How to Leave Effective Voicemails

We all have done it. Left a message for a prospect or customer and not gotten a call back. We wonder why don't they return our phone call. I left detailed information, was to the point, and spoke clearly.

Well today's business people are busier than ever and focused on revenue generating tasks, rather than returning voicemails left by sales people. If you are leaving a message for someone you haven't met in person their is a high probability they will never call you back unless your message conveys the idea that they need to speak with you. The same holds true even when leaving messages for your own customers. Unless your message gives them a compelling reason to return the call chances are you won't get a call back.

Don't give up, there are ways to maximize the effectiveness of your message so your return call ratio will increase.

First is stand up and smile when leaving messages. Your voice projects better standing than sitting and when you smile it makes your voice sound more upbeat. Remember the old sales trick of smiling into a mirror when speaking to prospects over the phone, this gives your voice a slightly higher and happier pitch than it would if you were sitting down.

Clearly state your name, your company, and your phone number up front. This may sound ridiculous but I have listened to sales people leave a great message but forget to say who they are and their contact info. 

The main context of your message must clearly articulate a value statement that will identify at least two benefits directly related to the prospect and or their industry. Your value statement and benefits also need to be directly aligned with the benefits of doing business with your company, product, or yourself. Without a properly constructed value statement the prospect will never return your phone call. Your message needs to be very personalized for whom you are calling and never be generic.

Do not leave a message more than forty five seconds. Anything more than that will get deleted and or hung up. You need to carefully plan out every word of your message before hand so you do not exceed forty five seconds. Don't waste precious time on your message with the date or time because voicemail systems date and time stamp all messages anyway.

Never leave more than one message per day and never repeat the same message. Always change up your message and value statement to increase your chances of a call back.

Remember leaving a voicemail for prospect or customer is just like a sales call. You need to sell them on calling you back and the benefits they will receive by doing so.