently helped increase leads at ABC Company over 20%. I’m confident we can provide similar results for your business. That number again is (877) 204-4341. My email is [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you.
Effective Fax Messages
Cerebral sellers sometimes use unconventional methods to generate leads and set appointments, including the use of fax machines. How many salespeople do you know who incorporate a fax in their prospecting and selling efforts? Most salespeople view the fax as
an archaic communication tool. Because most salespeople do not use the fax as part of their selling modus operandi, you should. By using the fax as a means of communication you stand out from competitors and separate yourself from competing vendors.
Fax machines are wonderful tools for communication and can be used for both pre-call correspondence and as a follow-up tool. Similar to an introductory letter, messages can be faxed prior to a cold call to help “warm up” the initial call. You should simply write a brief, personal cover letter that tells the decision maker you’ll be calling soon to introduce your good or service.
As a follow up to your call or voice mail, use your fax machine as an additional or alternative way to get through to prospects. After leaving a voice message (or speaking with a gatekeeper), follow up with a fax message. Fax a referral letter from a satisfied customer with a cover sheet that says, “FYI.” This is especially effective when the referral letter is from a reputable company in the same industry, perhaps even a prospect’s competitor.
Note: To increase the impact of your voice mail, follow it up with a fax message. You might even recommend in your voice message that the buyer check his or her fax machine.
When using fax messages to communicate with buyers, follow some simple guidelines:
1. Keep the fax brief. No one likes receiving long faxes, so don’t send an eight-page fax to a prospective client. Keep the fax to one page. I had a caller to my radio program relate a story that makes the point. He told me that he faxed a fairly long, multi-page fax message to a prospective client. But the prospect was apparently so irritated by the length of the fax that he returned the favor, with one small catch. His twenty-five page return fax was entirely blank, and black.
2. Use type sizes that are at least ten points. This ensures your fax message is at a legible minimum.
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